As some of you may know, this fall will mark 10 years of the GBU. That spans 4 head coaches- Fran, Price, Shula, and Saban. 1 National Title, 1 SEC title, 2 SEC West titles, and much much more. The next few weeks will be a series of posts remembering some of the moments and discussing some of the what ifs and what could have beens of the decade that was. I get asked a lot of quesitons from time to time about this blog and hopefully I will answer some of those in this series.
How did the GBU come to existence????
Well, it was kinda by accident to be truthful. In 2002, Fran was king of the castle and Writer Mike (more to come there) had spun a lot of thought for Bama fans. Bama fans were dealing with the Dubosian Failure Syndrome and Probation. They could not accept that things were where they were. The first posting was after the OU game that year. Bama had lost to a highly talented Oklahoma team that had withstood all the tricks Bama could throw at them. However, I was reading all this hype after a loss.
I find no morals in defeat, just lessons. So a moral victory is like going to a frat party and going home with your sister and trying to spin how that was good somehow. After a day or so of reading this "it was a good loss" routine, I posted on BamaMag a post simply entitled "The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly". It was named that because I had remembered a bit in the Birmingham News at the top of the sports page that always hit 1 high, low, and bad point. It was fairly well received and I just kept on doing it.
How do you go about preparing what you blog?
Here is the weekly ritual that starts on Tuesdays.
Tuesday- Typically, the prior week's GBU is winding down on the various places it goes to. I try to not keep it going after a day or so, and I do such because I typically start surfing trying to read up on the next team. If it is Kent State or Georgia State, I typically won't do quite as much reading, but I still like to know if they have any game talent or what style they play.
Thursday- This is a pretty good day when in the process. Thursdays I typically try to watch YouTube or ESPN clips of the opponent. I try not to watch just highlight reel material because I don't see the best and worst at one time. I also DVR other games to watch like ARK v. FL or UGA v. AUB, and see if there are some kinks worth finding.
Friday- I take a day from college and watch as much HS football as I can to see the prep stars and see which ones meet the mark and who is the hyped pretender. Remember in Random Thoughts I do spend time talking about recruiting and I do a recap, so it isn't just a short term thing, it is an ongoing process.
Saturday- Game day comes and I really don't watch the game and think about the play by play being good or bad per se. I do tend to keep a note pad and jot down notes at times to review on the replay/DVR to review a few things. Sometimes, I do participate in game time chat sessions with fellow fans, but I try to simply enjoy the game and not break it down as it happens. The notes I take aren't real detailed. They usually are something like:
1st- 9.53 MI run RT, good or
4th- 2.33 GM sacked corner, bad
After the game is over, I tend to let it sit. I will talk to family about the game for a bit, but I don't go to a message board or read anything that night. I like to think that it wipes the slate clean for a bit.
Sunday- I do start thinking about the game after Church. As the NFL goes on, I do see things and it makes me think about this play or that from the day before. I break my message board ban around mid-afternoon and just read. Sometimes I read things that people talk about and make a point to review those plays or players.
Sunday night, I tuck my son in bed, go to the living room, and watch the replay. I start from the begining and take notes. This time I am noting about every play. What you read on Monday really comes into place Sunday night. I watch most plays about 3 times. First time is to just see it again, second is to see where things went well/wrong, and third is to double check who made/missed it. If it is a Sister Mary game, I probably don't dig super deep into things, and sometimes I type the GBU that night. However, it usually takes about 3 hours to watch the game from start to end.
Monday- Monday is easy really. The blog post you read seem long, but they don't take long because I have already formed the ideas and structure, so it is just a matter of taking about 30 minutes to just type them out. While some think I spend more time typing the bad or focusing on it, I actually focus on the Good portion more in trying to point to as much as I can find. Some weeks of the Shula years, that was a helluva struggle. I type more of the Bad out because I cannot just do a short blurb and go on. I have to go in depth because some readers get monkey butt about stuff if you don't beat it out into a long thought. The post usually hits the boards around 10 EST, sometimes sooner or later depending on my day. After I post, I usually don't revisit it until an hour or two sometimes more later. I always give it time to just be. At that point, I tend to like to reply to as many posters as I can because if you took time to read and respond, it is the least I can do.
Some odd stats and such....
I was a bit ignorant about how viral this post was each week. It wasn't until I moved the post to this site that I realized how many people really read this. On any given week, I get anywhere from 3000 to 5000 hits on Monday. Tuesday gets about another 1 to 2K. If I do a random thought, it spikes it back up to around 1 to 2K those days. Most come from message board reading, but about 15 percent of the hits come from email and google searches. I knew the emails happened because folks emailed me telling me they had sent it to their Dad or someone who loved Bama football as well. I just didn't think that many did it each week.
Another fun stat is that the GBU is a regular read in Sweeden, Canada, Germany, the UK, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates. I am guessing the Troops are reading in their spare time. I doubt a guy from the deep south translates well in those countries otherwise. Most of you who read are IE users, but the Iphone/pad has picked up this year. Of the major Bama sites, the most referred is Rivals BOL, Tider Insider does a few yet I do not attend that site, and Scout puts a regular group in as well. The most read GBU on this site is the Arkansas 2011 game, and the most read post of all time is the Random Thought from February 7th, 2011 aka recruit roundup. Just a quick note, in 2011, the blog will be Mobile friendly. So, now you can view it from your Blackberry and IPhone and it not be this small and have to deal with magnifying it. Trust me, I hated that too. Now it is fixed.
Random Favorite Memories thus far....
My favorite memory from the GBU so far is my infamous run in with Writer Mike. If the name doesn't ring a bell, Mike is best known for this moment in Fran history.... My first run in with the silver tongued one was when he was trolling about every Bama site known to man to run propaganda for Fran. Fran's last year at Bama was good up until the end. Mike didn't like that I was pointing out things in the coaching or in the plays themself, from what I gather, none of them do at times. The posts you read on here, he hated, and I am guessing that his boss probably didn't like them either. Mike had earned quite a bit of fandom on message boards because he claimed to watch film with the coaches and talked to Fran every day. The latter was probably true, but it didn't take long to figure out that he was making up half of what he said. I would guess those A&M boosters and Kim probably figured that out eventually too.
He had prodded and poked at my thoughts about things for a couple of weeks, and finally I kinda outed him. It isn't a secret, coaches don't like to sit with reporters or ankle biters during the one thing they treat as Church, film study. He kept claiming his in with the program, but never was real clear on much. It was all abstract and vague, sound familiar to some of today's "Insiders"? It came to a head when after the LSU game, Fran would not say he was coming back, he said something to the effect "it will all work out". Mike was aware then that Fran was out the back door to avoid the walk of shame, and I cornered him about that to the point he just left the message boards. Between his lying about his connections, and basically outing that he knew Fran was gone, it didn't take long after that for a few fans to figure out what had happened. Mike tried the same trick at A&M, but their fans weren't quite as message board happy so that is where the newsletter came from. McKenzie is about 1 step higher than Scott Moore in this world when it gets down to it. He always wants an audience and is always taking a small fact and surrounding it with a big lie.
How bad has the hate mail been?
Well, there are some that are just bad. I get some after Bama loses that wishes me to die. Some want to meet at the KMart parking lot in Gasden and other locations to fight. Some try to do an educated email but end up saying nothing but "I don't like what you said but I cannot dispute it, but I know I don't want to read that". Some will email over and over trying to force me to believe what they say. I love that one. I am sure the mods at various sites get a lot of emails wishing my banishment, but it is hard to do when you have to click a link to read something.
Do you like recruiting? You seem to have a hate for it.
I love recruiting, but I hate where it is going. I hate the hat thing. I hate the gimmicks in general. I didn't like them when most were going for the good guys, but now it seems to be that recruiting is almost a pimping exercise. Recruits now throw names and change positions to keep their name fresh and see their headlines on a regular basis. I would guess that most know a month or more before signing day what they will do. I also cringe when I see posts on message boards where a 40 something guy does a C&P for a 17 year old off of Facebook. I also cringe when I watch these same fans blast a young man for going to another school. To be honest, you get 25 or so players every year to come to your school, you can't sign all of them and some just don't want to go to your school. It just is a fact of life. My fear is that you get an Updyke type of guy who just goes ape shit because a player goes to the rival school and greets him somewhere with a bullet.
I want to know about recruits and where they are going just as much as anyone, but I don't put my life around their soap opera.
NEXT UP- Top 10 Players of the last 10 Seasons and The 10 that missed the Saban Era the most....
April 19, 2011
Random Thoughts- A DAY
Another A Day in the books and it was about as vanilla as it could be. The objectives were pretty clear pretty early. They wanted to test the QBs in various situations- check. They wanted to put the DBs in a lot of situations and see how they performed- check. They wanted to not give away much more than they had to- check.
Going down the roster, as I have done in the past A Days, from what I saw in person and on the replay twice, here's what I see:
Quarterbacks
I don't think they will be naming a starter any time soon. In fact, I'd be shocked if there is one for Kent State and probably not one til Arkansas or later. If you have read my posts over the last 10 years of doing this, you know, I HATE 2 QB SYSTEMS! However, that's about the only way they will be able to keep both, and get the best from both. I think both have capacities that compliment each other, and both have some pretty similar weaknesses at times. The bottom line is this team is probably going to look like the 08 offense and 09 offense early on. Lots of 2 TE sets, lots of runs and a few play actions to keep teams honest. They will do all they can to keep the QB from having to win or lose the game. They will put that role on the defense and the running game.
AJ McCarron- For all the folks who screamed for him to start over Greg McElroy, they are going to get their wish, and they may live to tell they were those people. AJ has a lot of skill sets that you can't coach. Big arm, no fear to throw it anywhere, and he reads the progressions fairly fast. The problem with AJ that continues to be a Saban chewing session is concentration and carelessness. It isn't a thing that happens all the time or every time, but it seems to creep up a good bit. The fumble at the goal line will get him a lot of growling during film, the pick not so much, but his body language isn't good at times and they'll be on him about that if he wants to be a leader. He has the factors to be great, but so did Jeff Dunn. AJ has to be a leader in the huddle when he is in the 2s as much as he is in the 1s.
Phillip Sims- Sims is a guy who just makes it look simple. It looks like it is slow and steady from start to finish. His 1st half was with the 2s to start out and he struggled because he was pressing and the 2 WRs aren't as good as the 2 DBs. AJ had that issue too. However, when you watch him at A Day, nothing gets to him and he just seems to move the team with a smooth, balanced approach. The problem he has is that he hasn't learned the reads and what Ds are throwing at him. His pick was a case of him not seeing what was out there and he put out a pretty poor throw. I would like to see him get his release a little higher too and avoid so many tips at the line.
Phillip Ely- Why do I think of Brandon Avalos when I watch him???? I will reserve judgement on him for a while, but there is this sneaking suspicion in my head that he may be a stop gap till they can recruit a few more QBs.
Blake Sims- I think as a wildcat QB, he probably gives them a little more of an option feel that a true spread QB would. I think as a drop back passer or a pocket passer, he's never going to be there. He is better at passing on the move and when it is a one read play, like a waggle right to a TE or Back type play. I think like Ely, when they fill the holes on the chart, he probably moves to tailback or slot WR.
Running Backs
The running back core is deep and won't be an issue for a few years to come, I don't think. Richardson will assume the carries that Ingram had. Lacy should get the Richardson level of carries, and it looks like Dee Hart will get that end of the game wear down that Roy Upchurch, Terry Grant, and Demetrius Goode have had the last few years. I would expect they all get a full load of carries this year as they will be asked to carry the offense while 2 green QBs mature.
Jalston Fowler- Fowler will be the short yardage guy and probably will be the 4th option at back. I wouldn't be surprised to see him at H Back some too when they need another big body out there. If Bama didn't have 2 good between the tackles runners in Richardson and Lacy, he probably would get a few more carries, but they will eat his carries for the most part.
Demetrius Goode- Goode continues to work hard and just gets yards when he carries the ball, but the talent pool has caught up to him. He may rotate with Fowler based on situations and teams as to who is 4th.
Corey Grant- Well, Grant had a chance to showcase himself some in practice before Dee Hart came along. Grant is fast and a good option outside the tackles or on a swing/screen play. He isn't going to push the pile but that is not what his role should be anyways. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't experiment with him at slot or at DB. He has plenty of athleticism and talent to contribute and more, but Hart has won the staff over and that's usually not something that changes.
Dee Hart- Hart is an amazingly gifted high school senior. Remember, his teammates and classmates just started prom while he's playing college ball. Hart has good hands and a really nice 2nd burst that separates him in the open field. I like his vision and ability to miss tackles and get extra yards. I think with a year or two in the conditioning program, and a focus on building his lower body strength, he will be a really good all purpose back. This year, he will get the mop up and some 2 minute type moments because he is so good with the ball out of the backfield.
Eddie Lacy- He ran without spinning, there is hope after all. I'm kidding.....kinda. Lacy looked determined and excited to be more involved in the offense. I think he's going to be a good compliment to Richardson as they can continue the ground and pound without adjusting the playbook with the change at back. He also will push Richardson just as TR did Ingram at times. I would like to see Eddie concentrate on his pass catching and get more consistent in running routes and getting in position to catch the ball. He is far improved in his running style and ball protection from last fall.
Trent Richardson- I think we will see the TR of the first 3 games of 2010 for all of 2011. If so, this is probably a Heisman caliber season for him. He is constantly improving and his pass blocking is now another weapon he can provide. He can catch, and run with a purpose and he looked a little frustrated at times that he couldn't play more or get some hitting going. Some people just need a little violence in their game to make them go. He is easily the best running back in the conference and may be the best in the nation. It will be fun to see him get the carries and how he handles the extra load.
Wide Receivers
Overall, I was really disappointed in their play. I was hoping to see them step up to the void that Jones left and put together a great team effort. That hopefully happened during each practice and closed scrimmages. A Day alone was not their best showing and it was a little disturbing that they all look the same and are all really more possession or slot guys and not a lot of X guys. Really, they don't have a single one on campus who can stretch the field. They loaded up on WRs and after A Day, I see why.
Kenny Bell- If Bell's game matched his complaining, he'd be unstoppable, but he remains real inconsistent and has yet to show the speed he is said to have when the game is on. He does catch the ball well when he gets his looks and he seems to like contact, which is good, but he rounds off routes and at times lets the DBs get him out of the play. Heading into the fall, Bell is down the chart a bit (depending on who you ask he's somewhere between the 5th to 7th in the mix) and will probably have to step it up a lot more than he has to be a regular contributor.
Michael Bowman- If he played, it was hidden from regular sight. Bowman's future is getting a little bleak as the depth chart is probably running him around the bottom of the group it would seem. He is a big body, but he's got a lotta issues too. I won't be surprised if he transfers or has a mystery injury that moves him to a medical scholarship.
Ronald Carswell- Carswell is young and a little raw. I would like to see him get a little more physical off the bump at times and use his arm to separate the DB. The plays I noticed him the most, he was getting overwhelmed by the corner and his bump or jam. I don't think he will get a lot of PT this year, but that isn't a bad thing either for him. If he will work on his craft some more, there is a spot for him in Hanks role possibly.
Brandon Gibson- Gibson has plodded and hung around and has finally taken hold of the 3rd option for the Tide passing game. He's a good option as a possession WR and provides a big target over the flat or in the corner. His catch over Dre K around the goal line was probably the best play of the game. With Julio gone, and the only guys his size or taller being Bowman and Norwood (not counting fall enrolls) the odds are good for him being a red zone favorite to either guy because he can get up for the ball and catch it with a little more consistency.
Darius Hanks- He isn't flashy, and he isn't a true vertical threat, but he is a very solid Z Wide out who can block well and can help stretch the defense out because there is enough film on him breaking big plays to play him honest. Hanks doesn't have the big time speed to play X, but he is a good option as the Y or Z guy in the formations. I look for Hanks to get a few more catches this year, and may lead the team in catches this fall as he always seems to find the hole and give his QBs a target when they need it.
Keiwone Malone- Malone has the luxury of a few veterans being in front of him and letting him get some reps and learn a little more. He has a good grasp of football, but he seems to sit on his routes some. I would like to see him secure the ball more and be a little more assertive out there, but his routes looked clean, no rounding or breaking off on them, and he has a good burst when he gets the ball in his hands. He isn't blazing fast, but he can separate from a defender who gets flat footed. He may be a guy who can fill the Gibson/Hanks role next year.
Marquis Maze- Saturday was a tough day for Maze. He got hurt, got beat down a bit, and just didn't have one of his better days out there in general. All that aside, he is their vertical threat for now. The problem with that is that he didn't get good separation from the corners to do that and he and the two QBs need to work on their timing some if that is his role this fall. The weird thing is that when Bama went 3 wide, they kept him in the X and didn't move a taller guy there and put him at Z (where he was last year). I think he is a starter regardless of where he plays, but if one of the incoming guys can lock the X down, putting him at Z will give them more options in the passing game down the road.
Kevin Norwood- I like how Norwood plays, but he needs to do a little better job of helping his QB find him when he's separating or open in a zone pocket. I get the impression that he just can't win the coaches over completely to let him play more. Of course, A Day is hard to gauge who is where at times and he's one of them. I like his size and I like his ability to seemingly always catch what is at him. I would guess he is either 5th or 6th in the rotation right now.
DeAndrew White- The staff really likes him and he seems to be getting the playbook down good. I didn't notice him running any bad routes, but he needs to get tough on the corners and not let them push him around as much as they did Saturday. That is just a coaching and learning thing. Like Malone, they won't be leaning on him yet, so he can get some live reps and see the speed and experience the game some and grow through it. He is probably 4WR right now.
Tight Ends
Overall, they will be asked to do what they do best, block. I was pleased to see them incorporate Williams a little more and it was nice to see Jones and Vogler play. However, I think we all know what they will do 90 percent of the time in the fall, and they will do it well.
