Welcome to BamaCentral’s “Just a Minute,” a video series featuring BamaCentral’s Alabama beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers will group up to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.

Watch the above video as BamaCentral staff writers Blake Byler and Katie Windham discuss which freshmen could make an early impact for Alabama football this season after getting to watch portions of the Crimson Tide’s fall camp practices and speaking to coaches and players.

Alabama football has officially completed a week of fall camp. Under first-year head coach Kalen DeBoer, the team has switched to morning practices, and DeBoer rewarded the players for the first week with an ice cream truck after Wednesday’s practice.

Nick Saban didn’t leave the cupboard bare for DeBoer, in fact, it’s a well-stocked roster at almost every position. Alabama has one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the country, which sometimes leads people to think that freshmen won’t see the field. But that simply isn’t true.

There are several Crimson Tide freshmen in contention for starting spots or significant roles on the team. Cornerback is the position with the least returning experience, and three freshmen have been drawing praise throughout fall camp: Zabien Brown, Jaylen Mbakwe and Zavier Mincey.

On the offensive side of the ball, Caleb Odom and Ryan Williams are two talented wide receivers that likely won’t be starting, but will be in rotation at receiver. And redshirt freshman Wilkin Formby has been taking the first-team reps at right tackle through the first week of fall camp.

As for-profit Tenet Healthcare slims its hospital portfolio, it found an unlikely buyer for its Alabama hospitals: Florida’s Orlando Health.  

Orlando Health draws more than $6 billion in annual revenue and has a profit margin that surpasses most of its peers. A hospital system executive system leader said crossing state lines to buy five Birmingham-area hospitals is part of its focus on serving the Southeastern U.S., even though most of its 17 existing hospitals are still in Florida. 

It’s not at all surprising that a multi-billion dollar health system would have ambitions of expanding beyond its home state. That’s especially true as hospital systems continue to merge at a breakneck pace, increasingly jumping across multiple states to do so. Meanwhile, study after study concludes that hospitals use their newfound market power to drive up prices.

A flight instructor was killed in a helicopter crash at Fort Novosel in Alabama on Wednesday afternoon and an Army student pilot was injured, according to the local county coroner’s office.

The helicopter, an AH-64 Apache, crashed during routine flight training, Dale County Coroner John Cawley said. 

The flight instructor, who was flying the helicopter, was killed in the crash. The only passenger, the student pilot, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries. 

“Our primary concern is the welfare and health of the student pilot and care and concern for the family of the deceased,” Maj. Gen. Clair A. Gill, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Novosel commanding general, said in a statement to news outlets.

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The statement said the accident is under investigation. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Army base for updates. 

Lawmakers from Alabama shared their sympathies on X. 

Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., wrote that he and his wife were “heartbroken” to hear about the crash. 

“We are praying for a swift recovery for the student pilot who was injured, and comfort for the loved ones of the instructor who passed away,” Moore said. 

“This is a heartbreaking loss for the Wiregrass and our entire state. Wesley and I are praying for those affected, especially for the instructor’s family and for the student pilot’s recovery,” Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., wrote on X. “Our hearts go out to the entire community at Fort Novosel.” 

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., wrote that he was “deeply saddened to hear about the fatal helicopter crash.” 

“Please join me in praying for the mourning family and friends of the instructor who passed away. We are also praying for a full recovery for the injured student,” Tuberville said.

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Fort Novosel was previously known as Fort Rucker. It is the Army’s primary training facility for helicopter pilots.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.