Alabama opened spring practice 2015 Friday, but, just as quickly as it started, it’s gone on sabbatical as the university in general and the football team specifically are off for spring break.
The Tide football players will now enter a practice break that lasts for a week and a half -- and enter it armed with a lesson in what could happen during that time.
Earlier this week, Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, along with a pair of teammates, was assaulted while on spring break by a group of males in Florida. The Tide football players are well aware of what happened to the preseason Heisman contender and have learned a lesson, although they’re not going to spend their time off in fear of what might happen.
“That can happen to anybody,” linebacker Reggie Ragland (pictured, as a PSA to any prospective assailants in the audience) said according to al.com. “I felt bad for (Prescott), sorry that it happened to him and a couple of guys that he was with, but I can’t say that it might happen to me. I can’t go around walking in fear. I’m sorry that it happened to him, though. ...
“If you’re going down [to Florida], don’t do nothing crazy, just be respectful to everyone,” Ragland said, adding a message from defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.
“So worst-case scenario, you just walk away, bite the bullet, I guess,” center Chad Kelly said when talking about head coach Nick Saban reminding the players that, right or wrong, they are held to a higher standard than others. “A lot of guys, we haven’t had a whole lot of problems around here, but things do happen. It’s always a nerve-racking thing for those guys, I guess.”
The Tide will return from spring break and resume practice March 23.