Harrison Jones- He is probably the future H Back and will press Smelley to play better or he will lose to Jones too. I like his build and like how he plays. He has the good bloodline, and he is a really good athlete for his size. Has good hands and is a nice lead blocker as a H Back, so you probably will see him a good bit as they go with different looks to throw teams off. I really won't be surprised if he wins the H Back role at some point this year.
Brad Smelley- Smelley continues to work towards being the every down H Back, but he just isn't a blocker by trade. Is that fair to him? No, because you take a guy who played QB in High School and ask him to pound around, that is hard for him to do when he really wasn't a physical QB before. He really is an oversized slot WR, but this is the last run for him and hopefully with this being it, he'll come out with a fire in him to be the blocker and be the receiving threat he can be.
Chris Underwood- I remember when Chris was here in 1998. Seems like he's been there for a decade, but this is it for him too. I think you will see him in some goal line sets and in some mop up/rest up moments, but he just isn't physical enough to be the every down guy. Like Smelley, he's an oversized WR, but he will contribute and move along.
Brian Vogler- The play everyone will talk about is Sunseri lighting him up. I would worry more if Lester or Lowery lit him up to be honest. Big V is going to see some time at both the H and Y when they go 2 TE because he's a good blocker. I think they want to get him some reps and use him like they did Williams a few years ago. Getting him ready for next year is top priority. The Jones/Vogler era may be the best TE tandem since Hape/Rutledge. Vogler is a good pass catching threat with his hand down and he is a very physical blocker and I noticed him finish several blocks over the course of the game.
Offensive Line
I like the changes that Stoutland has started working on. They are going to be more helmet on helmet and less zone blocking. I think he will help each of the 2 deep linemen grow and be pro ready. With the expectation of a run heavy offense, this change will really pay off. I don't think the changes up front have stopped, but I don't think the incommers (is that a real word) are the ones who will move the roster. They are looking for speed and power on the left side and they have found parts of it, but I don't know if they have found one guy with it yet. I know this, the most valuable position this year is center because they don't have one after Vlachos. NONE. How that has happened, I don't know, but they are really behind there. I would guess Lindsay is the 2C based on his play Saturday, but the gap between 1 and 2 is very wide.
John Michael Boswell- JMB is still that guy who can play 4 spots, but isn't the best at any. I thought he looked good again on Saturday and if he had to start, it wouldn't worry me much.
Aaron Douglas- I thought he looked good for the most part. He is a pass blocker but is not going to drive the pile against anyone. That is probably where he is losing ground to now Jones. I know the rumors are that they want 30 pounds put on him, but I question if he needs that much. I think the second issue is the style of the line is different. UT uses a more zone block technique and is more about protection and gaps than fist fights. I still think he's a legit shot at starter, sorry Cyrus K must start day 1 folks, but if they have a capable guard and Jones is the guy, that is what it is. However, if one got hurt and Jones had to slide over, I wouldn't be freaking out about using Douglas myself.
DJ Fluker- Fluker will thrive under the new coach. I really like the thought of him not having to think about where to be so much and just who to put a hat on and drill him down. He is their best run blocking lineman by a long ways. He is improving in the pass block, but he gets overwhelmed by a speed rush. Hightower got on him a few times and he lost Donta too early. It is still a work in progress and he is showing a lot of progress from a year ago. He looks like he's in much better shape, short of the gimpy knee, and looks a little more comfortable about what his role is. I do think RT is where he has to play if he plays tackle, and Barrett Jones moving to LT instead of him kinda ends that talk don't it? I still wouldn't mind seeing him slide over to guard at some point to get more speed at tackle when they want to throw the ball more, but that's a long theory and conversation for a summer down time. As is, he's gonna be a good focal point where you see a lot of Richardson runs this fall.
Barrett Jones- Jones is like JMB except he's probably the best at all 5 spots. I thought he looked good at LT. He is mobile and did a good job on Upshaw for the most part. He has a good first step out and keeps his feet and body centered and doesn't get out of balance. I don't know if he is quite the run blocking force they'd like at LT, but he probably does it better than either McCullough or Douglas right now. Regardless of where he lands, I like the odds that his spot will be the best pass blocked area on the 5.
Arie Kouandijo- He played RT Saturday but is probably going to play both T and G at times. I think the thing with him is that there are just veterans ahead of him and he'll have to wait his time out to get his shot. I like him at guard a little better because he's not quite mobile enough on the outside blitz yet, but I like his technique and I like that he doesn't quit on the play even when he got beat a time or two.
Chad Lindsay- He is who I would peg as the backup center if left up to me, but he's got a lot of work and practice to do if that is who starts next year. I thought he did a good job of standing up Williams and others, but I didn't see a lot of gaps or surge from him in the game. He probably is better suited as a guard, but they need a guy to backup Vlachos, and he's probably it.
Tyler Love- I'm not gonna beat a dead horse, but you know his issue and you know I have said it for 4 years now. He isn't going to play any time soon, at least not in anything other than deep roster playout against the Kent States and such.
Alfred McCullough- If AMC was about 3 inches taller, he'd started a long time ago. Technically he is sound, and he is tough and strong, but he just gives up too much size to bigger D linemen out there. He will play some tackle and guard this fall and I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't use him in the goal line some as an extra TE. To me, Jones moving to LT is more of an impact/statement on Alfred than anything. However, he will continue to be a guy who will get mentioned a lot for different starting roles and always be a big contributor off the bench.
Austin Shepherd- I thought he looked ok against the 2s Saturday. He's big, and you won't miss him out there because you can see him over the sea of 6-2 guys they have. The only issue he is gonna have is where can he possibly play and start? LT? No, he's not fast enough. RT? Nope, depth chart is deep there. Guard? Depth chart lookin pretty set there for a while. Center? Too tall. So despite him looking fairly good out there, I don't know if he'd play short of a couple of injuries.
Anthony Steen- The Incredible Hulk is a very solid run guard and with the issues at LT, he has been given another chance to hold down a starting job. He has improved his pass blocking from last fall, but he still struggles with speed. Hightower got past him relatively unscathed and blew up the play. He had a few times where he wasn't quite sure who his hat was for, and that cause a few issues at times, but he is still young and raw. I think with the focus being run baby run, he probably will be fine if that is who they start.
William Vlachos- Oh please football gods, don't let him get hurt, they know not what they have behind him. Vlachos looks healthy again and looked in better condition than last fall. That is the main thing for him is getting him back to 09 health and conditioning. If he comes in this fall like he did last one, it could be another long season. As is, he did a real good job of opening some running lanes up the pipe and sealed off several good blocks for TR during the game. They need him to step up and be a leader though. Individually, they are all 5 good and one or two of them may even be great, but they need someone to rally them together and keep them organized. He should be that guy.
Chance Warmack- Chance has answered the bell again and kept his job through Spring. I know the playbook was short and sweet, but I would have liked to have seen if they could run him on the counter now or is he still not quick enough to pull around. Like Vlachos, that's his main thing, can he get in good playing shape. I like that he can work with Vlachos and move the pile and create the lane, but I need to see him take on some good rushers and see where his improvement is from last fall.
Kellen Williams- He and Lindsay rotated as the White center. I think he's better off at guard too, but he'll never play there either. At center, he's gotta get quicker out of his stance. He was slow coming out of the snap and let the player rushing his gap get all over him quick. He needs some work on the shotgun snaps too. He has time to work on those things as those are both just experience and coaching things. I still can't believe they don't have a single guy that is just ready to go at center though.
Defensive line
Overall, it was a good day for the defense as a whole and with the scrimmage being what it was, the DL was not going to just be allowed to do all the tricks it does. With that said, I was real pleased with how much depth they have and how much more surge was coming from the line. They have a lot of new faces that need to learn the technique differences and some of the differences in the 3-4 and Saban's Nickel schemes and what they know from the 4-3 and such.
Josh Chapman- When he is focused and in shape, he is a very formidable player. He is one of the strongest on the team and he has a really good motor. I like that he has answered the bell because most assumed Jesse Williams would take him over. That hasn't and probably won't happen. JC's stat line won't blow the doors off anyone, but his role is to clog the lane and drive it back to the QB. He did that a good bit and moved to the ball well. He could stand to work on some drills to speed up his hands some to keep the linemen out of his chest guard.
Quinton Dial- I saw him all over the field and he looks the part. He will add some depth to the rotation this fall at both spots, but he's gotta learn the system still. I think as long as his motor and pursuit are where they are, they will find more ways to get him on the field each week.
Nick Gentry- The Internets loves them some Gentry. All kidding aside, I like him as a good change of pace from the big bodies they throw out there on normal occasions. Gentry will continue to provide the role he did last year. I think that's a good contributing role for him and the team and a good reminder that not everybody has to start to be a big part in the process....was that too coachy? Ahem, I like how Gentry seems to always squirt past the guards and be in the backfield. He's smart and does a good job of confusing the lineman on him because you can't tell if he is going at you or around you or through you.
Brandon Ivory- That's a big ol boy. I don't know how much PT he has in his future this year, but I think the odds improve next year as there will be some spots to fill next spring.
Brandon Lewis- I thought he looked real good as the game wore on. He's a little small for DE in the base 3-4, but he is very strong and a senior with some PT experience. Like Ivory, it is hard to tell how much time he will get this fall, but I can't see a reason not to put him in a rotation somewhere.
Darrington Sentimore- I get what Saban was saying. He gets the pass rush aspect of his job. He doesn't quite have the patience for the run stopping part of his game. I think you probably will see a good deal of him in passing and blitz situations because he can disrupt things and draw double teams to open up other rushers. I won't be surprised if he lines up inside a good deal on nickel as they attempt to find as many options as possible to get a set of fresh legs on the field.
Damion Square- I thought he looked much more in shape and I don't see anyone who will take that spot from him. The thing about Square is that he can be whatever the play needs him to be. If they need him to be a gap filling lineman, he does that well. If they need him to rush the QB, he can do that. If they need him to drive open a gap for the linebackers, he can definitely do that. Saturday was a unique drill for him and the line, they weren't dialing up a lot for them, and that was on purpose, but he was still very effective at keeping his lineman stiff most of the day. I look for him to have a really good year.
Ed Stinson- Stinson is running as the number 2 end and he probably will play a good bit as he will rotate with Square and Sentimore and Williams/Dial/others. If Bama played a 4-3, he would probably be a starter or a rush end specialist. That is what they want him to be. I think as a full time end in the 3-4, he probably is a little light because the guys who play in those roles need to be closer to 290-310 range, but they can use him off the edge and hopefully disrupt. If they can scheme him right, and keep a 300 pound tackle off him, he can be a zone end and drop into coverage, or play man on a TE or FB. He is strong and has good speed still in spite of the weight gain, and that part is where he starts to contribute, but I question if he can play end every down.
Jesse Williams- Could you hear the Internet bubble hiss as the game wore on? The guy who the Internets said could do all and piss fire was a let down for those folks. To me, he was fine. There are 2 things fans need to do to temper their bullshit. First, he isn't a nose guard. He's a defensive tackle. He is more comfortable in the 3-4 as an end, which is where he has practiced with the 1s. When you move him in at NG, he isn't comfortable with the technique or the placement that comes with that. Second, he has only played here for 2 weeks roughly. He won't know the plays or the techniques to play in this scheme yet. Cody would have looked like shit too if he came in the spring, for a different reason partially, but it isn't fair to Williams to say he should be all world just because you saw a picture with tats and a big bicep. Williams as is, has to get his hands faster and keep the linemen from getting in on him. I look for him to work on his technique a lot in the summer and with his size, he will play very well as an end and a part time NG, but he won't be the next Cody.
Linebackers
The one position that is so deep it is sick is LB. I was really surprised by a few in how they were progressing and one that just came in and looks like a guy who has played 2 or three years. The good thing about the depth is that it gives them several looks and tricks to throw to the offense that can confuse them.
Trey Depriest- I told folks I really liked him after signing day. You saw it Saturday. He is a HS senior who plays like a 2nd or 3rd year player. The best thing about him is that he gets the role. He moves to the ball and is very good in space. He keeps blockers from tying him down when he is moving to the ball. He has really good instincts and will only improve. I don't see him redshirting unless they just really can't find a place for him. I think he's a ST starter and probably a 2nd/3rd Mike.
Jerrell Harris- Fans want him to be so much more, but he still is that same guy he was 4 years ago. He flies around and when he lucks into a play, he makes a play with a big hit. I get why fans have made him a unicorn. However, he stays in the coaches' doghouse because he doesn't stay in position. Where Trey DePriest is young but yet seemed to stay in position all day, Harris got too far inside a few times and allowed the play to get around him. I don't think fans see that because he's not at the finish of the play. Harris is starting at Sam which is kinda the lifetime achievement award for a guy. He will get some snaps, but there are a lot of guys ahead of him when they go to passing defense, so I don't think folks will get a lot of Harris watching.
Donta Hightower- He's back. He moves like the Donta of old. He runs at close to if not the same speed as before. Last year was a challenge that he struggled through because it was obvious that he had not recovered yet and was trying to do things his body couldn't. That won't be a problem now. With that year in his character, he seems to have grown as a leader on the defense. They will use him at Mike in base set situations, and at a rush end when they go nickel and dime. He should excel in that role because before the injury, he was thought as the best Jack they had. Donta will have a big fall if he stays healthy and continues to push those around him to improve.
Adrian Hubbard- I liked what I saw of AH Saturday. He is quick and he is bulking up nicely. He dominated Tyler Love a few times and displayed his ability to drive a bigger player back into the QB. His motor runs well and he really has the upside that should translate into big plays in the future. He is the number 2 Jack with Watkins out. I don't know how much PT he can get with Watkins back, but I think they will work on getting him a little seasoning for next year. I think he can open the role up to be a true hybrid linebacker who can play with his hand down or standing and playing in space. It will be fun to watch at least.
Nico Johnson- Nico looked healthy and he and CJ have made a big leap in their communication. What is so impressive about Nico is that he always finds the ball regardless of who he has to engage to get the ball. He is the starting Will and will play on about every down now because he is just that good.
CJ Mosley- CJ has started to make that next step. He reminds folks of Rolando McClain and rightfully so. He is very smart and a future tandem of he and DePriest is a nice thought for folks to salivate on. Mosley is the Mike in nickel and Dime situations and can play Will when needed. I like how well he reads the play and how he seems to make the call to the others who depend on him. His chemistry with Nico is real good and as much nickel as they play, he should thrive with that teamwork. I think if folks liked him last year, they will love him this year because he has a full year under his belt now.
Chris Jordan- Jordan has consistently held the 2nd string ILB role and will continue to. He is a good sub and serves an important role. He probably is a little small to start, but when they need to get some subs in to rest the starters, he is more than capable of holding his own.
Tana Patrick- Tana is now a Jack and deep on the chart. I didn't really see him much Saturday and I think that kinda says all in itself.
Courtney Upshaw- He continues to work on his role and I think he knows he really needs to put a full resume out there to the NFL Draft. When he is healthy, he is one of the best in the nation at rushing the QB. He has a lot of intangibles that you can't coach. His motor runs non-stop and he likes to hit and disrupt the offense. He just has to give it 14 games. He needs to work on keeping double teams from getting on him at times because that is where his nicks and bumps come from. Saturday, I didn't see him getting doubled, which was designed probably, and I don't know that they wanted him to go full bore at a new LT, so what you see on TV isn't going to say much. I did like that I saw him more in space and in coverage a little more. I did like that he is moving to the play better than he did last year. This fall is big for him and the bigger he plays, the better Bama will do.
Defensive Backs
I think DB will be a strong suit for Bama and they should be using the same philosophy they did in 2009 once Barron gets healthy. They have a real depth at safety now, but corner could stand to be a little deeper. With the scrimmage being so pass oriented, it gave folks a good look at a lot of guys and how they handled the beating drum. Overall, I was pleased with their play. There wasn't a bad breakdown or an exposed weakness. That's about all you can ask for exiting the spring.
Mark Barron- The black jersey was on but playing him was a good thing to do for him. Because he couldn't tackle, it made him be more of a coach and made him focus on reading and doing some things that he probably hasn't done as much. It may be a blessing in disguise to him that this injury happened because if he can progress in what he sees and bark that to the others, that will only improve the secondary. That was missing at times last year because they were all young. This year is his year though. He's the veteran, the leader, and it will be interesting to see if he takes a more vocal role now.
John Fulton- If they wanna play zone all day, Fulton is probably not going to win over the staff over because he's not that mentality. He is a lockdown guy who wants to go on Revis Island and rename it Fulton Stadium. That's what he is. He is probably their best man cover corner, that includes Dre, because he is always in position. The issue is that Bama plays a lot of zone and they need him to play in space and actually let his guy slip past him. That is hard sometimes. If Kirkpatrick goes pro, I don't see anyone who will take Fulton out of that role next year though.
Phelon Jones- Phelon is a bit of a frustrating thing. There are plays where he is all over the play. Then the next play he is out of position. They want him to step up and be a Star corner or the Money at times, but I don't think he's won the trust of the staff to be that. Jones as is is probably running as the 5th corner.
Dre Kirkpatrick- Dre is the lead corner and he is the best of the 3 starters at the whole role of zone and man situations. Dre's strengths are that the can close the gap when he makes a mistake and he doesn't let it get to him. He is a good tackler for a corner. He reads the play fairly well and doesn't get juked out all that bad. His area for growth is that he still lets his guy get to the outside where he doesn't have safety help and that crept up again in the 1st quarter when Gibson got around him. Yes it was a great throw, but if he drives Gibson out of that route, it is either a pick or an incomplete pass. This fall he is a lock as a starter because they don't have a guy who can give them what he does.
Robert Lester- Lester is starting as one of the 3 safeties they rotate. Lester is at his best playing center field and reacting to the play coming at him. He does a good job of playing that role and supports the corners well in that role. He isn't as comfortable in a man situation where he has to guard a guy heads up. Lester will really thrive if they can use their dime coverage more because it will keep him from playing man at all. He can sit in cover 2 and shadow and support in that role. Barron and Lowery/Williams/Perry can do those other situations. Lester does need to get better at tackling and avoid the arm tackles. I saw that a few times in the first half and it allowed way too much YAC. Lester does see the plays better now and I look for him to have a good year as long as he can be the center fielder.
Will Lowery- The lore has kinda wore off. With Perry and Williams starting to come into their own, Lowery's role probably lessens. He hustles, he tackles well, he is able to see the play as well as anyone out there, but he is a physical mismatch. He will get plenty of reps when they go dime, but I don't think you will see him as much in the nickel or base situations. His contribution to last season was good and it helped give the staff time to groom some others, but I don't see him getting a lot of reps this year.
DeQuan Menzie- Menzie was the starter at corner in last year's season opener. His injury and recovery bumped him down a bit. He is healthy, and he looks really good. He will get a lot of PT because he can cover, and tackle well. I won't be surprised if he isn't the 2nd corner and slides to Star when they go into other sets as Arenas did. I would like to see him get a little more aggressive on the blitz, but if he can be a trusty lockdown to compliment Dre, that will be just as important in the big picture. It is a shame he got hurt because he is just is an amazing athlete.
DeMarcus Millner- I get in the fan doghouse every time I talk about Millner because I'm not as sold on him as some. He apparently runs a 2.4 in the 40 and has made Chuck Norris wear his PJs. All kidding aside, I think he's out of position as the island corner. I think he's probably better suited as a Star or Money kind of player. He tackles well, and moves well, but isn't the best at recovering when he gets behind the play. He does play zone better than Fulton, and that keeps him ahead of Fulton. If they have some issues at FS, it wouldn't surprise me if they tried him out there as long as they could find 3 corners to cover up front. I hope to see him continue to grow into the role and not make as many mistakes as he did last year. I think with Menzie being 100% will help that as much as anything.
Nick Perry- It is hard to read Perry when he is in a black jersey, but I like that he still had 2 tackles regardless. He wants to be in the play and he was in the play for the most part. I think folks will get a better view of Perry in the fall when he is playing ST and reserve safety.
Vinnie Sunseri- What isn't to like about him? He is a hitter and he is very smart. He is too small for LB and maybe a step slow for safety, but he hides that by his understanding of how to play the game right. You'd think he was a coach's son or something.....I think you see him on ST and probably being the star of the unit this fall, and might slip into a few situational sets as a safety. Regardless, they will have to find a way to get a guy like him on the field.
Ranzell Watkins- Don't know where they found him but Buckeye to that guy. I liked how he played. If there was one guy out there that really took that moment serious and wanted to show it, it was Ranzell. The reality is that he's not going to play unless they are clearing the bench. However, for a one shining moment, Thomas Darrah Spring Award was definately his because he played really really well.
Jarrick Williams- I wasn't a big Williams fan last year, but I liked his progression and I like how he wanted to be in the play despite his black jersey status. Jarrick has impressed the staff too. He just needs to get healthy and stay there. It was hard to tell much other than he wants to play and wants to get in the play because he couldn't tackle and they intentionally didn't attack him on deep routes. However, this fall I think he pushes to be one of the 3 starting safeties.
Going down the roster, as I have done in the past A Days, from what I saw in person and on the replay twice, here's what I see:
Quarterbacks
I don't think they will be naming a starter any time soon. In fact, I'd be shocked if there is one for Kent State and probably not one til Arkansas or later. If you have read my posts over the last 10 years of doing this, you know, I HATE 2 QB SYSTEMS! However, that's about the only way they will be able to keep both, and get the best from both. I think both have capacities that compliment each other, and both have some pretty similar weaknesses at times. The bottom line is this team is probably going to look like the 08 offense and 09 offense early on. Lots of 2 TE sets, lots of runs and a few play actions to keep teams honest. They will do all they can to keep the QB from having to win or lose the game. They will put that role on the defense and the running game.
AJ McCarron- For all the folks who screamed for him to start over Greg McElroy, they are going to get their wish, and they may live to tell they were those people. AJ has a lot of skill sets that you can't coach. Big arm, no fear to throw it anywhere, and he reads the progressions fairly fast. The problem with AJ that continues to be a Saban chewing session is concentration and carelessness. It isn't a thing that happens all the time or every time, but it seems to creep up a good bit. The fumble at the goal line will get him a lot of growling during film, the pick not so much, but his body language isn't good at times and they'll be on him about that if he wants to be a leader. He has the factors to be great, but so did Jeff Dunn. AJ has to be a leader in the huddle when he is in the 2s as much as he is in the 1s.
Phillip Sims- Sims is a guy who just makes it look simple. It looks like it is slow and steady from start to finish. His 1st half was with the 2s to start out and he struggled because he was pressing and the 2 WRs aren't as good as the 2 DBs. AJ had that issue too. However, when you watch him at A Day, nothing gets to him and he just seems to move the team with a smooth, balanced approach. The problem he has is that he hasn't learned the reads and what Ds are throwing at him. His pick was a case of him not seeing what was out there and he put out a pretty poor throw. I would like to see him get his release a little higher too and avoid so many tips at the line.
Phillip Ely- Why do I think of Brandon Avalos when I watch him???? I will reserve judgement on him for a while, but there is this sneaking suspicion in my head that he may be a stop gap till they can recruit a few more QBs.
Blake Sims- I think as a wildcat QB, he probably gives them a little more of an option feel that a true spread QB would. I think as a drop back passer or a pocket passer, he's never going to be there. He is better at passing on the move and when it is a one read play, like a waggle right to a TE or Back type play. I think like Ely, when they fill the holes on the chart, he probably moves to tailback or slot WR.
Running Backs
The running back core is deep and won't be an issue for a few years to come, I don't think. Richardson will assume the carries that Ingram had. Lacy should get the Richardson level of carries, and it looks like Dee Hart will get that end of the game wear down that Roy Upchurch, Terry Grant, and Demetrius Goode have had the last few years. I would expect they all get a full load of carries this year as they will be asked to carry the offense while 2 green QBs mature.
Jalston Fowler- Fowler will be the short yardage guy and probably will be the 4th option at back. I wouldn't be surprised to see him at H Back some too when they need another big body out there. If Bama didn't have 2 good between the tackles runners in Richardson and Lacy, he probably would get a few more carries, but they will eat his carries for the most part.
Demetrius Goode- Goode continues to work hard and just gets yards when he carries the ball, but the talent pool has caught up to him. He may rotate with Fowler based on situations and teams as to who is 4th.
Corey Grant- Well, Grant had a chance to showcase himself some in practice before Dee Hart came along. Grant is fast and a good option outside the tackles or on a swing/screen play. He isn't going to push the pile but that is not what his role should be anyways. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't experiment with him at slot or at DB. He has plenty of athleticism and talent to contribute and more, but Hart has won the staff over and that's usually not something that changes.
Dee Hart- Hart is an amazingly gifted high school senior. Remember, his teammates and classmates just started prom while he's playing college ball. Hart has good hands and a really nice 2nd burst that separates him in the open field. I like his vision and ability to miss tackles and get extra yards. I think with a year or two in the conditioning program, and a focus on building his lower body strength, he will be a really good all purpose back. This year, he will get the mop up and some 2 minute type moments because he is so good with the ball out of the backfield.
Eddie Lacy- He ran without spinning, there is hope after all. I'm kidding.....kinda. Lacy looked determined and excited to be more involved in the offense. I think he's going to be a good compliment to Richardson as they can continue the ground and pound without adjusting the playbook with the change at back. He also will push Richardson just as TR did Ingram at times. I would like to see Eddie concentrate on his pass catching and get more consistent in running routes and getting in position to catch the ball. He is far improved in his running style and ball protection from last fall.
Trent Richardson- I think we will see the TR of the first 3 games of 2010 for all of 2011. If so, this is probably a Heisman caliber season for him. He is constantly improving and his pass blocking is now another weapon he can provide. He can catch, and run with a purpose and he looked a little frustrated at times that he couldn't play more or get some hitting going. Some people just need a little violence in their game to make them go. He is easily the best running back in the conference and may be the best in the nation. It will be fun to see him get the carries and how he handles the extra load.
Wide Receivers
Overall, I was really disappointed in their play. I was hoping to see them step up to the void that Jones left and put together a great team effort. That hopefully happened during each practice and closed scrimmages. A Day alone was not their best showing and it was a little disturbing that they all look the same and are all really more possession or slot guys and not a lot of X guys. Really, they don't have a single one on campus who can stretch the field. They loaded up on WRs and after A Day, I see why.
Kenny Bell- If Bell's game matched his complaining, he'd be unstoppable, but he remains real inconsistent and has yet to show the speed he is said to have when the game is on. He does catch the ball well when he gets his looks and he seems to like contact, which is good, but he rounds off routes and at times lets the DBs get him out of the play. Heading into the fall, Bell is down the chart a bit (depending on who you ask he's somewhere between the 5th to 7th in the mix) and will probably have to step it up a lot more than he has to be a regular contributor.
Michael Bowman- If he played, it was hidden from regular sight. Bowman's future is getting a little bleak as the depth chart is probably running him around the bottom of the group it would seem. He is a big body, but he's got a lotta issues too. I won't be surprised if he transfers or has a mystery injury that moves him to a medical scholarship.
Ronald Carswell- Carswell is young and a little raw. I would like to see him get a little more physical off the bump at times and use his arm to separate the DB. The plays I noticed him the most, he was getting overwhelmed by the corner and his bump or jam. I don't think he will get a lot of PT this year, but that isn't a bad thing either for him. If he will work on his craft some more, there is a spot for him in Hanks role possibly.
Brandon Gibson- Gibson has plodded and hung around and has finally taken hold of the 3rd option for the Tide passing game. He's a good option as a possession WR and provides a big target over the flat or in the corner. His catch over Dre K around the goal line was probably the best play of the game. With Julio gone, and the only guys his size or taller being Bowman and Norwood (not counting fall enrolls) the odds are good for him being a red zone favorite to either guy because he can get up for the ball and catch it with a little more consistency.
Darius Hanks- He isn't flashy, and he isn't a true vertical threat, but he is a very solid Z Wide out who can block well and can help stretch the defense out because there is enough film on him breaking big plays to play him honest. Hanks doesn't have the big time speed to play X, but he is a good option as the Y or Z guy in the formations. I look for Hanks to get a few more catches this year, and may lead the team in catches this fall as he always seems to find the hole and give his QBs a target when they need it.
Keiwone Malone- Malone has the luxury of a few veterans being in front of him and letting him get some reps and learn a little more. He has a good grasp of football, but he seems to sit on his routes some. I would like to see him secure the ball more and be a little more assertive out there, but his routes looked clean, no rounding or breaking off on them, and he has a good burst when he gets the ball in his hands. He isn't blazing fast, but he can separate from a defender who gets flat footed. He may be a guy who can fill the Gibson/Hanks role next year.
Marquis Maze- Saturday was a tough day for Maze. He got hurt, got beat down a bit, and just didn't have one of his better days out there in general. All that aside, he is their vertical threat for now. The problem with that is that he didn't get good separation from the corners to do that and he and the two QBs need to work on their timing some if that is his role this fall. The weird thing is that when Bama went 3 wide, they kept him in the X and didn't move a taller guy there and put him at Z (where he was last year). I think he is a starter regardless of where he plays, but if one of the incoming guys can lock the X down, putting him at Z will give them more options in the passing game down the road.
Kevin Norwood- I like how Norwood plays, but he needs to do a little better job of helping his QB find him when he's separating or open in a zone pocket. I get the impression that he just can't win the coaches over completely to let him play more. Of course, A Day is hard to gauge who is where at times and he's one of them. I like his size and I like his ability to seemingly always catch what is at him. I would guess he is either 5th or 6th in the rotation right now.
DeAndrew White- The staff really likes him and he seems to be getting the playbook down good. I didn't notice him running any bad routes, but he needs to get tough on the corners and not let them push him around as much as they did Saturday. That is just a coaching and learning thing. Like Malone, they won't be leaning on him yet, so he can get some live reps and see the speed and experience the game some and grow through it. He is probably 4WR right now.
Tight Ends
Overall, they will be asked to do what they do best, block. I was pleased to see them incorporate Williams a little more and it was nice to see Jones and Vogler play. However, I think we all know what they will do 90 percent of the time in the fall, and they will do it well.
Harrison Jones- He is probably the future H Back and will press Smelley to play better or he will lose to Jones too. I like his build and like how he plays. He has the good bloodline, and he is a really good athlete for his size. Has good hands and is a nice lead blocker as a H Back, so you probably will see him a good bit as they go with different looks to throw teams off. I really won't be surprised if he wins the H Back role at some point this year.
Brad Smelley- Smelley continues to work towards being the every down H Back, but he just isn't a blocker by trade. Is that fair to him? No, because you take a guy who played QB in High School and ask him to pound around, that is hard for him to do when he really wasn't a physical QB before. He really is an oversized slot WR, but this is the last run for him and hopefully with this being it, he'll come out with a fire in him to be the blocker and be the receiving threat he can be.
Chris Underwood- I remember when Chris was here in 1998. Seems like he's been there for a decade, but this is it for him too. I think you will see him in some goal line sets and in some mop up/rest up moments, but he just isn't physical enough to be the every down guy. Like Smelley, he's an oversized WR, but he will contribute and move along.
Brian Vogler- The play everyone will talk about is Sunseri lighting him up. I would worry more if Lester or Lowery lit him up to be honest. Big V is going to see some time at both the H and Y when they go 2 TE because he's a good blocker. I think they want to get him some reps and use him like they did Williams a few years ago. Getting him ready for next year is top priority. The Jones/Vogler era may be the best TE tandem since Hape/Rutledge. Vogler is a good pass catching threat with his hand down and he is a very physical blocker and I noticed him finish several blocks over the course of the game.
Offensive Line
I like the changes that Stoutland has started working on. They are going to be more helmet on helmet and less zone blocking. I think he will help each of the 2 deep linemen grow and be pro ready. With the expectation of a run heavy offense, this change will really pay off. I don't think the changes up front have stopped, but I don't think the incommers (is that a real word) are the ones who will move the roster. They are looking for speed and power on the left side and they have found parts of it, but I don't know if they have found one guy with it yet. I know this, the most valuable position this year is center because they don't have one after Vlachos. NONE. How that has happened, I don't know, but they are really behind there. I would guess Lindsay is the 2C based on his play Saturday, but the gap between 1 and 2 is very wide.
John Michael Boswell- JMB is still that guy who can play 4 spots, but isn't the best at any. I thought he looked good again on Saturday and if he had to start, it wouldn't worry me much.
Aaron Douglas- I thought he looked good for the most part. He is a pass blocker but is not going to drive the pile against anyone. That is probably where he is losing ground to now Jones. I know the rumors are that they want 30 pounds put on him, but I question if he needs that much. I think the second issue is the style of the line is different. UT uses a more zone block technique and is more about protection and gaps than fist fights. I still think he's a legit shot at starter, sorry Cyrus K must start day 1 folks, but if they have a capable guard and Jones is the guy, that is what it is. However, if one got hurt and Jones had to slide over, I wouldn't be freaking out about using Douglas myself.
DJ Fluker- Fluker will thrive under the new coach. I really like the thought of him not having to think about where to be so much and just who to put a hat on and drill him down. He is their best run blocking lineman by a long ways. He is improving in the pass block, but he gets overwhelmed by a speed rush. Hightower got on him a few times and he lost Donta too early. It is still a work in progress and he is showing a lot of progress from a year ago. He looks like he's in much better shape, short of the gimpy knee, and looks a little more comfortable about what his role is. I do think RT is where he has to play if he plays tackle, and Barrett Jones moving to LT instead of him kinda ends that talk don't it? I still wouldn't mind seeing him slide over to guard at some point to get more speed at tackle when they want to throw the ball more, but that's a long theory and conversation for a summer down time. As is, he's gonna be a good focal point where you see a lot of Richardson runs this fall.
Barrett Jones- Jones is like JMB except he's probably the best at all 5 spots. I thought he looked good at LT. He is mobile and did a good job on Upshaw for the most part. He has a good first step out and keeps his feet and body centered and doesn't get out of balance. I don't know if he is quite the run blocking force they'd like at LT, but he probably does it better than either McCullough or Douglas right now. Regardless of where he lands, I like the odds that his spot will be the best pass blocked area on the 5.
Arie Kouandijo- He played RT Saturday but is probably going to play both T and G at times. I think the thing with him is that there are just veterans ahead of him and he'll have to wait his time out to get his shot. I like him at guard a little better because he's not quite mobile enough on the outside blitz yet, but I like his technique and I like that he doesn't quit on the play even when he got beat a time or two.
Chad Lindsay- He is who I would peg as the backup center if left up to me, but he's got a lot of work and practice to do if that is who starts next year. I thought he did a good job of standing up Williams and others, but I didn't see a lot of gaps or surge from him in the game. He probably is better suited as a guard, but they need a guy to backup Vlachos, and he's probably it.
Tyler Love- I'm not gonna beat a dead horse, but you know his issue and you know I have said it for 4 years now. He isn't going to play any time soon, at least not in anything other than deep roster playout against the Kent States and such.
Alfred McCullough- If AMC was about 3 inches taller, he'd started a long time ago. Technically he is sound, and he is tough and strong, but he just gives up too much size to bigger D linemen out there. He will play some tackle and guard this fall and I wouldn't be shocked if they didn't use him in the goal line some as an extra TE. To me, Jones moving to LT is more of an impact/statement on Alfred than anything. However, he will continue to be a guy who will get mentioned a lot for different starting roles and always be a big contributor off the bench.
