Tide freshmen going through learning curve

TUSCALOOSA — A couple days into any college football training camp, newcomers’ heads are spinning. It’s exactly that way at the University of Alabama.

It’s not cause for alarm. It’s not unusual. It’s just reality. What comes next, however, is what Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban will be watching closely.

“When I get asked about the freshmen, what I allude to is, ‘Will they be able to do this?’ That will be the biggest challenge for each one of them,” Saban said before the team’s Fan Day practice Sunday.

There is a fog that each player has to fight through. Even Rolando McClain and Dont’a Hightower faced it. It really isn’t position-specific. Alfred McCullough talked about the biggest part of his transition from the defensive line to offensive line has been “just me getting my mind right.”

But defensive players trying to learn Saban’s complex schemes may have a higher hurdle. The veterans say they’re trying to help the newcomers manager the frustration of the learning curve.

“I just tell them this is an NFL defense,” outside linebacker Eryk Anders said Sunday. “In high school, they’re allowed to freestyle and just go get the ball. But here, everybody’s got a responsibility. They got rules to that position.

“That’s probably the hardest thing to learn.

“You’ve got to be where you’re supposed to be. You just can’t run and go get the ball.”

Strong safety Justin Woodall has seen the startled look on their faces. He knows he wore it for two years.

“It’s going pretty good compared to the first two camps since coach Saban got here,” Woodall said. “I know a lot more now, so it’s a little easier.”

But Woodall said just as he’s comfortable, coaches add to that defensive playbook.

“It’s not getting smaller. I feel sorry for the safeties next year ’cause they’ll probably put some more in. This defense is not easy. It’s hard to learn.”

Inside linebackers Tana Patrick and Nico Johnson are touted players who are going to contribute — perhaps very quickly. That doesn’t mean they’re not struggling.

“They’re doing good — they’re just frustrated right now, as any freshman linebacker would be,” senior linebacker Cory Reamer said.

“They thought they knew what they were doing and they get out there and it goes so fast. That’s the thing about our tempo, we move so fast that you don’t have time to think about it. You gotta go on the run.

“I’ve been trying to tell them you can’t really worry about the stuff that’s gone on the times you’ve gotten yelled at. You can’t really focus on that. That’s just gonna make it worse. You just gotta let go, get in your books, know it the next day and just keep improving.”

Reamer isn’t worried about them at all.

“They’re doing good. They’re coming along. They’ve definitely improved since the first day of practice and we’ve only been here three,” he said. “So it’s going to be interesting to see how they are towards the end of camp.”

McClain agreed with that assessment.

“I mean, linebacker ain’t the easiest job, especially here — with all the checks you gotta make,” said the junior preseason all-American from Decatur. “They’re doing good. It’s tough for them ’cause they throw so many things at them. At the same time, we don’t expect them to be perfect. ... I just try to tell them relax and use their natural instincts that got them here. That’s what they’re doing. I think they’re doing all right.”

Reamer noted that it’s unfair to judge anyone’s progress against the rapid development of McClain and Hightower.

“Dont’a and Ro are one in a million,” he said. “It’s amazing we got two of them in back-to-back years that could come in and play as well as they did as a freshman.”

Saban said this week that fighting through the frustration can be crucial.

“I think that’s one of the most important things about young players, having an opportunity to grow and learn and improve and play, is how do they manage that,” the coach said. “That’s probably critical to guys having a chance to be successful. It’s critical to our team developing individually and collectively.”