If you were surprised to learn that Alabama could bring back former QB Blake Sims to practice with the team as a scout team, as the Crimson Tide did in preparing for Texas A&M QB Trevor Knight, then you were not alone.

“I think it helped out a lot,” DE Jonathan Allen said after the game. “It was great practice for us. I was surprised. I didn’t even know you could do that.”

On Tuesday, Alabama coach Nick Saban elaborated on why Sims was back with the Crimson Tide.

“Blake just got released so he was looking for some place to work so he had a chance to get better,” Saban said, according to Bama OnLine’s Charlie Potter. “Based on our situation at quarterback and the kind of guy we were playing against, it was really convenient to have him here to help us last week.”

Sims participation was permitted by NCAA bylaw 14.2.1.6:

A former student at the certifying institution (e.g., former student-athlete) may participate in an organized practice session on an occasional basis, provided the institution does not publicize the participation of the former student at any time before the practice session.

Saban said the staff made sure it was within the rules.

“We try to stay on top of the rules,” he said. “We have people in our administration who do a good job of letting us know what we can and can’t do and we would never do something like that unless we got it approved by the SEC office, which we did, and the NCAA. I think it was helpful to Blake.”