Austin Shepherd- I thought he looked ok against the 2s Saturday. He's big, and you won't miss him out there because you can see him over the sea of 6-2 guys they have. The only issue he is gonna have is where can he possibly play and start? LT? No, he's not fast enough. RT? Nope, depth chart is deep there. Guard? Depth chart lookin pretty set there for a while. Center? Too tall. So despite him looking fairly good out there, I don't know if he'd play short of a couple of injuries.
Anthony Steen- The Incredible Hulk is a very solid run guard and with the issues at LT, he has been given another chance to hold down a starting job. He has improved his pass blocking from last fall, but he still struggles with speed. Hightower got past him relatively unscathed and blew up the play. He had a few times where he wasn't quite sure who his hat was for, and that cause a few issues at times, but he is still young and raw. I think with the focus being run baby run, he probably will be fine if that is who they start.
William Vlachos- Oh please football gods, don't let him get hurt, they know not what they have behind him. Vlachos looks healthy again and looked in better condition than last fall. That is the main thing for him is getting him back to 09 health and conditioning. If he comes in this fall like he did last one, it could be another long season. As is, he did a real good job of opening some running lanes up the pipe and sealed off several good blocks for TR during the game. They need him to step up and be a leader though. Individually, they are all 5 good and one or two of them may even be great, but they need someone to rally them together and keep them organized. He should be that guy.
Chance Warmack- Chance has answered the bell again and kept his job through Spring. I know the playbook was short and sweet, but I would have liked to have seen if they could run him on the counter now or is he still not quick enough to pull around. Like Vlachos, that's his main thing, can he get in good playing shape. I like that he can work with Vlachos and move the pile and create the lane, but I need to see him take on some good rushers and see where his improvement is from last fall.
Kellen Williams- He and Lindsay rotated as the White center. I think he's better off at guard too, but he'll never play there either. At center, he's gotta get quicker out of his stance. He was slow coming out of the snap and let the player rushing his gap get all over him quick. He needs some work on the shotgun snaps too. He has time to work on those things as those are both just experience and coaching things. I still can't believe they don't have a single guy that is just ready to go at center though.
Defensive line
Overall, it was a good day for the defense as a whole and with the scrimmage being what it was, the DL was not going to just be allowed to do all the tricks it does. With that said, I was real pleased with how much depth they have and how much more surge was coming from the line. They have a lot of new faces that need to learn the technique differences and some of the differences in the 3-4 and Saban's Nickel schemes and what they know from the 4-3 and such.
Josh Chapman- When he is focused and in shape, he is a very formidable player. He is one of the strongest on the team and he has a really good motor. I like that he has answered the bell because most assumed Jesse Williams would take him over. That hasn't and probably won't happen. JC's stat line won't blow the doors off anyone, but his role is to clog the lane and drive it back to the QB. He did that a good bit and moved to the ball well. He could stand to work on some drills to speed up his hands some to keep the linemen out of his chest guard.
Quinton Dial- I saw him all over the field and he looks the part. He will add some depth to the rotation this fall at both spots, but he's gotta learn the system still. I think as long as his motor and pursuit are where they are, they will find more ways to get him on the field each week.
Nick Gentry- The Internets loves them some Gentry. All kidding aside, I like him as a good change of pace from the big bodies they throw out there on normal occasions. Gentry will continue to provide the role he did last year. I think that's a good contributing role for him and the team and a good reminder that not everybody has to start to be a big part in the process....was that too coachy? Ahem, I like how Gentry seems to always squirt past the guards and be in the backfield. He's smart and does a good job of confusing the lineman on him because you can't tell if he is going at you or around you or through you.
Brandon Ivory- That's a big ol boy. I don't know how much PT he has in his future this year, but I think the odds improve next year as there will be some spots to fill next spring.
Brandon Lewis- I thought he looked real good as the game wore on. He's a little small for DE in the base 3-4, but he is very strong and a senior with some PT experience. Like Ivory, it is hard to tell how much time he will get this fall, but I can't see a reason not to put him in a rotation somewhere.
Darrington Sentimore- I get what Saban was saying. He gets the pass rush aspect of his job. He doesn't quite have the patience for the run stopping part of his game. I think you probably will see a good deal of him in passing and blitz situations because he can disrupt things and draw double teams to open up other rushers. I won't be surprised if he lines up inside a good deal on nickel as they attempt to find as many options as possible to get a set of fresh legs on the field.
Damion Square- I thought he looked much more in shape and I don't see anyone who will take that spot from him. The thing about Square is that he can be whatever the play needs him to be. If they need him to be a gap filling lineman, he does that well. If they need him to rush the QB, he can do that. If they need him to drive open a gap for the linebackers, he can definitely do that. Saturday was a unique drill for him and the line, they weren't dialing up a lot for them, and that was on purpose, but he was still very effective at keeping his lineman stiff most of the day. I look for him to have a really good year.
Ed Stinson- Stinson is running as the number 2 end and he probably will play a good bit as he will rotate with Square and Sentimore and Williams/Dial/others. If Bama played a 4-3, he would probably be a starter or a rush end specialist. That is what they want him to be. I think as a full time end in the 3-4, he probably is a little light because the guys who play in those roles need to be closer to 290-310 range, but they can use him off the edge and hopefully disrupt. If they can scheme him right, and keep a 300 pound tackle off him, he can be a zone end and drop into coverage, or play man on a TE or FB. He is strong and has good speed still in spite of the weight gain, and that part is where he starts to contribute, but I question if he can play end every down.
Jesse Williams- Could you hear the Internet bubble hiss as the game wore on? The guy who the Internets said could do all and piss fire was a let down for those folks. To me, he was fine. There are 2 things fans need to do to temper their bullshit. First, he isn't a nose guard. He's a defensive tackle. He is more comfortable in the 3-4 as an end, which is where he has practiced with the 1s. When you move him in at NG, he isn't comfortable with the technique or the placement that comes with that. Second, he has only played here for 2 weeks roughly. He won't know the plays or the techniques to play in this scheme yet. Cody would have looked like shit too if he came in the spring, for a different reason partially, but it isn't fair to Williams to say he should be all world just because you saw a picture with tats and a big bicep. Williams as is, has to get his hands faster and keep the linemen from getting in on him. I look for him to work on his technique a lot in the summer and with his size, he will play very well as an end and a part time NG, but he won't be the next Cody.
Linebackers
The one position that is so deep it is sick is LB. I was really surprised by a few in how they were progressing and one that just came in and looks like a guy who has played 2 or three years. The good thing about the depth is that it gives them several looks and tricks to throw to the offense that can confuse them.
Trey Depriest- I told folks I really liked him after signing day. You saw it Saturday. He is a HS senior who plays like a 2nd or 3rd year player. The best thing about him is that he gets the role. He moves to the ball and is very good in space. He keeps blockers from tying him down when he is moving to the ball. He has really good instincts and will only improve. I don't see him redshirting unless they just really can't find a place for him. I think he's a ST starter and probably a 2nd/3rd Mike.
Jerrell Harris- Fans want him to be so much more, but he still is that same guy he was 4 years ago. He flies around and when he lucks into a play, he makes a play with a big hit. I get why fans have made him a unicorn. However, he stays in the coaches' doghouse because he doesn't stay in position. Where Trey DePriest is young but yet seemed to stay in position all day, Harris got too far inside a few times and allowed the play to get around him. I don't think fans see that because he's not at the finish of the play. Harris is starting at Sam which is kinda the lifetime achievement award for a guy. He will get some snaps, but there are a lot of guys ahead of him when they go to passing defense, so I don't think folks will get a lot of Harris watching.
Donta Hightower- He's back. He moves like the Donta of old. He runs at close to if not the same speed as before. Last year was a challenge that he struggled through because it was obvious that he had not recovered yet and was trying to do things his body couldn't. That won't be a problem now. With that year in his character, he seems to have grown as a leader on the defense. They will use him at Mike in base set situations, and at a rush end when they go nickel and dime. He should excel in that role because before the injury, he was thought as the best Jack they had. Donta will have a big fall if he stays healthy and continues to push those around him to improve.
Adrian Hubbard- I liked what I saw of AH Saturday. He is quick and he is bulking up nicely. He dominated Tyler Love a few times and displayed his ability to drive a bigger player back into the QB. His motor runs well and he really has the upside that should translate into big plays in the future. He is the number 2 Jack with Watkins out. I don't know how much PT he can get with Watkins back, but I think they will work on getting him a little seasoning for next year. I think he can open the role up to be a true hybrid linebacker who can play with his hand down or standing and playing in space. It will be fun to watch at least.
Nico Johnson- Nico looked healthy and he and CJ have made a big leap in their communication. What is so impressive about Nico is that he always finds the ball regardless of who he has to engage to get the ball. He is the starting Will and will play on about every down now because he is just that good.
CJ Mosley- CJ has started to make that next step. He reminds folks of Rolando McClain and rightfully so. He is very smart and a future tandem of he and DePriest is a nice thought for folks to salivate on. Mosley is the Mike in nickel and Dime situations and can play Will when needed. I like how well he reads the play and how he seems to make the call to the others who depend on him. His chemistry with Nico is real good and as much nickel as they play, he should thrive with that teamwork. I think if folks liked him last year, they will love him this year because he has a full year under his belt now.
Chris Jordan- Jordan has consistently held the 2nd string ILB role and will continue to. He is a good sub and serves an important role. He probably is a little small to start, but when they need to get some subs in to rest the starters, he is more than capable of holding his own.
Tana Patrick- Tana is now a Jack and deep on the chart. I didn't really see him much Saturday and I think that kinda says all in itself.
Courtney Upshaw- He continues to work on his role and I think he knows he really needs to put a full resume out there to the NFL Draft. When he is healthy, he is one of the best in the nation at rushing the QB. He has a lot of intangibles that you can't coach. His motor runs non-stop and he likes to hit and disrupt the offense. He just has to give it 14 games. He needs to work on keeping double teams from getting on him at times because that is where his nicks and bumps come from. Saturday, I didn't see him getting doubled, which was designed probably, and I don't know that they wanted him to go full bore at a new LT, so what you see on TV isn't going to say much. I did like that I saw him more in space and in coverage a little more. I did like that he is moving to the play better than he did last year. This fall is big for him and the bigger he plays, the better Bama will do.
Defensive Backs
I think DB will be a strong suit for Bama and they should be using the same philosophy they did in 2009 once Barron gets healthy. They have a real depth at safety now, but corner could stand to be a little deeper. With the scrimmage being so pass oriented, it gave folks a good look at a lot of guys and how they handled the beating drum. Overall, I was pleased with their play. There wasn't a bad breakdown or an exposed weakness. That's about all you can ask for exiting the spring.
Mark Barron- The black jersey was on but playing him was a good thing to do for him. Because he couldn't tackle, it made him be more of a coach and made him focus on reading and doing some things that he probably hasn't done as much. It may be a blessing in disguise to him that this injury happened because if he can progress in what he sees and bark that to the others, that will only improve the secondary. That was missing at times last year because they were all young. This year is his year though. He's the veteran, the leader, and it will be interesting to see if he takes a more vocal role now.
John Fulton- If they wanna play zone all day, Fulton is probably not going to win over the staff over because he's not that mentality. He is a lockdown guy who wants to go on Revis Island and rename it Fulton Stadium. That's what he is. He is probably their best man cover corner, that includes Dre, because he is always in position. The issue is that Bama plays a lot of zone and they need him to play in space and actually let his guy slip past him. That is hard sometimes. If Kirkpatrick goes pro, I don't see anyone who will take Fulton out of that role next year though.
Phelon Jones- Phelon is a bit of a frustrating thing. There are plays where he is all over the play. Then the next play he is out of position. They want him to step up and be a Star corner or the Money at times, but I don't think he's won the trust of the staff to be that. Jones as is is probably running as the 5th corner.
Dre Kirkpatrick- Dre is the lead corner and he is the best of the 3 starters at the whole role of zone and man situations. Dre's strengths are that the can close the gap when he makes a mistake and he doesn't let it get to him. He is a good tackler for a corner. He reads the play fairly well and doesn't get juked out all that bad. His area for growth is that he still lets his guy get to the outside where he doesn't have safety help and that crept up again in the 1st quarter when Gibson got around him. Yes it was a great throw, but if he drives Gibson out of that route, it is either a pick or an incomplete pass. This fall he is a lock as a starter because they don't have a guy who can give them what he does.
Robert Lester- Lester is starting as one of the 3 safeties they rotate. Lester is at his best playing center field and reacting to the play coming at him. He does a good job of playing that role and supports the corners well in that role. He isn't as comfortable in a man situation where he has to guard a guy heads up. Lester will really thrive if they can use their dime coverage more because it will keep him from playing man at all. He can sit in cover 2 and shadow and support in that role. Barron and Lowery/Williams/Perry can do those other situations. Lester does need to get better at tackling and avoid the arm tackles. I saw that a few times in the first half and it allowed way too much YAC. Lester does see the plays better now and I look for him to have a good year as long as he can be the center fielder.
Will Lowery- The lore has kinda wore off. With Perry and Williams starting to come into their own, Lowery's role probably lessens. He hustles, he tackles well, he is able to see the play as well as anyone out there, but he is a physical mismatch. He will get plenty of reps when they go dime, but I don't think you will see him as much in the nickel or base situations. His contribution to last season was good and it helped give the staff time to groom some others, but I don't see him getting a lot of reps this year.
DeQuan Menzie- Menzie was the starter at corner in last year's season opener. His injury and recovery bumped him down a bit. He is healthy, and he looks really good. He will get a lot of PT because he can cover, and tackle well. I won't be surprised if he isn't the 2nd corner and slides to Star when they go into other sets as Arenas did. I would like to see him get a little more aggressive on the blitz, but if he can be a trusty lockdown to compliment Dre, that will be just as important in the big picture. It is a shame he got hurt because he is just is an amazing athlete.
DeMarcus Millner- I get in the fan doghouse every time I talk about Millner because I'm not as sold on him as some. He apparently runs a 2.4 in the 40 and has made Chuck Norris wear his PJs. All kidding aside, I think he's out of position as the island corner. I think he's probably better suited as a Star or Money kind of player. He tackles well, and moves well, but isn't the best at recovering when he gets behind the play. He does play zone better than Fulton, and that keeps him ahead of Fulton. If they have some issues at FS, it wouldn't surprise me if they tried him out there as long as they could find 3 corners to cover up front. I hope to see him continue to grow into the role and not make as many mistakes as he did last year. I think with Menzie being 100% will help that as much as anything.
Nick Perry- It is hard to read Perry when he is in a black jersey, but I like that he still had 2 tackles regardless. He wants to be in the play and he was in the play for the most part. I think folks will get a better view of Perry in the fall when he is playing ST and reserve safety.
Vinnie Sunseri- What isn't to like about him? He is a hitter and he is very smart. He is too small for LB and maybe a step slow for safety, but he hides that by his understanding of how to play the game right. You'd think he was a coach's son or something.....I think you see him on ST and probably being the star of the unit this fall, and might slip into a few situational sets as a safety. Regardless, they will have to find a way to get a guy like him on the field.
Ranzell Watkins- Don't know where they found him but Buckeye to that guy. I liked how he played. If there was one guy out there that really took that moment serious and wanted to show it, it was Ranzell. The reality is that he's not going to play unless they are clearing the bench. However, for a one shining moment, Thomas Darrah Spring Award was definately his because he played really really well.
Jarrick Williams- I wasn't a big Williams fan last year, but I liked his progression and I like how he wanted to be in the play despite his black jersey status. Jarrick has impressed the staff too. He just needs to get healthy and stay there. It was hard to tell much other than he wants to play and wants to get in the play because he couldn't tackle and they intentionally didn't attack him on deep routes. However, this fall I think he pushes to be one of the 3 starting safeties.
April 4, 2011
Random Thoughts....
Time to do a little pre-season thinking with A-Day a week or so away and with that,the NCAA finals, the draft, baseball, and more to cover, it is a nice time to be a sports fan....
Spring is sprung and if talent were flowers, Bama has a friggin 3 mile garden....
The stats of scrimmages don't mean much when it is the Saban way. In the past, probably did a little more, but with Saban being more about situations and using the spring to test and tweak things before summer and serious drill time comes, it won't mean a lot to me if someone rushes for this or passes for that.
So what does catch my eye or ear? I like hearing the staff talk about the depth. I like hearing that there is serious competition at a lot of positions and some of them are with existing starters. That I like because a bland spring with no competition is really almost wasted practices. I like seeing the depth chart with players that are versatile and could start elsewhere. Guys like McCullough and Boswell who can play a lot of positions and could start about anywhere else, but they push the starters and if the starters fail, they will pick up the slack. I know Steen gets a lot of hype, and I hope to see a much better player than what I saw last year, and with a new voice and style, maybe that is gonna happen. Players like Aaron Douglas can bring experience and an edge....as long as that edge leaves rapping to Jay Z.....
I like seeing and hearing that Hightower looks like 2009 Donta again. I like knowing that CJ and Nico are starting to get their roles down better. CJ especially. This is a big year for him, and for Upshaw. Courtney has the ability to control a game, we have witnessed that, but this is a bigger season because he needs to show the NFL that he can put together a full season. I hope to see him take that challenge on and Bama will benefit from that. This is a big year for Richardson. Trent has the chance to be THE guy. He now has 13 or 14 games to show off and get the 20 carries a game he hasn't always gotten before. Last season, with Ingram out, he looked good with more touches and he played better later in the game than he did at the start. This is a big year for DJ Fluker because he now has a year under his belt, and he should be a lot more comfortable in his role and how to play at this level.
The spring is always a good time to get your rough edges smoothed and enter the summer ready to make that next level jump.
