The field hockey game was about to start, but the workout wasn't over.

So, surrounded by the two field hockey teams going through warmups, quarterback coach George Whitfield and Blake Barnett went through the final part of the training session, working up and down the field while attempting to avoid interrupting the field hockey warmups and trying to avoid getting hit by one of those hard field hockey balls that were being passed and shot around them.

That's how Barnett, Alabama's promising redshirt freshman quarterback, spent the final days of his spring break two weeks ago, training in advance of the Tide resuming spring practice and apparently learning how to practice at an optimal level even when field hockey is being played around him.

"That certainly was not a designed thing," Whitfield, a renowned quarterback coach, joked. "Not yet anyway."

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Barnett, a former five-star recruit and one of the top-rated prospects in last year's recruiting class, began training with Whitfield after arriving at Alabama last year.

Whitfield is based in San Diego. Barnett is from a nearby part of California.

Prior to beginning the three-day training session that ran from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Whitfield asked Barnett the primary areas he wanted to work on.

Among them: Touch and continuing to shorten and tighten Barnett's throwing motion.

So Barnett spent time throwing to receivers that were stationed behind a soccer goal to simulate throwing over the linebacker level of a defense.

At times, Whitfield stood behind Barnett with a broom to force him to be tighter with his delivery.

There were also drills to work on other areas of Barnett's game like his footwork and pocket presence.

Whitfield had multiple people rush at Barnett while he dropped back. Barnett had to avoid the rush while staying inside the pocket and then throw an on-target pass.

"He looked good (during the training)," Whitfield said. "He has progressed. Each opportunity, he's been making steps and strides to shore up different areas to get better at or refine. So if he's able to win that quarterback job, I think he'll be very successful."

Whitfield has relationships with, among others on Alabama's staff, offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and graduate assistant Alex Mortensen, a former college quarterback who works with the quarterbacks.

They talk about Barnett, and Whitfield sends videos of his training sessions with Barnett.

"The feedback from them (regarding Barnett) has been positive," Whitfield said. "They always say the same thing regarding Blake -- coachable, works hard, his attention to detail. And that comes from that Type A personality for those that know Blake. He's never going to do something just random. He's always real purposeful in what he does, and that's going to carry well for him and kids with that mindset playing that position because it's a diligent position."

San Diego Chargers wide receiver Javontee Herndon was one of the receivers Barnett threw to during that weekend.

"He loved Blake," Whitfield said. "I think he was a little surprised by Blake's power. A tall, lanky kid and Blake's driving the ball downfield."

Though Barnett was strictly a scout team quarterback last season, he had enough attention-grabbing moments while practicing against arguably the nation's top defense that star linebacker Reggie Ragland told AL.com of Barnett, "Once he learns everything and gets stronger and all that stuff and does the things he has to do, he's going to be a monster in college football."

"We've got three young quarterbacks that all are going to have an opportunity this spring to compete at a position that maturity is a very important factor," coach Nick Saban said. "Blake had some ups and downs last year with some injuries and illness and things that probably held him back a little bit, so we're all kind of anxious to see how he matures and how he does this spring as well."