Pete Fiutak - The city of New Orleans wasn’t fixed because the Saints won the Super Bowl two years ago.
Detroit’s economic nightmare wasn’t over because the Michigan State basketball team went on a run to the Final Four in 2009.
A great season from the Alabama football team won’t take away all the pain and misery Tuscaloosa suffered from the devastating tornado that killed so many last April.
But it’ll help.
Just like there was no way to take the Hurricane Katrina element out of any discussion of LSU football in 2005 – especially after the Tigers had to start out the season at Arizona State and had to shuffle the schedule – plenty of storylines will continue to revolve around how the Alabama football team is so intertwined with the community and how the tragedy has changed the area and the school and the city.
Will the team play harder now with a sense of duty to the fans and a city still trying to rebuild? Will there be more pressure because so many people are looking for something positive again to rally around? Will there be less hatred towards Auburn because of the way the entire state pulled together in a time of crisis?
Nah.
The tornado and the inspirational stories that emerged in the aftermath of the crisis will make for easy pieces on the pregame shows, and of course the players and coaches will feel a sense of responsibility to not let anyone down after all the town has been through. However, it’s impossible for there to be any more pressure or any more focus on a football program than there is on Alabama, and it’s impossible for any team to be under the microscope even more. It’s the SEC: there’s pressure 24 hours a day, 365 days a year no matter what.
Once the ball is kicked off, Bama fans – hopefully - will be able to take their minds off of April 27th, and opposing teams aren’t going to suddenly take it easy just because a big Tide season would make for a nice story. That’s sort of the point of sports being a distraction and a fun diversion, and this year’s Tide team should provide a whole bunch of joy to the beaten up community.
Last year’s team was defined by the epic collapse at home against Auburn, blowing a great start and a 24-7 first half lead to lose 28-27 to the eventual national champion, with the loss looking even worse after the Tide flexed its muscle and showed what it could really do in the 49-7 whumping of Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl. Everything was in place to come up with a second straight run to a national title, but there were just enough missteps there was just enough inconsistency to make it happen.
The defense that was supposed to be a concern in a reloading year only gave up more than 20 points three times – and those turned out to be the team’s only three losses. This year, the D is fully stocked, but the offense is a concern. It’s a slight concern, though, and even with the lost stars, Bama is still full of players most teams would revolve their entire teams around.
Atlanta traded away it’s draft future to get wide receiver Julio Jones; Mark Ingram will be a perfect fit for New Orleans; OT James Carpenter was taken in the first round by Seattle; and Greg McElroy will be holding a clipboard for Mark Sanchez in New York. It’s one thing to plug in new starters on defense, but it’s another to ask for a starting quarterback to step in cold and lead a team that could and should win the national title. However, there’s no need to shed any tears.
Oklahoma has great veterans, and Texas is loaded with underachieving five-star prospects, but no one has more talent at the immediate moment than Alabama. Not only is every position set with a superstar recruit, but the second-team would probably be ranked in the preseason top 25. Head coach Nick Saban has brought the top-shelf players to Tuscaloosa, and the players fit the system to provide depth, options, and versatility. Last year the loss of eight starters on defense was enough to be the difference between a great year and a national title season, but this season there’s no excuse unless the quarterback play stinks.
No one will run on the defense with bulk in the front three and with superior talent in the linebacking corps, while the secondary that was inconsistent last year is full of experienced NFL prospects; it should be the best in America. It’s going to take something special to score on a defense that allowed more than 13 points just four times and gave up a touchdown or less five times – and that was in a rebuilding year.
The offense isn’t going to be the dominant force it was two years ago, but the ground game should be terrific with Trent Richardson working behind a veteran line that gets four starters back. The passing attack might not be as explosive without Julio Jones, but Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze are good enough to balance out the attack and quarterbacks A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims have more pure talent than McElroy.
Without the off-the-field issues, Alabama would have been one of the favorites for the national title, but now, many will assume the team will be more focused and inspired during the tough times. Whether that’s right or not, the tragedy will be a part of the 2011 Crimson Tide season with the year likely to finish up in the Superdome on January 9th.
The tornado might have taken a lot of things from Alabama and Tuscaloosa, but the Tide keeps rolling on.
What to watch for on offense: The quarterback play. If a veteran like Greg McElroy was under center, Alabama would be the no question, no doubt No. 1 team in America. Everything else is in place for a phenomenal season, but there are still doubts about whether or not A.J. McCarron and/or Phillip Sims can handle the workload and the pressure. They’re both bombers and they’re both premier passers, but they have to be efficient. McElroy might not have been Tom Brady, but the Tide passing game was the fifth most efficient in the nation. Handing it off to Trent Richardson will only go so far; McCarron, the likely starter, will be tested early and he’ll have to stretch the field. Remember, though, that the big question in 2009 was whether or not McElroy could step in and shine in place of John Parker Wilson, and everything turned out fine.
What to watch for on defense: The tremendous back seven … or eight. Dont’a Hightower and C.J. Mosley are ultra-active, ultra-talented linebackers who should be all over the field and should crank out huge numbers as the cleaners for the run defense, while hybrid Courtney Upshaw is a dominant pass rusher who can work like an end or a fourth linebacker. The secondary is even more loaded with stars led by safety Mark Barron and corner Dre Kirkpatrick, who might be first round draft picks next year and could each be the best in the nation at their respective positions. Safety Robert Lester led the team with eight picks, the corner combination of DeQuan Menzie and Dee Milliner will be fantastic on the other side of Kirkpatrick, and top safety recruit Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix could be the team’s most talented defensive back when he first walks on to the field.