Ten things that I want to look at/see this A-Day
Like I said, I don't care about the stats or scores of the scrimmages or A-Day. There are a few things that I want to see or know:
1. When it comes to the QB battle, who looks more comfortable leading the 1s?
They aren't going to name a leader or a starter after A-Day. I would be surprised if they even name one before game week to be honest. I don't see a great gap between the two candidates and haven't read or heard anything that tells me there is a real leader in the race. So, all the message board politicking and hype for either is just fodder and fun, but there will be something to listen for when Saban talks and there will be something for each of us to look for. I want to see the guy who handles things best. I don't care who throws the TD pass because it is true, for a good Offensive play, a bad Defensive play happens. I do care about the whole game and how both look when leading the 1s. I wanna see what happens if one gets stuck on the 2s and how they handle that job. AJ sulked a bit as a freshman about those moments, and I hope to see that he's matured and taken a huddle leader role. I wanna see if Sims can take the opportunity and show the skills and poise he did as a HS Senior. It will at least be worth watching.
2. How tough is the Offensive Line now?
I know some of you out there will balk and complain saying that they are tough....blah blah blah.... Being tough has merit, and playing line is a tough thing, I get that. However, playing tough is a different thing and often times in 2010, I didn't see the Tide's OL play tough. Will this OL be able to put some of the past bad habits in the past and start to establish itself so that it is as important a weapon as the 2009 line was when called on.
One of the big disappointments from last year was the drop from the ground and pound, take teams out of the game line in 09 and the flop and plop, can't get 2 yards when it needed it version that came around 3 times last year. I hope that Vlachos is healthy because when I re-watched last year's games, he wasn't near the player he was the year before- both physically and condition wise. Carpenter has graduated, and I wish the guy at the Senior Bowl showed up for a game in 2010, but in his place will be a host of contenders. At this moment, looks like Alfred has taken the lead on Aaron Douglas with Cyrus hoping to get in and make a case in the summer. I like McCullough, you can read past years to know that, but I think Douglas once he gets the speed and style down, is still the go to guy. One thing that is very interesting is that Chance Warmack is being pushed hard and rightfully so. With Arie K, Steen, Boswell, among others, pushing him, that's good for Chance and good for the line. Chance is great when he gets his hands on someone, it is just a matter of that happening. If someone is gonna beat him out, they just need to play centered and be able to pull on a counter a few times, and if they can do that, they can beat him.
3. Can the Defensive line find the streak?
Let's be honest. Bo Davis lost his voice and the line lost that mean streak. It is easy to look good when you have great players, but it means more if you do it when you are working with good players but not great players. This year, Bama has more depth, and a few new faces to try out. The latest word is that the down 3 are Square, Chapman, and Williams. That isn't a surprise really, but Williams at DE is a bit of one. I thought they would move Chapman over, but he's taken that same challenge that Warmack has and stepped his game up. This is good news because for the depth and talent at LB, they need 3 guys to take those tough gap assignments and let them do their thing. I think with Square back to his pre injury form, and Hightower there too, there is a lot of good things to expect from the front 7.
The offensive line was bad at times, but the front 3 or 4 was bad a lot more down the stretch. There are some who will quip a stat line. Let me stop you now, because stat lines are shit. I know two things, there are 3 losses, especially Auburn, where the front didn't make the push or the play when they needed to. There were even games where the team won, but they faded down the stretch or in the case of Arkansas, took a half to show up. I wanna see them step it up and from scrimmage one to A-Day, I wanna read how the D line is ahead of the O line, because that is usually the way it is and needs to be.
4. Can a punter kick the damn ball?
Mary Katherine Mother of Kate, I absolutely hate poor special teams. It is 3 leg of winning football. You run the ball, you play defense, and you play solid special teams. That's all. And when you have a kink in one of those 3, that sucks. Last year, there were great punts, and there were iffy punts, and there were some that I am surprised that Coach Saban didn't shove his foot up a punter or coach's ass. The lack of a solid kicking/punting bothers me because there are some games that they could be the difference.
5. Can the secondary grow up and be a lockdown group?
You can talk about the whole 5 stars, 4 stars and the hype and potential, but for all the issues the front had/have, the secondary contributed its share of mistakes during games too. Kirkpatrick doesn't look like he is going to be challenged, but Millner will be. Fulton and Menzie aren't slouches by any means. Fulton is probably the best compliment to DK as far as lock down guys. Menzie is experienced and played better than I expected with a rehabbed Achilles. He just didn't have the stamina to keep the starter role. Millner reminds me a lot of Green at the same stage. Good player, but a bit of a tweener. Millner was a guy that some projected to play safety. I can see why after watching him last year. He is better at tackling and playing straight than playing in space or having to cut and chase a faster player. That is kinda the Robbie Green story after his freshman year. They move him to safety to compliment Woodall and Barron, and it is magic. With Green probably done, he could be that same player who is the Star, the Money, or FS that they missed last year. Also, at some point, Williams and Perry have to practice or their spots may fall down the roster. They've missed a great opportunity due to injuries, but both were injured most of last year too if memory serves right.
They need to find a 6 man group that can be the closers for the front 5 (4 down and 1 LB). They have a variety of options but none that looked solid together. I hope to see a 6 man set of DK and Menzie or Fulton at corner, Millner or Menzie at Star, and Barron, Lester and Millner/Menzie/Dix in the back. When Bama has a great dime unit, they are hard to play. When they don't, they are too slow for some of the top end offenses in the SEC.
6. Will the post-Julio era hurt as bad as it feels like it will?
Don't bother with stats. After the first scrimmage, last year, there was about 500 yards passing. Why? Cause they called about 55 pass plays. Not that impressive, especially when Jones had 150 of them. What Jones did is provide a two headed weapon. He could take the game on his shoulders when he wanted to and he could be the greatest decoy for Maze and Hanks when he was asked to. They don't have that today. They have names and hype, but no substance. That's a problem.
Maze and Hanks will lead the charge, but they need compliments because they neither one are top tier WRs, they are role players who do a hell of a job in those roles. Bell is fast, but I wanna see him go over the middle and take a hit for once. Gibson is the Georgia Bulldog of the group. Next year is his year every year. Well this is it, step up. White and Malone are young and will get some chances, but I am not thrilled that they aren't taking that step and beating those mentioned already. That is what they were signed to do. Norwood is Darius Hanks, he blocks, he catches, and he can make a mistake turn into 6 when it happens, but he isn't flashy. He also doesn't compliment the starting 2, and that is a common issue with all of the ones on the campus is that they are all small speedsters at 6' or under and don't give a sideline or corner of the endzone the same threat a 6-5 player can. Michael Bowman is still the same player he was when he started, just thicker. He will make a great catch, but will miss a route as well. It isn't a make or break year for MB, but it would be great to see the light come on here. Carter comes in the fall with a lot of promise that is probably a little over stated. He is a good player, but he isn't Julio Jones. The great thing about a JC WR is that they know the basic play book already, and know how to practice (should). He will get a chance to show his stuff and earn a starting job. There intails the ah ha moment for the WR core too. They take another WR from JuCo with 9 on campus and 3 or 4 more in the fall, doesn't sound like they have the fit they thought they should have doesn't it???
7. The joy of seeing DePriest and others for the first time.
I liked what I saw of him in High School, so seeing him against his peers will be a nice thing too to see where he is at, and how much growth he needs to do. Same for Carswell and Dee Hart. Both, like Trey, are competing in deeper roster spots and have little to no chance of serious PT outside of special teams, but the spring is a chance to see what 2013 can be. Getting to see if Jesse Williams is the beast that so many proclaimed his is or is he just a really good big player? Seeing him as well as Dial and Douglas come in this spring and compete will be fun and should tell us a lot about the existing players and the new JUCOs as well and what level of excitement we should have for this year and beyond.
Remember- we all thought that this past team was the shiznit and couldn't be beaten.
8. Can the staff get over their own issues and become the finishers again?
The talk is great, and I am glad to hear them talk about how they let up on Auburn and such, but I wanna see some walk on that talk. I wanna see them scrimmage and play to finish, not observe and protect. With so many new coaches on board and Saban screaming it all day, it has to sink in and become culture again. If there is one thing from the Auburn loss that was kinda good, it is that it woke Saban up about how they managed the game on their side. The tight play calling, the lack of adjustments, and the predictability on both sides at times (see wildcat tamed, and oh look Bama sits in a zone, let's cherry pick) all culminated in a shocking loss to the rival. Two things shouldn't happen in the Process- first you never lose a 20 point lead after the half, and second you don't coach like you are playing Georgia State when you are playing Auburn. It will be interesting to see in the scrimmages and A Day if they are catching themselves when they let up on the throttle of the games.
9. Can Michael Williams and Co. bring the best of 09 with the best of 10?
Let's face it, Williams is like a 6th lineman out there most of the time and has never been able to showcase his catching ability. He is plenty athletic and can catch. He's not fast, but TEs who actually block usually aren't. He isn't going to be flashy, but he can be more than the tackles cha cha partner. Smelley's absence has been a good chance for Vogler and Jones to push for more consideration along with newest H Back convert Jalston Fowler. Neither Vogler or Jones make the ideal H Back, but they can be used as traditional TEs more and allow Bama to showcase the 2 TE power sets again. Fowler is probably better suited at H Back than tailback as there are plenty of bruisers back there that run faster. However, with Dial gone, and Smelley MIA, he's got a great chance to steal that from him. If he can catch at all and block at all, he's probably got Brad beaten. If those things happen, then maybe, just maybe, Williams can be allowed to be an offensive threat and not a hidden helper.
10. Will the real Jerrell Harris ever stand up?
He ain't got a choice now does he? He's the starting Sam in the spring, but like each of the last few years, he seems to wither in the summer drills and is lost in the shuffle and playing ST again by October. Physically, he's got the gifts. Mentally, he can't seem to ever cut the corner and progress beyond "I like hitting things". There isn't a twist of fate or luck in the fact that a true freshman, a half injured sophomore, a former bust, and a slower but smarter linebacker beat him out over the years (that's CJ Mosely, Nico Johnson and his hernia, Chavis Williams, and Cory Reamer for those keeping score). All these things can be a positive if he actually tries to make those experiences pan out now. Sam is the least used position and that kinda says something in itself, but if he can make the most out of it and produce from it, he will at least finish better than he started. That is something 24 months ago, I didn't think he could do and he may not still, but this is that time for him and this is that season for him to get things turned around and be a real football player and not the fly around, build lore, and not do shit player he seems to wind up being each fall. The potential in him is there, we all see it, but he has gotta put that potential into reality or he will be a bust and need to rely on his education instead. This, again, is that season for Jerrell Harris, no more chances, no more next years, no more well you see what happened was or buts about it, this is it and he's gotta show he can play the game without the mistakes for once.
UConn wins it all.....and so ends my worst bracket ever!
Since I have been at the age of accountability, I don't think that I have ever missed all 4 final four teams. Parity has taken basketball over thanks to the NBA. I think Dick Vitale said it best, and I am paraphrasing, the reason these mid majors look so good against the traditional powers is that they have a roster full of 3 and 4 year players while most of the traditionals have 1st and 2nd year guys. He went on to say that the talent gap is not there when you put a 22 year old on a 18 year old that often. He's right. The reason the Dukes, UConns, Butlers, and VCU/George Masons seem to do better than Kentucky and others now is that they get more guys that go 4 years or 3 minimum. They get the bond and the chemistry that the talent rich teams don't typically have. In basketball, that will beat talent gaps 9 times out of 10.....as long as we are talking bout gaps not trenches.
I will say I wanted Butler to win and give the mid majors a forum to push for more recognition because the team that pistol whipped Bama in the Garden (pronounced Gahhden by Knick fans) was a mid major who deserved to get a bid just as much as Bama and Colorado did. I think it is better basketball to be honest when I see Butler play, wasn't tonight/yesterday but up until it was. I thought VCU looked well coached and played well beyond where they should have especially when 25 million people were crying foul that they made it at all. What I hope to see more of is real basketball and not this junk I see too much of in college and the pros. Defense, passing, pick and rolls, give and gos, etc are boring and all, but they win championships. Not 3s and dunks, sure they help, but when you can't buy a bucket outside, pound that SOB inside some more. I see that so many times when I watch the NCAA tournament now, teams go in thinking they live and die by 3 pointers and when they die it is like watching John Starks all over again in game 7 vs. the Rockets years ago. The game is getting sloppy because the coaching is getting sloppy up and down the org chart. I hope the VCU and Butler upsets will make folks take a look at how fundamentals and building a real team can pay off.
Tall Draft ahead
Alabama will have a good showing at this year's draft for sure. They will have 3 1st round picks this year and should have 5 overall taken. My gut instincts think:
Marcel Dareus- Top 5. Not anything earth shattering since all have had him there since the Rose Bowl, but I would say that using the 1st overall is good for Bama, but probably not best for Dareus right now either. I have always said that it isn't what pick you are, it is what team picks you that makes you in the NFL. Carolina and Buffalo aren't that great of a teams any more and it would serve Dareus well to slip down to Denver or Arizona or Cleveland or Tennessee. Given Marcel is a guy who likes the lights and the stage, I would think Denver would be a nice home for him with the 2nd pick.
Julio Jones- Top 10. The combine basically sealed the fact that he's a freak. He would work well in San Fran in the west coast. He would do well in Shanahan's offense at Washington. I don't think he will go ahead of AJ Green but for either, it is about the QB and the offense that will determine the final "Who is best" debate. It wouldn't hurt Julio's greater good to slide down to 14 with the Rams or 17 with the Patriots or 19 with the Giants. All have good QBs and a passing oriented offense that likes to vertical. I think the main thing for Jones and the final draft spot is what is important to the draft team- is it the potential that he has, or the resume he has that features the great with the good and the bad.
Mark Ingram- Late 1st Round. Ok, here's the thing, there is a lot of rumblings about Ingram's injuries and some teams who aren't that enamoured any more with taking a RB early are starting to cool on him. It isn't any thing to do with his physical measurements or his stats, but just the fear that taking him too early will cost them more than he is worth if he cannot handle the pounding for 5 or 6 years. I won't be shocked if he falls down in the 20s or out of the 1st round all together because teams just don't like taking RBs unless they are just that damn good. Ingram at 100% with no injuries was that good, but the dings and rumors of arthritis in the knee makes him not that sure bet. If the Dolphins pass on him, the Giants might take a look at him, the Eagles will be in a position to take him late and get defensive quality down the board, the Saints might, and the Patriots will have a hard time passing him at 28 if still there. The Dolphins will be the best home for him with the Wildcat and the 2 back system in place now, but the Dolphins have the Ronnie Brown injury bug taste in their mouth, and don't want it again.
James Carpenter- Had the Senior Bowl of his life. His draft depends on where teams see him. If they see him as a tackle, he may be out there for a while. If they see him as a guard, he probably is gone in the 4th round, maybe 3rd if a team is hungry for linemen. I think Carpenter needs to go to a team that can finish grooming him and working on his basic skills a little more and help him transition to guard if that is what they want him for. Asking him to start or compete for a starting job is probably not best for him today, but he has the size and want to, and that has gotten him this far. Rounding off the edges and teaching him a few things will improve him down the road.
Greg McElroy- Late 5 or 6th round. I think 2 things get him drafted. First, he's like a 2nd coach for the quarterbacks. He can read it, talk about it, and articulate a solid theory about plays and teams. Second, he is a leader and a winner and has enough skill sets to warrant a late pick. Letting him go to FA will not pan well for the 6 to 8 teams that would probably like him. He picks who he wants to play for, Dallas or Houston, as opposed to other alternatives. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jax take him and reunite him and Shula. Nor would it surprise me to see him at the Raiders, Packers, Patriots, or Chiefs. The mission for Greg isn't starting, but it is being the 3rd QB this fall. Then working to number 2 and taking that opportunity when the starter goes down. He's tough, and he has seen about every speed rusher and blitz package known to man. He's worth a pickup late for teams needing a little depth at QB.
Damn you dirty Braves!!!!
I admit it. I am that homer Braves fan that holds hope even now that they can find magic again and make a miracle run. Every year I believe, because deep down that boy holding a wooden bat and dreaming of being Dale Murphy still exists. The Braves are going to break my heart like they did each year for the last 20 minus one year. They have Uggla who has some pop and post season resume to him, but they have nothing around him. There is no power on this lineup and I can see another post season where they can't manufacture enough runs because the playoff pitching is too good. They don't have those big bats they need in that 2nd season. Chipper Jones of 8 years ago could, but this one can't. Heyward is a good hitter but he won't deliver 30 homers I don't think. Prado, nope. Gonzalez, probably not. Freeman hasn't hit the ball hardly yet. McClouth can't decide if he wants to slug it or bunt it. McCann's body won't be great at the end due to all the abuse he takes at the plate. I really hope they can pull a trade or something to find one good veteran bat to help push them in the playoffs because the Phils and Giants still have too much pitching for the Braves.
Spring is sprung and if talent were flowers, Bama has a friggin 3 mile garden....
The stats of scrimmages don't mean much when it is the Saban way. In the past, probably did a little more, but with Saban being more about situations and using the spring to test and tweak things before summer and serious drill time comes, it won't mean a lot to me if someone rushes for this or passes for that.
So what does catch my eye or ear? I like hearing the staff talk about the depth. I like hearing that there is serious competition at a lot of positions and some of them are with existing starters. That I like because a bland spring with no competition is really almost wasted practices. I like seeing the depth chart with players that are versatile and could start elsewhere. Guys like McCullough and Boswell who can play a lot of positions and could start about anywhere else, but they push the starters and if the starters fail, they will pick up the slack. I know Steen gets a lot of hype, and I hope to see a much better player than what I saw last year, and with a new voice and style, maybe that is gonna happen. Players like Aaron Douglas can bring experience and an edge....as long as that edge leaves rapping to Jay Z.....
I like seeing and hearing that Hightower looks like 2009 Donta again. I like knowing that CJ and Nico are starting to get their roles down better. CJ especially. This is a big year for him, and for Upshaw. Courtney has the ability to control a game, we have witnessed that, but this is a bigger season because he needs to show the NFL that he can put together a full season. I hope to see him take that challenge on and Bama will benefit from that. This is a big year for Richardson. Trent has the chance to be THE guy. He now has 13 or 14 games to show off and get the 20 carries a game he hasn't always gotten before. Last season, with Ingram out, he looked good with more touches and he played better later in the game than he did at the start. This is a big year for DJ Fluker because he now has a year under his belt, and he should be a lot more comfortable in his role and how to play at this level.
The spring is always a good time to get your rough edges smoothed and enter the summer ready to make that next level jump.
Ten things that I want to look at/see this A-Day
Like I said, I don't care about the stats or scores of the scrimmages or A-Day. There are a few things that I want to see or know:
1. When it comes to the QB battle, who looks more comfortable leading the 1s?
They aren't going to name a leader or a starter after A-Day. I would be surprised if they even name one before game week to be honest. I don't see a great gap between the two candidates and haven't read or heard anything that tells me there is a real leader in the race. So, all the message board politicking and hype for either is just fodder and fun, but there will be something to listen for when Saban talks and there will be something for each of us to look for. I want to see the guy who handles things best. I don't care who throws the TD pass because it is true, for a good Offensive play, a bad Defensive play happens. I do care about the whole game and how both look when leading the 1s. I wanna see what happens if one gets stuck on the 2s and how they handle that job. AJ sulked a bit as a freshman about those moments, and I hope to see that he's matured and taken a huddle leader role. I wanna see if Sims can take the opportunity and show the skills and poise he did as a HS Senior. It will at least be worth watching.
2. How tough is the Offensive Line now?
I know some of you out there will balk and complain saying that they are tough....blah blah blah.... Being tough has merit, and playing line is a tough thing, I get that. However, playing tough is a different thing and often times in 2010, I didn't see the Tide's OL play tough. Will this OL be able to put some of the past bad habits in the past and start to establish itself so that it is as important a weapon as the 2009 line was when called on.
One of the big disappointments from last year was the drop from the ground and pound, take teams out of the game line in 09 and the flop and plop, can't get 2 yards when it needed it version that came around 3 times last year. I hope that Vlachos is healthy because when I re-watched last year's games, he wasn't near the player he was the year before- both physically and condition wise. Carpenter has graduated, and I wish the guy at the Senior Bowl showed up for a game in 2010, but in his place will be a host of contenders. At this moment, looks like Alfred has taken the lead on Aaron Douglas with Cyrus hoping to get in and make a case in the summer. I like McCullough, you can read past years to know that, but I think Douglas once he gets the speed and style down, is still the go to guy. One thing that is very interesting is that Chance Warmack is being pushed hard and rightfully so. With Arie K, Steen, Boswell, among others, pushing him, that's good for Chance and good for the line. Chance is great when he gets his hands on someone, it is just a matter of that happening. If someone is gonna beat him out, they just need to play centered and be able to pull on a counter a few times, and if they can do that, they can beat him.
3. Can the Defensive line find the streak?
Let's be honest. Bo Davis lost his voice and the line lost that mean streak. It is easy to look good when you have great players, but it means more if you do it when you are working with good players but not great players. This year, Bama has more depth, and a few new faces to try out. The latest word is that the down 3 are Square, Chapman, and Williams. That isn't a surprise really, but Williams at DE is a bit of one. I thought they would move Chapman over, but he's taken that same challenge that Warmack has and stepped his game up. This is good news because for the depth and talent at LB, they need 3 guys to take those tough gap assignments and let them do their thing. I think with Square back to his pre injury form, and Hightower there too, there is a lot of good things to expect from the front 7.
The offensive line was bad at times, but the front 3 or 4 was bad a lot more down the stretch. There are some who will quip a stat line. Let me stop you now, because stat lines are shit. I know two things, there are 3 losses, especially Auburn, where the front didn't make the push or the play when they needed to. There were even games where the team won, but they faded down the stretch or in the case of Arkansas, took a half to show up. I wanna see them step it up and from scrimmage one to A-Day, I wanna read how the D line is ahead of the O line, because that is usually the way it is and needs to be.
4. Can a punter kick the damn ball?
Mary Katherine Mother of Kate, I absolutely hate poor special teams. It is 3 leg of winning football. You run the ball, you play defense, and you play solid special teams. That's all. And when you have a kink in one of those 3, that sucks. Last year, there were great punts, and there were iffy punts, and there were some that I am surprised that Coach Saban didn't shove his foot up a punter or coach's ass. The lack of a solid kicking/punting bothers me because there are some games that they could be the difference.
5. Can the secondary grow up and be a lockdown group?
You can talk about the whole 5 stars, 4 stars and the hype and potential, but for all the issues the front had/have, the secondary contributed its share of mistakes during games too. Kirkpatrick doesn't look like he is going to be challenged, but Millner will be. Fulton and Menzie aren't slouches by any means. Fulton is probably the best compliment to DK as far as lock down guys. Menzie is experienced and played better than I expected with a rehabbed Achilles. He just didn't have the stamina to keep the starter role. Millner reminds me a lot of Green at the same stage. Good player, but a bit of a tweener. Millner was a guy that some projected to play safety. I can see why after watching him last year. He is better at tackling and playing straight than playing in space or having to cut and chase a faster player. That is kinda the Robbie Green story after his freshman year. They move him to safety to compliment Woodall and Barron, and it is magic. With Green probably done, he could be that same player who is the Star, the Money, or FS that they missed last year. Also, at some point, Williams and Perry have to practice or their spots may fall down the roster. They've missed a great opportunity due to injuries, but both were injured most of last year too if memory serves right.
They need to find a 6 man group that can be the closers for the front 5 (4 down and 1 LB). They have a variety of options but none that looked solid together. I hope to see a 6 man set of DK and Menzie or Fulton at corner, Millner or Menzie at Star, and Barron, Lester and Millner/Menzie/Dix in the back. When Bama has a great dime unit, they are hard to play. When they don't, they are too slow for some of the top end offenses in the SEC.
6. Will the post-Julio era hurt as bad as it feels like it will?
Don't bother with stats. After the first scrimmage, last year, there was about 500 yards passing. Why? Cause they called about 55 pass plays. Not that impressive, especially when Jones had 150 of them. What Jones did is provide a two headed weapon. He could take the game on his shoulders when he wanted to and he could be the greatest decoy for Maze and Hanks when he was asked to. They don't have that today. They have names and hype, but no substance. That's a problem.
Maze and Hanks will lead the charge, but they need compliments because they neither one are top tier WRs, they are role players who do a hell of a job in those roles. Bell is fast, but I wanna see him go over the middle and take a hit for once. Gibson is the Georgia Bulldog of the group. Next year is his year every year. Well this is it, step up. White and Malone are young and will get some chances, but I am not thrilled that they aren't taking that step and beating those mentioned already. That is what they were signed to do. Norwood is Darius Hanks, he blocks, he catches, and he can make a mistake turn into 6 when it happens, but he isn't flashy. He also doesn't compliment the starting 2, and that is a common issue with all of the ones on the campus is that they are all small speedsters at 6' or under and don't give a sideline or corner of the endzone the same threat a 6-5 player can. Michael Bowman is still the same player he was when he started, just thicker. He will make a great catch, but will miss a route as well. It isn't a make or break year for MB, but it would be great to see the light come on here. Carter comes in the fall with a lot of promise that is probably a little over stated. He is a good player, but he isn't Julio Jones. The great thing about a JC WR is that they know the basic play book already, and know how to practice (should). He will get a chance to show his stuff and earn a starting job. There intails the ah ha moment for the WR core too. They take another WR from JuCo with 9 on campus and 3 or 4 more in the fall, doesn't sound like they have the fit they thought they should have doesn't it???
7. The joy of seeing DePriest and others for the first time.
I liked what I saw of him in High School, so seeing him against his peers will be a nice thing too to see where he is at, and how much growth he needs to do. Same for Carswell and Dee Hart. Both, like Trey, are competing in deeper roster spots and have little to no chance of serious PT outside of special teams, but the spring is a chance to see what 2013 can be. Getting to see if Jesse Williams is the beast that so many proclaimed his is or is he just a really good big player? Seeing him as well as Dial and Douglas come in this spring and compete will be fun and should tell us a lot about the existing players and the new JUCOs as well and what level of excitement we should have for this year and beyond.
Remember- we all thought that this past team was the shiznit and couldn't be beaten.
8. Can the staff get over their own issues and become the finishers again?
The talk is great, and I am glad to hear them talk about how they let up on Auburn and such, but I wanna see some walk on that talk. I wanna see them scrimmage and play to finish, not observe and protect. With so many new coaches on board and Saban screaming it all day, it has to sink in and become culture again. If there is one thing from the Auburn loss that was kinda good, it is that it woke Saban up about how they managed the game on their side. The tight play calling, the lack of adjustments, and the predictability on both sides at times (see wildcat tamed, and oh look Bama sits in a zone, let's cherry pick) all culminated in a shocking loss to the rival. Two things shouldn't happen in the Process- first you never lose a 20 point lead after the half, and second you don't coach like you are playing Georgia State when you are playing Auburn. It will be interesting to see in the scrimmages and A Day if they are catching themselves when they let up on the throttle of the games.
9. Can Michael Williams and Co. bring the best of 09 with the best of 10?
Let's face it, Williams is like a 6th lineman out there most of the time and has never been able to showcase his catching ability. He is plenty athletic and can catch. He's not fast, but TEs who actually block usually aren't. He isn't going to be flashy, but he can be more than the tackles cha cha partner. Smelley's absence has been a good chance for Vogler and Jones to push for more consideration along with newest H Back convert Jalston Fowler. Neither Vogler or Jones make the ideal H Back, but they can be used as traditional TEs more and allow Bama to showcase the 2 TE power sets again. Fowler is probably better suited at H Back than tailback as there are plenty of bruisers back there that run faster. However, with Dial gone, and Smelley MIA, he's got a great chance to steal that from him. If he can catch at all and block at all, he's probably got Brad beaten. If those things happen, then maybe, just maybe, Williams can be allowed to be an offensive threat and not a hidden helper.
10. Will the real Jerrell Harris ever stand up?
He ain't got a choice now does he? He's the starting Sam in the spring, but like each of the last few years, he seems to wither in the summer drills and is lost in the shuffle and playing ST again by October. Physically, he's got the gifts. Mentally, he can't seem to ever cut the corner and progress beyond "I like hitting things". There isn't a twist of fate or luck in the fact that a true freshman, a half injured sophomore, a former bust, and a slower but smarter linebacker beat him out over the years (that's CJ Mosely, Nico Johnson and his hernia, Chavis Williams, and Cory Reamer for those keeping score). All these things can be a positive if he actually tries to make those experiences pan out now. Sam is the least used position and that kinda says something in itself, but if he can make the most out of it and produce from it, he will at least finish better than he started. That is something 24 months ago, I didn't think he could do and he may not still, but this is that time for him and this is that season for him to get things turned around and be a real football player and not the fly around, build lore, and not do shit player he seems to wind up being each fall. The potential in him is there, we all see it, but he has gotta put that potential into reality or he will be a bust and need to rely on his education instead. This, again, is that season for Jerrell Harris, no more chances, no more next years, no more well you see what happened was or buts about it, this is it and he's gotta show he can play the game without the mistakes for once.
UConn wins it all.....and so ends my worst bracket ever!
Since I have been at the age of accountability, I don't think that I have ever missed all 4 final four teams. Parity has taken basketball over thanks to the NBA. I think Dick Vitale said it best, and I am paraphrasing, the reason these mid majors look so good against the traditional powers is that they have a roster full of 3 and 4 year players while most of the traditionals have 1st and 2nd year guys. He went on to say that the talent gap is not there when you put a 22 year old on a 18 year old that often. He's right. The reason the Dukes, UConns, Butlers, and VCU/George Masons seem to do better than Kentucky and others now is that they get more guys that go 4 years or 3 minimum. They get the bond and the chemistry that the talent rich teams don't typically have. In basketball, that will beat talent gaps 9 times out of 10.....as long as we are talking bout gaps not trenches.
I will say I wanted Butler to win and give the mid majors a forum to push for more recognition because the team that pistol whipped Bama in the Garden (pronounced Gahhden by Knick fans) was a mid major who deserved to get a bid just as much as Bama and Colorado did. I think it is better basketball to be honest when I see Butler play, wasn't tonight/yesterday but up until it was. I thought VCU looked well coached and played well beyond where they should have especially when 25 million people were crying foul that they made it at all. What I hope to see more of is real basketball and not this junk I see too much of in college and the pros. Defense, passing, pick and rolls, give and gos, etc are boring and all, but they win championships. Not 3s and dunks, sure they help, but when you can't buy a bucket outside, pound that SOB inside some more. I see that so many times when I watch the NCAA tournament now, teams go in thinking they live and die by 3 pointers and when they die it is like watching John Starks all over again in game 7 vs. the Rockets years ago. The game is getting sloppy because the coaching is getting sloppy up and down the org chart. I hope the VCU and Butler upsets will make folks take a look at how fundamentals and building a real team can pay off.
Tall Draft ahead
Alabama will have a good showing at this year's draft for sure. They will have 3 1st round picks this year and should have 5 overall taken. My gut instincts think:
Marcel Dareus- Top 5. Not anything earth shattering since all have had him there since the Rose Bowl, but I would say that using the 1st overall is good for Bama, but probably not best for Dareus right now either. I have always said that it isn't what pick you are, it is what team picks you that makes you in the NFL. Carolina and Buffalo aren't that great of a teams any more and it would serve Dareus well to slip down to Denver or Arizona or Cleveland or Tennessee. Given Marcel is a guy who likes the lights and the stage, I would think Denver would be a nice home for him with the 2nd pick.
Julio Jones- Top 10. The combine basically sealed the fact that he's a freak. He would work well in San Fran in the west coast. He would do well in Shanahan's offense at Washington. I don't think he will go ahead of AJ Green but for either, it is about the QB and the offense that will determine the final "Who is best" debate. It wouldn't hurt Julio's greater good to slide down to 14 with the Rams or 17 with the Patriots or 19 with the Giants. All have good QBs and a passing oriented offense that likes to vertical. I think the main thing for Jones and the final draft spot is what is important to the draft team- is it the potential that he has, or the resume he has that features the great with the good and the bad.
Mark Ingram- Late 1st Round. Ok, here's the thing, there is a lot of rumblings about Ingram's injuries and some teams who aren't that enamoured any more with taking a RB early are starting to cool on him. It isn't any thing to do with his physical measurements or his stats, but just the fear that taking him too early will cost them more than he is worth if he cannot handle the pounding for 5 or 6 years. I won't be shocked if he falls down in the 20s or out of the 1st round all together because teams just don't like taking RBs unless they are just that damn good. Ingram at 100% with no injuries was that good, but the dings and rumors of arthritis in the knee makes him not that sure bet. If the Dolphins pass on him, the Giants might take a look at him, the Eagles will be in a position to take him late and get defensive quality down the board, the Saints might, and the Patriots will have a hard time passing him at 28 if still there. The Dolphins will be the best home for him with the Wildcat and the 2 back system in place now, but the Dolphins have the Ronnie Brown injury bug taste in their mouth, and don't want it again.
James Carpenter- Had the Senior Bowl of his life. His draft depends on where teams see him. If they see him as a tackle, he may be out there for a while. If they see him as a guard, he probably is gone in the 4th round, maybe 3rd if a team is hungry for linemen. I think Carpenter needs to go to a team that can finish grooming him and working on his basic skills a little more and help him transition to guard if that is what they want him for. Asking him to start or compete for a starting job is probably not best for him today, but he has the size and want to, and that has gotten him this far. Rounding off the edges and teaching him a few things will improve him down the road.
Greg McElroy- Late 5 or 6th round. I think 2 things get him drafted. First, he's like a 2nd coach for the quarterbacks. He can read it, talk about it, and articulate a solid theory about plays and teams. Second, he is a leader and a winner and has enough skill sets to warrant a late pick. Letting him go to FA will not pan well for the 6 to 8 teams that would probably like him. He picks who he wants to play for, Dallas or Houston, as opposed to other alternatives. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jax take him and reunite him and Shula. Nor would it surprise me to see him at the Raiders, Packers, Patriots, or Chiefs. The mission for Greg isn't starting, but it is being the 3rd QB this fall. Then working to number 2 and taking that opportunity when the starter goes down. He's tough, and he has seen about every speed rusher and blitz package known to man. He's worth a pickup late for teams needing a little depth at QB.
Damn you dirty Braves!!!!
I admit it. I am that homer Braves fan that holds hope even now that they can find magic again and make a miracle run. Every year I believe, because deep down that boy holding a wooden bat and dreaming of being Dale Murphy still exists. The Braves are going to break my heart like they did each year for the last 20 minus one year. They have Uggla who has some pop and post season resume to him, but they have nothing around him. There is no power on this lineup and I can see another post season where they can't manufacture enough runs because the playoff pitching is too good. They don't have those big bats they need in that 2nd season. Chipper Jones of 8 years ago could, but this one can't. Heyward is a good hitter but he won't deliver 30 homers I don't think. Prado, nope. Gonzalez, probably not. Freeman hasn't hit the ball hardly yet. McClouth can't decide if he wants to slug it or bunt it. McCann's body won't be great at the end due to all the abuse he takes at the plate. I really hope they can pull a trade or something to find one good veteran bat to help push them in the playoffs because the Phils and Giants still have too much pitching for the Braves.
February 7, 2011
Random Thoughts- bawlin, bowlin, cruitin, and cryin
Time for some fun with the Signees....
