Kalen DeBoer explains reasonings behind Alabama's updated A-Day format

A-Day is going to look a lot different than normal this spring.

As opposed to the typical ‘Crimson vs. White’ scrimmage where the roster is divided into two competing teams, this year A-Day won’t be a scrimmage at all. Instead, it will be an hour-and-a-half practice open to the public, following the recent trend of college football programs either changing or canceling spring games altogether.

Following the first full scrimmage of spring practice on Thursday, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer gave an additional explanation regarding the changes to A-Day.

“We’ll have more of a practice, a full practice like we would have any day,” DeBoer said. “It allows us to kind of have a controlled setting, control the reps that certain guys get. We understand the significance. Everyone loves football here. We want to give that day and make it available, show off our guys, go do their thing.”

A popular theory regarding the reasonings for widespread spring game changes has been to avoid putting out additional tape for players that could be lured into the spring transfer portal window. DeBoer stated that the portal isn’t a concern of his associated with these changes, and it’s more about getting the highest quality reps.

“It’s really, to me, not about the portal concern that I know everyone makes it out to be,” DeBoer said. “It’s just that we’re really careful out there, we ran a lot of reps, but we were very specific. Sometimes you almost had to stop things to get the right groups of people matched up and things like that to have a quality rep for all 22 guys that are on the football field. That practice type environment is something that I think best accomplishes both the things for the fans that we want to do with A-Day and also for our football team, utilizing practice 15 and continuing to get better.”

DeBoer also emphasized the importance of getting in front of fans even if it’s for a practice. He noted how last year’s A-Day game was a notable moment for multiple young players on the team who’d never been in front of a crowd that large before.

“I think it’s really important for our guys to get in front of fans,” DeBoer said. “I remember a year ago when we came out – this year we have 18 new freshmen and also have some transfer that are here, and this is their first time in Bryant-Denny with people. I think that’s a huge benefit for us. I remember seeing some guys a little bit like ‘wow,’ eyes wide open. That’s a huge benefit for us because throughout the fall and in fall camp we won’t experience that to the extent like we will here in a couple weeks.”

Other program across college football are aiming to make spring game changes in the opposite direction. Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has proposed an NFL-like approach in playing a spring game against a opponent, but DeBoer didn’t express interest in that approach for the time being.

“If we couldn’t do the scrimmage – and I guess it’s a little easier if it’s just one side of the ball at that time. But to me, if we’re just concerned about the reps amongst ourselves at this point, this year, I definitely wouldn’t be wanting to have that type of scrimmage,” DeBoer said. “I think every program can do what they want to do, to me it’s about us making ourselves better. I think there are some things, like in the NFL, has their times during fall camp. They might go to a certain team that gives the certain fronts and coverages or a certain style of offense that they maybe won’t see much from their own team during their preparation at fall camp or OTAs or whatever it might be.

“There’s benefits to that, I’ve thought about that. When you would do that is a little up in the air, and we’ll continue to evolve. We’ll continue to adjust. The answer I give you right now might not be the same answer I give you down the road as we develop.”

A-Day will begin at 12 p.m. CT on April 12.

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