When former Alabama Coach Paul Bryant established awards for spring practice performance, he included an unusual one, the Jerry Duncan “I Like To Practice” Award. One reason it was unusual is because Duncan, recruited to Alabama as a fullback and ending up as an undersized (perhaps 190 pounds) offensive tackle, said he did not like to practice.

Also what makes it unusual now is that Alabama Coach Nick Saban and his staff make the annual spring awards and this year’s include four men who indicated they like to practice.

Jerry Duncan “I Like To Practice” Award winners this year are tight end Miller Forristall, quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receiver Derek Kief, and safety Deionte Thompson.

Two awards are voted on by media for their performances in the A-Day Game. This year there were two winners for the Dixie Howell Award as the Most Valuable Player – quarterback Mac Jones for the Crimson team that took a 24-12 win over the White and placekicker Joe Bulovas, who kicked all of the White points and three extra points and a 48-yard field goal for the Crimson.

Raekwon Davis had two sacks in A-Day Game

Also selected by reporters was the Dwight Stephonson Lineman of the A-Day Game Award, which went to Raekwon Davis. The defensive end for the winning Crimson team was in on eight tackles, including making two sacks for 13 yards in losses.

In addition to the “I Like To Practice” Award, the Alabama staff had the following selections for spring practice:

Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter Award – Irv Smith, Mack Wilson

Billy Neighbors Defensive Lineman Award – Raekwon Davis, Isaiah Buggs

Paul Crane Offensive Lineman Award – Lester Cotton Sr., Alex Leatherwood

Bobby Johns Defensive Back Award – Trevon Diggs, Xavier McKinney

Johnny Musso Offensive Back Award – Damien Harris, Najee Harris

Ray Perkins Receiver Award – Henry Ruggs III, Devonta Smith

Woodrow Lowe Linebacker Award – Christian Miller, Dylan Moses

Derrick Thomas Community Service Award – Joshua Casher, Jamey Mosley

Bear Bryant Outstanding Non-Scholarship Award – Giles Amos, Mac Hereford, D.J. Lewis, De’Marquise Lockridge

Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award – Chris Allen, Kedrick James, Phidarian Mathis, LaBryan Ray, Jedrick Wills

Bart Starr Most Improved Player Award – Deonte Brown, Johnny Dwight, Brian Robinson Jr., Saivion Smith, Quinnen Williams

Mal Moore Leadership Award – Shyheim Carter, Hale Hentges, Ross Pierschbacher

Sylvester Croom Commitment to Excellence Award – Terrell Lewis, Jonah Williams

In other notes from A-Day:

Team captains for the game for the Crimson Team were linebacker Anfernee Jennings, linebacker Terrell Lewis, and defensive back Shyheim Carter; for the White Team, offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher, running back Damien Harris, and tight end Hale Hentges.

The official estimated attendance at Saturday’s A-Day Game was 74,732 at Bryant-Denny Stadium (capacity: 101,821), the ninth-largest attendance mark for an A-Day football game.

The largest A-Day attendance figures:

Year............. Attendance

2011............... 92,310

2007............... 92,138

2010............... 91,312

2009............... 84,050

2012............... 78,526

2013............... 78,315

2008............... 78,200

2016............... 76,212

2018............ 74,732

2017............... 74,326

2014............... 73,506

2015............... 65,175

1988............... 51,117

1994............... 46,700

2006............... 40,000

1995............... 37,323

2002............... 37,000

2004............... 35,000

2001............... 35,000