Hopefully, for Alabama’s sake, the flu bug is done for the season.
Left tackle James Carpenter, who missed Monday’s workout because of the flu, was back on the practice field Tuesday afternoon, working with the rest of the first-team unit. A week earlier another member of the offensive line – right tackle Drew Davis – missed a day because of the flu.
Defensive back Marquis Johnson, also battling illness of late and sporting a cast on his left hand because of an injured thumb, practiced Tuesday as well as the top-ranked Crimson Tide held its third practice since returning from a three-day Christmas break. The Tide worked in full pads Tuesday at the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility.
Top-ranked Alabama will practice again Wednesday and Thursday before flying out for California on Friday. The Tide will begin normal game-week preparations on Saturday.
So far this week, Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been pleased with what he’s seen.
“They’ve looked better than I anticipated,” Saban said of the players Monday night.
Sunday’s indoor practice was probably the closest the team will come to a full-scale scrimmage before it takes on No. 2-ranked Texas in the BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 7. Players hit each other but stopped short of actually taking each other to the ground – a scrimmage style known as ‘thud.’
“We had a good practice inside wearing pads,” Saban said of Sunday’s scrimmage-style practice. “We worked ...
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