The team will be far better if … it scores 30 points. Of course, most teams are going to win after putting up big numbers on the board, but considering Alabama’s defense, forget about it if the offense can get rolling. Bama lost to LSU in a 41-34 shootout in 2007. Since then, the team is 24-0 when scoring 30 or more. Since losing to South Carolina in a 37-36 firefight in 2001, Alabama is 50-2 when scoring 30 points or more. This year’s team should be good enough to put up points on a consistent basis and should be able to do more than enough to let the defense take care of the rest.
The schedule: Assuming Auburn isn’t the Auburn of last year, and hoping that Florida is still in a bit of a rebuilding mode, the slate isn’t all that bad. Going to Happy Valley to face Penn State is hardly fun, but Bama is the far better team and it should be heavily favored. In conference play, going to Gainesville hurts, but the home layup against Vanderbilt and missing South Carolina and Georgia helps. A home game against Tennessee the other battle against the East and that comes before a week off before the likely showdown for the West against LSU. November is a bear with the date with the Tigers to open, a sneaky-nasty trip to Mississippi State to follow, and then a week off against Georgia Southern before the Iron Bowl at Auburn. Last year it seemed like EVERYONE had a week off before facing the Tide, and while Ole Miss and Vanderbilt getting an extra week to prepare isn’t a big deal, LSU gets an off-week before going on the road to face the Tide.
Best offensive player: Junior RB Trent Richardson. And now we get to see what he can do in a full-time role. The 5-11, 224-pounder is freakishly strong, fast enough to be one of the nation’s top kickoff returners, and experienced enough to know what he’s doing after running for 1,451 yards and 14 scores, and catching 39 passes for 392 yards and four touchdowns as the No. 2 man next to Mark Ingram over the last two seasons. Can Richardson be a workhorse? He might not have to be with Eddie Lacy and Dee Hart two talented backs ready to work in a rotation, but he’ll have to prove he can hold up after handling the ball in some way 20 times a game, every game.
Best defensive player: Junior LB Dont’a Hightower. Safety Mark Barron, corner Dre Kirkpatrick, or linebacker C.J. Mosley could turn out to be the team’s best defensive player, but it’s Hightower who’s the tone-setter and the leader. After coming back from a knee injury that knocked him out in 2009, he was as good as new as the key replacement and leader in the linebacking corps for Rolando McClain, and now he could be the team’s signature star. A possible top ten overall draft pick next year, he’s 6-4, 260-pounds, and can move. Able to play any linebacker spot at the next level, the spotlight will be on to see if he can play up to the Butkus-level hype.
Key player to a successful season: Besides quarterbacks A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims, WR Marquis Maze. Already the team’s best kick and punt return option going into the season, the 5-10, 180-pound Maze has to grow into a bigger role at flanker while Darius Hanks has to do even more at split end. Maze might not be Julio Jones, but he’s a dangerous deep threat who averaged 14.7 yards per catch, compared to Jones’ 14.5-yard average. He caught 30 fewer passes than Jones and was able to thrive with all the attention paid to No. 8, but now he has to show he can occasionally be the main man.
The season will be a success if … Alabama wins the national title. There are few places that can go into each and every season with a national title or bust attitude. USC and Ohio State used to be that way, but things have changed in a big hurry for those two powerhouses. LSU and Florida are usually in that mix, Texas is one of those schools in a good year, and Oklahoma is in the club, but no one has more talent than the Tide. One acceptable loss can be afforded early on, like at Florida, but that’s about it. There’s an open date before the showdown against LSU, and that’s really about it. Bama should be favored in every game.
Key game: Nov. 5 vs. LSU. Assuming Auburn needs a year or so to find the next Cam Newton and Nick Fairley, and assuming that Florida needs about a year or so for the new coaching staff to figure out what it’s doing, there no reason for the Tide to not be a mortal lock for double-digit wins. The difference between winning the SEC title and playing for it all, and going to the Sugar Bowl as the SEC’s No. 2 team, is the LSU showdown. It might not be a stretch to say that this might be the national championship.What You Need To Know: Last year the big concerns revolved around the defense and replacing all the key stars. Now the spotlight will be on an offense that loses the three top skill players and has to reload in a hurry. While averaging 444 yards and 36 points per game is hardly anything to be upside about, the offense should’ve done more considering the experience and with the talent returning up front, but there are plenty of things to get excited about. The line was mediocre, but now it should be better with four returning starters and a good group of backups to count on. The running game might miss Mark Ingram, but Trent Richardson is more than ready to grow into a Heisman-caliber superstar if he can stay healthy. The loss of Julio Jones from the receiving corps means Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks have to become special to help out new starting quarterback. While A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims might have more talent than Greg McElroy, the new options have to prove they can be as heady and as efficient.
Returning Leaders
Passing: A.J. McCarron
30-48, 389 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing: Trent Richardson
112 carries, 700 yds, 6 TD
Receiving: Marquis Maze
38 catches, 557 yds, 3 TD
Star of the offense: Junior RB Trent Richardson
Player who has to step up and be a star: Sophomore QB A.J. McCarron and/or Redshirt freshman QB Phillip Sims
Unsung star on the rise: Redshirt freshman WR DeAndrew White
Best pro prospect: Richardson
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Richardson, 2) OT/OG Barrett Jones, 3) OT D.J. Fluker
Strength of the offense: Line Experience, Running Game
Weakness of the offense: Quarterback Experience, No. 1 Receiver
Quarterbacks
State of the Unit: Gone is Greg McElroy, the consummate leader, game-manager, and winner who was never really considered the biggest piece of the national championship puzzle, but was still a factor in the success over the last few seasons. He was able to keep the mistakes to a minimum and he kept the offense moving completing a whopping 71% of his passes for almost 3,000 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. McElroy was drafted by the New York Jets, but that was for his head and smarts more than his skills. The Alabama quarterback situation might not be better without McElroy, but there’s more overall talent.
