The media had a moment to meet with players after the coaches' press conference this morning. The players were brought out to the North End Zone and interviewed by the assembled sweaty horde.

Here's what my view looked like. Yes, those are glorious new HD video boards in the corners. There are two just like them in the corners behind me.

I had the opportunity to chat with several players about a variety of topics. Get those details after the jump.

MGoBlog is reporting that Alabama and Michigan will face off in Dallas to kick off the 2012 season. Yes, it is a blog. But, whatever quibbles we've had with Brian's pouting about oversigning in the past, he's as reliable and stable a blogger as you could hope to have. His source says the contracts will be signed tomorrow.

That would be a very interesting start to the 2012 season. Remember Georgia Tech was scheduled for that year, but has backed out.

More as this story develops.

Fan day kicks off this afternoon, but it was really Media Morning - the only time this season you'll see Kirby Smart and Jim McElwain in front of microphones.

Coach Saban led off, and talked about how pleased he was with practice thus far, and it's clear that the football nerd inside him was especially satisfied with the presence of shoulder pads in yesterday afternoon's practice. That gave coaches the opportunity to work on (among other things) "blocking protection, blocking technique, form tackling and hand placement." He said that the progress to this point was especially encouraging, considering how "easy it is [with the heat] to just endure practice and not try and improve." The staff puts a priority on challenging the players to "win every day" - meaning that everyone has to take every opportunity to improve.

More from the conference after the jump.

The Alabama football team donned shells on Saturday, putting on the shoulder pads for the first time in fall camp. The transition from shirts to shells isn't as drastic as the transition to full pads, but it does get us one step closer to real football. The heat index dropped to nearly 100 in Tuscaloosa, but the energy in the practice seemed to increase.

Here's what you need to know:

The Alabama football team was back in action for its first full squad practice on Friday. The guys worked in the brutal late afternoon heat in Tuscaloosa, with the heat index approaching 110 degrees. The team was in shorts and helmets.

Here's what you need to know:

After a morning practice that saw no injuries, the Alabama football team practiced again at 7:30 on Thursday night. Both practices were split squad, with the guys who didn't go this morning going tonight. So we got our first look at the impressive group of incoming freshmen, as well as new looks at the guys who enrolled in January.

Here's what you need to know:

Football season is now upon us, as the University of Alabama football team took to the practice field for the first time this morning! As has been the case during Nick Saban's tenure, the first day of two-a-days practices sees the team split into two groups, with each group going just once. This morning's practice was all veteran players (with one exception), with the younger guys (and true freshman) going tonight. The first few practices will be in shorts, jerseys, and helmets, which means there won't be any contact, but instead a lot of fundamental work.

Here's what you need to know:

Coach Nick Saban held his press conference to kick off fall camp today. The biggest news is the departure of sophomore safety Rod Woodson. Woodson and Saban "mutually agreed" that he was better off elsewhere. Saban did not seem heartbroken:

We can't make decisions about the future of players who aren't accountable for what they're supposed to do and not responsible as a member of this team. Regardless of what the issue is - behavioral, academic, football oriented - it doesn't matter

We have a lot of good players on the team I would rather move someone from another position to play where we don't have enough players than to allow someone not to do the right things and be involved. I don't think it does anyone any good if we do that.

OK. Keep your nose clean, boys. I know I'm going to be on my best behavior.

The most repeated internet rumor (WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SOME BITS OF TRUTH) is that Woodson was the ringleader of a group that thought it would be hilarious to shoot fireworks in the dorm. This was allegedly the last straw.

More news after the jump.

The final member of the senior class is a linebacker who showed promise as a true freshman in 2007. He followed that up by recording a sack in the the Tide's 2008 opener against Clemson. And then he promptly disappeared for the next 27 games.

Chavis Williams - #55 - 6-4 - 223 lbs. - Dora, AL - Dora High School

After a brief time off, it's back to the player profiles for the 2010 Alabama football team. And your reward for waiting? A backup offensive lineman. Exciting, huh? In all honesty, this part of the game that I admittedly know the least about is probably one of the most important parts of the game. You always hear about coaches wanting to build depth, but nowhere is that more important than on the line of scrimmage. It only takes one injury to a front line player to expose your entire offense, so having a quality group of guys ready to step in along the line is vital to having a championship team. This next senior actually took the vast majority of the starting reps at center this spring due to an injury to the starter William Vlachos. And in reality, he could be the backup at more than one position along the line.

David Ross - #74 - 6-3 - 299 lbs - Homewood, AL - Homewood