Nov. 19, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The top-ranked University of Alabama football team worked out for two hours in full pads Wednesday afternoon, completing its second of three bye-week practices the Thomas-Drew Practice Facility. 

The Crimson Tide will hold its final practice of the week on Thursday before taking the weekend off, its second open date of the 2008 season. Alabama (11-0) will return to action against arch-rival Auburn (5-6) on Saturday, Nov. 29 at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. The game will be televised nationally by CBS Sports and kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (CST).
 
Alabama has spent the week working on fundamentals and working on things they have not seen this season to prepare for new things they will see in the coming weeks.

“Practice has gone pretty well the last couple of days,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said after Wednesday’s practice.  “We have a lot of guys nicked up.  We have some guys getting a chance to get healthy and work on some fundamentals.  We’ve had a chance to work on some things we have not seen this year from any other teams that we will see.  We have been working against each other to improve fundamentally. The things we are trying to do is get our players to focus on attention to detail and things we are trying to do right now.”

Saban also said that senior receiver Will Oakley underwent successful surgery on his shoulder today and “he’ll probably be out for at least the next two games.”

Oakley has played in eight games this season and has two catches for 27 yards.  In his four-year career with the Tide, Oakley has 21 career receptions for 26 yards in 35 games.