There will be an ongoing battle for the starting spot, but if the season started right now, sophomore A.J. McCarron would probably be the main man. The 6-4, 205-pounder has a big arm and good size, and he should be ready to handle more of the workload physically after adding about 15 pounds of muscle. The Elite 11 Quarterback camper has a great release, a little bit of mobility, and all the tools to be a terrific dropback passer who can spread the ball all over the field. He saw a little time completing 63% of his throws for 389 yards and three touchdowns without a pick, but his main role was as a holder for the kicking game.
The sky’s the limit for Phillip Sims, who might have had the most pure talent of any Alabama quarterback when he came in as a true freshman. All that’s missing is time after redshirting his first season, but expectations are sky-high considering his skill set. At 6-2 and 217 pounds he has decent size and a huge arm with the ability to put the ball anywhere on the field. While he can run, he’s not necessarily a running quarterback throwing for a Virginia high school record 10,725 yards and 119 scores. Considered to be the No. 1 quarterback prospect coming out last season, he could’ve gone anywhere, and now he needs to step up his play and his consistency in practices to push McCarron for the starting job.
Even with the quarterback situation appearing to be set for the near future with McCarron and Sims, Bama still got a nice pickup in the 2011 class grabbing Phillip Ely out of Tampa. He’s not big at only 6-1 and 187 pounds, but he’s a pro-style passer with a good, accurate arm and excellent leadership skills. While not anywhere near the same class of Sims and others when it comes to prospects, he’s a heady type who could redshirt this year, learn the ropes, and be a major factor as an upperclassmen. He’ll be a steady passer, while 6-0, 212-pound redshirt freshman Blake Sims could provide the dash. A high school quarterback, he’ll end up working as a receiver or in another spot to get his athleticism and speed on the field. However, he has passing skills and could end up being a change-of-pace playmaker in a Wildcat sort of way.
Watch Out For … the battle. McCarron is good, but the upside on Sims is through the roof. They both have pro potential if they develop and improve, but one of them has to show up and become The Man.
Strength: Talent. It’s not often when a team loses an NFL draft pick and national champion-winning quarterback and gets better. Of course, if you were to tell the Bama coaching staff right now it could get the exact same production this year out of the starter that McElroy provided last year, it would be a no-brainer. However, McCarron and Sims have better skills and should someday do more with the passing game than McElroy did.
Weakness: The starting quarterback. It’s not like the quarterbacks have been bad in practices, but no one has been lights-out great. Not having Julio Jones around anymore will be a problem, but there’s more than enough receiving talent in place to make the passing game shine. The job shouldn’t still be there for the taking, but it is.
Outlook: McElroy will be missed for all the intangibles and all the smarts he brought to the offense, and most mistakes will be made with either McCarron or Sims. But in a little bit of time, the quarterback situation should be better. Expect more picks and more big, ugly errors, but also expect more big plays and a few times when McCarron – who’ll likely end up getting the gig – looks like a world-beater. The Bama quarterbacks are good now. They’ll be outstanding next year.
Unit Rating: 7
Running Backs
State of the Unit: The Bama running game was fine, but considering the backfield was the best in the nation with a Heisman winner and another first round-caliber talent as a reserve, finishing fifth in the SEC was a disappointment. Of course, almost everyone would kill for a 5.1-yard average and 30 rushing scores, but the pieces are there to do far more, even without Mark Ingram. The New Orleans Saint led the team with 875 yards and 13 touchdowns in a banged up year, and while the mediocre play from the offensive line had something to do with the all-around production, more is needed from the backs even with Ingram leaving a year early.
For the last two years, the fashionable belief has been that Trent Richardson might be better than Mark Ingram. Ingram had one special year and two decent ones, but he was the type of back who had to be fed the ball time and again to establish him as a base for the offense. Richardson has been more of a jack-of-all-trades home run hitter who averaged 6.2 yards per carry with 700 yards and six touchdowns, while catching 23 passes for 266 yards and four scores and averaging a whopping 26.4 yards per kickoff return. At 5-11 and 224 pounds, Richardson is very big, freakishly strong, and lightning fast. With his size and track star speed, the former star from the same Florida high school as Emmitt Smith could be a starting back for an NFL team right now. However, he has to prove he can handle the role of being the main man for a full season, and he has to prove he can hold up. With Ingram hurt, Richardson tore off 144 yards and a score against Penn State, and ripped up Tennessee for 119 yards on just 12 carries, but he had a midseason knee injury and has only carried the ball more than 15 times twice in his career. But if he can stay in one piece, everything is there to be in the hunt for Bama’s second Heisman winner in two years.
Just like there was a buzz about Richardson, even though Ingram was the main man, now there’s the same type of excitement about Eddie Lacy, even though he’s the No. 2 back. At a strong 6-0 and 220 pounds with tremendous speed, he has the skills to be a starter if needed and should be a great complementary back in the rotation. The sophomore finished third on the team with 406 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 7.2 yards per carry, while serving as a strong special teamer. He cranked out 111 yards and two touchdowns against San Jose State in his biggest game of the season, and now he should be good for around ten touches a game while handling the ball in blowouts.
Already in the mix this offseason is true freshman Demetrius Hart, a superstar high school prospect who can be used as a runner, receiver, and a kick returner after tearing off 7,405 all-purpose yards in high school. At 5-9 and 187 pounds he’s a smaller back than the rest of the stars in the rotation, but he’s built like a perfect third down option. While Hart is the smallish, speed runner, 6-1, 25-pound sophomore Jalston Fowler brings the power. He saw time in almost every game last season as a pure thumper, but he averaged 7.9 yards per carry with 111 yards and a score in his limited role. He’ll also work on special teams.
Watch Out For … Richardson to be a front-runner for the Heisman. At the very least he’ll be a Midseason All-American as he handles most of the workload as the main man for the offense. He has taken on more of a leadership role this offseason and his work ethic has been terrific.
Strength: Talent. Taking away a back like Ingram always hurts, but there’s more where that came from. Lacy is a great-looking back who should shine whenever he gets the chance, while Hart is a terrific prospect who could’ve gone anywhere. Richardson might be the best back in America.
Weakness: Greg McElroy. Last season it was the offensive line that was the issue as it struggled to open consistent holes and not doing enough to pound away on a consistent basis. This season it could be the quarterback change that occasionally screws up the ground game. A.J. McCarron and Phillip Sims will be fantastic in time, but McElroy was able to make teams pay for cheating against the run. If the passing game struggles early, then all 11 defenders will focus on stopping Richardson.
Outlook: The starting threesome in the Bama backfield is as good as any in America. There’s NFL talent, speed, power, and the ability to crank out big yards no matter who’s handling the ball. Richardson will be the workhorse, but he doesn’t need to be with other phenomenal options ready to handle the work whenever needed. The only question mark is proven full-season production, and while the numbers will still be there, losing a leading rusher like Ingram is still a negative.
Unit Rating: 9.5
Receivers
State of the Unit: The passing game loses a player worth trading an NFL team’s future for. Julio Jones was a once-in-a-generation athlete with special size, tools, and mentality to be a superstar. However, he was always dinged up and wasn’t consistent. There might not be a Jones in the 2011 Bama receiving corps, but the complementary playmakers of last year will now get their chances to take on bigger roles, and they should be able to come through just fine.
Senior Darius Hanks has been a solid veteran for the last few seasons, finishing third on the team with 32 catches for 456 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 14.2 yards per catch, and while he has been reliable, he now has to be even more explosive and more of a big playmaker. He was okay in 2009 after coming off a badly broken leg, and while he made big improvements last year, he can do a lot more. At 6-0 and 185 pounds he has decent size and excellent speed at either receiver spot. Working into the split end rotation will likely be sophomore Michael Bowman, a 6-4, 225-pound banger who brings the size that Hanks doesn’t. He saw a little bit of time as a true freshman after coming to the Tide as an elite recruit, and while he could beef up a bit more and become a tight end or an H-Back, he has the skills to stretch the field as a mismatch of a wideout.
Taking over a starting role from Jones is senior Marquis Maze, a 5-10, 180-pound veteran who finished second on the team with 38 catches for 557 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 14.7 yards per catch. Unofficially, he’s considered the team’s fastest player with the raw wheels to stretch the field and come up with game-changing big plays. While he has the ability to be spectacular, he was more of a steady target last season good for around three catches per game. While he’s set for a prime role, he’ll be pushed by 6-2, 194-pound senior Brandon Gibson, who’s coming off a great offseason looking ready to become a major factor. He only caught four passes for 39 yards last season, but he was the star of the spring game and showed he’s ready to finally break through. If needed, he could move to the secondary and will be a good special teamer.
While the Tide is already set at receiver, the No. 1 target could be on the way if Ohio State transfer Duron Carter, son of should-be Hall of Fame NFL receiver Cris Carter, can get everything squared away. He has to get his schoolwork in order after leaving the Buckeyes with academic issues, but everything appears to be on track after spending a year at Coffeyville CC in Kansas catching 44 passes for 690 yards and ten scores. At 6-5 and 210 pounds, the junior has tremendous size and good speed, and now he’s going to be asked to possible be a major factor right away. Even if Carter is in the mix, 6-0, 181-pound redshirt freshman DeAndrew White will play a role. The Houston native was taken away from Texas and Texas A&M, and now he’ll get his chance to show off his Texas state champion-level speed with the nose for making the big play. A perfect slot target, he could be the team’s offensive breakout star.
In the mix somewhere will be sophomore Kenny Bell, a 6-1, 175-pound speedster who caught two passes in a limited role, but has the talent and tools to be a starting-caliber playmaker when he gets more of a shot. 5-11, 185-pound redshirt freshman Keiwone Malone is another flash of lightning who could see time at a variety of spots. Sophomore Kevin Norwood caught three passes in his first season but has 6-2, 193-pound size and the toughness to be a factor either in the slot or on the outside.
Back at tight end is Michael Williams, a 6-6, 269-pound junior who caught eight passes for 100 yards and a score, but is more of a blocker for the ground game. A good athlete for his size, he can do more for the passing game if he’s targets, but he’s at his best when he gets to hit someone.
Working as a second tight end, fullback, H-back is senior Brad Smelley, who’s technically a tight end but is used in more of a jack-of-all-trades role. At 6-3 and 229 pounds he’s a tall blocker with nice hands, catching six passes for 55 yards. Adding more of a receiving threat as both a tight end and H-back is Chris Underwood, a 6-4, 243-pound senior who spends most of his time on special teams but has the athleticism to act like a big wide receiver at times. He caught three passes for 36 yards and a score last season.
Watch Out For … Carter. Assuming all is fine and assuming he’s going to be in the receiving rotation this fall, he has the size and the talent to be a bigger, slower Julio Jones. The offense doesn’t need more talent, but Carter could be a different type of option who takes the pressure off everyone else.
Strength: Talent. Like every other area on the Tide, the receiving corps is loaded with top recruits who could’ve gone anywhere. Maze and Hanks weren’t exactly secondary players to Jones, but they weren’t the main men. Now they should show off with their bigger roles, while other great prospects like White, Gibson, and Bowman appear ready to break out.
Weakness: Julio Jones. He caught 78 passes and turned his game up several notches over the second half of last year to become the superstar everyone expected he’d be after coming to Bama as one of the program’s biggest receiver recruits ever. While he wasn’t consistent and he didn’t always come through in key spots, he was a true No. 1 receiver. Maze and Hanks have to prove they can pick up the slack.
Outlook: It would be interesting to see what this group could do in a high-octane passing attack. The talent is there and the skill and speed are unquestioned, but have the receivers been developed enough to help make the new starting quarterback look good? This is a deep, athletic group that should be able to get the job done in a strength-in-numbers sort of way, but it would be nice if one target could emerge and become a go-to playmaker.
Unit Rating: 7.5
Offensive Line
State of the Unit: The Bama offensive line was okay, but it struggled in pass protection, finishing tenth in the SEC and 88th in the nation in sacks allowed, while not doing a consistent enough job for the ground game. Considering the talent across the board and the playmakers in the backfield, 183 rushing yards per game seemed a bit light. Four starters are back, and the production needs to follow the experience.
One of the big keys to the line will be replacing left tackle James Carpenter, the 25th overall pick in the NFL Draft going to Seattle. Getting one of the first looks for the job is right guard Barrett Jones, who might end up staying at his normal spot but will get a long look at the all-important starting gig on the outside. At 6-5 and 311 pounds he has excellent size, and he has the talent to earn all-star honors on the inside, but the feet are there to become a killer tackle over the next few years if he can stay healthy after having problems with an ankle injury late last year. Always going full-tilt, he has the motor and the smarts to keep the mistakes to a minimum. If he stays at right guard, 6-6, 307-pound junior Tyler Love could end up stepping in and starting with 6-6, 307-pound size and excellent quickness. He hasn’t seen much time so far, playing in just five games last year and having problems with a foot injury, but he was one of the nation’s top recruits a few years ago and has the talent to be a future star.
If Jones moves into the one open starting spot up front, then 6-3, 303-pound sophomore Anthony Steen will get a long look at the starting right guard job after stepping in and starting the final three games. While he’s not huge, he might be the team’s strongest player and he can move a house. Built for the position, he should be a good run blocker with a bigger role. He’ll work in combination with 6-5, 300-pound senior John Michael Boswell also getting work. After a great first season he has been a key backup, working mostly on special teams. While he’s a bit tall for the interior, he’s a decent run blocker.
If it’s not Jones at left tackle, the star of the line should be sophomore D.J. Fluker, a 6-6, 335-pounder who’s massive, but actually slimmed down a little bit over the last few years and now should shine at right tackle. Even though he missed four games with a groin injury, he earned Freshman All-America honors after growing into a terrific run blocker. The sky is the limit with size, athleticism, and the agility to be a starting NFL right tackle for a long time. While Fluker is firmly entrenched in the starting job, 6-5, 321-pound redshirt freshman Austin Shepherd has the ability to step in and start if needed or could work at either guard job. Good on the move, he’s built to be a tackle, but he could get shoved aside in the pecking order if super-recruit Cyrus Kouandjio is the real deal right away. Famously, he chose Auburn, but looked like someone told him Christmas was cancelled when he made his announcement, and then switched over to Bama to join his brother, Arie. Considered the nation’s best offensive tackle prospect, and possibly the best overall recruit, the 6-6, 322-pounder has NFL size and shocking athleticism.
Anchoring the veteran line will once again be senior William Vlachos, who stepped into the starting role a few years ago for heart-and-soul blocker Antoine Caldwell and grew into a strong leader up front. With 27 games of starting experience under his belt, the 6-1, 294-pounder knows what he’s doing, is great on the move, and gets terrific leverage. This should be the year he finally starts to earn all-star recognition. Serving as the understudy is sophomore Kellen Williams, who at 6-3 and 307 pounds is a bigger option for the middle and can play either guard spot. After coming back from a knee problem, he’s ready to be a pounding run blocker.
6-3, 320-pound junior Chance Warmack stated every game last year at left guard after taking over for all-star Mike Johnson. Huge and with phenomenal strength, he has the make-up to be a dominant run blocker, but he was inconsistent at times and hasn’t quite played up to his potential. Even so, it’s all there, including the drive and the want-to, to be a special blocker and a bulldozer for the interior. Fighting for time at the spot behind Warmack will be 6-3, 311-pound senior Alfred McCullough, who could work at tackle if needed, starting four times on the right side last season, but might work better on a long-term basis as a versatile, veteran guard.
Watch Out For … Kouandjio. It takes a lot to be a good enough recruit to be considered special by Alabama’s current standards, and Kouandjio qualifies. Players of his size simply don’t move as well as he can, and once he gets his feet wet, it’ll be a major disappointment if he’s not one of the team’s best blockers earlier than later.
Strength: Experience. Not only do four starters return, but many of the backups have had enough starting time to be ready to step in if needed. McCullough and Steen can play, and Boswell and Love are ready to do more.
Weakness: Pass protection. It was mediocre in the national title season and was flat-out bad last year. A line this good can’t give up 32 sacks and there’s no reason for the line to not be air-tight. Considering there’s a new starting quarterback, the pass protection has to be far better.
Outlook: Andre Smith left, and James Carpenter stepped in and was terrific. Carpenter is gone, and now it’s time for Jones, Vlachos, and Fluker to become even more dominant blockers. There’s too much talent at all five spots, and there’s too much depth, for this to not grow into one of the nation’s best lines. What You Need To Know: The 2010 Alabama defense lost the Butkus Award winner (Rolando McClain), three NFL-caliber defensive backs, a mountain of a nose tackle in Terrence Cody, and only returned three starters. How massive was the drop-off after finishing second in the nation in total defense and scoring defense? The Tide finished last year fifth in the country in yards allowed and third in scoring defense. Granted, the consistency wasn’t always there, but whatever … the production was outstanding. The talent level is off the charts, especially in the defensive back seven where Dont’a Hightower might be the nation’s best linebacker if it’s not his running mate, C.J. Mosley. The secondary has an embarrassment of riches led by safety Mark Barron and corner Dre Kirkpatrick, who should both be in the NFL right now, along with at least four other Tide defensive backs. The front three doesn’t have a Marcell Dareus, but it’s big, tough, and won’t be moved, while Courtney Upshaw will be the pass rusher in a hybrid JACK position. In all, eight starters are back on Kirby Smart’s D, and it’ll be a stunner if it doesn’t finish among the top five in the country again, if not No. 1 overall.
Returning Leaders
Tackles: Mark Barron, 75
Sacks: Courtney Upshaw, 7
Interceptions: Robert Lester, 8
Star of the defense: Junior LB Dont’a Hightower
Player who has to step up and be a star: Senior LB Jarrell Harris
Unsung star on the rise: Sophomore LB C.J. Mosley
Best pro prospect: Hightower
Top three all-star candidates: 1) Hightower, 2) S Mark Barron, 3) CB Dre Kirkpatrick
Strength of the defense: Talent, Secondary
Weakness of the defense: Pass Rush, Tackles For Loss
Defensive Line
State of the Unit: The line loses tweener Marcell Dareus, who helped make one of the nation’s best run defenses shine, but there’s more than enough talent returning to pick up the slack. The defense uses a flexible 3-4 with the pass rushing mostly coming from the outside linebackers, but the front three could stand to get into the backfield a bit more. That’s a constant issue for Nick Saban’s defenses, but it’s obviously not that big a deal considering the overall results.
With Dareus gone, the star of the front three should be senior Josh Chapman, a 6-1, 310-pound brick wall of a nose tackle who started every game up front after serving as the understudy behind Terrence Cody. Short, strong, and built with a body that can’t be moved around, Chapman is experienced and exceptionally strong making 31 tackles with a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. He’s the rock against the run, while 6-1, 284-pound senior Nick Gentry is a bit more mobile and a bit more athletic on the inside. He saw time in every game making 14 tackles with a sack, and while he doesn’t hold the fort like Chapman does, he’s good in the spot.
Junior Damion Square is aback after starting over the first half of last year and serving as a backup over the second half of the year. The 6-3, 285-pounder suffered a torn ACL two years ago, but now he’s more than fine and needs to use his size and quickness to be a bigger, more consistent playmaker at left end after making 31 tackles with a sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. He’ll work in a rotation with 6-6, 294-pound junior Quinton Dial, who signed with Alabama out of high school a few years ago, went the JUCO route, and now is ready to show what he can do after dominating on the nose for Mississippi Community College. Talented enough to have gone anywhere he wanted, he has the wingspan, the strength, and the quickness to become a major factor right away and a good pass rusher.
6-4, 279-pound sophomore Ed Stinson is like a really big outside linebacker who’ll play at right defensive end. He worked last year in the JACK position, getting the start against Duke, but he moved over to the defensive line and became a part of the backup rotation. Big, athletic, and extremely quick off the ball, he has the potential to be a devastating pass rusher after making 14 tackles last year. Backing him up will be 6-4, 319-pound junior Jesse Williams, a massive JUCO transfer from Western Arizona Community College who has the raw size and rare bulk, but is still trying to figure out what he’s doing. The Australian swallows up everything that comes his way and has the athleticism and toughness to quickly become a major part of the defensive front.
Watch Out For … the JUCO transfers. Williams is a very, very interesting prospect with his size and athleticism, while Dial should push Square hard for one of the starting end jobs. Bama got itself some ready-made backups who should fit in perfectly.
Strength: Size. The Bama defensive front basically uses three defensive tackles, and while Stinson is a true end, even he’s huge at 279 pounds. Good luck doing anything between the hashmarks when the 285-pound Square, the 310-pound Chapman, and the 319-pound Williams are in.
Weakness: Marcell Dareus. It’s not like he was a pass rushing monster, and he’s a better pro prospect than a college performer, but losing the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft isn’t a positive, even for Alabama. The line has good prospects and players, but it needs an all-star campaign out of someone.
Outlook: The defensive front will do its typically fantastic job. The Tide should stuff the run without a problem thanks to all the size, while Stinson has the potential to be one of the best pass rushing ends in the Saban era. This won’t be as good a line as it was in the national title season, and it might even take a bit of a dip from last year, but it’ll be a brick wall.
Unit Rating: 8
Linebackers
State of the Unit: Last year the line had to replace Butkus Award winner Rolando McClain, but there wasn’t even a little bit of a drop-off in overall production. Two starters return, the backups have superstar potential, and there are more than enough options to play around with. Even though a few of the pieces of last year’s puzzle are gone, like Chavis Williams and DeQuan Menzie, the corps should be terrific.
The hope was for junior Dont’a Hightower to be 100% healthy after suffering a knee injury in 2009 and cutting his season short. There weren’t any problems whatsoever as he came back roaring making 69 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss, three broken up passes, and nine quarterback hurries. At 6-4 and 260 pounds he’s huge, fast, and tough in the middle of the linebacking corps with phenomenal range and peerless leadership ability. He could’ve taken off early for the NFL and he has top ten-overall potential in next year’s draft, if he chooses to forgo his senior year, but for now he’ll be on the short list for the Butkus Award and should be a lock for All-America honors. It would be nice if he was more of a pass rusher, but that’s nitpicking; he’s as steady as they come. Backing him up in the middle will be senior Chris Jordan, who couldn’t stay healthy last season and finished with 15 tackles working mostly on the weakside. Like Hightower, he can work inside or out, but at 6-3 and 240 pounds he’s perfect for the middle with size and toughness to hold up well.
With Hightower moving over from the weakside and taking the full-time job in the middle, 6-2, 234-pound sophomore C.J. Mosley appears ready to blossom into a star. Very fast, very athletic, and always working, he beefed up a bit and now should be better against the run while also getting all over the field chasing down ball-carriers. Even though he was a spot starter in the middle, getting the call against South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State, he’s better for the outside and showed he could do a little of everything finishing third on the team with 67 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, two picks, and ten broken up passes.
