The Alabama Crimson Tide made headlines this week when it was announced the program would be going the same way as numerous other schools have and modifying the spring game into more of a practice-like atmosphere.
Though it’s incredibly disappointing to fans across the country to do away with a timeless tradition, it’s just another reality of the current state of college football and the spring transfer portal window with coaches complaining of teams trying to entice their players to leave with massive offers after big showings during the televised spring game.
As for A-Day in Tuscaloosa, the event is still going to be open to the fans if they want to comes watch, but with head coach Kalen DeBoer announcing it is no longer going to be a game, it would be surprising if there was not a fairly thin crowd.
RELATED: A-Day will no longer be played game, changing to 90 minute practice instead
After practice on Thursday, DeBoer addressed the situation and said it’s not about the portal and rather wanting the chance to get extra practice reps in.
Why Alabama will not scrimmage on A-Day: ‘It’s not about the portal’
Kalen DeBoer goes into detail on the reasoning behind Alabama switching up the style of its annual A-Day game. pic.twitter.com/oTjxiaM255
— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) March 27, 2025
“It’s really to me not about the portal concern that I know everyone makes it out to be,” DeBoer said. “We’re really careful out there, we ran a lot of reps but we were very specific and sometimes you almost have to stop things to get the right groups of people and matchups to get a quality rep for all 22 guys that are on the football field.”
DeBoer did go on to say that while he would rather get the practice in, having an event where fans can attend is just as important to the players as it is to the fans.
“I think it’s really important for our guys to get in front of fans…this year we have 18 new freshmen and then we also have some transfers that are here and this is their first time in Bryant-Denny with people, so I think that’s a huge benefit for us…throughout the fall and fall camp we won’t get to experience that like we will here in a couple weeks.”
The event will be held on Saturday, April 12 with all of the regular traditions such as the Tide Pride breakfast at Coleman Coliseum as well as an open Champions Lane and the iconic Walk of Fame ceremony at Denny Chimes where last year’s captains – Tyler Booker, Deonate Lawson, Jalen Milroe and Malachi Moore – get to etch their hand and cleat prints in the concrete.
The practice will begin at 12:00 p.m. CST and last for 90 minutes with an autograph session exclusively for members of the Yea Alabama NIL collective afterwards.
