This is an opinion column.

Inside a luxury box on the east side of Bryant-Denny Stadium came a historic moment.

With the powerful chords of AC/DC’s Thunderstruck pulsing outside, there stood Nick Saban. Holding a drink in his left hand with his wife Terry Saban working her shaker to his right, the most famous Alabama retiree was suddenly an A-Day observer of what he spent the last 17 years doing.

Surrounded by family and friends and dressed in a crimson checked sports coat like he’d wear on A-Day’s past, Nick Saban stood and quietly observed — perhaps pondered all the events leading up to that moment.

You might call this re-integration into society if there ever was a before.

This was a first. Straight up, as he said in an ESPN interview Saturday, for as many games as they’ve occupied the same stadium, Nick and Terry Saban had never attended one together.

So, in what must have been an out-of-body experience, the recently retired Nick Saban watched his former team take the field in the same ritualistic fashion. Only there wasn’t a legend in business professional leading this processional.

Instead, Kalen DeBoer in khakis and a crimson hooded sweatshirt was the first onto the turf on an A-Day that wove into the tapestry of new realities, both sentimental and in the very real battle to avoid falling off that post-icon cliff.

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Fittingly, the postcard-perfect weather Saturday mirrored the iconic A-Day that ushered in the Saban era 17 years ago. Just immaculate. Enough to draw an announced crowd of 72,358 — up from the 58,710 a year ago with a whole lot of new on display.

Essentially, it was a day-long duel between the good and bad news of such a massive leadership transition.

On the one hand, the new A-Day scoring and timing system was utterly confusing and a little disorienting after the years of Saban’s tightly structured public scrimmages.

On the other, it was arguably the most entertaining A-Day after years of defensive slogs.

Good news: The Alabama offense was humming right along early on. Jalen Milroe was dropping touch passes in the bucket for Washington transfer Germie Bernard as the first- and second-team offense scored touchdowns on four of the first five combined possessions.

We’re talking scoring marches of 75 yards, 75 yards, 66 yards, 75 yards with a successful field goal tucked in there.

One can only assume what Saban was muttering under his breath in that inaugural football date with his bride of 52 years.

Thus, the corresponding bad news.

There was some atrocious defense played out there at times in what could best be spin-zoned into an advertisement for opportunity when the transfer portal doors swing open Tuesday.

Of course, the plot flipped after Jam Miller capped a four-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with a four-yard hot knife vs. warm butter scoring play.

The Alabama defense was credited with three-and-out stops on eight of the final 11 drives of the scrimmage. Two of the three non-stuffs ended in field goals — one made, one missed to match the poetic symmetry of it all.

DeBoer channeled his inner-Avery Johnson while noting it was a “tale of two halves” in the postgame press briefing.

Among the chief offensive positives was a lack of turnovers Saturday. DeBoer said he didn’t remember any of the quarterbacks throwing a single interception in the three spring scrimmages, but that’s also an indictment of the defense.

It’s also worth noting that the rosters were dotted with newcomers and walk-ons in seat-filler roles before the wave of transfers and freshmen arrive this summer. Some outgoing transfers clearly hurt more than others, but the sheer number of departures turn spring practice rosters to Swiss cheese.

And that’s what makes the final verdict on the scales of good vs. bad news hard to judge.

Still too early to say anything is positive or negative.

It’s just different.

Just ask Malachi Moore, a four-year contributor who was a quintessential Saban player now concluding his collegiate run under DeBoer.

“I would say the biggest difference is a lot of younger, new positive energy in the building,” Moore said. “Coach Saban had it his way and his way works. It’s very demanding and militant kinda like. It worked for 17 years here and so the biggest (difference) is the music at practice and just having high energy. We always play around practice. Like when somebody makes a big play, we all rush the field. Just stuff like that. Having fun.”

Just like Saban in the luxury suite, probably. Maybe?

Saturday was another step in a year-long adjustment to new normal for everyone in the vast Alabama football orbit. Fans outside Saban’s suite called his name and got a friendly wave in return but there was a certain look on his face in those moments watching his previous life play out before him.

Good? Bad?

Happy? Uncomfortable or just resting Saban face?

Who’s to say?

But it’s the reality of the day — a unique weave of tradition and transition, like it or not. It’s here to stay.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook