Alabama Football: The Bittersweet Spring Game Is Finally Here!

The Crimson Tide passes another milestone in their 2012 quest to kickoff on Saturday.

National Signing Day, the first spring practice, A-Day and the first fall practice are the major milestones between seasons at the Capstone, and A-Day has finally arrived!

These kids have worked hard to get where they are, and it's a privilege to be able to see them in action. (Even if it's only for a few hours.)

These spring games will be analyzed, viewed, reviewed and completely dissected by the time the players return to campus. (Hopefully to improve on whatever team obstacles may be in between the Tide and the National Championship.)

This Saturday is the most bittersweet day of the season. Of course, it's wonderful that we finally get to see crimson and white on the field again, but we fans all know that this marks the last shred of college football until the 2012-2013 school year begins.

Saturday, A.J. McCarron will be under the magnifying glass, as will the entire first-string offense surrounding him. He is expected to carry a youthful defense into midseason, where said youthful defense will be expected to mature and pull its own weight completely.

Without the full complement of weapons lining up with McCarron in the spring, it will be his duty to show us that the BCS National Championship was a sign of things to come, not just a fluke. Is McCarron capable of captaining the Tide to championship 15?

Can McCarron use the tools at his disposal to bring his side the victory, or will the first-string defense prove that they are perfectly capable of handling the job assigned to them in 2012?

As the fans in Tuscaloosa rock the stadium on Saturday, enjoy every minute of it, fellow Tiders. It will have to last us through the long, hot summer.

Kickoff is at 3:00 PM ET, and will be televised on CSS and ESPN3. (According to fbschedules.com)

Roll Tide!