Brent Calloway- He will get a nickel tour at running back, but he has very little upside as a back. His probable home is Sam or Will with some time and bulking up. As a linebacker, he has good speed and he moves well with surprisingly little wasted motion for a guy who doesn't play it much. He is a fundamentally good tackler who uses good form and drive and very little arm tackling. He likes to blitz and is a north south guy and will need a little time and coaching to work on the reads and skills that it will take to play for Saban, but that is what redshirting and playing ST can do. If he is dead set on playing RB, he is in that Mike Marrow family of depth chart. I think he will see the light faster than BJ Scott and some others did.
Ha Ha Dix- Geez what a nickname. As far as style goes, he reminds me a lot of Barron in how he loves to pursue and seems to always be around the ball. Has been well coached because he moves to the action with almost 0 wasted steps or motions, if you wonder what that means, that is the difference in 4th down and 1st down 9 times out of 10. He gets called a headhunter by some, but he's not quite that big of a hitter, but he won't shirk a shot over the middle to some poor slot WR. It won't surprise me if he isn't the Money some this year or next as he transitions the same way Barron and Green and Lester have. He will benefit from playing behind those guys too. The one thing I have seen in video of him is that he's the typical ESPN SportsCenter generation guy who wants to get on TV for the hit more than just making the play. I would like to have seen more plays where he just wraps up and drives the carrier down instead of trying to load and pop. At the SEC level, that technique will work once and a while, and the rest of the time is a bounce off and extra YAC. He probably will play ST and mopup for the secondary this year as they groom him to transition after Barron is gone. Add Eddie Williams to Dix and you have a really good duo for the future.
Trey DePriest- This is one guy that I really like what I see. There are some guys that a program gets just because they are the home team, and others are a real work to get. Going to Ohio and yanking this guy out from OSU and Notre Dame is a great recruiting job. The thing I really like about Trey is that he can play on the line or back off the line and still disrupt from outside or inside. He really does a nice job of keeping linemen off his pads and getting inside them. He moves well to the ball, but like most HS LB's, he can be a little stiff and gets too high at times. I think he probably will be in the mix at Will or Mike in a year or two. He needs to RS due to depth and to learn the system a little more. Physically, he is D1 ready as he can do 28 reps and has a weight room ethic that Saban and Cochran will like.
Quinton Dial- The Tide was able to keep Dial on the hook 2 years later and he has matured and grown. He is a gap filler who can play the end and the tackle in the 3-4. He will be a good compliment to Upshaw and Square as well as whomever the NG ends up being if he plays end. If they use him at Nose, I think he can be a little bigger version of Chapman. That isn't a knock because I like Chapman in pass situations. He does a good job of getting low and exploding into the gap like most bull rushing linemen do. He will play this year and give more depth and options to the Tide front. I look for him to compete for the inside end and will help Upshaw out a great deal as he will require some double teams due to his size.
Xzavier Dickson- The state of Georgia represented well in recruiting and Bama did a nice job of getting this guy out from Tech and UGA. He is a Jack at the next level so he is almost a lock to redshirt because Upshaw and Hightower are available as well as Stinson. So they are deep there and it really is good for the X Man to learn the difference in Jack and Rush End. He is very athletic and could play TE if Jack is not his thing. He does remind me of Upshaw coming out of school in that he has so much upside, but has not been taught how to harness that talent. He, like Upshaw, can play lights out on one play and disappear for a while. He plays in a higher division of GA football so he is seeing top end players on a regular basis. That will pay dividends for him and the Tide because the speed won't be as much of an issue. I think a year in the weight room and grooming in practice, he'll be a contender for Jack next year.
Aaron Douglas- Douglas was probably the most hated recruit for about 3 days as Cyrusgate went on. Douglas is a great athlete for his size and while at UT was a really impressive Freshman. He took on some big name players and did well against them in 2009. He isn't going to just plow through guys like Andre Smith would, but he is going to be a major upgrade as a pass blocking LT. He has really good footwork and keeps his frame squared and low so that defenders don't get inside him or around him. Has a real thrust when he engages defenders and has a lot of power for a lineman under 300 pounds. He is enrolled and will probably open spring as the starting LT. His experience in the SEC and extra practice time will put him in a good position to win the job in the spring or summer.
Phillip Ely- Here is the thing that I really like about him, he played against the nation's best teams as Plant traveled across the area to play the best of the best. He is from the same school as Aaron Murray and Robert Marve. He is a little small, but he has good speed and is smart. Yes, he probably is a game manager. He will get a lot of comparisons to McElroy because he's less big arm QB and more system and ball control oriented. That part I like. He isn't quite as football smart as McElroy was coming out of HS, but who was? He will win the staff over if he can be accurate and manage the huddle. That's what Saban and McElwain want. Not pretty boy highlight chasing. The one thing that worries me is that he's a spread QB. He has very little pro style QB time under his belt and will take a while to get used to being under center. This wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't uncertainty about QB depth. McElroy had the same issue, but nobody worried about Wilson going anywhere. Ely needs 2 years on the side to get up to speed and bulk up some. He may hang in there and be a competitor down the road, but the 2012 QB class could shadow him fast too.
Malcom Faciane- Meet the next Michael Williams folks. He isn't quite as big physically as Williams was coming in, but that's where he's headed. He tore his ACL this past year, so he will not be expected to contribute now. That's not a problem because Bama has 4 TEs that can. He has good hands and is really athletic for his size. He is ok as a blocker, but with a RS he can learn how to be a real down hill blocker. Most folks won't think about him in this class as far as a "name" recruit, but like Williams he can be a big on field contributor in time. With a little coaching, and weight room ethic he will be one of those guys.
LaMichael Fanning- Another big get from Georgia, and as a GA resident I take a little swelled chest pride about. He's a big kid and will be a rush end at the next level. He is about as raw a recruit as you will find, and that isn't surprising given he played for 4 teams in 4 years. I fear he may never see a field due to grades though.
Dee Hart- I know a lot of folks had high hopes for snagging Isaiah Crowell, but this was the guy I liked best. He is going to be a nice fill in for Ingram because he does some of the things that Ingram did so well. His vision, and cutback move are similar. He is a multiple threat as he had 2200 yards rushing, 500 receiving, and can return kicks. He probably is the starter at returning kicks by default. He also reminds me some of Maurice Jones Drew and Michael Turner because he can bounce off hits and keep pinballing forward to get first downs. He isn't going to bust out an 80 yard dash, but he can get 80 yards on 7 carries and wear out a linebacker core. When put in with TR, he will be a nice balance to him and will give Trent a push just as TR did for Ingram.
Chris Jones- This may be the most anyone will talk about Jones all year. Jones is overlooked because his grades are pretty iffy. If he makes it on the field, he is a really really sound DB. He has a quick backpeddle and turn, he is a ball hawk. Plays for a great program, and has zone coverage skills which is rare. He isn't afraid to hit, but is a corner quality tackler. He is well coached and does a really good job of doing the little things that a lot of players don't do like look at the QB and not the WR's eyes, looking for the ball, and taking the right angles to break up routes. If he can find the will, and an A, I would like to see him on the field some this fall.
Ryan Kelly- Like Jones, this may be the most anyone talks about him too because he's a center. Centers rarely rate high on recruiting boards, but when you have a shitty one (Britt anyone), you know it. He won't play for a few years, and with the ACL injury, he won't be expected to. He is big but needs to bulk up and get stronger (16 reps for a lineman?). He is aggressive and plays downhill well, but I really like that he's good at keeping his pads low and his hands inside. He is a really well coached guy when I watch him. He just needs a lot of polish in the weight room area to get to the next level as a starting center because the mechanics look good to me.
Cyrus Kouandjio- The soap opera has ended and the fans love him again. I think the hype has blurred the bar a bit for Cyrus, but the potential does meet the hype. He has all the measurements, numbers, and stats you want in a future LT. He has some of the best footwork I've seen out of a high schooler and when he did the drills at the UA game, it sent a message. He will get a lot of comparisons to DJ Fluker or Andre Smith just because that's what recruiting freaks measure to, but he's not either. Smith was a lot more game ready than Cyrus is physically and played LT before. He's ahead of Fluker from a football standpoint but is nowhere near the physical talent that DJ was. He played RT and there is some difference between LT and RT, but it isn't something that will keep him from playing if he's the best available. He is a true 5 star player, and has earned that mark. What will keep him from being Tyler Love is the one unmeasurable that folks miss- Cyrus Kouandjio has a mean streak and wants to kill you. I like watching him run block, he does everything almost textbook. I would like to see him look more comfortable in the pass block. I thought against Clowney he looked good at times, but lost containment a little more than I would want from a starter at LT. Clowney is a good litmus test, but there are a lot better, experienced, ends and linebackers that he will see in the SEC that will expose him more early and hopefully he can learn and adjust to it. I would expect him to redshirt or just do mop up as Douglas is game ready and with a green QB, he will need that more than potential. Also, the redshirt will give him a chance to get up to the speed while trying to block Bama's defenders.
Isaac Luatua- If he is a Hawaii type lineman, Bama fans and myself will love him. The taste of that ass kicking they put on Bama several years ago is still fresh on my mind. He is a little short but has a lot of power and is a pure pull trap guard. I know the talk of center is there, and he may be it, but I think his atheltic ability may have him at LG to pull and trap more. While he is a little short, he uses his body as a weapon and is so strong he can take on much bigger linemen and stand them up. He is really dominating at times and plays mean. I think he could start at a WAC type school right away, but he wants to win and learn. I like his attitude and his playing style. I think folks discount him cause he's a 3 star player in most rankings, but don't forget him. He's got all the things that a coach wants and I can see him pushing for PT next year. He may push Steen out of the rotation this year if he plays for it.
Jeoffery Pagan- I know he was a signing day surprise and the star thing plays up, but the knee thing worries me with him. He tore 2 ligaments in his right knee and is a little unknown. This is the part where some will say trust in Saban....How'd that Chris Bonds thing work? He also is pretty raw and lacks a lot of fundamentals from a coaching standpoint. He's big and what I have seen of him, he likes to use his size to get through, but he won't be as big at the next level. The biggest positive is that before the injury, he has the athelticism and motor to be a real pass rushing end. He is big enough to put on some weight and really anchor down an end. He does need a lot of coaching though so don't expect him to show up for a couple of years because the stars don't match the player right now, but will in 3 years.
DJ Pettaway- He was forgotten about because he committed so early, but he is a player. I could see him bulked up and playing end or working towards being a Jack. DJ loves to use his hands and drive blockers back. He does a real good job of closing on the carrier and once he gets inside on a blocker, it is over. He is the typical HS prospect though, he is inconsistent. He will get too high and lets his hands drop, both result in him getting beat. I have heard him compared to Luther Davis, that's probably close but I hope he isn't as flaky.
Marvin Shinn- I like Shinn and if there wasn't a guy named Julio Jones, he'd be the biggest thing in years to the Tide. That's really where the comparisons to JJ end too. I know a lot of folks compare him to Jones, but he isn't nearly as strong and physical as Jones was. He is more of a vertical threat and more of a ski step runner than a galloper, whereas Jones was more of an over the middle and gallop runner. Shinn is probably a lot more consistent in how he catches and runs routes. He has a great stride and can jump out of the stadium to get a ball. He reminds me more of D Rogers at UT in that regard. I haven't seen a corner jam him because he uses his hands to keep them off him and his hips to buck them off his stride. I also haven't seen him get beat for a ball in the air either. The thing to remember about him is that he's not a life long ball player like many big time WRs. He's a Basketballer turned WR. He also played Wildcat QB some too so he is a little raw at WR. He may get overwhelmed by the playbook. I think he gets in the rotation this fall, but he could be the next great WR at Bama and he could be BJ Scott.
Vinnie Sunseri- Ain't no worrying about coaching with this guy. Sunseri's dad is one of my personal favorites and his son is a good ball player too that turned heads when given the chance to show off. For all the Will Lowery posts out there about how great he is, Sunseri is probably the next Rudy type. He's a bit small, but he has all the instincts and intangibles to be a great contributor even if he never starts. Everything about him is likeable too. He moves to the ball well, plays bigger than he is, and always seems to make the play when the team needs one. He is pretty fast, but jumps like a white boy...so did I. I could see him as a Will in the Nickel or as a Money in the Nickel or Dime to give underneath coverage. He moves real well side to side and is a natural MLB. I would compare him to Dat Nguyen. Great motor, great player, but not the biggest or strongest. If Bama played 4-3, he would be higher on the list, but as a 3-4 he may not bulk up enough to play in that scheme.
Bradley Sylve- Meet Bama's version of Percy Harvin. The guy is blazing fast and can change directions on a dime. He is a slot WR and a nightmare for defenses if he comes in focused. He will probably play as a TFr because he can return kicks too. He isn't afraid to go over the middle and take a hit. I like that he wants the ball all the time. You can see it in how he plays that he wants to make the move and get the ball. He is a lot farther along than Shinn in understanding the game, but not as big. He has a freaky 2nd burst that gives him separation. I can see him getting a lot of looks in the cat and in the shotgun sets.
Jabriel Washington- He projects as a cornerback. I get queezy about players from "academies" and he is a good example. Pretty raw as a corner. He's fast, and he is athletic, but he isn't real fluid as a corner. He is a little more of a project than most of the others. He is the Anthony Steen of this class. Maybe he pans out, but what little I can find to watch on him, isn't earth shattering.
Jesse Williams- Boy, the frats will want him at the party. I like what I see out of him too. I think the fans are expecting him to be the next Cody, but he's not a Cody. He is a little more versatile than Mount was. Cody was not a pass rush threat. Williams is a disruptive every down player. He does get a little high at times off the snap, but he is so strong that he can really create separation with his arms. He does a really good job of pursuing the ball from side to side. He will draw a constant double team because he is so strong. His motor runs all game and he won't quit on a play. He seems to always get inside the blocker and take the inside gaps out fast. I can see why folks think he will start day one. He can, and he might. He and Chapman along with Dial will all get plenty of chances to shine.
Danny Woodson- There are some flags here. Rumblings about grades, weight room discipline or lack there of, and just a hunch makes me worry here. His Nike Camp was ick...but his AL/MS week was great. So which one does Bama get? His body almost says tailback. I wouldn't laugh, he could be that Harvin type back. He is deceptively fast and has good hands. In some respects, he reminds me of Nikita Stover. He isn't going to just blaze away from defenders, but you give him a crease and he will house it. He does a nice job of keeping his hips loose and uses them to separate and make his tackle zone smaller.
Super Bowlin, Fans a Bawlin, and a Cryin....
If you want to see sports get ruined, ask Fox Sports to handle an event. Baseball wonders why their ratings drop each post season, and why the BCS sucked? Fox, that's why. The whole production and use of Joe Buck as your premier announcer will almost always result in FAIL. The NFL is gonna have to get over the Janet Jackson thing too. The halftime and pregame stuff is getting harder to do. You could see the Black Eyed Peas struggling to do a show that fit in the box. Getting Christina Aguilera should have been a slam dunk, but damn that was rough. The commercials even were a little sub par this year. A great game between two of the storied teams in the NFL was kinda an afterthought due to all the junk.
In other bitching, I kid, but not really. I am really starting to hate recruiting. It was great when I was a kid. My dad and I would sit up on Friday and Saturday nights to hear Bill King or get a Forrest Davis mag. When the Internet went primetime, it was great for recruiting. You could find out who was visiting, who was favoring who, and so on. Then came the hat thing, and the me thing, and now it is the commitment is just a technical thing thing. Folks wondered why I would step out and defend Cyrus K's coach, it was because it was nice to see a person stand up and actually try to make a player be a man about the situation. How bad has recruiting gotten? Well, Pagan was committed to 3 different teams this past year. Marcus Roberson went from his uncle's team, Texas Tech, to Auburn, and then to Florida. Brent Calloway garnered attention that most wouldn't want when he went a year with Bama, then spent a nickel tour with Auburn, only to return to Bama on signing day. I'm not alone in the I hate where this is going camp, Newberg is starting to question how this thing can get civil again.
I don't like the fans side of it either. The players should have their moment, and if they wanna do the hats or animals or burn the logo in the sand, whatever it is, that's their thing. I just wish they would have some respect for the programs and not make it so much about them per se, but the fans on the other hand have taken things too far. Facebook stalking didn't start with CJ Johnson. It has gone on for a while. I think fan support for recruits can be good if channeled right, but some of the things I see now make me cringe at what is ahead. The message board society has blurred the line as far as what is ok and what is creepy. Hint, if you are over 25 and following and posting to an 16 or 17 year old's page, that's creepy if you aren't family. I fear that one day we will hear of a zealous fan gone wrong who loses it when player X who the fan base believes salvation comes with his signature, doesn't sign and blows the kids brains out. That is where recruiting is headed because now we give the fans and recruits platforms and attention that neither side can handle at times. I hope that recruiting can get a little less cut throat and a little more professional. I also tire of hearing how every recruit lost to a rival is bought. Bama fans are as guilty as Auburn fans about that. The stories of grandjure are starting to be as annoying as the number of insiders out there. I get the I like attention thing, I get accused of it enough, but I don't post a lot of shit and say "the situation is still fluid" all the time.
Long story short, recruiting wants to go primetime, fine, but it needs to have boundaries and a few more rules if it is. The BCS is driving competition harder and harder as is, and if recruiting is going to be cut throat, the odds of cheating are more likely. Like I said, I hate seeing that accusation every time a player goes to another team, why not make the rules of engagement work towards eliminating that instead of forcing teams to. The thing about cheating is this, it is easy to accuse, but hard to prove, and often has paybacks. It isn't like every team does it by the book, as much as we all want it to be that way, there are textbook slip ups, rogue boosters, coaches under the scope and desparate to make it happen. That shit happens regardless.
