Alabama Football: What's Been Going on in Practice with the Crimson Tide?

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer) I really hate to write up these stories, because this early in the season there is little to tell, but what there is to tell has some interest.

The main thing you should know is that Duron Carter has still not been cleared to practice or enter school yet, but it seems that could be resolved any day now.

Also hoping for a quick return is Undra Billingsley, who became ill on Monday and is still not at practice. While details are still unknown, it appears to be nothing more than just a simple illness and not an injury.

Duron Carter's absence has given others a chance to shine and DeAndrew White is the man making the most of the opportunity. He is dazzling everyone that sees him and is looking like the man that may fill in for Darius Hanks who has to sit out the first two games due to a medical red shirt issue.

Also, Barrett Jones has worked at both left tackle and his own guard position, and I'm still confident that Nick Saban will find someone to step up and take that position without having to move Jones away from his natural position.

Cyrus Kouandijo has been working out with the No. 2 unit at left tackle and is looking like a man that wants to be a contender.

Even though Brent Calloway missed the spring and even a lot of seven-on-seven time this summer, he looks in shape and with the depleted running back corps may be given the chance to play this year and skip the redshirt year that usually goes along with a first-year man.

But he'll have a lot of ground to make up in learning the system no matter how good of shape he's in, and in Saban's system, if you can't pick up the blitz man, you won't be in the backfield. He's not had to do much of that in high school and has a lot to learn.

Mark Barron has emerged as the leader that everyone past the line looks to. It's clear that he's finally grown accustomed to that role now and while he's not someone who yells a lot, like Rolando McClain did in his leadership, he tends to lead by example, by short phrases and gestures.

Some of those gestures may be a head slap. He gets their attention.

Dont'a rules things up front and like Barron, looks less uncomfortable in that role than he did last year. He's confident and quick with praise and rebukes and now that he's 100 percent healthy, he's certainly leading by example like Barron.

But when I say 100 percent healthy, I mean with all the main tools. Today Hightower missed one practice with a minor hand injury that required a small surgical procedure. Saban thinks it unlikely that he'll miss another practice.

Leadership is something that's very apparent all over the field. As I said before, many on the team last year just weren't comfortable in a leadership role, and it hurt the team.

On offense this year, Barrett Jones leads the line by inspiring others on rather than through intimidation. He is finally becoming the leader that now NFL Mike Johnson showed on the last championship line.

Vlachos is another who leads by example and is clearly in charge of the minds of the players on the line with each play. He's the teacher and Jones is the inspiration.

The Tide goes through two practices tomorrow and the practices start intensifying as the pad popping starts in earnest.

So far the Tide has been extremely lucky with injuries except for running back Dee Hart.