Just like fall for Alabama

TUSCALOOSA — A noisy stadium. A Saturday afternoon. College football.

Lorenzo Washington remembers his first A-Day Game in 2004. Alabama’s senior defensive end couldn’t believe it.

“The whole lower bowl was full,” he said. “It shows how much the community really cares about it. Nice weather. Good food. A-Day is a pretty important thing.”

The game has blown up during Washington’s time on campus. More specifically, since coach Nick Saban’s arrival two years ago. A sellout crowd of 92,138
packed Bryant-Denny Stadium in 2007 for Saban’s first A-Day. Last season, 78,200 fans attended the scrimmage.

“Since Saban’s been here it’s been incredible,” Washington said as spring practice winds down with today’s game at 2 p.m. “I feel like I’m going to play in a
real game.”

He’s hardly alone.

“With the stadium full, the excitement, you can’t help but treat it like a real game,” middle linebacker Rolando McClain said on a Birmingham talk radio show
Thursday.

ESPN’s national broadcast of today’s game simply adds another layer of game-like simulation. Chris Fowler will call the play-by-play and Todd Blackledge is
the analyst. Wendi Nix is on the sidelines.

“It’s very exciting for our players to get an opportunity to play in front of our fans,” Saban said. “I hope that our fans are excited about encouraging our players.
The intensity, the enthusiasm, the passion that you have as fans is something that certainly makes the game interesting and certainly is something that
positively reinforces the players for all their effort.”

It is the third and final scrimmage of the spring, which means it will be more fun for those watching than those participating. Quarterback Greg McElroy said the
competition for jobs, particularly on offense, has been “brutal.”

“We obviously have a lot of holes to fill,” McElroy said. “As far as competition goes, it’s been pretty intense. The difference, I will say, about this year’s team is,
guys are will to help other guys. They want to see the team be more successful than individuals. People just care about the (team’s) success, what’s best for
the offense and the defense.

“I think that’s a little different from years past. I’m glad to see that’s the direction this team’s heading. I think it will lead to a lot of victories and success in the
years to come.”

The White team will be made up primarily of the first team defense and the second-team offense against the Crimson, which is the first-team offense and
second-team defense. The game will have four 15-minute quarters with a running clock, although it will stop in the final minutes of the second and fourth
quarters. Halftime will be 10 minutes long.

Among key things to watch is how effective a rebuilt offensive line — the strength of last year’s 12-2 team that was undefeated through the regular season —
fares against a veteran defensive front seven. Three starters have departed up front, including All-American left tackle Andre Smith and center Antoine Caldwell.

Today, junior college transfer James Carpenter will start at left tackle and junior William Vlachos will start at center.

“I think that there’s obviously a little better feeling about all of it right now than there was at the beginning of the spring,” Saban said. “It’s not really critical that
we make any final decisions about any of those things right now.

“Carpenter has made a lot of progress and shows capabilities, but his ability to be consistent needs to improve. … We’re still moving guys around to see —-
(John Michael) Boswell is going to play tackle in the scrimmage, for instance —- what the best combination is going to be. That’s as much as I can tell you
right now.”

McElroy, who must replace three-year starter John Parker Wilson, said the White team was already chirping about which team would prevail. The winning side
will eat steak at a dinner next week; the losers will eat franks and beans.

“You get a little tired of lining up against the same guys every day, so you gotta do something to keep things interesting,” McElroy said with a smile. “One way
of doing that is to talk a little smack and try to get inside my head. They haven’t been effective, though. Set the record straight.”

Flag football: Former Alabama players will play a flag football game in Bryant-Denny before the regular game. The inaugural A-Club 7-on-7 Classic will begin at
noon. Gates will open at 11 a.m. and introductions begin at 11:30. The game is planned to be an annual event. Former Tide greats tentatively scheduled to
participate include Antonio Langham, Bob Baumhower (coaching), John Copeland, Major Ogilvie (coaching), Barry Krauss, Derrick Oden, Tyrone Prothro and
Leron McClain (coaching).

While the flag football game is new, an Alabama tradition will continue at Denny Chimes. The annual Walk of Fame ceremony will take place at 12:15 p.m. at
Denny Chimes. The 2008 permanent team captains — center Antoine Caldwell, safety Rashad Johnson and quarterback John Parker Wilson — will have their
hand prints and foot prints placed in cement.