Brent Calloway- He will get a nickel tour at running back, but he has very little upside as a back. His probable home is Sam or Will with some time and bulking up. As a linebacker, he has good speed and he moves well with surprisingly little wasted motion for a guy who doesn't play it much. He is a fundamentally good tackler who uses good form and drive and very little arm tackling. He likes to blitz and is a north south guy and will need a little time and coaching to work on the reads and skills that it will take to play for Saban, but that is what redshirting and playing ST can do. If he is dead set on playing RB, he is in that Mike Marrow family of depth chart. I think he will see the light faster than BJ Scott and some others did.
Ha Ha Dix- Geez what a nickname. As far as style goes, he reminds me a lot of Barron in how he loves to pursue and seems to always be around the ball. Has been well coached because he moves to the action with almost 0 wasted steps or motions, if you wonder what that means, that is the difference in 4th down and 1st down 9 times out of 10. He gets called a headhunter by some, but he's not quite that big of a hitter, but he won't shirk a shot over the middle to some poor slot WR. It won't surprise me if he isn't the Money some this year or next as he transitions the same way Barron and Green and Lester have. He will benefit from playing behind those guys too. The one thing I have seen in video of him is that he's the typical ESPN SportsCenter generation guy who wants to get on TV for the hit more than just making the play. I would like to have seen more plays where he just wraps up and drives the carrier down instead of trying to load and pop. At the SEC level, that technique will work once and a while, and the rest of the time is a bounce off and extra YAC. He probably will play ST and mopup for the secondary this year as they groom him to transition after Barron is gone. Add Eddie Williams to Dix and you have a really good duo for the future.
Trey DePriest- This is one guy that I really like what I see. There are some guys that a program gets just because they are the home team, and others are a real work to get. Going to Ohio and yanking this guy out from OSU and Notre Dame is a great recruiting job. The thing I really like about Trey is that he can play on the line or back off the line and still disrupt from outside or inside. He really does a nice job of keeping linemen off his pads and getting inside them. He moves well to the ball, but like most HS LB's, he can be a little stiff and gets too high at times. I think he probably will be in the mix at Will or Mike in a year or two. He needs to RS due to depth and to learn the system a little more. Physically, he is D1 ready as he can do 28 reps and has a weight room ethic that Saban and Cochran will like.
Quinton Dial- The Tide was able to keep Dial on the hook 2 years later and he has matured and grown. He is a gap filler who can play the end and the tackle in the 3-4. He will be a good compliment to Upshaw and Square as well as whomever the NG ends up being if he plays end. If they use him at Nose, I think he can be a little bigger version of Chapman. That isn't a knock because I like Chapman in pass situations. He does a good job of getting low and exploding into the gap like most bull rushing linemen do. He will play this year and give more depth and options to the Tide front. I look for him to compete for the inside end and will help Upshaw out a great deal as he will require some double teams due to his size.
Xzavier Dickson- The state of Georgia represented well in recruiting and Bama did a nice job of getting this guy out from Tech and UGA. He is a Jack at the next level so he is almost a lock to redshirt because Upshaw and Hightower are available as well as Stinson. So they are deep there and it really is good for the X Man to learn the difference in Jack and Rush End. He is very athletic and could play TE if Jack is not his thing. He does remind me of Upshaw coming out of school in that he has so much upside, but has not been taught how to harness that talent. He, like Upshaw, can play lights out on one play and disappear for a while. He plays in a higher division of GA football so he is seeing top end players on a regular basis. That will pay dividends for him and the Tide because the speed won't be as much of an issue. I think a year in the weight room and grooming in practice, he'll be a contender for Jack next year.
Aaron Douglas- Douglas was probably the most hated recruit for about 3 days as Cyrusgate went on. Douglas is a great athlete for his size and while at UT was a really impressive Freshman. He took on some big name players and did well against them in 2009. He isn't going to just plow through guys like Andre Smith would, but he is going to be a major upgrade as a pass blocking LT. He has really good footwork and keeps his frame squared and low so that defenders don't get inside him or around him. Has a real thrust when he engages defenders and has a lot of power for a lineman under 300 pounds. He is enrolled and will probably open spring as the starting LT. His experience in the SEC and extra practice time will put him in a good position to win the job in the spring or summer.
Phillip Ely- Here is the thing that I really like about him, he played against the nation's best teams as Plant traveled across the area to play the best of the best. He is from the same school as Aaron Murray and Robert Marve. He is a little small, but he has good speed and is smart. Yes, he probably is a game manager. He will get a lot of comparisons to McElroy because he's less big arm QB and more system and ball control oriented. That part I like. He isn't quite as football smart as McElroy was coming out of HS, but who was? He will win the staff over if he can be accurate and manage the huddle. That's what Saban and McElwain want. Not pretty boy highlight chasing. The one thing that worries me is that he's a spread QB. He has very little pro style QB time under his belt and will take a while to get used to being under center. This wouldn't be an issue if there wasn't uncertainty about QB depth. McElroy had the same issue, but nobody worried about Wilson going anywhere. Ely needs 2 years on the side to get up to speed and bulk up some. He may hang in there and be a competitor down the road, but the 2012 QB class could shadow him fast too.
Malcom Faciane- Meet the next Michael Williams folks. He isn't quite as big physically as Williams was coming in, but that's where he's headed. He tore his ACL this past year, so he will not be expected to contribute now. That's not a problem because Bama has 4 TEs that can. He has good hands and is really athletic for his size. He is ok as a blocker, but with a RS he can learn how to be a real down hill blocker. Most folks won't think about him in this class as far as a "name" recruit, but like Williams he can be a big on field contributor in time. With a little coaching, and weight room ethic he will be one of those guys.
LaMichael Fanning- Another big get from Georgia, and as a GA resident I take a little swelled chest pride about. He's a big kid and will be a rush end at the next level. He is about as raw a recruit as you will find, and that isn't surprising given he played for 4 teams in 4 years. I fear he may never see a field due to grades though.
Dee Hart- I know a lot of folks had high hopes for snagging Isaiah Crowell, but this was the guy I liked best. He is going to be a nice fill in for Ingram because he does some of the things that Ingram did so well. His vision, and cutback move are similar. He is a multiple threat as he had 2200 yards rushing, 500 receiving, and can return kicks. He probably is the starter at returning kicks by default. He also reminds me some of Maurice Jones Drew and Michael Turner because he can bounce off hits and keep pinballing forward to get first downs. He isn't going to bust out an 80 yard dash, but he can get 80 yards on 7 carries and wear out a linebacker core. When put in with TR, he will be a nice balance to him and will give Trent a push just as TR did for Ingram.
Chris Jones- This may be the most anyone will talk about Jones all year. Jones is overlooked because his grades are pretty iffy. If he makes it on the field, he is a really really sound DB. He has a quick backpeddle and turn, he is a ball hawk. Plays for a great program, and has zone coverage skills which is rare. He isn't afraid to hit, but is a corner quality tackler. He is well coached and does a really good job of doing the little things that a lot of players don't do like look at the QB and not the WR's eyes, looking for the ball, and taking the right angles to break up routes. If he can find the will, and an A, I would like to see him on the field some this fall.
Ryan Kelly- Like Jones, this may be the most anyone talks about him too because he's a center. Centers rarely rate high on recruiting boards, but when you have a shitty one (Britt anyone), you know it. He won't play for a few years, and with the ACL injury, he won't be expected to. He is big but needs to bulk up and get stronger (16 reps for a lineman?). He is aggressive and plays downhill well, but I really like that he's good at keeping his pads low and his hands inside. He is a really well coached guy when I watch him. He just needs a lot of polish in the weight room area to get to the next level as a starting center because the mechanics look good to me.
Cyrus Kouandjio- The soap opera has ended and the fans love him again. I think the hype has blurred the bar a bit for Cyrus, but the potential does meet the hype. He has all the measurements, numbers, and stats you want in a future LT. He has some of the best footwork I've seen out of a high schooler and when he did the drills at the UA game, it sent a message. He will get a lot of comparisons to DJ Fluker or Andre Smith just because that's what recruiting freaks measure to, but he's not either. Smith was a lot more game ready than Cyrus is physically and played LT before. He's ahead of Fluker from a football standpoint but is nowhere near the physical talent that DJ was. He played RT and there is some difference between LT and RT, but it isn't something that will keep him from playing if he's the best available. He is a true 5 star player, and has earned that mark. What will keep him from being Tyler Love is the one unmeasurable that folks miss- Cyrus Kouandjio has a mean streak and wants to kill you. I like watching him run block, he does everything almost textbook. I would like to see him look more comfortable in the pass block. I thought against Clowney he looked good at times, but lost containment a little more than I would want from a starter at LT. Clowney is a good litmus test, but there are a lot better, experienced, ends and linebackers that he will see in the SEC that will expose him more early and hopefully he can learn and adjust to it. I would expect him to redshirt or just do mop up as Douglas is game ready and with a green QB, he will need that more than potential. Also, the redshirt will give him a chance to get up to the speed while trying to block Bama's defenders.
Isaac Luatua- If he is a Hawaii type lineman, Bama fans and myself will love him. The taste of that ass kicking they put on Bama several years ago is still fresh on my mind. He is a little short but has a lot of power and is a pure pull trap guard. I know the talk of center is there, and he may be it, but I think his atheltic ability may have him at LG to pull and trap more. While he is a little short, he uses his body as a weapon and is so strong he can take on much bigger linemen and stand them up. He is really dominating at times and plays mean. I think he could start at a WAC type school right away, but he wants to win and learn. I like his attitude and his playing style. I think folks discount him cause he's a 3 star player in most rankings, but don't forget him. He's got all the things that a coach wants and I can see him pushing for PT next year. He may push Steen out of the rotation this year if he plays for it.
Jeoffery Pagan- I know he was a signing day surprise and the star thing plays up, but the knee thing worries me with him. He tore 2 ligaments in his right knee and is a little unknown. This is the part where some will say trust in Saban....How'd that Chris Bonds thing work? He also is pretty raw and lacks a lot of fundamentals from a coaching standpoint. He's big and what I have seen of him, he likes to use his size to get through, but he won't be as big at the next level. The biggest positive is that before the injury, he has the athelticism and motor to be a real pass rushing end. He is big enough to put on some weight and really anchor down an end. He does need a lot of coaching though so don't expect him to show up for a couple of years because the stars don't match the player right now, but will in 3 years.
DJ Pettaway- He was forgotten about because he committed so early, but he is a player. I could see him bulked up and playing end or working towards being a Jack. DJ loves to use his hands and drive blockers back. He does a real good job of closing on the carrier and once he gets inside on a blocker, it is over. He is the typical HS prospect though, he is inconsistent. He will get too high and lets his hands drop, both result in him getting beat. I have heard him compared to Luther Davis, that's probably close but I hope he isn't as flaky.
Marvin Shinn- I like Shinn and if there wasn't a guy named Julio Jones, he'd be the biggest thing in years to the Tide. That's really where the comparisons to JJ end too. I know a lot of folks compare him to Jones, but he isn't nearly as strong and physical as Jones was. He is more of a vertical threat and more of a ski step runner than a galloper, whereas Jones was more of an over the middle and gallop runner. Shinn is probably a lot more consistent in how he catches and runs routes. He has a great stride and can jump out of the stadium to get a ball. He reminds me more of D Rogers at UT in that regard. I haven't seen a corner jam him because he uses his hands to keep them off him and his hips to buck them off his stride. I also haven't seen him get beat for a ball in the air either. The thing to remember about him is that he's not a life long ball player like many big time WRs. He's a Basketballer turned WR. He also played Wildcat QB some too so he is a little raw at WR. He may get overwhelmed by the playbook. I think he gets in the rotation this fall, but he could be the next great WR at Bama and he could be BJ Scott.
Vinnie Sunseri- Ain't no worrying about coaching with this guy. Sunseri's dad is one of my personal favorites and his son is a good ball player too that turned heads when given the chance to show off. For all the Will Lowery posts out there about how great he is, Sunseri is probably the next Rudy type. He's a bit small, but he has all the instincts and intangibles to be a great contributor even if he never starts. Everything about him is likeable too. He moves to the ball well, plays bigger than he is, and always seems to make the play when the team needs one. He is pretty fast, but jumps like a white boy...so did I. I could see him as a Will in the Nickel or as a Money in the Nickel or Dime to give underneath coverage. He moves real well side to side and is a natural MLB. I would compare him to Dat Nguyen. Great motor, great player, but not the biggest or strongest. If Bama played 4-3, he would be higher on the list, but as a 3-4 he may not bulk up enough to play in that scheme.
Bradley Sylve- Meet Bama's version of Percy Harvin. The guy is blazing fast and can change directions on a dime. He is a slot WR and a nightmare for defenses if he comes in focused. He will probably play as a TFr because he can return kicks too. He isn't afraid to go over the middle and take a hit. I like that he wants the ball all the time. You can see it in how he plays that he wants to make the move and get the ball. He is a lot farther along than Shinn in understanding the game, but not as big. He has a freaky 2nd burst that gives him separation. I can see him getting a lot of looks in the cat and in the shotgun sets.
Jabriel Washington- He projects as a cornerback. I get queezy about players from "academies" and he is a good example. Pretty raw as a corner. He's fast, and he is athletic, but he isn't real fluid as a corner. He is a little more of a project than most of the others. He is the Anthony Steen of this class. Maybe he pans out, but what little I can find to watch on him, isn't earth shattering.
Jesse Williams- Boy, the frats will want him at the party. I like what I see out of him too. I think the fans are expecting him to be the next Cody, but he's not a Cody. He is a little more versatile than Mount was. Cody was not a pass rush threat. Williams is a disruptive every down player. He does get a little high at times off the snap, but he is so strong that he can really create separation with his arms. He does a really good job of pursuing the ball from side to side. He will draw a constant double team because he is so strong. His motor runs all game and he won't quit on a play. He seems to always get inside the blocker and take the inside gaps out fast. I can see why folks think he will start day one. He can, and he might. He and Chapman along with Dial will all get plenty of chances to shine.
Danny Woodson- There are some flags here. Rumblings about grades, weight room discipline or lack there of, and just a hunch makes me worry here. His Nike Camp was ick...but his AL/MS week was great. So which one does Bama get? His body almost says tailback. I wouldn't laugh, he could be that Harvin type back. He is deceptively fast and has good hands. In some respects, he reminds me of Nikita Stover. He isn't going to just blaze away from defenders, but you give him a crease and he will house it. He does a nice job of keeping his hips loose and uses them to separate and make his tackle zone smaller.
Super Bowlin, Fans a Bawlin, and a Cryin....
If you want to see sports get ruined, ask Fox Sports to handle an event. Baseball wonders why their ratings drop each post season, and why the BCS sucked? Fox, that's why. The whole production and use of Joe Buck as your premier announcer will almost always result in FAIL. The NFL is gonna have to get over the Janet Jackson thing too. The halftime and pregame stuff is getting harder to do. You could see the Black Eyed Peas struggling to do a show that fit in the box. Getting Christina Aguilera should have been a slam dunk, but damn that was rough. The commercials even were a little sub par this year. A great game between two of the storied teams in the NFL was kinda an afterthought due to all the junk.
In other bitching, I kid, but not really. I am really starting to hate recruiting. It was great when I was a kid. My dad and I would sit up on Friday and Saturday nights to hear Bill King or get a Forrest Davis mag. When the Internet went primetime, it was great for recruiting. You could find out who was visiting, who was favoring who, and so on. Then came the hat thing, and the me thing, and now it is the commitment is just a technical thing thing. Folks wondered why I would step out and defend Cyrus K's coach, it was because it was nice to see a person stand up and actually try to make a player be a man about the situation. How bad has recruiting gotten? Well, Pagan was committed to 3 different teams this past year. Marcus Roberson went from his uncle's team, Texas Tech, to Auburn, and then to Florida. Brent Calloway garnered attention that most wouldn't want when he went a year with Bama, then spent a nickel tour with Auburn, only to return to Bama on signing day. I'm not alone in the I hate where this is going camp, Newberg is starting to question how this thing can get civil again.
I don't like the fans side of it either. The players should have their moment, and if they wanna do the hats or animals or burn the logo in the sand, whatever it is, that's their thing. I just wish they would have some respect for the programs and not make it so much about them per se, but the fans on the other hand have taken things too far. Facebook stalking didn't start with CJ Johnson. It has gone on for a while. I think fan support for recruits can be good if channeled right, but some of the things I see now make me cringe at what is ahead. The message board society has blurred the line as far as what is ok and what is creepy. Hint, if you are over 25 and following and posting to an 16 or 17 year old's page, that's creepy if you aren't family. I fear that one day we will hear of a zealous fan gone wrong who loses it when player X who the fan base believes salvation comes with his signature, doesn't sign and blows the kids brains out. That is where recruiting is headed because now we give the fans and recruits platforms and attention that neither side can handle at times. I hope that recruiting can get a little less cut throat and a little more professional. I also tire of hearing how every recruit lost to a rival is bought. Bama fans are as guilty as Auburn fans about that. The stories of grandjure are starting to be as annoying as the number of insiders out there. I get the I like attention thing, I get accused of it enough, but I don't post a lot of shit and say "the situation is still fluid" all the time.
Long story short, recruiting wants to go primetime, fine, but it needs to have boundaries and a few more rules if it is. The BCS is driving competition harder and harder as is, and if recruiting is going to be cut throat, the odds of cheating are more likely. Like I said, I hate seeing that accusation every time a player goes to another team, why not make the rules of engagement work towards eliminating that instead of forcing teams to. The thing about cheating is this, it is easy to accuse, but hard to prove, and often has paybacks. It isn't like every team does it by the book, as much as we all want it to be that way, there are textbook slip ups, rogue boosters, coaches under the scope and desparate to make it happen. That shit happens regardless.
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