Backing up Mosley will be 6-3, 245-pound junior Nico Johnson, a huge athlete who started against Arkansas and has plenty of experience making 28 tackles in 2009 and with 33 tackles with a pick and 3.5 tackles for loss last season. A playmaker whenever he’s in, he’ll be moved around when needed, while 6-2, 242-pound true freshman Trey DePriest will get a long look at playing time after being ranked among the nation’s top middle linebacker prospects and one of the biggest stars in Bama’s great 2011 recruiting class. Big, fast, and very, very productive, the Tide got him out of Ohio where he made 218 tackles in his last two seasons and should be the team’s next great linebacker once he’s ready.
Shining at the JACK position, a defensive end/outside linebacker hybrid, will once again be Courtney Upshaw, a 6-2, 265-pound pass rusher who’ll always be known for sealing the 2009 national title with a fumble recovery against Texas. Last year he became the team’s best pass rusher with seven sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 52 tackles with four forced fumbles in a dominant season that should’ve gotten him more all-star recognition. Big, fast, and with great closing ability, he has the potential to be the team’s statistical star with All-America potential. Working behind him will be 6-6, 237-pound redshirt freshman Adrian Hubbard, a tall, fast pass rusher who didn’t get on the field last year after having injury problems, but is ready to go and should be dangerous whenever he gets his chances.
Starting on the strongside after several players combined for the spot last year will be Jerrell Harris, a do-it-all, jack-of-all-trades 6-3, 242-pound senior who came back from being suspended for the first half of 2009 to be a part of the rotation late in the championship season, and making 24 tackles with a tackle for loss last year. While he can work in the middle and started three games on the weakside, he’ll start out the year on the other side while also serving as a top special teamer. Also in the hint for time is 6-3, 234-pound senior Alex Watkins, a good reserve who made 16 tackles with 2.5 sacks in his spot duty, mostly in garbage time.
Watch Out For … Mosley. Hightower is the signature star of the defense, but Mosley could turn out to be the more disruptive force. Able to work inside or out, he’s a playmaker no matter where he lines up. Great against the pass, he’ll do a little of everything.
Strength: Range. When Upshaw isn’t getting into the backfield he should have no problems chasing people down. Hightower and Mosley are all over the field all the time, and Harris can more. Thrown in the athleticism of players like DePriest, Johnson, and Hubbard, and swarming to the ball won’t be an issue.
Weakness: Huge, tone-setting plays. Outside of Upshaw there isn’t a lot of pass rushing production from this group, and of the team’s nine forced fumbles, Upshaw came up with four of them with no other linebacker registering one.
Outlook: If this isn’t the best linebacking corps in America, it’s close. Hightower and Mosley belong on NFL fields right now, and Upshaw has to potential to be a less-athletic Von Miller who’ll be turned loose once again. Throw in the upside of players like DePriest and Hubbard, and the Tide linebackers are stunningly deep and very, very good.
Unit Rating: 9.5
Defensive Backs
State of the Unit: The 2010 Bama secondary lost three starters to the NFL and didn’t get nearly the help from the pass rush that the 2009 defensive backs enjoyed, and the production was still terrific finishing 13th in the nation in pass defense and sixth in pass efficiency D. The inside word was that last year’s defensive backfield was even more talented than the national title version, and now that talent should combine with experience to be phenomenal.
Senior Mark Barron came up with a terrific 2009 season making 76 tackles with seven picks, but he flew under the radar with all the other stars on the Bama defense. Now the 6-2, 218-pound strong safety will be on the Thorpe Award short list after leading the team with 75 stops with two sacks, three picks, and six broken up passes in a First Team All-SEC campaign. Very big, very fast, and with freakish athleticism, he can get all over the field at strong safety and he should be in for yet another huge year before being taken in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He’ll be backed up by sophomore Jarrick Williams, who saw a little bit of time as a true freshman making one tackle in his four games of time. Mostly a special teamer, he struggled to stay healthy with a shoulder injury keeping him down. A superstar recruit last year, he has too much talent and athleticism to keep off the field.
After coming to Alabama as, arguably, the nation’s top cornerback recruit in 2009, junior Dre Kirkpatrick appears ready to take another step forward to become one of the best defensive backs in college football. At 6-3 and 192 pounds he has tremendous size to go along with the NFL speed and athleticism to push around any receiver and run with the speedier ones. Great in the open field, he made 53 tackles with three picks and seven broken up passes, and while he’s built to be a dream of a free safety, he’ll spend one more college year – before going to the next level - as a lock-down corner.
After suffering a torn Achilles heel, 6-0, 198-pound senior DeQuan Menzie wasn’t expected to be a major factor coming over from the JUCO ranks, but he got on the field from the start and ended up making 31 tackles with three tackles for loss and four broken up passes. Hamstring issues kept him down, but he still produced whenever he had his chances and now he has the potential to become a star. With elite athleticism and great size, he’ll be a dangerous all-around defender at right corner or as a key nickel defender. He’ll combine with sophomore Dee Milliner, who started most of last year at corner and finished fourth on the team with 55 tackles with a pick, four tackles for loss, and seven broken up passes. Consider one of the team’s top recruits and almost everyone’s No. 1 corner prospect last year, he showed right away that he’s a big hitter and is a major playmaker who could shine anywhere.
Junior Robert Lester somewhat quietly came up with 52 tackles with sack and eight interceptions on the way to a Second Team All-SEC season. At 6-2 and 210 pounds he has good size to go along with the athleticism needed to get the next-level types interested. While he’s steady, he came up with two key picks in the win over Arkansas and two more interceptions against Mississippi State. Junior Will Lowery will serve as the main backup after seeing time in every game and finishing the year with 33 tackles and two picks. A star on special teams, the 5-10, 180-pound former walk-on has carved a good niche.
On the way is Ha’Sean Clinton-Dix, considered to be the nation’s top safety prospect by Scout.com. the 6-1, 203-pounder out of Orlando can play either safety spot with linebacker-like hitting skills while exploding whenever he had the ball in his hands in high school. Really athletic and really quick, especially for his size, he could be used as a punt returner if needed.
6-0, 179-pound John Fulton might not have been the prospect that Milliner was last year, but he’d have been the crown jewel in just about anyone else’s recruiting class. He could’ve gone anywhere, and now he’ll push for time in the corner. With all the tools, he has the ability to carve out a role as a No. 5 defensive back after making five tackles with two broken up passes last year.
Watch Out For … Menzie. The former JUCO transfer came up with a nice year as a spot starter and a key reserve, but he’s about to become a major star in an already star-studded secondary. He’s a phenomenal athlete with the ability to make things happen whenever the ball is in the air.
Strength: Pure talent. It’s not crazy to suggest that at least six current Alabama defensive backs will spend time in NFL camps in the near future with Barron, Kirkpatrick, Lester, and Clinton-Dix near-certain to make a lot of money. No secondary in America has more big-time players.
Weakness: Consistency. The overall production was tremendous and the talent level was undeniable, but the pass defense broke down in key times. Cam Newton finished with 216 yards and three touchdown passes in Auburn’s comeback, and the Arkansas quarterbacks bombed away for 357 yards. The teams that had a real, live, passing quarterback, like South Carolina and Michigan State, were able to throw for 200 yards.
Outlook: Good luck throwing on this group. Kirkpatrick and Barron should be on several All-America short lists, while Lester is a conference all-star and Menzie and Milliner would be just about anyone else’s No. 1 corner to work a defensive backfield around. It’ll be a stunner if the Tide doesn’t finish in the top ten in America in pass defense.
Unit Rating: 10
Special Teams
State of the Unit: Junior Jeremy Shelley had to step in as a true freshman and replace Leigh Tiffin, and he handled the extra points and worked as the short-to-midrange kicker nailing 12-of-16 field goals. Meanwhile, sophomore Cade Foster, who has more talent, was the long-range bomber connecting on seven of nine field goals, nailing five of seven from beyond 40 yards, while also serving as the kickoff specialist.
The punting game wasn’t that awful, even though it finished tenth in the SEC averaging a pedestrian 36 yards per kick. Sophomore Cody Mandell walked on and took over the job, and while he wasn’t great, he averaged 39.2 yards per kick and put 13 inside the 20. He was steady enough to get by and was decent at hanging it up in the air, forcing 15 fair catches.
The return game was terrific, finishing 19th in the nation in punt returns and 16th in kickoff returns. WR Marquis Maze will handle most of the duties after averaging 12.7 yards per punt return and 23.6 yards per kickoff return. Trent Richardson might be too busy handling running back duties to work as a returner, but he’s the team’s best kickoff returner averaging 26.4 yards per try with a score.
Watch Out For … the placekicking situation. It worked well last year with Foster doing the driving and Shelley handling the putting, but Foster is the more talented kicker and could be in charge of more than just the deep shots. If either one falters in any way, the other one will step up and be the man.
Strength: The return game. Averaging in the top 20 in both kickoff and punt returns is a major plus for a team that doesn’t necessarily have to win the field position battle. Maze is a speedy, quick returner, and there’s no shortage of athletes across the board to handle the work.
Weakness: Kickoff coverage. A major problem two years ago, it was a minor issue last year allowing 21.4 yards per kickoff return with a score. The bigger problem is a punting game that needs to get a little more blast.
Outlook: The special teams had a huge role in the national title run, and they should be fine again after a decent 2010. The placekicking should be solid with Foster and Shelley proven veterans who can handle the work, and Mandell a decent, steady punter. The return game has speedsters and the overall coverage improved after a lousy 2009. Head coach: Nick Saban
5th year: 43-10
16th year overall: 134-53-1
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 23, Def. 26, ST 4
Lettermen Lost: 15
Ten Best Alabama Players
1. LB Dont’a Hightower, Jr.
2. RB Trent Richardson, Jr.
3. S Mark Barron, Sr.
4. CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Jr.
5. LB C.J. Mosley, Soph.
6. OG/OT Barrett Jones, Jr.
7. DE/LB Courtney Upshaw, Sr.
8. S Robert Lester, Jr.
9. OT D.J. Fluker, Soph.
10. OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Fr.
2011 Schedule
Sep. 3 Kent State
Sep. 10 at Penn State
Sep. 17 North Texas
Sep. 24 Arkansas
Oct. 1 at Florida
Oct. 8 Vanderbilt
Oct. 15 at Ole Miss
Oct. 22 Tennessee
Oct. 29 OPEN DATE
Nov. 5 LSU
Nov. 12 at Mississippi State
Nov. 19 Georgia Southern
Nov. 26 at Auburn Head coach: Nick Saban
5th year: 43-10
16th year overall: 134-53-1
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 23, Def. 26, ST 4
Lettermen Lost: 15
Ten Best Alabama Players
1. LB Dont’a Hightower, Jr.
2. RB Trent Richardson, Jr.
3. S Mark Barron, Sr.
4. CB Dre Kirkpatrick, Jr.
5. LB C.J. Mosley, Soph.
6. OG/OT Barrett Jones, Jr.
7. DE/LB Courtney Upshaw, Sr.
8. S Robert Lester, Jr.
9. OT D.J. Fluker, Soph.
10. OT Cyrus Kouandjio, Fr.
2011 Schedule
Sep. 3 Kent State
Sep. 10 at Penn State
Sep. 17 North Texas
Sep. 24 Arkansas
Oct. 1 at Florida
Oct. 8 Vanderbilt
Oct. 15 at Ole Miss
Oct. 22 Tennessee
Oct. 29 OPEN DATE
Nov. 5 LSU
Nov. 12 at Mississippi State
Nov. 19 Georgia Southern
Nov. 26 at Auburn
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