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Alabama linebacker Denzel Devall forces a fumble against Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace. The Rebels run a HUNH offense.

(Mark Almond/malmond@al.com)

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama — The topic dominated college football headlines for the month of February.

A few coaches — Alabama's Nick Saban included — encouraged further examination into the impact of the fast-paced offenses. There was a running dialogue between coaches who agreed and disagreed on the health concerns.

Players were largely silent at the time.

Now, as spring practices are underway in Tuscaloosa, a few have had the opportunity to tell their side of the hot-button topic.

Just how much of an impact do those hurry up, no huddle offenses have on them?

"It doesn't really bother me," Alabama linebacker Trey DePriest said. "It's just something that you have to prepare a little bit harder for. That's really it."

Alabama faced four teams who used the HUNH offense primarily in 2013. It beat Texas A&M and Ole Miss before falling to Auburn and Oklahoma. Others inserted the no-huddle pace at times against Alabama.

Trey DePriest at Auburn.

Saban said the fast offense's impact on player health should be studied because it exposes players to increased hitting. LSU's Les Miles has run versions of a HUNH in the past and said further study wasn't necessary.

Tide linebacker Denzel Devall just smiled when asked about it Wednesday.

"It's one of the things that makes the game so special," Devall said. "Because it's such a change of pace, change of speed it's getting calls in and everything's going so fast. It's just adjustments and just got to get it down pat."

Devall said losing weight was a primary goal this offseason as linebackers need to be quicker on their feet to play in space against fast teams.

He's not worried about the long-term impact the speedy offenses will have on the Alabama defense.

"I mean, we're just going to prepare more for fast offenses," Devall said. "We're just going to be better as a team. That's really our main goal this spring is to prepare for the fastball teams and things like that. I feel like we're going to accomplish that goal."