Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Much has been made this spring of Jesse Williams taking a few steps to his right on defense.

Williams, who came to the Tide last year as a junior college transfer from Western Arizona CC by way of Australia, was effective at defense end in the nation’s most effective defense. Now, the hulking Aussie is attempting to use his same 6-foot-4, 320-pound frame to bully centers and guards instead of tackles. The senior is trying his hand at nose guard for UA this year, filling the void left behind by Josh Chapman and Nick Gentry.

Williams’ change of position has been cause for intrigue among fans and prognosticators wondering how his skill set projects over center. And in spring practice, he doesn’t seem to have missed a beat. Instead of struggling to learn the ins and outs of a new position, Williams has spent his free time mentoring true freshman Alphonse Taylor as he acclimates to the rigors of college football.

For his part, Williams is nonchalant about the new role on defense. Sure there are slight variations in technique and picking up blocks, but in Nick Saban’s 3-4 defense, the difference is minimal.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- As if one pro day wasn’t enough, the University of Alabama is going for No. 2. On Thursday morning, Trent Richardson, Courtney Upshaw and Mark Barron will work out for NFL personnel in an attempt to improve, or in the case of Richardson, maintain their draft stock.

NFL general managers and scouts will keep a close eye on how Barron and Richardson have recovered from surgeries that have limited their post-college workouts. Barron missed the NFL scouting combine while recovering from a double hernia injury. Richardson made the trip to Indianapolis for the combine, but did not work out, attempting to get back to 100 percent following a knee surgery after the season.

Upshaw will have some work to do in his workouts. The 6-foot-2, 265-pound linebacker experienced a slight dip in interest following a less-than-stellar showing at the NFL combine, where he did not participate in the 40-yard dash. Upshaw’s game film sells a first-round grade, but if he can show the scouts and general managers he can deliver those coveted measurables on Thursday, it could go a long way in solidifying a first-round grade and potentially slide him up in the draft. Upshaw told TideNation on Wednesday that he will participate in every drill but the bench press.

The player with arguably the most to lose is Richardson. Interest in the Heisman Trophy finalist has held steady since he announced his intention to turn pro. The Florida native is viewed as the top running back in the draft, but where he goes in the first round is in question. In recent years, running backs have been devalued, selected lower in the first round as questions of durability haunt the position and the emergence of two-back systems have become the norm in the league.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- It doesn’t seem long ago that Robert Lester and Dee Milliner were the young guys in the secondary, keeping their heads down and learning from old hands like Mark Barron and Dre Kirkpatrick.

With that much talent ahead of Lester and Milliner, it was easy to watch and wait.

But in 2012, with Barron, Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie all off to careers in the NFL, the time for waiting is over. Now, the two young guys have made the rotation into old hands, veterans to shepherd along underclassmen still learning the position.

“We’ve got a lot of new guys out there who are anxious to get started, put the pads on, do what they know, and show how they can compete,” Lester said of the new crop of defensive backs. “Since I’m one of the only ones who came back – (Dee Milliner) came back – I just want everybody to be on the same page and I’m going to do whatever it takes that if they don’t know what’s going on, look back at me, and I’ll give you the call.”

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- For University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban, Monday’s pay raise and two-year extension approved by the Board of Trustees compensation committee was not primarily about the money. It was a sign of his commitment to the Crimson Tide program.

“From my standpoint, the acceptance of this extension represents our commitment, my commitment, our family's commitment to the University of Alabama for the rest of our career," Saban said. "We made that decision after the season when other people were interested."

Now entering his sixth year as head coach at UA, Saban arrived in Tuscaloosa with the reputation as a nomad. It was his fourth head-coaching position in the last decade, and he was coming off just a two-year stint in the NFL.

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ESPNHS story: Proud Alabama commit Altee Tenpenny of North Little Rock (Ark.) proved that he's back from a troubling injury suffered during his junior year and is ready to shine as a senior.