The Alabama Crimson Tide football team went from full access with 2,600 fans on Sunday to donning full pads for practice on Monday.

The defending national champions start that title defense at 7 p.m. on Sept. 3 in a game against the University of Southern California inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

On Sunday, the team and coaching staff signed autographs for fans and held a two-hour open practice inside Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

The 2016 Alabama Crimson Tide football team. (Kent Gidley / UA Athletics)

Head coach Nick Saban signs autographs at Fan Day (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Head coach Nick Saban signs autographs at Fan Day (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett signs autographs at Fan Day (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Alabama offensive lineman Josh Casher signs autographs at Fan Day. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

8-07-2016 MFB Fan Day Alabama offensive lineman Cam Robinson signs autographs at Fan Day. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Fans watch practice prior to Fan Day. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Alabama tight end O.J. Howard signs autographs at Fan Day. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Robert Sutton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Amelia B. Barton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Players and coaches sign autographs during Fan Day at the University of Alabama football practice. (Amelia B. Barton / Alabama NewsCenter)

Defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson signs autographs during Fan Day. (melia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Outside linebacker Tim Williams signs autographs for fans. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Fans watch practice from the stands prior to Fan Day. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Outside linebacker Christian Miller practices in Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Outside linebacker Ryan Anderson practices at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt speaks to the media following Fan Day. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Head coach Nick Saban speaks to the media following Fan Day. (Kent Gidley / UA Athletics)

Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin talks to the media after Fan Day. (Kent Gidley / UA Athletics)

Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive back Marlon Humphrey practices at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough practices in Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics) 8-07-2016 MFB Practice #4 Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough (9) Photos by Robert Sutton

Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar watches as defensive lineman Jonathan Allen practices. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran stretches the team before practice at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive back Eddie Jackson practices against wide receiver Cam Sims. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive backs Shyheim Carter (5) and Jared Mayden (2) get direction from coach Nick Saban. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive lineman Jake Long practices at Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Receiver ArDarius Stewart practices in Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Amelia B. Barton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive back Hootie Jones practices in Bryant-Denny Stadium. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

The practices are a reflection of what will be needed to repeat as champions, tight end O.J. Howard said at Fan Day.

“You know Coach (Nick Saban) tells us every day to come out and be better each day, and play each rep hard,” Howard said. “I think that everyone has noticed that, and everybody has picked up the intensity a little bit.”

The expectations are high for the whole team, but the defense is already being praised by analysts as potentially one of the best ever at the Capstone.

“We have high expectations,” defensive back Eddie Jackson said.” Last year was a pretty good year. We just want to improve every year. We just want to compete. We listen to our coaches. We have a great receiving corps that challenge us every day, and we challenge them every day, too.”

For the Monday afternoon practice, the Tide practiced in full pads for the first time since spring with a two-hour practice. A thunderstorm sent the team from the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields into the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.

The team will hold its first scrimmage Saturday, Aug. 13.

Alabama head coach Nick Saban at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive lineman Jamar King at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Offensive lIne at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama tackles and tight ends coach Mario Cristobal works with tight ends Hale Hentges (84) and Miller Forristall (87) during the first practice in full pads Monday. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama quarterback Blake Barnett practices Monday. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama offensive linemen Josh Casher and Malik Martin at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis practices Monday. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama offensive lineman Chris Owens at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama tight end Brandon Greene at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban watches Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama wide receiver ArDarius Stewart at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban and defensive lineman Jonathan Allen at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive back Hootie Jones (6) and wide receiver ArDarius Stewart (13) at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama defensive lineman Jamar King at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)

Alabama running back Xavian Marks at Monday’s practice. (Robert Sutton / UA Athletics)