Alabama Practice Report 8/21: Alphonse Taylor Continues Reps With First-Team OL Group

Alabama continued its first week of practice of the new school year Friday on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields. It was the Crimson Tide’s final workout before its second fall scrimmage Saturday afternoon inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. The team wore shells (helmets, shoulder pads and shorts).

Observations:

- Alphonse Taylor looked to be working as the first-team right guard for at least the second straight practice. Saban brought up Taylor on his own on Wednesday, saying the junior from Mobile has “had a really good camp.”

“I wouldn’t count him out as a guy who could be a starter at one of the guards,” Saban said. “We feel like we have three really good guards (Taylor, Ross Pierschbacher and Bradley Bozeman).

From left to right, Alabama’s first-team offensive line on Friday was Cam Robinson, Pierschbacher, Ryan Kelly, Taylor and Dominick Jackson.

- Quarterback Jake Coker looked solid in his third day back from a toe injury that forced him out of passing drills on Monday and Tuesday of this week. He looks like he may still have a little ways to go, though, before reaching a full recovery.

- Nos. 10 and 19, Alabama's two walk-on quarterbacks who joined the team at practice for the first time this past Wednesday when the team was able to expand its 105-man fall camp roster, are serving scout-team duties at this point, throwing passes to the tight ends while the other quarterbacks throw to the wide receivers.

- Between Nos. 10 and 19, it is likely that one of the two is preferred walk-on Seth Franks, who graduated from nearby Tuscaloosa County High School in the spring. Alabama’s sports information department hasn’t released an updated roster with the names of the walk-ons who joined the team’s expanded 105-man fall camp roster on Wednesday, the first day of classes of the fall semester at the school.

- Junior wide receiver Raheem Falkins was back on the field in a black, non-contact jersey for the second straight day this fall. Saban announced at the start of fall camp on Aug. 6 that Falkins suffered a leg fracture this summer that required surgery.

- Joining Falkins with a black, non-contact jersey on among receivers was Cam Sims, who has been practicing since Wednesday. Sims tore his ACL in the spring, but Saban said it’s “way too early” to tell if he will play at all this season.

- Additionally, senior wideout Parker Barrineau was not on the practice field during the media’s one viewing period. Barrineau “cut his toe in an incident in the shower, or the bathroom, some kind of way” and needed surgery to “sew it back up,” Saban said Wednesday.

Next:

Alabama takes the field for its second fall scrimmage, which is closed to the public, inside Bryant-Denny Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday. Saban will speak to the media immediately following its conclusion.

Check out videos from Friday's practice: