TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama football team worked out in full pads for two hours Tuesday at the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields.
“We have been off for two days, and this is the time you try to get your players back,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “There is a lot of fundamental improvement we need to make. I think the things coming out of the scrimmage (Saturday) we need to improve on are mental toughness as a team, especially the younger players to be able to persevere, sustain, and finish plays.”
Tuesday was the 20th practice of preseason training camp. The session saw the Crimson Tide move into more of a game-week practice schedule as the Sept. 3 season opener against Kent State is 11 days away. The SEC Network will broadcast the game live at 11:21 a.m.
“The focus is on improvement and the things we need to improve on as a team,” Saban said. “We will also look at some things that our first four opponents do that is a little bit different, and we will probably start working on Kent State on Friday.”
n In related news, Alabama will honor the emergency workers who responded to the April tornado outbreak at the Crimson Tide”s season opener Sept. 3 against Kent State.
The school”s athletics department said Tuesday a brief ceremony to salute first responders will be held during pregame festivities at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The tornado that killed dozens of people in Tuscaloosa passed just south of the stadium, leaving a trail of destruction through the city. The university campus wasn”t damaged.
More than 240 people died statewide in the outbreak April 27.
n In other news, a cab driver has been charged with manslaughter for allegedly providing the drugs that resulted in the death of Alabama offensive lineman Aaron Douglas.
Fernandina Beach Police said in a news release that Rodney Young Odum was arrested late Monday and charged with manslaughter and the sale/delivery of a controlled substance. An autopsy report found Douglas died May 12 as a result of multiple drugs found in his system.
Police chief James Hurley said Douglas rode to a party in a cab driven by Odum. Hurley said Odum either sold or gave him two prescription Methadone pills during the trip.
Hurley says Odum “reportedly had a reputation as a mobile drug dealer.” Odum was jailed on $50,000 bond.
Saban said the arrest was a positive but didn”t make dealing with Douglas” death easier.
“Nothing can erase the pain of what happened with Aaron,” Saban said. “It was tough on our team when you lose a comrade and lose someone that”s a part of your team. I think that at least now the person who did the wrongdoing is being held accountable for it, which is a positive thing. But nothing can really make that wrong right.
“It is good that maybe this person will be convicted and not be able to do this type of stuff to other young people. I”m hopeful that we can crack down on all that in all areas so we wouldn”t have that type of problem in our country with young people.”
Authorities have charged four people with allowing underage drinking at the party.
Douglas was a freshman All-American at Tennessee before transferring to a junior college. He enrolled at Alabama in January and was competing for a starting job at left tackle.
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