Last Year
The starting 3 last year were veterans and really anchored the front for Bama's defense. Cody, Washington, and Deaderick were solid in their assigned roles all year. The high point for them was Cody's Rocky Block that saved the season. The bright spot was the coming of age for Marcel Dareus. His ability to play inside and outside as well as his freakish athleticism made him a household name across the country.
This Year
Who is back and who is new?
Undra Billingsley- Undra has bounced around from defense to offense to defense again. His issue that keeps him off the field is that he is a tweener. He lacks the speed to play offense or linebacker, but has the power and size to play both. As a D lineman, he's the exact opposite- he has the speed but not the size and power. With that said, he can be a serviceable reserve for the Tide this fall.
Chris Bonds- Chris redshirted last year and is trying to get up the chart. The scouting report on him in high school is that he's got a great motor and has all the potential to be good, but he's injury prone. He is deep on the chart right now, but there are 2 regulars and a JC player ahead of him right now. I would guess that they roll him out there in some situations to see what they have in him and continue to try and harness the energy he has into a full player.
Josh Chapman- Chapman will take up Cody's spot in a platoon with Murphy, his high school teammate. Chapman isn't Cody, but he can be as effective with this defense. Cody was a plug and took up space and disrupted by his size. Chapman is more mobile and is stronger than Cody was. He disrupts with his power and speed. His past chances to start and play have been good and I don't see him or Murphy letting any slack happen between last year and this year.
Marcel Dareus- He doesn't seem to be distracted much by the off field business and that is good. Dareus is one of those rare players who could be as highly touted as Curry and Copeland were 18 years ago. Dareus is a high motor guy that uses his hands and strong upper body to disrupt the offense. He is very athletic for a guy his size, as proven by the TD vs Texas. He can play both end and tackle and does both in the nickel and dime sets depending on situations. If he goes pro, and I think it is about as sure a bet as anything in town that he will, he will be a tackle in the 4-3 and an end on a 3-4 team. His stock will go up or down based on how he handles playing more minutes and being an official starter now. FWIW- I don't see him getting more than 1 game if that much for the Miami thing.
Luther Davis- Davis has quietly made it to a senior year. He has earned the love of the staff and is going to be a captain this fall from the looks of it. Davis has got the ability to be good, but in the past he lacked the consistency. Davis has the skill set and size to be a perfect 3 end. He has great speed and good hand work. If he plays as he did in the BCS title game, he will have a great senior year and live up to the hype that fans and Luther have put on him.
Nick Gentry- Nick continues to hang around and continues to always be ready to jump in when an injury or depth concerns hit. He plays hard and he plays right, but he isn't the most talented guy and he is a tad small for the 3-4, but that doesn't seem to stop him when he plays.
Brandon Ivory- Brandon is a lotta player to move around. He plays more like Cody than Murphy or Chapman. He wallers a lot and doesn't really use his arms to separate much. He is a space taker who disrupts by using his massive size to drive back the line much like Cody did. He probably will redshirt due to the fact they have 3 or 4 guys who can play nose. I look for him to contribute a lot in the future though.
Brandon Lewis- This is a guy I am really high on. He has 3 years to play 2, so he might redshirt if they want to plan their future depth around him, but if he plays this fall, I think he will play quite a bit. When he was in high school, I thought he had all the makings of a star, and from what I gather, he still can be. He's behind Davis and Square, but like Square he will probably see quite a bit of play. He is really good at working the stunts and uses his hands really well to keep linemen from getting inside to his chest. He needs to work a bit on his form, but the fundamentals were down before and should be now.
William Ming- Ming is a guy that seems to be in the hunt, but has not done anything to separate from the pack. He will play some this year, but I don't know the how much part since he's not really made a name for himself. Ming coming into college has a great motor and is very active off the rush end. He is a pure pass rusher and can move sideline to sideline, and is fast. He ran a 4.7 in high school. He can also play TE or Jack.
Brandon Moore- Moore redshirted last year and is deep on the nose depth chart, but has a lot of upside. He isn't a pass rusher, but he is a guy that can open lanes up for other defenders to rush through. That will be his role on the team is to create space for the Mike and Will to rush through.
Kerry Murphy- Murphy is running with the 1s and is 1A to Chapman's 1B. Murphy has a lot of upside and is probably one of the most unique athletes Bama has ever had. He uses his size against defenders, but uses his upper body strength to keep linemen off of him. He is a better run stopper than he is pass rusher. He is more of a Cody like player in that he just takes up space amongst 2 defenders. He has the power and technique to fight through those doubles and move towards the ball. He will get better as he gets more snaps. He should see a lot of snaps.
Anthony Orr- Orr is a guy that in time will be a really good contributor. Coming to Tuscaloosa, he looked the part, he's aggressive, hard working, and built to take the hits football brings its players. He is a bit raw though and in HS had a hard time keeping his body low and exploding up. He wants to get too high and loses position at times. When he stays down, he shows his power and can bend a guard or tackle backwards. I can see him maturing into a rush end down the road, but I don't expect to see him on the field for more than mop up for a year or 2.
Darrington Sentimore- He is a lot like Luther Davis. He has a lot of fan fare because he bucked LSU for the Tide, like Davis, and like Davis he will have to show he wants up the charts and earn the job. Sentimore is a rush end and reminds me a lot of Washington and Greenwood. I know that makes some mad, but that isn't a kick at the guy. They were both good players who worked hard. Sentimore has a really good first move and is best used when going over the open shoulder of a tackle, but struggles when he goes inside. In time, I can see him starting and being a good blue collar guy if he can bulk up some and continue to work on his hands and upper body.
Damion Square- Before he was hurt, I thought he was the next big thing at DE. He is just a strong, high motor, high fundamental player that a guy like me can enjoy watching play. He has a lot of football smarts and has so much power that he's almost impossible to play one on one. Putting him and Dareus side by side or book ending each other, will be deemed illegal by the NCAA probably. They are that good together.
Who is Gone?
Terrence Cody- Mount Cody toppled Rocky Top and probably increased future chiropractor revenues by 200%. Cody's ability to take up space and disrupt the running game for most teams in the SEC went a long ways towards Bama's success. His future in the NFL is as simple as this, if he wants to do the work, he'll be as good as any in the NFL at tackle, but if he slacks and doesn't keep the weight down, he'll be a short lived story.
Brandon Deaderick- Deaderick is as tough as any man I know. There aren't many that can be shot in the arm and play a few days later. Deaderick is a prototype 3-4 end that moves well inside the tackles and is able to shove linemen with ease. He may not be an all pro, but he can be a serviceable lineman in the NFL.
Lorenzo Washington- Zo took a long time to find the player he was, but his senior year was his best year by far. Zo is a guy that can play in the 4-3 or 3-4 at end/tackle. I don't know if he'll have a future in the NFL, but with the right team, he could be like BD.
Milton Talbert- Processed.
The Good...
The depth and talent is deep and very, very good
There may be a couple of starts under Dareus's belt and Chapman's belt, but what they lack in experience, they make up with interest on talent. The 3 deep roster for the defensive line is almost an All SEC list by itself.
Dareus being Dareus
I don't think there is a secret about his future, and I think folks will get to enjoy him rampaging this year as he's working on a ring for himself and a higher draft slot for the future draft.
Quality depth at nose
Chapman, Murphy, Ivory, and Moore all are quality nose tackles and as Saban knew in year one, and Georgia is going to find out this year, it all starts there. Having quality big men shutting down the middle is as vital a part as the 2 middle linebackers. Bama has a 4 deep of quality players there. Hint, UGA doesn't.
So many options, so few plays...hopefully
Last year, you could pretty well guarantee that Cody and a combo of Washington/Dareus/Deaderick would be on the field at any time. This year is no different, but they have so many players that can play inside or outside that it will be fun to see how they throw different things at them.
The Bad...
The experience factor isn't there this time
While talent is plentiful, experience isn't. One of the things that has fallen in the cracks with Bama fans is that what Deaderick, Cody, and Washington put on the field was experience in tough game situations. If you watch the Auburn game, the Tennessee game, and the Texas game, all three were games where at a certain point the team needed the defense to make a play, and they did. McClain and others got the starlight, but those three were the ones who locked down the middle and opened the lanes for others to shine. They probably have that, but it is not tested under duress yet.
The Ugly....
None yet.
Depth Chart
End- Dareus/Sentimore/Billingsley
Nose- Murphy/Chapman/Moore
End- Davis/Square/Lewis
Nickel/Dime
End- Upshaw
Tackle- Dareus
Tackle- Square/Chapman/Davis
End- Hightower or Stinson/ Chavis Williams
August 21, 2010
August 20, 2010
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Offensive Line
Last Year
Here is kind of the long and short of how Bama's offensive line goes: when they run first, pass second, they are as good an offensive line as anyone in America, but if they pass first, run second as they tried to do several games into the year, they are average as anyone in America. I'm criticized a lot for criticizing the OL play, but if you watch any of Bama's games last year, you see that statement over and over again. Barrett Jones grew as a player and was probably the team's best lineman at the end of the year, Carpenter did as well as a guard playing tackle can do, and Vlachos improved as the year went on with his snaps. All three will be leaned on heavily to lead the team again this fall.
This Year
Who is back and who is new?
John Michael Boswell- JMB is one of those guys who isn't the best at any spot, but he's going to be one of those guys who is good at every spot. He can play both tackles and both guards right now and is their top reserve going into this season. If Warmack doesn't perform as expected, Boswell can fill the spot without any drop off.
James Carpenter- Carpenter learned LT under fire last year. I hope to see him using better footwork this fall because that's really the only real flaw in his game at LT is his footwork. You can tell he is more comfortable in a guard position by the way he moves off snap, but he's the best left tackle this team has still and you are not going to move him or win a one on one with him.
DJ Fluker- Big guy has lost a lot of weight and looks a lot more like the player we all thought we'd see last year. He projects as the starting right tackle and has held off McCullough this summer after more efforts in the weight room. DJ is a major obstacle to work around and most shouldn't get through him with ease....praying for no more Hightower video moments....but I think the 5 star thing has inflated what he is in the mind of some fans. DJ is a project. He is still very raw, and an experienced end will take advantage of him at times. Tight Ends and H Backs will be asked to help cover the wide side more than before. With that said, the upside is really on DJ, and how he learns and how he keeps his conditioning in check. I don't forsee him ever playing left tackle, but I can see him playing on Sundays with commitment from him to do it.
Barrett Jones- Jones matured as a lineman as the season went on. To watch the Virginia Tech game again and the Texas game, you could see a different player. He looks better this spring as well. The only thing I see him do that I wish he wouldn't, and he's not the only one that does this, is springing up off the snap. That movement usually results in a defeat for the down, but that is not a major issue and can be fixed. The thing I like most about Jones is that when he gets his assignment, he finishes them off fast. I think if he continues to progress and grow, he's got the potential to be a late 1st round pick.
Arie Kouandijo- I'd pay good money to watch Eli Gold and Verne Lundquist practice that name. Don't ask me how it goes, fellas born on Sand Mountain have no clue bout them thar fancy names. I do know this much, the guy can play football. The thing I like is that he comes out of his stance fast and keeps his shoulders down. He doesn't spring up when he goes, he just moves forward or backwards with the pad level where it should be and keeps his frame centered. He can be a bit slow on the outside rush, but I think with a little more coaching he can be solid at either tackle spot. He has beaten out Tyler Love for second string now and may still redshirt, but the odds look like they are going to season him up now.
Chad Lindsay- They grow them big in Texas and Chad is big. 2 websites have him over 300, and I'd believe that. He can play guard or center for the Tide, and they are going to need one soon. Ross is gone after this year, Motley is too, and Vlachos is gone after next season. He plays somewhat like Vlachos in that he has a powerful upper body and can obliterate players on the counter/pulling guard plays. He does a really good job of keeping his hands up and using them to keep defenders from driving him in the chest. He isn't overly fast, but guards and centers do not have to be as fast as tackles. I am guessing he redshirts and then gets to be AJ or Sims's center down the road.
Tyler Love- What's it gonna be? That's really the question here. He's big, he's got all the stats and attributes you could ask for except one- grit. I quipped a quote back last year that still holds true, he's about as mean as a Hallmark card. He's now 3rd string behind a true freshman and a guard playing tackle. My gut says that they have moved on to players who fit the bill and he can stay if he wants or leave if he wants.
Alfred McCullough- If Alfred were 3 inches higher, he'd be starting at tackle. That's really the only thing against him is that he's a little short for tackle at 6'2. His technique is strong, he's plenty stout and has plenty of power to be an SEC lineman. He works hard too, he's played DT, DE, LT, and RT in the last 2 years. If Bama has to be a passing team this year, he will be their right tackle as he can move and get around on the rush.
Brian Motley- The senior finishes up his letterman campaign this fall.
David Ross- David will backup Vlachos, but also will just finish up this fall.
Austin Shepherd- Austin is another Georgia product that will get a little time to season and will compete for one of the tackle spots in 2 or 3 years. He is quick for a lineman, moves really well in the videos available on him. He makes the most of each play and is a good run blocker, but gets out of balance when in pass protection. I look for him to bulk up and get more lower body strength and be a real bulldozer down the road if he applies himself.
Anthony Steen- If football were weight lifting, he'd be the number one pick. Steen is an ox, there is no question, but he's still really raw. At A Day he was great in run situations, but lost on passing situations. He still struggles with the stunts and other things defenses throw at him. He gets a break though because Warmack and Jones are both going to be there a little while so he can mature as a player some more. The thing I like about weight room warriors is that you know they can dedicate to something, and I think he'll dedicate to being better at it.
William Vlachos- Vlachos started every game last year and continues to improve on his center to QB exchanges. That's always priority one for a center. The rest comes after you get the ball off. When in space and on the pull, he's a force to be reckoned with. He is very strong and can take on much larger players, like Cody in practice, without the need to constantly double down. This is vital because they have others that need help on a double down. His leadership up front was missed at A Day as there were several gap issues. He will definately be a big help to Warmack and others this fall in helping them know their assignments.
Chance Warmack- Warmack is a guy that when you look at him, you think one thing, watch him play and you see a much better thing. Warmack is very gifted and fundamentally sound. He can take on big men like Chapman and Davis and move them and get on to the 2nd level, and he really plays well in space for a guy as young as he is. I think his upside is still ahead too.
Kellen Williams- He has potential, but he has a ton of better talent in front of him. I liked what I saw of him at A Day, but I fear that he's not going to get ahead of the guys his age in front of him.
Who is gone?
Mike Johnson- Mike's leadership and effort was a big part in last year's success. He started out at tackle and was moved back to guard which was all the difference in him playing Saturdays and Sundays.
Drew Davis- Davis was a greyshirt that worked hard and bulked up to gain a starting job and keep it.
Taylor Pharr- The only lineman I could ever see punting. Too bad he couldn't do that without getting hurt.
The Good...
The starters outnumber the newbies.
The line returns 3 starters in Carpenter, Vlachos, and Jones. This is always important and with all the questions on defense for once, they will be asked to play a lot of minutes and lead from the front week in and out. They have logged in a year's worth of starts and should grow from that to be better than before. They also have JMB with starts under his belt that will come in handy if injuries occur.
Improved Depth
At the end of the day, they have stockpiled talent up front. Most of it is unknown and untested, but the potential great lines of the future are there. Arie, Fluker, Jones, Lindsay, and Warmack are all potential starters now and in the future. That actually could be the starting five in 2 years.
The starters are all north of 300 minus 1.
That won't mean a win or loss, but it will mean that moving them back is just that much harder. I don't care how big and strong a d lineman is, 300 is 300.
The Bad...
Inexperience up front still exists
While they have 3 starters back, Warmack has some limited snaps in, and Boswell has several, Fluker has none, McCullough has a couple, Ross has a few, and the rest are unknown. If a few injuries happen, there isn't any experience behind either tackle to shore up with.
The Ugly...
They still give up too many hits to the QB
Even at A Day, they were putting the QBs on the run and they are supposed to be ahead of the d line. At some point, they have to be able to protect the quarterbacks and keep them up right. McElroy did a lot to keep the sacks down by chucking it in the sidelines or scrambling for his life, but they need the offense to move more this year and keep the defense off the field more this year than last. For that to happen, this OL has to break old trends and habits.
Depth Chart
LT- Carpenter / Arie / Love
LG- Warmack / Boswell / Lindsay
C- Vlachos / Ross / Motley
RG- Jones / Boswell / Steen
RT- Fluker / McCullough / Shepherd
Here is kind of the long and short of how Bama's offensive line goes: when they run first, pass second, they are as good an offensive line as anyone in America, but if they pass first, run second as they tried to do several games into the year, they are average as anyone in America. I'm criticized a lot for criticizing the OL play, but if you watch any of Bama's games last year, you see that statement over and over again. Barrett Jones grew as a player and was probably the team's best lineman at the end of the year, Carpenter did as well as a guard playing tackle can do, and Vlachos improved as the year went on with his snaps. All three will be leaned on heavily to lead the team again this fall.
This Year
Who is back and who is new?
John Michael Boswell- JMB is one of those guys who isn't the best at any spot, but he's going to be one of those guys who is good at every spot. He can play both tackles and both guards right now and is their top reserve going into this season. If Warmack doesn't perform as expected, Boswell can fill the spot without any drop off.
James Carpenter- Carpenter learned LT under fire last year. I hope to see him using better footwork this fall because that's really the only real flaw in his game at LT is his footwork. You can tell he is more comfortable in a guard position by the way he moves off snap, but he's the best left tackle this team has still and you are not going to move him or win a one on one with him.
DJ Fluker- Big guy has lost a lot of weight and looks a lot more like the player we all thought we'd see last year. He projects as the starting right tackle and has held off McCullough this summer after more efforts in the weight room. DJ is a major obstacle to work around and most shouldn't get through him with ease....praying for no more Hightower video moments....but I think the 5 star thing has inflated what he is in the mind of some fans. DJ is a project. He is still very raw, and an experienced end will take advantage of him at times. Tight Ends and H Backs will be asked to help cover the wide side more than before. With that said, the upside is really on DJ, and how he learns and how he keeps his conditioning in check. I don't forsee him ever playing left tackle, but I can see him playing on Sundays with commitment from him to do it.
Barrett Jones- Jones matured as a lineman as the season went on. To watch the Virginia Tech game again and the Texas game, you could see a different player. He looks better this spring as well. The only thing I see him do that I wish he wouldn't, and he's not the only one that does this, is springing up off the snap. That movement usually results in a defeat for the down, but that is not a major issue and can be fixed. The thing I like most about Jones is that when he gets his assignment, he finishes them off fast. I think if he continues to progress and grow, he's got the potential to be a late 1st round pick.
Arie Kouandijo- I'd pay good money to watch Eli Gold and Verne Lundquist practice that name. Don't ask me how it goes, fellas born on Sand Mountain have no clue bout them thar fancy names. I do know this much, the guy can play football. The thing I like is that he comes out of his stance fast and keeps his shoulders down. He doesn't spring up when he goes, he just moves forward or backwards with the pad level where it should be and keeps his frame centered. He can be a bit slow on the outside rush, but I think with a little more coaching he can be solid at either tackle spot. He has beaten out Tyler Love for second string now and may still redshirt, but the odds look like they are going to season him up now.
Chad Lindsay- They grow them big in Texas and Chad is big. 2 websites have him over 300, and I'd believe that. He can play guard or center for the Tide, and they are going to need one soon. Ross is gone after this year, Motley is too, and Vlachos is gone after next season. He plays somewhat like Vlachos in that he has a powerful upper body and can obliterate players on the counter/pulling guard plays. He does a really good job of keeping his hands up and using them to keep defenders from driving him in the chest. He isn't overly fast, but guards and centers do not have to be as fast as tackles. I am guessing he redshirts and then gets to be AJ or Sims's center down the road.
Tyler Love- What's it gonna be? That's really the question here. He's big, he's got all the stats and attributes you could ask for except one- grit. I quipped a quote back last year that still holds true, he's about as mean as a Hallmark card. He's now 3rd string behind a true freshman and a guard playing tackle. My gut says that they have moved on to players who fit the bill and he can stay if he wants or leave if he wants.
Alfred McCullough- If Alfred were 3 inches higher, he'd be starting at tackle. That's really the only thing against him is that he's a little short for tackle at 6'2. His technique is strong, he's plenty stout and has plenty of power to be an SEC lineman. He works hard too, he's played DT, DE, LT, and RT in the last 2 years. If Bama has to be a passing team this year, he will be their right tackle as he can move and get around on the rush.
Brian Motley- The senior finishes up his letterman campaign this fall.
David Ross- David will backup Vlachos, but also will just finish up this fall.
Austin Shepherd- Austin is another Georgia product that will get a little time to season and will compete for one of the tackle spots in 2 or 3 years. He is quick for a lineman, moves really well in the videos available on him. He makes the most of each play and is a good run blocker, but gets out of balance when in pass protection. I look for him to bulk up and get more lower body strength and be a real bulldozer down the road if he applies himself.
Anthony Steen- If football were weight lifting, he'd be the number one pick. Steen is an ox, there is no question, but he's still really raw. At A Day he was great in run situations, but lost on passing situations. He still struggles with the stunts and other things defenses throw at him. He gets a break though because Warmack and Jones are both going to be there a little while so he can mature as a player some more. The thing I like about weight room warriors is that you know they can dedicate to something, and I think he'll dedicate to being better at it.
William Vlachos- Vlachos started every game last year and continues to improve on his center to QB exchanges. That's always priority one for a center. The rest comes after you get the ball off. When in space and on the pull, he's a force to be reckoned with. He is very strong and can take on much larger players, like Cody in practice, without the need to constantly double down. This is vital because they have others that need help on a double down. His leadership up front was missed at A Day as there were several gap issues. He will definately be a big help to Warmack and others this fall in helping them know their assignments.
Chance Warmack- Warmack is a guy that when you look at him, you think one thing, watch him play and you see a much better thing. Warmack is very gifted and fundamentally sound. He can take on big men like Chapman and Davis and move them and get on to the 2nd level, and he really plays well in space for a guy as young as he is. I think his upside is still ahead too.
Kellen Williams- He has potential, but he has a ton of better talent in front of him. I liked what I saw of him at A Day, but I fear that he's not going to get ahead of the guys his age in front of him.
Who is gone?
Mike Johnson- Mike's leadership and effort was a big part in last year's success. He started out at tackle and was moved back to guard which was all the difference in him playing Saturdays and Sundays.
Drew Davis- Davis was a greyshirt that worked hard and bulked up to gain a starting job and keep it.
Taylor Pharr- The only lineman I could ever see punting. Too bad he couldn't do that without getting hurt.
The Good...
The starters outnumber the newbies.
The line returns 3 starters in Carpenter, Vlachos, and Jones. This is always important and with all the questions on defense for once, they will be asked to play a lot of minutes and lead from the front week in and out. They have logged in a year's worth of starts and should grow from that to be better than before. They also have JMB with starts under his belt that will come in handy if injuries occur.
Improved Depth
At the end of the day, they have stockpiled talent up front. Most of it is unknown and untested, but the potential great lines of the future are there. Arie, Fluker, Jones, Lindsay, and Warmack are all potential starters now and in the future. That actually could be the starting five in 2 years.
The starters are all north of 300 minus 1.
That won't mean a win or loss, but it will mean that moving them back is just that much harder. I don't care how big and strong a d lineman is, 300 is 300.
The Bad...
Inexperience up front still exists
While they have 3 starters back, Warmack has some limited snaps in, and Boswell has several, Fluker has none, McCullough has a couple, Ross has a few, and the rest are unknown. If a few injuries happen, there isn't any experience behind either tackle to shore up with.
The Ugly...
They still give up too many hits to the QB
Even at A Day, they were putting the QBs on the run and they are supposed to be ahead of the d line. At some point, they have to be able to protect the quarterbacks and keep them up right. McElroy did a lot to keep the sacks down by chucking it in the sidelines or scrambling for his life, but they need the offense to move more this year and keep the defense off the field more this year than last. For that to happen, this OL has to break old trends and habits.
Depth Chart
LT- Carpenter / Arie / Love
LG- Warmack / Boswell / Lindsay
C- Vlachos / Ross / Motley
RG- Jones / Boswell / Steen
RT- Fluker / McCullough / Shepherd
August 15, 2010
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Before we jump into a deep and long discussion on WR's, let's talk scrimmage. The number of TDs aren't a big deal either way because it is always inflated based on what the staff runs for the day. The number of passes they threw tells me that the secondary was getting a tough love lesson that they and really the whole defense must have needed. The worry I get from the scrimmage is 2 parts:
Part one, when you are tired, sore, banged up, you show who you are and the secondary and defense were those and they didn't show up. When Saban has to stop scrimmage to chew you to get you up, that's not good. Last year, when they were tired and hurt, they rallied and prevailed. This year's group hasn't exactly gotten there yet. If they flop again after the 2nd scrimmage, trouble looms. Part two is that they don't have that leader out there now that gets that extra effort. Ro and Javy would have been the rally captains during those hot, tired, hurting moments and gotten them up for one more fight. I've yet to hear anyone be that guy. I hear a lot about vocal "leaders" but it was quiet on the western front of late. Maybe I am spoiled by McClain's leadership, but that's what they'll need again to repeat. This team has all the potential in the world, but little resume to show for it. It does have a lot of ifs and maybes that fans wanna lean on. I never feel good about that, but I have a few more weeks to get comfortable with things.
Like I said before, the second scrimmage will show more about their growth, but I think it probably starts to lower the bar for some until we can figure out if this team has the stuff of champions. I think they have it, but they haven't found it in them just yet. I think that's where a lot of Saban's frustrations are right now.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Last Year
Well, if all these two spots did were block, they would have been all stars. However, both spots had spots of inconsistency and games where they did not catch the ball well or run routes well. Julio Jones was expected to step it up to the next level, but a variety of injuries and other hampered that. Marquis Maze had great games (UF) and games where you couldn't find him on the radar, same for Hanks. Peek had an up and down time as the team emphasised him some weeks and others didn't even look to him other than as a blocker. Smelley lost his job to Preston Dial and has yet recover it. Michael Williams came on later in the year and became the new Travis McCall for the group and really is their best blocker returning.
This Offseason
Who is back and who is new?
Earl Alexander- Alexander is a guy that has flirted with playing, but seems to stub his toe each year. Literally. He probably will be the team's 5th option behind the starting 3 and Gibson. His size makes him a threat always, and he is a fairly decent run blocker, but he doesn't have a certain skill that separates him from the others. I'll give him credit, he could have packed it in 2 years ago, but he's stayed with it and hopefully has taken advantage of the education opportunities available to him.
Kenny Bell- Bell gives them a vertical option, but I wonder if he can play consistently enough to get on the field enough to do it. I thought he looked ok in the A Day game, but he lacks any strength to separate from a jam or bump.
Michael Bowman- If Bowman can stay out of the dog house, he may participate this year. If not, well, it isn't like there aren't options without him. He can be the Julio lite for this team. He is physical, can block, catch over the middle, and make mistakes turn into big plays. He also can lose focus, and get out of the game at times. The firecracker might be a metaphor for his career if he isn't careful. He can go up as fast as he came down and fizzled out.
Brandon Gibson- This may be the year where Gibson finally steps up. He's shown a great interest in improving his game and for the first time in his career, he looks like he wants to play. I still think he can really contribute as the other slot in the 4 wide set and really compliments Jones and Maze just as Hanks does. They will need him to step up and have a solid year like Matt Caddell did.
Darius Hanks- Hanks continues to just do his part. He doesn't run the best routes at times, he rounds off, but he catches the ball and doesn't muff, drop, or miss the ball. He has good speed and can turn a 15 yard play into a 50 yard TD. Just ask MSU. McElroy likes him as his safety option at times, but he needs to step up and be there as more than just that. He can be a great WR, and he now gets this year and next to do it.
Julio Jones- Jones is a bit of an enigma. He can be just dominate and take games over, but he can also deviate and miss passes over and over. He is a pure specimen and does all the fundamentals at an NFL rookie level. He has a great vertical, he has a 2nd gear that can leave any defender 10 yards behind him, and he can pretty well abuse a corner with his physical play. Jones only real concern is concentration. When he's not focused, he's still good, but he's not good enough to cover his tracks. When he doesn't concentrate, you start to see drops and missed routes. He has the chance to get up the draft board and be the 1st WR off the board next year, but he needs a complete season this fall. I think he can get that year with more time with McElroy now in hand, and he probably is a top 15 pick this spring.
Keiwone Malone- The 1st WR on the board last year, not to mention the first recruit period, and has a lot of upside to him. He is a speed WR and will play taller than he is. He can cut on a play and waste little motion to shed defenders. That will be big if he can do that at this level. The biggest thing I notice in his videos is that he is not comfortable catching with his hands. He lacks the upper body strength like most coming out of high school do, but he has the ability to be a good option for McCarron and Sims down the road.
Marquis Maze- The light came on and Maze has finally started to play like the guy we expected coming out of high school. He is the speed option across from Julio when they want to run Jones over the flat. He probably is McElroy's top option, was in the UF game, and he looks for him when he's in trouble. I look for him to continue to progress and be a solid contender for 2nd team all SEC this year.
Kevin Norwood- The coaches really like him, but he isn't going to wow anyone with his game. He's a little slower version of Hanks and Gibson. With that said, he runs better routes than both, and he has really good hands. I don't know if he can continue to linger in the 7-8th option without getting more talk about defense. He was a good defensive back in high school and it may be time to revisit that now that this year's secondary has issues.
DeAndrew White- Another new face on the team this year. White is a little more polished than Malone is. He has good hands and really has a great first step off the snap. He has great speed but it isn't a second gear thing, it just is that his first step and movement with the ball is faster than most defenders. His main growth area is to work on a juke move or something to separate without speed. His moves are not as smooth as Malone's and he sometimes struggles to shed defenders, but he has better "hops" and gets a lot of jump balls. I think he probably will get a shot at playing this fall, but I hope with the depth they already have that either can't or won't redshirt, he gets to sit out this year and get a year of college life in.
Preston Dial- Dial was on the forgotten list by many, but a bad first series against Va Tech by Smelley resulted in 14 weeks in heaven for Dial. Dial is a pure blocker, but has good enough speed and hands to get an occasional look. Dial will play both the TE and H Back in different situations and packages. I'm happy for him, he's worked hard and has become a real surprise contributor for the team. I look for a lot from him and Williams because the team will still run the ball a lot.
Brad Smelley- Smelley's freshman year was a great surprise. He worked his way into a solid option at H Back. His sophomore year was a great disappointment. The team asked him to be more of a blocker and to round his game. He didn't answer the challenge and lost his job. His season just went to quicksand, the more he played the more the struggles were there. He has a chance to work back to the role he had as a freshman, and I think that's where his game really is at and will be. Running short routes out of the H Back position to give the QB a safety option.
Chris Underwood- This is really the now or never summer for Underwood. Vogler is close to beating him out for the 3rd spot at TE and he's yet to get any real PT other than mop up and the occasional short yardage blocking scheme. I think that's about all he'll get this year too. It would not surprise me if Chris developed an injury that ended his career next year like cannotfindthefielditis. Deadly in Tuscaloosa so I hear....
Brian Vogler- Big fella. Putting him and Williams side to side will book end a massive running game some time in the future. Like Williams, he's big and physical, but sneaky athletic for his size. Typically a guy his size can't catch over his head, but Vogler can stretch out like a WR and pull down passes. I can see them using him this fall as they work through sets and formations and try to keep all their guys fresh. I could see him bulking up and outgrowing the TE spot and becoming a tackle possibly because he has good technique in his run and pass blocking.
Michael Williams- Williams redshirted and went from Jack to TE in the year. Last year, he came through to become one of the better blockers on the team. He can play both TE and H Back and is athletic and quick enough to be an option in the passing game, but needs to work on his hands. He will be leaned on more this year with Fluker at RT to help him as he continues to mature. If he can get better at catching and holding the ball right, he could be Colin Peek part deux.
Who is gone?
Colin Peek- One year, one title, one good guy. Holla McGhee was a great leader and solid worker on a team full of stars. He played hurt a lot and gutted through it. I wish we could have watched him for 2 or 3 years, but am just happy for the 1 we got.
Mike McCoy- If his game were as good as his mouth, he'd been a player.
The Good....
Talent is deep at both positions
When you have guys who can fill in for a 1st round pick, you have it good. Bama has that at WR now. Sure, none are as good as Julio, but as we saw last year, they can play and win without him if needed. Tight End continues to stack up with quality players as well with Vogler, Williams, and Dial all powerful blockers with the capacity to snare a few passes as needed.
The year of the Julio is upon us
All indications are that he's healthy and ready to put all the doubts and mumbling to rest. Nobody out mumbles Julio....NOBODY. All kidding aside, I think he's a little embarrassed by some of the issues he had last year with the drops and really invisible championship game, and with motivation and his talent, he should be back in the 1000 yard club and threaten the record books.
Road paving TE's = protection in numbers for a shaky pair of tackles
Not to jump ahead, but Bama has a guard playing tackle and a guy who isn't real polished yet at the other. With that said, having Dial and Williams on a regular basis as well as Vogler off the bench, gives the QB and staff a lot more confidence because they are proven blockers and can cover up a few mistakes or misses along the way.
The Bad...
Coaching isn't exactly strong here...
I am one of the growing numbers of fans that really tires of seeing the WRs underachieve. I get that triple C is a great recruiter, and he does teach them to be some pretty dawgone good fullbacks out there. Ok, I'm being a little silly with that, but blocking is a part of their job, but catching the damn ball is what makes them get scholarships. Even with Maze's improvement, he's still streaky. Maze is the only one that I've seen that has grown as a player. With that said, I see a weekly occurrence of bad route running, mental errors, drops, and letting corners abuse them. All are coachable fixes within a couple of weeks, but through the spring, they still are there 3 years later. Where Burton is a great coach and recruiter, Cignetti is a pure recruiter and short on coaching. I realize by mentioning, the race to post lines of "well Saban likes him" or something to that degree will come, but really, you put guys like triple C at fullbacks coach. You notice Bama doesn't have those now, that would be a good spot for him.
The Ugly...
Watching the WR play during the BCS championship again.
What? You want details on that? Watch it again, it is like a school yard bully beatin on the one armed math wiz out there.
Depth Chart
1st String- Jones/Maze/Hanks Williams (TE)/Dial (HB)
2nd String- Alexander/Bell/Gibson Vogler / Smelley
3rd String- Norwood/Bowman/White Underwood
Part one, when you are tired, sore, banged up, you show who you are and the secondary and defense were those and they didn't show up. When Saban has to stop scrimmage to chew you to get you up, that's not good. Last year, when they were tired and hurt, they rallied and prevailed. This year's group hasn't exactly gotten there yet. If they flop again after the 2nd scrimmage, trouble looms. Part two is that they don't have that leader out there now that gets that extra effort. Ro and Javy would have been the rally captains during those hot, tired, hurting moments and gotten them up for one more fight. I've yet to hear anyone be that guy. I hear a lot about vocal "leaders" but it was quiet on the western front of late. Maybe I am spoiled by McClain's leadership, but that's what they'll need again to repeat. This team has all the potential in the world, but little resume to show for it. It does have a lot of ifs and maybes that fans wanna lean on. I never feel good about that, but I have a few more weeks to get comfortable with things.
Like I said before, the second scrimmage will show more about their growth, but I think it probably starts to lower the bar for some until we can figure out if this team has the stuff of champions. I think they have it, but they haven't found it in them just yet. I think that's where a lot of Saban's frustrations are right now.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Last Year
Well, if all these two spots did were block, they would have been all stars. However, both spots had spots of inconsistency and games where they did not catch the ball well or run routes well. Julio Jones was expected to step it up to the next level, but a variety of injuries and other hampered that. Marquis Maze had great games (UF) and games where you couldn't find him on the radar, same for Hanks. Peek had an up and down time as the team emphasised him some weeks and others didn't even look to him other than as a blocker. Smelley lost his job to Preston Dial and has yet recover it. Michael Williams came on later in the year and became the new Travis McCall for the group and really is their best blocker returning.
This Offseason
Who is back and who is new?
Earl Alexander- Alexander is a guy that has flirted with playing, but seems to stub his toe each year. Literally. He probably will be the team's 5th option behind the starting 3 and Gibson. His size makes him a threat always, and he is a fairly decent run blocker, but he doesn't have a certain skill that separates him from the others. I'll give him credit, he could have packed it in 2 years ago, but he's stayed with it and hopefully has taken advantage of the education opportunities available to him.
Kenny Bell- Bell gives them a vertical option, but I wonder if he can play consistently enough to get on the field enough to do it. I thought he looked ok in the A Day game, but he lacks any strength to separate from a jam or bump.
Michael Bowman- If Bowman can stay out of the dog house, he may participate this year. If not, well, it isn't like there aren't options without him. He can be the Julio lite for this team. He is physical, can block, catch over the middle, and make mistakes turn into big plays. He also can lose focus, and get out of the game at times. The firecracker might be a metaphor for his career if he isn't careful. He can go up as fast as he came down and fizzled out.
Brandon Gibson- This may be the year where Gibson finally steps up. He's shown a great interest in improving his game and for the first time in his career, he looks like he wants to play. I still think he can really contribute as the other slot in the 4 wide set and really compliments Jones and Maze just as Hanks does. They will need him to step up and have a solid year like Matt Caddell did.
Darius Hanks- Hanks continues to just do his part. He doesn't run the best routes at times, he rounds off, but he catches the ball and doesn't muff, drop, or miss the ball. He has good speed and can turn a 15 yard play into a 50 yard TD. Just ask MSU. McElroy likes him as his safety option at times, but he needs to step up and be there as more than just that. He can be a great WR, and he now gets this year and next to do it.
Julio Jones- Jones is a bit of an enigma. He can be just dominate and take games over, but he can also deviate and miss passes over and over. He is a pure specimen and does all the fundamentals at an NFL rookie level. He has a great vertical, he has a 2nd gear that can leave any defender 10 yards behind him, and he can pretty well abuse a corner with his physical play. Jones only real concern is concentration. When he's not focused, he's still good, but he's not good enough to cover his tracks. When he doesn't concentrate, you start to see drops and missed routes. He has the chance to get up the draft board and be the 1st WR off the board next year, but he needs a complete season this fall. I think he can get that year with more time with McElroy now in hand, and he probably is a top 15 pick this spring.
Keiwone Malone- The 1st WR on the board last year, not to mention the first recruit period, and has a lot of upside to him. He is a speed WR and will play taller than he is. He can cut on a play and waste little motion to shed defenders. That will be big if he can do that at this level. The biggest thing I notice in his videos is that he is not comfortable catching with his hands. He lacks the upper body strength like most coming out of high school do, but he has the ability to be a good option for McCarron and Sims down the road.
Marquis Maze- The light came on and Maze has finally started to play like the guy we expected coming out of high school. He is the speed option across from Julio when they want to run Jones over the flat. He probably is McElroy's top option, was in the UF game, and he looks for him when he's in trouble. I look for him to continue to progress and be a solid contender for 2nd team all SEC this year.
Kevin Norwood- The coaches really like him, but he isn't going to wow anyone with his game. He's a little slower version of Hanks and Gibson. With that said, he runs better routes than both, and he has really good hands. I don't know if he can continue to linger in the 7-8th option without getting more talk about defense. He was a good defensive back in high school and it may be time to revisit that now that this year's secondary has issues.
DeAndrew White- Another new face on the team this year. White is a little more polished than Malone is. He has good hands and really has a great first step off the snap. He has great speed but it isn't a second gear thing, it just is that his first step and movement with the ball is faster than most defenders. His main growth area is to work on a juke move or something to separate without speed. His moves are not as smooth as Malone's and he sometimes struggles to shed defenders, but he has better "hops" and gets a lot of jump balls. I think he probably will get a shot at playing this fall, but I hope with the depth they already have that either can't or won't redshirt, he gets to sit out this year and get a year of college life in.
Preston Dial- Dial was on the forgotten list by many, but a bad first series against Va Tech by Smelley resulted in 14 weeks in heaven for Dial. Dial is a pure blocker, but has good enough speed and hands to get an occasional look. Dial will play both the TE and H Back in different situations and packages. I'm happy for him, he's worked hard and has become a real surprise contributor for the team. I look for a lot from him and Williams because the team will still run the ball a lot.
Brad Smelley- Smelley's freshman year was a great surprise. He worked his way into a solid option at H Back. His sophomore year was a great disappointment. The team asked him to be more of a blocker and to round his game. He didn't answer the challenge and lost his job. His season just went to quicksand, the more he played the more the struggles were there. He has a chance to work back to the role he had as a freshman, and I think that's where his game really is at and will be. Running short routes out of the H Back position to give the QB a safety option.
Chris Underwood- This is really the now or never summer for Underwood. Vogler is close to beating him out for the 3rd spot at TE and he's yet to get any real PT other than mop up and the occasional short yardage blocking scheme. I think that's about all he'll get this year too. It would not surprise me if Chris developed an injury that ended his career next year like cannotfindthefielditis. Deadly in Tuscaloosa so I hear....
Brian Vogler- Big fella. Putting him and Williams side to side will book end a massive running game some time in the future. Like Williams, he's big and physical, but sneaky athletic for his size. Typically a guy his size can't catch over his head, but Vogler can stretch out like a WR and pull down passes. I can see them using him this fall as they work through sets and formations and try to keep all their guys fresh. I could see him bulking up and outgrowing the TE spot and becoming a tackle possibly because he has good technique in his run and pass blocking.
Michael Williams- Williams redshirted and went from Jack to TE in the year. Last year, he came through to become one of the better blockers on the team. He can play both TE and H Back and is athletic and quick enough to be an option in the passing game, but needs to work on his hands. He will be leaned on more this year with Fluker at RT to help him as he continues to mature. If he can get better at catching and holding the ball right, he could be Colin Peek part deux.
Who is gone?
Colin Peek- One year, one title, one good guy. Holla McGhee was a great leader and solid worker on a team full of stars. He played hurt a lot and gutted through it. I wish we could have watched him for 2 or 3 years, but am just happy for the 1 we got.
Mike McCoy- If his game were as good as his mouth, he'd been a player.
The Good....
Talent is deep at both positions
When you have guys who can fill in for a 1st round pick, you have it good. Bama has that at WR now. Sure, none are as good as Julio, but as we saw last year, they can play and win without him if needed. Tight End continues to stack up with quality players as well with Vogler, Williams, and Dial all powerful blockers with the capacity to snare a few passes as needed.
The year of the Julio is upon us
All indications are that he's healthy and ready to put all the doubts and mumbling to rest. Nobody out mumbles Julio....NOBODY. All kidding aside, I think he's a little embarrassed by some of the issues he had last year with the drops and really invisible championship game, and with motivation and his talent, he should be back in the 1000 yard club and threaten the record books.
Road paving TE's = protection in numbers for a shaky pair of tackles
Not to jump ahead, but Bama has a guard playing tackle and a guy who isn't real polished yet at the other. With that said, having Dial and Williams on a regular basis as well as Vogler off the bench, gives the QB and staff a lot more confidence because they are proven blockers and can cover up a few mistakes or misses along the way.
The Bad...
Coaching isn't exactly strong here...
I am one of the growing numbers of fans that really tires of seeing the WRs underachieve. I get that triple C is a great recruiter, and he does teach them to be some pretty dawgone good fullbacks out there. Ok, I'm being a little silly with that, but blocking is a part of their job, but catching the damn ball is what makes them get scholarships. Even with Maze's improvement, he's still streaky. Maze is the only one that I've seen that has grown as a player. With that said, I see a weekly occurrence of bad route running, mental errors, drops, and letting corners abuse them. All are coachable fixes within a couple of weeks, but through the spring, they still are there 3 years later. Where Burton is a great coach and recruiter, Cignetti is a pure recruiter and short on coaching. I realize by mentioning, the race to post lines of "well Saban likes him" or something to that degree will come, but really, you put guys like triple C at fullbacks coach. You notice Bama doesn't have those now, that would be a good spot for him.
The Ugly...
Watching the WR play during the BCS championship again.
What? You want details on that? Watch it again, it is like a school yard bully beatin on the one armed math wiz out there.
Depth Chart
1st String- Jones/Maze/Hanks Williams (TE)/Dial (HB)
2nd String- Alexander/Bell/Gibson Vogler / Smelley
3rd String- Norwood/Bowman/White Underwood
August 6, 2010
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Running Backs
LAST YEAR RECAP
Things were about as perfect as any season in my lifetime as far as Bama running backs go. Ingram improved by leaps and bounds, and was pushed hard by Richardson who looked like a junior last year. Ingram's Heisman run started against Va Tech as he started to take over the game in the 2nd half and was capped off by the screen pass in the SEC championship game. TR's season was nothing short of great even if he had fewer carries. His run against Arkansas is still probably one of the top 3 runs I've ever witnessed. Upchurch's TD against Va Tech and Auburn will be the moments I remember him for because he flat out trucked the defender against Tech and his catch against Auburn probably will be a Moore painting eventually.
THIS OFFSEASON
Who is back?
Demetrius Goode- Graduated from Hargrave, why doesn’t that make me feel better on a side note there, and is a pure running back. Goode looks good at times and looks afraid others. He is holding off Lacy, which may be more about Lacy than him, but the potential for Goode has pretty well plateued it looks like. He probably could start at some schools, but not with 2 Heisman caliber players ahead of him.
Mark Ingram- Dad was a great WR for the Dolphins, and he’s a darn good athlete himself. As a freshman, I said "Out of all the RB’s coming in, he’s the most likely to make an impact because he’s versatile enough to play inside or outside and kick it up a notch and turn a 5 yard carry to a 30 yard TD." Sometimes I actually hit one. Some questioned his vision last year before the season, I don't think there is a weak spot in his game right now. There are areas that he probably could grow like pass blocking, but you don't ask your best offensive threat to block much. Ingram will get the bulk of the carries, but I doubt he gets as many this year as last because the staff will be more comfortable with both Richardson and McElroy's game to let him stay fresh whereas last year he gassed a few times. I really think fans better enjoy him this year because I don't see a reason for him to stay after this fall.
Eddie Lacy- Lacy is a 4 star RB that would have been a bigger name in the recruiting wars if his grades were better. He's a downhill runner, plain and simple. In some aspects of his running game, he reminds me of Glen Coffee or Ahmaad Galloway. He's flashy, and not a guy most likely to bust out a 80 yard TD on any defense at the college level, but he's consistent, runs low, but he runs with the ball loose and free, and most of all is patient with the ball. For example, Darby would race up to the lane he was to run to, and jitter around and force it. The results were 2 yards or less most of the time. Lacy is patient to the lane, and has the vision to cut back or cut outside if the play isn't there and doesn't force the action if it isn't required. Loves to hit, uses his lower body power to move people and punish smaller defenders for tackling him. His lower body power will make his YAC (contact) numbers look impressive because he doesn't go down on contact (see Terry Grant) he plows forward for 2-4 more yards. The only flaws in his game that I can find is that he's not going to just blow away defenders in a foot race and he gets sloppy with his hand transitions while running. He's listed with 4.4/4o speed, but he lacks that extra burst that Shaun Alexander and Bobby Humphrey type players had. He redshirted and his Internet legend continues to grow as the "How's Lacy (or Lacey) doing" threads grow. My fear is that while physically he is a D-1 guy, mentally he may not be up to a Saban status. As we have learned well, if you can't get the playbook or take one of his chewings and keep going, you don't have a long shelf life at Alabama any more. That's my fear, nothing concrete on that.
Trent Richardson- You would get a kick out of watching me watch this guy play. The transcript is pretty easy reading. "Damn....daaaamn, wow, damn". That's about it. This guy has that "it" that the Alexanders and Humphreys and Jacksons and Walkers have. He has that McFadden stiff arm that just humiliates and stings defenders. Does a great job of getting low and making his tackle spot small. Uses his hips and shoulders to hit a small crease and turn into the open field. He's one of the more fluid runners I've seen in recent years. He really impressed everyone last season and showed off his skills during the BCS game as Ingram was cramping. As to the debate over is TR better than Ingram? Time will tell, but they are similar backs as far as how they approach the role, but different in their styles of running.
Mike Marrow- Marrow is a lot like Chris Jordan was a while back. He could play on either side of the ball, but he lists with everyone as a H Back, just because he is playing that sorta. They seem more content to let a TE go in motion to lead block than using the FB much and that will hurt Marrow's play time potential because the way that position is approached compared to a fullback is different. As a runner, he's a pinball. He's not fancy and not flashy, but he's a true north south running back with serious leg drive. The few shots of him blocking that I could find, he likes to stick players, but you can tell he's not practiced it all that much or hasn't been taught how to use his body and power to move players in space. I still would not be shocked if he is moved half way during the season to ILB.
Who is gone?
Roy Upchurch. Was sought after by all the major Florida schools and Arkansas. Has a nice balance to his running style. He mixes power with dashes of speed to make a nice package. He had 2500 yards and 27 TDs and became a Parade All American. He redshirted due to injury in 05, played sparingly in 06 and 07. Played half of 08 before going down with a neck injury. When he did play last year, I thought he looked good both as a runner and a blocker. Nobody will question his effort on the field though. It is all elbows and cleats when he runs. He had some great moments over the last 2 years, and I wish he could have stayed healthy, but he did all the things asked of him and was a team guy.
Terry Grant. Grant played as a return man for a bit but was injured early. Mr. Mississippi ran for 2700 yards and had 35 TD’s. He also comes from a winning program. He started out like a ball of fire early, but the pounding that the SEC brings caught up with him. He fell down the depth chart and found pity with fans, but not the staff. His career at Bama was short, and he went on to other opportunities.
Jeramie Griffin- was the 3rd best fullback in the US his senior year and compiled 1200 yards. He looked strong against a beaten MSU team last year, but he's really about to become a situational back and Saban has never been a fan of a guy who just comes in for 1 thing, like jumbo back. They have held him out this summer under a cloud of mystery, but news today is that he has gone medical.
Who is new?
Corey Grant- Grant is a pure scatback, plain and simple. He will have to be used in several different areas like slot WR, and returner. They can use him in some shotgun draw type situations, or quick dive type plays, but he won't be a guy that can be ran 25 times a game in this system. He's not built for it, but he does do a good job of keeping his pads and hips low to keep from getting a lot of direct shots. If they want him to be a starting running back, he will have to spend a lot of time in the weight room to fill out and develop into a full system back.
The Running Backs
The Good...
The best position coach on the staff resides here
I felt it before but after seeing him go through all the situations on film, I can say it without a lot of fear at this point. I am sure some will say that given all the talent he gets with Ingram, Richardson, Upchurch, Lacy, and others, it is easy. Maybe, but look at where they were and where they are. Also, look at all the threads discussing the WR coaching and how you never see anyone saying the talent isn't progressing at RB. Also, do you recall fumbles or missed assignments with these guys? I can think of one fumble by Ingram against UT, but outside of that, nothing. Remember, he got Spiller to Clemson too, that worked well for CJ.
Best depth on the team resides here in both quality and quantity
There may be better backfields, but there is not a better running back core in the nation than Alabama. Period. There are 2 sure fire 1st round draft picks playing side by side and a few potential good to great backs behind them just starving for more touches.
Plenty of carries available
I do think they will pass more, but I also think that the 2 main backs will still get plenty of touches to keep defenses off balance. Ingram and Richardson, PC will be able to provide a full service of running beat downs across the nation as they attempt to repeat as national champs.
The Bad...
Enjoying it now, because it may not be around long...
With Ingram really ready for NFL life now and Richardson not far behind, it is a realistic worry that by the end of next season, both will be gone and Bama will be starting over instead of passing the torch as Coffee did to Ingram.
The Ugly....
How many times can someone wonder who number 26 is?
Really, is there a reason to wonder if a walkon running back is a player? I'm happy for a guy to live the dream, but folks I really wish fans would ask more about the secondary than who the 5th string tail is.
Depth Chart
1st String- Ingram/Richardson. 1A and 1B really, but Ingram will get more touches
3rd String- Goode. Hunch says they are trying to get Lacy to turn a corner and putting him 4th will help with that if he hasn't started the turn by the end of the month.
4th String- Lacy
Things were about as perfect as any season in my lifetime as far as Bama running backs go. Ingram improved by leaps and bounds, and was pushed hard by Richardson who looked like a junior last year. Ingram's Heisman run started against Va Tech as he started to take over the game in the 2nd half and was capped off by the screen pass in the SEC championship game. TR's season was nothing short of great even if he had fewer carries. His run against Arkansas is still probably one of the top 3 runs I've ever witnessed. Upchurch's TD against Va Tech and Auburn will be the moments I remember him for because he flat out trucked the defender against Tech and his catch against Auburn probably will be a Moore painting eventually.
THIS OFFSEASON
Who is back?
Demetrius Goode- Graduated from Hargrave, why doesn’t that make me feel better on a side note there, and is a pure running back. Goode looks good at times and looks afraid others. He is holding off Lacy, which may be more about Lacy than him, but the potential for Goode has pretty well plateued it looks like. He probably could start at some schools, but not with 2 Heisman caliber players ahead of him.
Mark Ingram- Dad was a great WR for the Dolphins, and he’s a darn good athlete himself. As a freshman, I said "Out of all the RB’s coming in, he’s the most likely to make an impact because he’s versatile enough to play inside or outside and kick it up a notch and turn a 5 yard carry to a 30 yard TD." Sometimes I actually hit one. Some questioned his vision last year before the season, I don't think there is a weak spot in his game right now. There are areas that he probably could grow like pass blocking, but you don't ask your best offensive threat to block much. Ingram will get the bulk of the carries, but I doubt he gets as many this year as last because the staff will be more comfortable with both Richardson and McElroy's game to let him stay fresh whereas last year he gassed a few times. I really think fans better enjoy him this year because I don't see a reason for him to stay after this fall.
Eddie Lacy- Lacy is a 4 star RB that would have been a bigger name in the recruiting wars if his grades were better. He's a downhill runner, plain and simple. In some aspects of his running game, he reminds me of Glen Coffee or Ahmaad Galloway. He's flashy, and not a guy most likely to bust out a 80 yard TD on any defense at the college level, but he's consistent, runs low, but he runs with the ball loose and free, and most of all is patient with the ball. For example, Darby would race up to the lane he was to run to, and jitter around and force it. The results were 2 yards or less most of the time. Lacy is patient to the lane, and has the vision to cut back or cut outside if the play isn't there and doesn't force the action if it isn't required. Loves to hit, uses his lower body power to move people and punish smaller defenders for tackling him. His lower body power will make his YAC (contact) numbers look impressive because he doesn't go down on contact (see Terry Grant) he plows forward for 2-4 more yards. The only flaws in his game that I can find is that he's not going to just blow away defenders in a foot race and he gets sloppy with his hand transitions while running. He's listed with 4.4/4o speed, but he lacks that extra burst that Shaun Alexander and Bobby Humphrey type players had. He redshirted and his Internet legend continues to grow as the "How's Lacy (or Lacey) doing" threads grow. My fear is that while physically he is a D-1 guy, mentally he may not be up to a Saban status. As we have learned well, if you can't get the playbook or take one of his chewings and keep going, you don't have a long shelf life at Alabama any more. That's my fear, nothing concrete on that.
Trent Richardson- You would get a kick out of watching me watch this guy play. The transcript is pretty easy reading. "Damn....daaaamn, wow, damn". That's about it. This guy has that "it" that the Alexanders and Humphreys and Jacksons and Walkers have. He has that McFadden stiff arm that just humiliates and stings defenders. Does a great job of getting low and making his tackle spot small. Uses his hips and shoulders to hit a small crease and turn into the open field. He's one of the more fluid runners I've seen in recent years. He really impressed everyone last season and showed off his skills during the BCS game as Ingram was cramping. As to the debate over is TR better than Ingram? Time will tell, but they are similar backs as far as how they approach the role, but different in their styles of running.
Mike Marrow- Marrow is a lot like Chris Jordan was a while back. He could play on either side of the ball, but he lists with everyone as a H Back, just because he is playing that sorta. They seem more content to let a TE go in motion to lead block than using the FB much and that will hurt Marrow's play time potential because the way that position is approached compared to a fullback is different. As a runner, he's a pinball. He's not fancy and not flashy, but he's a true north south running back with serious leg drive. The few shots of him blocking that I could find, he likes to stick players, but you can tell he's not practiced it all that much or hasn't been taught how to use his body and power to move players in space. I still would not be shocked if he is moved half way during the season to ILB.
Who is gone?
Roy Upchurch. Was sought after by all the major Florida schools and Arkansas. Has a nice balance to his running style. He mixes power with dashes of speed to make a nice package. He had 2500 yards and 27 TDs and became a Parade All American. He redshirted due to injury in 05, played sparingly in 06 and 07. Played half of 08 before going down with a neck injury. When he did play last year, I thought he looked good both as a runner and a blocker. Nobody will question his effort on the field though. It is all elbows and cleats when he runs. He had some great moments over the last 2 years, and I wish he could have stayed healthy, but he did all the things asked of him and was a team guy.
Terry Grant. Grant played as a return man for a bit but was injured early. Mr. Mississippi ran for 2700 yards and had 35 TD’s. He also comes from a winning program. He started out like a ball of fire early, but the pounding that the SEC brings caught up with him. He fell down the depth chart and found pity with fans, but not the staff. His career at Bama was short, and he went on to other opportunities.
Jeramie Griffin- was the 3rd best fullback in the US his senior year and compiled 1200 yards. He looked strong against a beaten MSU team last year, but he's really about to become a situational back and Saban has never been a fan of a guy who just comes in for 1 thing, like jumbo back. They have held him out this summer under a cloud of mystery, but news today is that he has gone medical.
Who is new?
Corey Grant- Grant is a pure scatback, plain and simple. He will have to be used in several different areas like slot WR, and returner. They can use him in some shotgun draw type situations, or quick dive type plays, but he won't be a guy that can be ran 25 times a game in this system. He's not built for it, but he does do a good job of keeping his pads and hips low to keep from getting a lot of direct shots. If they want him to be a starting running back, he will have to spend a lot of time in the weight room to fill out and develop into a full system back.
The Running Backs
The Good...
The best position coach on the staff resides here
I felt it before but after seeing him go through all the situations on film, I can say it without a lot of fear at this point. I am sure some will say that given all the talent he gets with Ingram, Richardson, Upchurch, Lacy, and others, it is easy. Maybe, but look at where they were and where they are. Also, look at all the threads discussing the WR coaching and how you never see anyone saying the talent isn't progressing at RB. Also, do you recall fumbles or missed assignments with these guys? I can think of one fumble by Ingram against UT, but outside of that, nothing. Remember, he got Spiller to Clemson too, that worked well for CJ.
Best depth on the team resides here in both quality and quantity
There may be better backfields, but there is not a better running back core in the nation than Alabama. Period. There are 2 sure fire 1st round draft picks playing side by side and a few potential good to great backs behind them just starving for more touches.
Plenty of carries available
I do think they will pass more, but I also think that the 2 main backs will still get plenty of touches to keep defenses off balance. Ingram and Richardson, PC will be able to provide a full service of running beat downs across the nation as they attempt to repeat as national champs.
The Bad...
Enjoying it now, because it may not be around long...
With Ingram really ready for NFL life now and Richardson not far behind, it is a realistic worry that by the end of next season, both will be gone and Bama will be starting over instead of passing the torch as Coffee did to Ingram.
The Ugly....
How many times can someone wonder who number 26 is?
Really, is there a reason to wonder if a walkon running back is a player? I'm happy for a guy to live the dream, but folks I really wish fans would ask more about the secondary than who the 5th string tail is.
Depth Chart
1st String- Ingram/Richardson. 1A and 1B really, but Ingram will get more touches
3rd String- Goode. Hunch says they are trying to get Lacy to turn a corner and putting him 4th will help with that if he hasn't started the turn by the end of the month.
4th String- Lacy
July 26, 2010
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Quarterbacks
I pushed this back a little due to the Partygate thread wave, but now practice starts and we can all think about actual football. So with that said..
LAST YEAR RECAP
The amusing thing about fans is that while McElroy played really well in 10 out of 14 games, they like to talk about those 4. Last season's QB recap can be summed up in 3 games: Virginia Tech, Auburn, and Florida. They can because those 3 are the 3 games that needed the QB to win the game for them, and he did. For all the complaints, for all the "AJ will start ifs" and all the bullshit that comes from fans across the Internets, not once in 2009 did McElroy endanger the team's chances of winning. Even in his worst games, he didn't quit or go into his shell the way that Jarrett Lee has or Tim Tebow did after he got rocked. The 3 games referenced are great indications of why McElroy doesn't lose often. Remember back to VT, the team was rattled, they were getting beat up by the Tech Defense early, but McElroy didn't quit, he slowly dug his way out of the trenches and then started to control the game and finished with a flurry after missing his first 7 out of 8. Against Auburn, nothing had gone well....NOTHING. However, the team had held on and was in a position to win the game in the end. They needed Greg to be Greg, and he commanded the pocket and the huddle and it was almost a throwback to Barker's days where you almost knew they were going to win just because he had the ball. I think the biggest boost to why the staff is locked in on McElroy is displayed in this game.
In the goal line, the call was to grind out and play for a field goal, but Saban chose to use Greg's abilities and play for the lock down win. Remember, a FG there doesn't ice it, but a TD makes things hard for Auburn to recover in less than a minute. Saban trusted McElroy to win the game, and he did. Against Florida, he owned Florida and played through pain in the end to crush them. Those are the games that make 2009 what it was for the quarterbacks.
THIS OFFSEASON
Who is back?
Greg McElroy. Can he hit all the throws? No, or at least he wasn't last we saw him. Does that matter? No. I really tire of that argument as to why someone should or shouldn't start. Has a Nick Saban team ever won anything throwing the ball around? Not really, he likes control and time consumption, not WAC stat lines. McElroy is the guy in the huddle who gets the guys to where they need to be mentally. You can see that time and time again as the team struggled, he amped them up, when they needed to get poised, he calmed them. When things went bad for him and he wasn't at his best, he didn't dwell or point about it, he accepted it and worked through it. I do think that we will see more of his abilities this fall though because he's now faced 14 rough games....well maybe 11 tough ones. He's now had the entire summer to get the kinks worked out, and if he can get a 2nd WR to play consistent, watch out. Regardless, as long as he controls the huddle, keeps the offense moving in the right direction, and scoring points, he's going to be remembered fondly in time. He had plenty of reasons to quit, but his patience paid off in the end.
AJ McCarron- AJ is a 4 star QB that comes from a HS that is rich in college profile players. He has a good arm, not a cannon, and is accurate when his mechanics are on. He has a tendency to not set and throw and forgets his fundamentals at times. When he's got his stuff together, he's a very capable pocket QB. He likes to sit in the pocket and check down, not real wild about getting out in space and creating or doing a waggle. His throwing motion is good, and he whips the ball around the way you are taught, and the ball comes out fast so he avoids sacks. The ball rarely drops below the pad and it comes out at the point of release not too early or late. His footwork is improving and he sets up better now than he did in HS. The thing that AJ has to learn or earn is how to lead and how to deal with adversity. He has had his visits to the dog house since arriving and needs to continue to prove those days are over. Relax team AJ fans, he didn't shoot fireworks or anything bad, he just let the staff down a bit when they tested him. AJ will play some this year, how much will depend on what kinda lead they build and other situations, but I don't see anything indicating that he's going to start or push to start this year. He'll get broken in some and play with the 1s and 2s to get some film for the staff to work with, and then next spring it is his to lose.
Who is gone?
Star Jackson. I wasn't surprised that he went in a new direction. He never could get over the fact that his arm wasn't what they wanted him to use.
Thomas Darrah. Somewhere, the fans of Darrah are in their jorts ready to seek revenge. I just hope they are loose fitting and not nut huggers.
Who is new?
Phillip Sims- He has all the ability to be great, there is no questioning that. I don't know that he'll play any this year, but it won't be because he's not ready or not good enough. He has the big arm, good mechanics, and doesn't fear getting hit. His main issue is that his throwing motion is slower than old people screwing. I think this fall he needs to show that he can handle being the scout QB, and show the staff that he's got the mental game down. That always wins with Saban over physical attributes.
THE QUARTERBACKS
The Good…
A proven QB
For all the doubts about him and complaints, he is one of the most experienced QBs in the SEC and already one of the winningest. McElroy will only grow from his experiences and with that and his abilities, I can see good things for the offense this year.
A better schedule for QBs
Sounds like a bad grunge band name, but it is true. There are not as many buzz saw defenses to face like what they saw last year. Penn State is going to be tough, but they are not fast like what Bama sees all fall in the conference. Florida and USCar will be the best 2 they see this fall, but he's already experienced all they have to offer.
The quality of depth is improving each fall
This is a cut and paste from last year but still valid: I think as long as I live, I will remember the Croyle/Pennington/Guillon/Avalos fiasco season where the defense won all 6 games for them and the offense resembled a 9-10 year old rec team. Saban realized early on he didn't have much to work with, and really he is still pretty thin if he is using walkons above 3rd string at times. This fall, however, he has McElroy who has the potential to be very good, McCarron who has the potential to be a long term answer for the team, and Phillip Sims has that potential as well. It seems like 100 years ago that things were that bad, and who knows we may all be snowed over on the talent of these guys, but I doubt that.
The Bad...
The Team AJ v. Team Greg thing...
It really isn't down to fighting yet, but there is always the group that loves the backup QB. I did when Wilson was the QB because he shakes like a tree when he gets hit, and wanted to see McElroy play in 08, but for the most part I usually accept that there is a reason why the depth chart is what it is. Not to jump off subject much, but what would we be talking bout if he had gone to McElroy in 08? Do we talk about our repeat champions or not? Interesting random thought to ponder. When this battle on message boards and coffee tables rages, it will be about experience vs. potential. That's really all AJ can show fans is potential, but he has nothing real to go on yet. That will change this fall, but every time AJ plays, you can bet that there will be about 50 dumb animals who say "see that is who we need out there, he can hit all the throws". Again with the throws thing.....anyways, it will be there and it can be divisive if not handled well by fans and others. My hope is some will just let things be and enjoy what we are seeing and not trying to tinker so much now that Bama is on top.
The Ugly…
The worst case scenario
The traditional ugly for me at QB. The thing here is that we don't know much beyond McElroy. We think, but we don't know. It is one thing to look good in 7 on 7s (total snow job as far as talent evaluation goes) and it is hard to know when watching practices or scrimmages because there are so many situational drills that you can't tell much by them, but it is another thing to look great vs. live opponents. If McElroy gets hurt, and AJ isn't all that we all think he can be, things can get real bad real fast even if the defenses aren't as mean this year. They're still mean enough for a green QB.
DEPTH CHART
Starter- McElroy. even if he loses a game, it is his job for the year.
2nd String- AJ McCarron. He now gets the tough task of waiting and dealing with the wait.
3rd String- Ogilvie. Only because I think Sims will redshirt if at all possible. Look for Morgan to run the clock out vs. San Jose and GA State.
LAST YEAR RECAP
The amusing thing about fans is that while McElroy played really well in 10 out of 14 games, they like to talk about those 4. Last season's QB recap can be summed up in 3 games: Virginia Tech, Auburn, and Florida. They can because those 3 are the 3 games that needed the QB to win the game for them, and he did. For all the complaints, for all the "AJ will start ifs" and all the bullshit that comes from fans across the Internets, not once in 2009 did McElroy endanger the team's chances of winning. Even in his worst games, he didn't quit or go into his shell the way that Jarrett Lee has or Tim Tebow did after he got rocked. The 3 games referenced are great indications of why McElroy doesn't lose often. Remember back to VT, the team was rattled, they were getting beat up by the Tech Defense early, but McElroy didn't quit, he slowly dug his way out of the trenches and then started to control the game and finished with a flurry after missing his first 7 out of 8. Against Auburn, nothing had gone well....NOTHING. However, the team had held on and was in a position to win the game in the end. They needed Greg to be Greg, and he commanded the pocket and the huddle and it was almost a throwback to Barker's days where you almost knew they were going to win just because he had the ball. I think the biggest boost to why the staff is locked in on McElroy is displayed in this game.
In the goal line, the call was to grind out and play for a field goal, but Saban chose to use Greg's abilities and play for the lock down win. Remember, a FG there doesn't ice it, but a TD makes things hard for Auburn to recover in less than a minute. Saban trusted McElroy to win the game, and he did. Against Florida, he owned Florida and played through pain in the end to crush them. Those are the games that make 2009 what it was for the quarterbacks.
THIS OFFSEASON
Who is back?
Greg McElroy. Can he hit all the throws? No, or at least he wasn't last we saw him. Does that matter? No. I really tire of that argument as to why someone should or shouldn't start. Has a Nick Saban team ever won anything throwing the ball around? Not really, he likes control and time consumption, not WAC stat lines. McElroy is the guy in the huddle who gets the guys to where they need to be mentally. You can see that time and time again as the team struggled, he amped them up, when they needed to get poised, he calmed them. When things went bad for him and he wasn't at his best, he didn't dwell or point about it, he accepted it and worked through it. I do think that we will see more of his abilities this fall though because he's now faced 14 rough games....well maybe 11 tough ones. He's now had the entire summer to get the kinks worked out, and if he can get a 2nd WR to play consistent, watch out. Regardless, as long as he controls the huddle, keeps the offense moving in the right direction, and scoring points, he's going to be remembered fondly in time. He had plenty of reasons to quit, but his patience paid off in the end.
AJ McCarron- AJ is a 4 star QB that comes from a HS that is rich in college profile players. He has a good arm, not a cannon, and is accurate when his mechanics are on. He has a tendency to not set and throw and forgets his fundamentals at times. When he's got his stuff together, he's a very capable pocket QB. He likes to sit in the pocket and check down, not real wild about getting out in space and creating or doing a waggle. His throwing motion is good, and he whips the ball around the way you are taught, and the ball comes out fast so he avoids sacks. The ball rarely drops below the pad and it comes out at the point of release not too early or late. His footwork is improving and he sets up better now than he did in HS. The thing that AJ has to learn or earn is how to lead and how to deal with adversity. He has had his visits to the dog house since arriving and needs to continue to prove those days are over. Relax team AJ fans, he didn't shoot fireworks or anything bad, he just let the staff down a bit when they tested him. AJ will play some this year, how much will depend on what kinda lead they build and other situations, but I don't see anything indicating that he's going to start or push to start this year. He'll get broken in some and play with the 1s and 2s to get some film for the staff to work with, and then next spring it is his to lose.
Who is gone?
Star Jackson. I wasn't surprised that he went in a new direction. He never could get over the fact that his arm wasn't what they wanted him to use.
Thomas Darrah. Somewhere, the fans of Darrah are in their jorts ready to seek revenge. I just hope they are loose fitting and not nut huggers.
Who is new?
Phillip Sims- He has all the ability to be great, there is no questioning that. I don't know that he'll play any this year, but it won't be because he's not ready or not good enough. He has the big arm, good mechanics, and doesn't fear getting hit. His main issue is that his throwing motion is slower than old people screwing. I think this fall he needs to show that he can handle being the scout QB, and show the staff that he's got the mental game down. That always wins with Saban over physical attributes.
THE QUARTERBACKS
The Good…
A proven QB
For all the doubts about him and complaints, he is one of the most experienced QBs in the SEC and already one of the winningest. McElroy will only grow from his experiences and with that and his abilities, I can see good things for the offense this year.
A better schedule for QBs
Sounds like a bad grunge band name, but it is true. There are not as many buzz saw defenses to face like what they saw last year. Penn State is going to be tough, but they are not fast like what Bama sees all fall in the conference. Florida and USCar will be the best 2 they see this fall, but he's already experienced all they have to offer.
The quality of depth is improving each fall
This is a cut and paste from last year but still valid: I think as long as I live, I will remember the Croyle/Pennington/Guillon/Avalos fiasco season where the defense won all 6 games for them and the offense resembled a 9-10 year old rec team. Saban realized early on he didn't have much to work with, and really he is still pretty thin if he is using walkons above 3rd string at times. This fall, however, he has McElroy who has the potential to be very good, McCarron who has the potential to be a long term answer for the team, and Phillip Sims has that potential as well. It seems like 100 years ago that things were that bad, and who knows we may all be snowed over on the talent of these guys, but I doubt that.
The Bad...
The Team AJ v. Team Greg thing...
It really isn't down to fighting yet, but there is always the group that loves the backup QB. I did when Wilson was the QB because he shakes like a tree when he gets hit, and wanted to see McElroy play in 08, but for the most part I usually accept that there is a reason why the depth chart is what it is. Not to jump off subject much, but what would we be talking bout if he had gone to McElroy in 08? Do we talk about our repeat champions or not? Interesting random thought to ponder. When this battle on message boards and coffee tables rages, it will be about experience vs. potential. That's really all AJ can show fans is potential, but he has nothing real to go on yet. That will change this fall, but every time AJ plays, you can bet that there will be about 50 dumb animals who say "see that is who we need out there, he can hit all the throws". Again with the throws thing.....anyways, it will be there and it can be divisive if not handled well by fans and others. My hope is some will just let things be and enjoy what we are seeing and not trying to tinker so much now that Bama is on top.
The Ugly…
The worst case scenario
The traditional ugly for me at QB. The thing here is that we don't know much beyond McElroy. We think, but we don't know. It is one thing to look good in 7 on 7s (total snow job as far as talent evaluation goes) and it is hard to know when watching practices or scrimmages because there are so many situational drills that you can't tell much by them, but it is another thing to look great vs. live opponents. If McElroy gets hurt, and AJ isn't all that we all think he can be, things can get real bad real fast even if the defenses aren't as mean this year. They're still mean enough for a green QB.
DEPTH CHART
Starter- McElroy. even if he loses a game, it is his job for the year.
2nd String- AJ McCarron. He now gets the tough task of waiting and dealing with the wait.
3rd String- Ogilvie. Only because I think Sims will redshirt if at all possible. Look for Morgan to run the clock out vs. San Jose and GA State.
July 19, 2010
Random Thoughts- The Devil in Optimism
Since summer 2 a days are on the way, well everywhere but Athens (weak), it is time to dust off the GBU preseason guide and start looking down the chart and talking through the good, the bad, and the potential ugly of the 2010 team.
This is really a delicate time for the Crimson Tide in a sense that while they have a lot of reasons to be optimistic and you want your team to believe it can be a champion, there are pitfalls ahead if you get too positive and only focus on the strengths of the team. It would be easy for the Tide to rest on its laurels and do what most teams have done not named USCal and Nebraska over the last 2 decades, but we know that Saban is a little different than that and the quest to repeat is something I think he really, REALLY wants to do.
Saban will earn his payday and then some this fall because now instead of pushing the team to be a champion, they have to play the role of a champion and defend it. They have the talent across the board, they have experienced leaders, they have depth at most areas, they have great coaches, so one would think this is a sure bet, right? Guarding and managing optimism and confidence will be a tough act for a coach that hasn't had to do that much in the last 3 years. If you think back, his first year was about showing them the way, the second was continuing to show the way and build up from that, last year was about finishing what they built, and now it is about what they have built and continuing to build from that. Confusing ain't it? Some will say "Saban has a plan.", others will say "There is nothing wrong with being confident and optimistic.", and they are right to a point. However, there is a reason nobody since USCal (technically) and Nebraska have repeated in the modern era as national champs. LSU's championship teams with Saban and Myles fell flat and did not even attempt to repeat in the end. Florida has come the closest with their 08 and 09 seasons, but they found tough opposition all through 2009 that caught up with them when Bama waited for the revenge they sought.
That's where Bama is now. They all want to be the one that takes Bama down. Every team Bama plays this fall will be circling the game and talking about it in summer drills and fall practices. They will be talking about it in the weight rooms. They will mention it in film over and over. Teams like USCar and UF will be dying for a second chance. Teams like Auburn and Tennessee will be wanting to show the world that they figured out the trick of beating Saban. The devil in optimism is that while Bama has all the pieces to win again, there are several teams looking for ways to take the pieces apart and run through them.
There are 5 things ahead that you will hear and will make you think perfection is ahead, but moderate what you read and hear with what it really means. There are pitfalls in the 5 areas.
This is really a delicate time for the Crimson Tide in a sense that while they have a lot of reasons to be optimistic and you want your team to believe it can be a champion, there are pitfalls ahead if you get too positive and only focus on the strengths of the team. It would be easy for the Tide to rest on its laurels and do what most teams have done not named USCal and Nebraska over the last 2 decades, but we know that Saban is a little different than that and the quest to repeat is something I think he really, REALLY wants to do.
Saban will earn his payday and then some this fall because now instead of pushing the team to be a champion, they have to play the role of a champion and defend it. They have the talent across the board, they have experienced leaders, they have depth at most areas, they have great coaches, so one would think this is a sure bet, right? Guarding and managing optimism and confidence will be a tough act for a coach that hasn't had to do that much in the last 3 years. If you think back, his first year was about showing them the way, the second was continuing to show the way and build up from that, last year was about finishing what they built, and now it is about what they have built and continuing to build from that. Confusing ain't it? Some will say "Saban has a plan.", others will say "There is nothing wrong with being confident and optimistic.", and they are right to a point. However, there is a reason nobody since USCal (technically) and Nebraska have repeated in the modern era as national champs. LSU's championship teams with Saban and Myles fell flat and did not even attempt to repeat in the end. Florida has come the closest with their 08 and 09 seasons, but they found tough opposition all through 2009 that caught up with them when Bama waited for the revenge they sought.
That's where Bama is now. They all want to be the one that takes Bama down. Every team Bama plays this fall will be circling the game and talking about it in summer drills and fall practices. They will be talking about it in the weight rooms. They will mention it in film over and over. Teams like USCar and UF will be dying for a second chance. Teams like Auburn and Tennessee will be wanting to show the world that they figured out the trick of beating Saban. The devil in optimism is that while Bama has all the pieces to win again, there are several teams looking for ways to take the pieces apart and run through them.
There are 5 things ahead that you will hear and will make you think perfection is ahead, but moderate what you read and hear with what it really means. There are pitfalls in the 5 areas.
1. 7 on 7 drills. 7 on 7 drills are a great way to get deceived when it gets down to it. If you have heard that everyone looks awesome in 7 on 7 s, it is because it is easier to look sharp in that setting. Remember, Star Jackson, Brandon Avalos, Nick Fanuzzi, and others have looked good to the naked eye in that setting. I know from listening to Saban's caravan tour that he values leadership and more intangible items than he does who can jump high, run the fastest, or throw the farthest. 7 on 7s are good for seeing potential, but never ever take them and try to make more than it is.
2. Summer practices open to public. It seems like every year this becomes a real session of who can bullshit the highest when someone gets to view a scrimmage or practice and go online and tell all about it. The thing that I come away with when you ask them about what they saw is pretty much what they wanted to see. The problem comes in when you cannot tell the factual part from the perception. Case in point- how many times did you hear that certain players were studs, beasts, etc. and then they never break the 2 deep? We are all guilty of having pet players or whatever you wanna call it. One poster on a site of bowel movement nature had a thing for Hannaran and he was gonna be special, I couldn't tell you what he looked like much less. Probably the best example is last year's scrimmages. There were some who said McElroy was throwing behind the WRs and they thought Star looked better, others hailed him as greatness. Then you heard later in the year that at any moment, Coach Saban was going to pull McElroy for AJ because he was getting snaps in practice. Folks, if you played any sports at all you know that in some cases, the coaches will let the 2nd string guys fill in during practice to get them ready for emergency needs. Starters pretty well know the playbook (at least in Saban times they do, pre-Saban/post-Stallings not so much at times) and it is good to work through fresh legs and rest tired ones. Does that relay in the posting or emails? No, but it does make for great thread counts and e-fights. I can't think of one game where I thought he was going to lose his job because they were never really behind or struggling to stay in the game for that matter, but again, someone said somewhere.....
3. That damn depth chart. You can fall into the Saban trap and have to chew your leg off to get out if you put deep stock in an early depth chart. I always get a kick out of depth chart analysis. I've learned it is about as good as the paper it is printed on until opening day kickoff. Even then, you trust it with your own peril because Saban isn't afraid to switch around til he likes what he sees. Remember, Barrett Jones came out of nowhere to be the starter, as did Drew Davis, Javier Arenas, and Kareem Jackson became a starter half way through his first year. Dont'a Hightower was a surprise when he beat Prince Hall out in 2008 (well at the time it was). Brandon Fanney surprised several by winning the Jack job after Knight was hurt. The list goes on, but you get the idea. When the depth chart comes out, don't put it in stone just yet.
4. When Coach Saban mentions players.... Another pitfall for endless misplaced optimism comes every press conference that Saban does. It is no wonder he gets pissed and chews reporters for asking questions at times, when he knows the answers will have fans off in a delusional theory fest over every word he lets out. Saban does 2 things in the press conferences that I've picked up on. First, he tries to give as many "shout outs" as he can. It helps their confidence and it helps recruiting to know that you can be mentioned on TV everyday. Second, he takes the time given to put inside messages to players not making the cut. We don't ever know the who, but you can usually pick up on it when he says it. I listen closely to his conferences but I don't try to analyze them very much because Monday could be a bad day, Tuesday a great one, and so on.
5. This year is the year because a player had X stars in high school... My favorite thing in the world is how popular culture has made stars in again. We got them for doing good in kindergarten and now we can see them if you can play ball. If you read my blog often, you know I don't like the star ratings because it is too much gospel for some and they can't understand why a Von Ewing, Albert Means, etc. didn't cut it. I prefer to actually see them play before I get wild about a player. The Team AJ bunch lynches to this a lot because he was a 4 star QB from Mobile. In case you missed it, he had 4 stars....no snaps....no starts... but 4 stars. I know as I type this, Team AJ will stand in their jorts and howl at me. In a couple of days, you'll see I like AJ as much as anyone, but I'm not delusional yet. Tyler Love comes to mind in the stars = starts someday soon thought. Love for the life of him is big enough to play, but isn't going to unless someone gets hurt. There is a lot more to it than just how you look in a jersey or in video against the rug rats of your class level, but how you can project to grow. Sometimes, players are as far as they can go when you are seeing them recruited. Sometimes, a player has a lot of untapped potential that we can't see on film (Arenas comes to mind). So just blurting out "he is a 4 star/5 star and the starter was a 3 star" doesn't really mean much when it gets down to it.
In the end, optimism is a good thing, it makes things go forward, but too much or misplaced optimism can have the exact opposite effect. There are a lot of things to be excited about. You'll see that in each posting as we talk about each roster position. However, if you think this team will easily roll through, or even go undefeated right now, your optimism is probably too high just yet. I know from listening to Saban speak and reading the pre-season mags, he is trying to temper the enthusiasm and keep things more like they were than what they are.
That's kinda the focus this pre-season, where can fans really be optimistic and where might they temper it a bit. In the past, we've always talked about who it would take to be champions, so that's a nice change to go to. It took the GBU/Random Thoughts blog 9 years to get to that point and it wandered through some really bad days, but the fun part is ahead. After this season, the 10 year "special" comes up where I've saved some of the best thoughts and comments over 10 years for a rainy day. Lots of humor in them, although at the time, I don't think some got the "if you don't laugh at it you will cry" style that I use at times. Hopefully it will be after discussion of the repeat, but even if that doesn't occur, I think we'll all be happier with the results now than 10 years ago. I know I will be.
June 11, 2010
Random Thoughts
Lots of football talk for a summer day!
USC gets their knees taken out.... or did they?
Here's kinda the long and short of USC's punishment: they got a beating on paper, but how bad will it really hit them? The 2 year bowl ban hurts, but it just gave Kiffen a 2 year window to lob lolly around and it not matter. The 3 years of reduced scholarships could hurt, but when you look at a lot of teams you start to see that most get about 15 guys they can use out of each class. The other 10 either don't qualify, don't cut it once on campus, or go pro early. If USC continues to have that issue, then it hurts deep and true, but if they get 15 Cali men like they always do, it won't hurt them nearly as much. Now, I can answer the question that most Bama boards will rip into when they read that: "but but but Bama got hurt when they got hit, it will hurt them, you are stupid"....yes, but Bama recruiting was being done by a pair of pussies. As much as it hurts to say, Fran and Shula couldn't recruit near the level that Kiffen/Big O do (and yes they cheat, but nobody has ever busted them). Also, California, like Texas and Florida, can supply you with 15 starters each year. So, time will tell, but I think the fans getting a hard on for the punishment haven't thought it over in any depth. I do wonder how this case and Ohio State are different? Or some of the things Notre Dame has been accused of?
Speaking of, why all the joy over it? When it was our fans suffering, we'd be crying if anyone cheered. I can't recall USC ever singing the praises, hell they couldn't they were rebuilding with Carroll at the time. I'm sure a person somewhere will say a fan of USC's said something somewhere.... Gotta love the Internets, it all gets deleted over time so you can say it and it is almost true..... I think, personally, that the best response from a fan base on the matter is no response. It wasn't fun for us as fans, nor was it fun for the programs, so acting like we get pleasure from others pain is a little dangerous. Besides, they get the right to appeal and it might be dropped down still. I know some fans want to say "it was the probation" that made Fran and Shula fail, and I won't deny it played a part, but it was also them and their lack of discipline, focus, or ability to understand what it took to build a winner. If either were coach now at Bama, do you really think it doesn't makes a difference? If you want to know what level they were, how many were left when Saban won a national title? Not many.
Big 12 minus 9 equals 3 teams that just got raped...
And they were playing "Body is a Wonderland" in the background. I understand why Nebraska told the 12 to suck it. Rewind to the last 10 seconds of this past year's Big 12 championship game, and you get a good example of how the politics are there. Nebraska lost a lot of its ground as the Big 12 "matured" and that didn't sit well with them. I think they will like the Big 10 plus 2 anyways as they can fit in with a group of schools that have tradition similar to theirs. Colorado doesn't have the tradition, but they were always like Arkansas is to the SEC, that other school kinda furthest from. They beat the rush to the Pac 10, or whatever they name it next year. Will they prosper there? Probably not, but they see the future of college football.
The "super conferences" are where the game is going. Dead will be the NCAA, and BCS, and in its place will be 4 conferences maybe a few more that have the power to make things happen. There has long been a growing frustration over the lack of control that Universities have had. That has finally been answered by consolidation. 8 voices cannot find plurality, but 4 can. If you get the Big 10, SEC, Pac whatever, and ACC all on the same wavelength, you have enough heavy hitters to push the BCS and NCAA out of the way. The WAC and CUSA may be extinct if they can't land some weight soon. Is that good or bad? Time will tell, but my gut shot says it will end the constant problem that the BCS creates and force the NCAA to be equal to all for once, or at least more equal than they have been in the past.
I do worry about Kansas. Here is one of the nation's best basketball programs and they are about homeless. Their football program was improving with Manchild, who is now gone over nothing, and they too now are destitute. Baylor may not survive this and be a shell of its former self if it cannot get in with any conference that has the same stature that the Big 12 and old SWC had. I really am not wild about OU coming to the SEC for 2 reasons: 1, they are pretty damn far out there, and 2, they bring baggage of scandals and cheating with them that a conference like the SEC has enough issues with. Texas hasn't got the interest in the SEC because they can't dominate its structure and rules like they are used to. Again, see the last 10 seconds of the Nebraska game. I also can't stand to see Stoops lobby mediocre teams to play games that they really don't deserve.
So what is the SEC to do? Get two or 4 mid tiers? Va Tech, Miami, FSU, and Clemmmpson aren't really SEC improvements when you get down to it. There is no Bowden to make FSU appealing, and Beamer isn't going to be there much longer at Tech. Miami isn't the U any more, and the Tigers are always this year's pretenders. They would make SEC baseball better though, but the SEC isn't about baseball exactly is it? Texas aTm is kinda like Auburn, they are only relevant because they pester big brother (Texa$). Sure Beebs is there and all, but what do they do for Bama and the conference as a whole? Not much. OU would somewhat but again having to listen to another whiny coach is more than the fan bases can handle. Texa$ would but they don't come here unless they can control it because they are Texa$....supposedly that means something to somebody. If they do expand, the West is the shaken side for it. It also will more than likely push Bama and Auburn to the East and leave them playing Florida and Georgia every year. Of course, the alternative is to play the new additions from the West plus LSU. Choose your poison I suppose, but you can make things too competitive and hurt the total brand the way the SEC did for a while.
In the end, the SEC is almost as well off to stay as is and resist the urge to add schools that do not improve the best conference in America. The SEC has been bigger than most conferences for a while, and you can be too big....Pac Man 400 ya hearin me?.....and change too much. If the right combo comes along and it can improve the SEC brand, I say do it, but the names I keep reading (the 4 ACCs, aTm, OU) don't really make me jump up and cheer.
Cheating and Trophies...
Ivan Maisel writes a good article about cheating and being caught after the fact. It isn't like Niekro slinging the sand paper out as the game is going, or instant replay catching a missed call, or a player testing positive for PEDs during the season. The problem with taking back trophies like the BCS title and Heisman is that it unwinds an accomplishment and opens the door to a host of losers to say it belongs to them. You can bet that Auburn and Oklahoma will start chirping about their claim, but you can't replay the game with those players except on XBox and PS2 (sadly, this took so long that both systems are now antiques to the 360 and PS3). You can't give it to one because OU got its ass handed to them by USC by more than just Reggie Bush (who still says he and his family did nothing) and Auburn didn't exactly play anyone to give them that honor...again, VA Tech doesn't help the conference. So does vacating the title help matters? Maybe. But you play the game to have champions, we all like a winner and a finish not a draw or an ending that has no meaning. So, it really is a tough thing to say one way or another. Same for the Heisman, who deserves it if Reggie doesn't? It isn't like Reggie didn't play hard and really play well to not get that honor. It isn't like what Reggie did is worse than what OJ has done in life or Billy Cannon for that matter.
The mess is deep and true, that much is for sure. I do know this, the powers that be need to look at Bud Selig for a litmus test of how to handle the imperfection at hand. The Tigers' Armando Galaraga had a perfect game taken from him, but Selig had the wisdom (for once) to see that if you start tinkering with history and try to "fix" it, you only create situations where it could be worse than what you have.
USC gets their knees taken out.... or did they?
Here's kinda the long and short of USC's punishment: they got a beating on paper, but how bad will it really hit them? The 2 year bowl ban hurts, but it just gave Kiffen a 2 year window to lob lolly around and it not matter. The 3 years of reduced scholarships could hurt, but when you look at a lot of teams you start to see that most get about 15 guys they can use out of each class. The other 10 either don't qualify, don't cut it once on campus, or go pro early. If USC continues to have that issue, then it hurts deep and true, but if they get 15 Cali men like they always do, it won't hurt them nearly as much. Now, I can answer the question that most Bama boards will rip into when they read that: "but but but Bama got hurt when they got hit, it will hurt them, you are stupid"....yes, but Bama recruiting was being done by a pair of pussies. As much as it hurts to say, Fran and Shula couldn't recruit near the level that Kiffen/Big O do (and yes they cheat, but nobody has ever busted them). Also, California, like Texas and Florida, can supply you with 15 starters each year. So, time will tell, but I think the fans getting a hard on for the punishment haven't thought it over in any depth. I do wonder how this case and Ohio State are different? Or some of the things Notre Dame has been accused of?
Speaking of, why all the joy over it? When it was our fans suffering, we'd be crying if anyone cheered. I can't recall USC ever singing the praises, hell they couldn't they were rebuilding with Carroll at the time. I'm sure a person somewhere will say a fan of USC's said something somewhere.... Gotta love the Internets, it all gets deleted over time so you can say it and it is almost true..... I think, personally, that the best response from a fan base on the matter is no response. It wasn't fun for us as fans, nor was it fun for the programs, so acting like we get pleasure from others pain is a little dangerous. Besides, they get the right to appeal and it might be dropped down still. I know some fans want to say "it was the probation" that made Fran and Shula fail, and I won't deny it played a part, but it was also them and their lack of discipline, focus, or ability to understand what it took to build a winner. If either were coach now at Bama, do you really think it doesn't makes a difference? If you want to know what level they were, how many were left when Saban won a national title? Not many.
Big 12 minus 9 equals 3 teams that just got raped...
And they were playing "Body is a Wonderland" in the background. I understand why Nebraska told the 12 to suck it. Rewind to the last 10 seconds of this past year's Big 12 championship game, and you get a good example of how the politics are there. Nebraska lost a lot of its ground as the Big 12 "matured" and that didn't sit well with them. I think they will like the Big 10 plus 2 anyways as they can fit in with a group of schools that have tradition similar to theirs. Colorado doesn't have the tradition, but they were always like Arkansas is to the SEC, that other school kinda furthest from. They beat the rush to the Pac 10, or whatever they name it next year. Will they prosper there? Probably not, but they see the future of college football.
The "super conferences" are where the game is going. Dead will be the NCAA, and BCS, and in its place will be 4 conferences maybe a few more that have the power to make things happen. There has long been a growing frustration over the lack of control that Universities have had. That has finally been answered by consolidation. 8 voices cannot find plurality, but 4 can. If you get the Big 10, SEC, Pac whatever, and ACC all on the same wavelength, you have enough heavy hitters to push the BCS and NCAA out of the way. The WAC and CUSA may be extinct if they can't land some weight soon. Is that good or bad? Time will tell, but my gut shot says it will end the constant problem that the BCS creates and force the NCAA to be equal to all for once, or at least more equal than they have been in the past.
I do worry about Kansas. Here is one of the nation's best basketball programs and they are about homeless. Their football program was improving with Manchild, who is now gone over nothing, and they too now are destitute. Baylor may not survive this and be a shell of its former self if it cannot get in with any conference that has the same stature that the Big 12 and old SWC had. I really am not wild about OU coming to the SEC for 2 reasons: 1, they are pretty damn far out there, and 2, they bring baggage of scandals and cheating with them that a conference like the SEC has enough issues with. Texas hasn't got the interest in the SEC because they can't dominate its structure and rules like they are used to. Again, see the last 10 seconds of the Nebraska game. I also can't stand to see Stoops lobby mediocre teams to play games that they really don't deserve.
So what is the SEC to do? Get two or 4 mid tiers? Va Tech, Miami, FSU, and Clemmmpson aren't really SEC improvements when you get down to it. There is no Bowden to make FSU appealing, and Beamer isn't going to be there much longer at Tech. Miami isn't the U any more, and the Tigers are always this year's pretenders. They would make SEC baseball better though, but the SEC isn't about baseball exactly is it? Texas aTm is kinda like Auburn, they are only relevant because they pester big brother (Texa$). Sure Beebs is there and all, but what do they do for Bama and the conference as a whole? Not much. OU would somewhat but again having to listen to another whiny coach is more than the fan bases can handle. Texa$ would but they don't come here unless they can control it because they are Texa$....supposedly that means something to somebody. If they do expand, the West is the shaken side for it. It also will more than likely push Bama and Auburn to the East and leave them playing Florida and Georgia every year. Of course, the alternative is to play the new additions from the West plus LSU. Choose your poison I suppose, but you can make things too competitive and hurt the total brand the way the SEC did for a while.
In the end, the SEC is almost as well off to stay as is and resist the urge to add schools that do not improve the best conference in America. The SEC has been bigger than most conferences for a while, and you can be too big....Pac Man 400 ya hearin me?.....and change too much. If the right combo comes along and it can improve the SEC brand, I say do it, but the names I keep reading (the 4 ACCs, aTm, OU) don't really make me jump up and cheer.
Cheating and Trophies...
Ivan Maisel writes a good article about cheating and being caught after the fact. It isn't like Niekro slinging the sand paper out as the game is going, or instant replay catching a missed call, or a player testing positive for PEDs during the season. The problem with taking back trophies like the BCS title and Heisman is that it unwinds an accomplishment and opens the door to a host of losers to say it belongs to them. You can bet that Auburn and Oklahoma will start chirping about their claim, but you can't replay the game with those players except on XBox and PS2 (sadly, this took so long that both systems are now antiques to the 360 and PS3). You can't give it to one because OU got its ass handed to them by USC by more than just Reggie Bush (who still says he and his family did nothing) and Auburn didn't exactly play anyone to give them that honor...again, VA Tech doesn't help the conference. So does vacating the title help matters? Maybe. But you play the game to have champions, we all like a winner and a finish not a draw or an ending that has no meaning. So, it really is a tough thing to say one way or another. Same for the Heisman, who deserves it if Reggie doesn't? It isn't like Reggie didn't play hard and really play well to not get that honor. It isn't like what Reggie did is worse than what OJ has done in life or Billy Cannon for that matter.
The mess is deep and true, that much is for sure. I do know this, the powers that be need to look at Bud Selig for a litmus test of how to handle the imperfection at hand. The Tigers' Armando Galaraga had a perfect game taken from him, but Selig had the wisdom (for once) to see that if you start tinkering with history and try to "fix" it, you only create situations where it could be worse than what you have.
April 18, 2010
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- A Day
Overall, if you are a coach or a team captain, you are a pretty happy camper this morning because A Day is over, the competition was good, the quality of depth is there for the most part, and nobody was hurt. Last year I went down the depth chart, and it seemed to work well, so we'll do that again....
Quarterbacks
Overall, I thought all 4 QBs played well overall. A few mistakes made by all, but you want that in the spring so there is something to chew on them during film and summer drills. I think the depth chart is pretty firm if all stays as is. McElroy is the starter, McCarron will get the mop up and maybe some early snaps against some teams. Jackson, assuming he stays, will be the 3rd by default because Sims will redshirt.
Star Jackson- I thought his first showing of A Day 10 was not his best. He didn't really look like he was thrilled with things, but then a few passes went his way and he started to look confident. I think he's coming along, but he just lacks the intangibles that McElroy and McCarron have to get up the depth chart.
AJ McCarron- I think the folklore and desire to have a gunslinger has moved from Darrah to AJ. At least they will get their wish eventually. There is no question that when the time comes, he'll be ready. He's confident, has the arm and the size to be anything he wants to be. He just needs time and a little more coaching about handling situations. By that, I mean he needs to work on his awareness at times. Saban grilled him for not thinking through a couple of plays (he misread the D once, threw over the middle of the field to throw the ball away, and threw into triple coverage a couple of times), and he made a poor decision on the grounding call, and he was 3 yards beyond the line when he flipped the pass to TR, but as the game went on, the better he played. As to the debate over AJ and Greg, it is pure Internet bullshit. He's gonna start, but not this year unless Greg gets hurt. Losing a game or two will not result in any player being benched for that. I think that as far as when AJ finishes vs. where Greg finishes, AJ will be far beyond him possibly if he continues to grow.
Greg McElroy- McElroy is a nice compliment for AJ to learn from. Greg's biggest asset to the team is that he is an extension of the staff in the huddle. The term game manager gets mangled by folks, but the last two titles Bama won were QB'd by game managers. Must work somehow despite the moniker being such with fans and their desire to see ESPN stat lines. Greg doesn't have a cannon arm, but he doesn't make many bad throws ( the INT was bad, but from TV land it was hard to tell what happened), and he makes the plays when he has to make them. The Auburn and Florida game seem to be distant memories for a bunch out there. The bottom line is that this offense has a foundation with 2 Heisman running backs and an experienced QB that keeps the offense in check and doesn't lose games. I really think once it gets to fall game time, his play probably will grow as experience and more snaps with the 1s will help him. I think with the pressure not on him to win games, and letting the 2
Phillip Sims- I will say this, if you want to know what kinda guts he has, his first completion was with Barron in his grill. His mechanics are solid, and like Travis said, he needs to speed up the wheelhouse. I don't see anything in Sims game that gives me gas yet. He didn't complete many, thanks to Julio, but he has good zip on the ball, and didn't blink or show uncertainty with the first string on him.
Running Backs
The interesting thing here is that there is a lot of quality depth here. Ingram has no worries as the 1st RB, Richardson also is locked in at 2, the question starts at 3. Upchurch's role is up for grabs and Lacy and Goode look to be in a good race to be that guy. Lacy probably is ahead but it isn't as much as I would have guessed before Saturday.
Demetrius Goode- I thought he had a better day than he did a year ago. He's not letting the 3rd string role go without a fight and I like that. His TD run was a really good sign that he's ready to show up and be a player again. I don't know if he can beat Lacy out, but I will say that I was really surprised to see him playing with confidence after last year's timid showings.
Jeramie Griffin- I think he's fighting through the rehab and knee fears, but he made a good catch for a big man and looked like he wanted to play. I think he'll get some snaps in the fall, but the number per game will probably be higher early in the year than later.
Ben Howell- It is always nice to see a walkon earn a little PT, and he did late.
Mark Ingram- There just isn't a lot he can't do. I think that he has a great chance to win the Heisman again, but this year I think he will be more balanced. I think a 1200 yard rushing, 500-600 receiving year may be ahead.
Eddie Lacy- The guy has the potential to do a lot in his time on campus. He just needs to be patient and pay the dues. Lacy shows a lot of vision for a guy his age and that's impressive because young RBs like to burst then look not look then burst. He needs to work on his running style some, he gets too high and that's usually how knee injuries occur.
Trent Richardson- TR has all the tools to be a Heisman winner as well. I don't know if he will get enough snaps and situations to do such, but there is nothing in his game that says he can't. His hands are improving and his blocking was better. If he can continue to block or work to improve it, that will be a big thing for this offense. The OL issues being what they are, if he can knock a rush end off the route, that frees up more options for McElroy to go to.
Wide Receivers
I think the discussion about coaching with the WRs has merit. If you missed it, a fella had the balls to say Cignetti needed to go. While I don't think he needs to be fired, I do think the coaching has not improved the talent they have. There is this bland retort about how a few looked good this spring during A Day. My reply is remember how McCoy always did too? The issue is this, drops are mental, but when one guy has it, it is one guy. When the whole crew has the drops, and Jones/Hanks/Maze all have gone through spells, it is more than the guys, it is about coaching and breaking errors. The Texas game still lingers as a bench mark of where this unit is and where it has to go to meet the potential that they have.
Earl Alexander- I didn't notice him playing, probably hurt himself trying to put his name on his EA jersey. I really think it is time for fans to move on here. He just can't stay healthy long enough to be much of a ball player.
Kenny Bell- I was happy to see him moving and working hard to get up the chart. I think he's got the speed to be a nice 4 guy in the spread. The area that he needs to work on is his upper body strength. He needs to be able to create separation and that sometimes needs to come from a push that he just can't do. Fulton pushed him around at times. Outside of that, he has good hands, and his routes seemed to be
Michael Bowman- Out with an injury. Bowman will play again this fall, but he better start moving faster and catching better than he has. Norwood and Bell and Gibson all could fill his role.
Brandon Gibson- Gibson had a better spring than any he had before. He may be the 4 going into the fall. I think he could be a good slot guy to compliment Jones or Maze outside, but with Gibson it always seems to be a case where that next step always seems to be short.
Darius Hanks- Here we are again with Hanks. Hanks every spring looks really good, and he did this year. He made all the catches he needed to and looked to be on his routes better. He is the 3 for the team but the issue for him is consistency and stepping up on a weekly basis. I like Hanks in the slot and I think when he's in sync, he's probably an underrated weapon for this team, but he just needs to continue to show the ability he displayed Saturday.
Julio Jones- The debate will rage all summer about Julio's hands. The debate about sending Julio deep will rage with it. Julio physically is a first round pick. When he has the ball in his hands, he's a first round WR. The issue is that he can't focus and gets laid back too much. The issue comes around because when the scrimmages are closed, he's all world, but you throw some lights and x thousand fans in the stadium, he gets distracted. Some of it is that he's trying to make a play before he has the ball, and that's ok but it is an error that young WR make. Other times, it is him just not following the ball in and taking his eye off the ball. I think once he gets his mind on catching the ball every time it gets in his hands, he can take every game over.
Marquis Maze- I thought he had a good game and looks like he wants to push for more looks. With Julio suffering through drops still, Maze will get those looks. He too needs to not try to make plays before he gets the ball, but he's going to get more looks by default. McElroy seems to have more confidence with Maze than Jones right now too.
Kevin Norwood- Norwood had a good game and a good spring. The staff really likes him, and he's got the ability to be a really good option for McElroy and/or McCarron down the road. The depth chart is loaded against him in part with 4 players that are JRs or SRs, but I don't see anything in his game that says he can't play at this level. He has good hands, squares up to give the QB a target, runs the routes well, and blocks well. He may not get a lot of chances this fall, but next spring he probably is a starter.
Tight Ends
The TEs didn't get a lot of opportunities to show off in the game, but as a whole, I can't see anything that gives me a reason to worry.
Preston Dial- Dial is going to be the H Back again and should get a lot of PT. The A Day game wasn't a great example because the staff threw more than they normally would, but Dial will be asked to do what he did last year and should do fine.
Mike Marrow- I didn't notice Marrow both times I watched the game, but H Back is a better place for him than HB. I think with time he could contribute, but with the staff recruiting more TE's, he could be a memory.
Brad Smelley- Smelley cat....smelley cat...what....are....they....feeding you....It was good to see him getting involved in the offense again and his blocking was a little more consistent than before, but he isn't where Dial or Williams are. I think he will get PT and be used in situations where they want him running routes from behind the line.
Chris Underwood- I think this summer is make or break for Underwood. He's never moved the chart, and the recruiting of new TE's pretty well means that if he continues to flounder, this summer is probably the last chance for him.
Michael Williams- Needs to work on his pass catching and be an option in the passing attack because he's a real load to bring down. Blocking wise, he's their best option as he has lineman size with athleticism. I hope that the coaches can work with him and help him get that option together for him because if he can be a dual threat, he will be a good one.
Offensive Line
I'm ok with the DL being ahead of the OL, but I really didn't like how the edge rush seemed to be open all game long. I think 4 of the 5 spots are locked in with Carpenter, Warmack, Vlachos, and Jones having won their jobs. I think RT needs some more competition. Fluker is a good run blocker, but isn't ready to play in situations where Bama needs to throw a lot. The one thing I saw all the linemen do a lot that bothered me was that they got too high off the snap. If you watch the game again, notice how many times you see the tackles and guards get bent back by the rush. If they get lower and drive up, they bend the defenders back, but the way they did things, they were inviting a breakdown at times because they couldn't get position on defender and keep their feet.
John Michael Boswell- JMB is probably the most versatile lineman in the group, but the downside to that is that he isn't the best at either spot he plays. I think if the staff really wants to open up the RT competition, he's a dark horse, but as is, he will play as the first reserve again. I thought he played well on the 2s Saturday but isn't as physical as Warmack.
James Carpenter- He is the best left tackle the team has, but any talk of him being all SEC is a bit much. Upshaw made him a puppet several times during the game, but when Bama ran, he was able to move CU where he wanted. I think he has the capacity to improve, but he won't be a legend or anything like that. He will be a good serviceable tackle that probably would be a better guard.
DJ Fluker- Where to begin? He is in better shape than he was during the season last year. He is a force as a run blocking tackle. He is just a freshman and has a lot of upside to a guy his size. However, he's never going to be a left tackle so long as he stays at this weight and endurance level. He got gassed late and let Alex Watkins blow past him. I think McCullough probably would be a better pass blocking option if the team wants to be a pass happy offense, but since Ingram and Richardson will get the bulk of the offensive plays, Fluker will start because he's good at plowing a run lane.
Aaron Joiner- I noticed him, which means either he did something good or bad. It wasn't good, but he earned a chance to play in a spring game, and will return to the squad.
Barrett Jones- I thought Jones played well and should continue to grow and improve from a good season last year. He was spared the wrath of Dareus for the most part, but when he got Marcel, he did a better job with him than the others did.
Tyler Love- The body yells D1 player, but the fire inside that body yells underachiever. I think the fact that they moved McCullough to LT for the game and Love to RT to make it a better game kinda says a lot. Love may be able to turn that corner that folks have been waiting for, but I question if he can. His brother's motor is a lot better but his brother doesn't have the body that Tyler has.
Alfred McCullough- McCullough did well at LT and I think he is athletic enough to play either tackle this fall. He moves better than the other tackles, but lacks height to maul ends and large linebackers, like Upshaw, in the run game. If Alfred is 2 inches taller, he's starting now if not last year. As is, he's probably next year's LT if he doesn't win the RT job this year.
Brian Motley- Motley has kinda floundered around and is the 3rd string center. He will graduate after this year and that is a positive.
Taylor Pharr- Probably the biggest surprise is that he was the starting punter until injury. If the incoming help doesn't help, he may still be the punter. Prepare for the ribbing from your UT and AU fans if so, but hopefully he can hit a good punt, what I saw Saturday made me think my 33 year old ass could play.
David Ross- He got to start because of Vlachos sitting out for the spring. He didn't really do ok with Chapman, and the snaps were on target, but he doesn't run block nearly as well as Vlachos. He could give a good run for a guard position next spring if one comes open to competition, otherwise, he will platoon the guards and center spots. I do think if Vlachos were to have a season ending injury, Jones may slide over like Caldwell did years ago because he's just bigger and can handle those kinda guys better than Ross can.
Anthony Steen- Steen is a project. He is strong and mauls folks when he gets on them, but is not close to ready when it comes to pass protection. He looks unsure at times about his assignments when he is zone blocking or if a switch/stunt is on. Part of that is being young. I think another year to learn will help him and next year he can compete for a job that comes open.
William Vlachos- Sometimes not playing helps improve your situation. I think getting more time for Ross is fine, but you could tell a difference with Vlachos out. Vlachos will help make Warmack and Fluker/McCullough a better player just like he helped make Jones better.
Chance Warmack- Chance continues to make the guard job a virtual one man race. Warmack is good at finishing off his block and going to the second level. I was real pleased to see him take on Davis and Chapman among others and control them as well as he did most of the game.
Kellen Williams- Williams made a key block to spring Ingram on his 60 yard run. He probably is going to be buried on the chart with Boswell, Warmack, Jones, and Steen ahead of him and all of them being fairly young. What little he played, however, he did a nice job of looking for guys to engage.
Defensive Line
Hunter Bush- Returned kicks and did about as well as the rest of the special teams guys.
John Fulton- If there is a person that gives me a lot of hope for the future, it is Fulton. He is fast and physical. I think he could be a guy that the staff has to find a way to get involved because he's well ahead of his true freshman label. Saban probably will spend a lot of time with him in the summer and help get him ready much like he did with KJ.
Robby Green- If there was ever a time when a suspension really hurt, this is it. Green's fine as a player, but the suspension and lack of talent behind him makes this issue hurt that much more. If he were able to be reinstated, that changes a lot of the issues in the secondary, but without him, they have that many more issues to contend with.
Phelon Jones- He played ok, but I didn't get a sense that he's a long term answer for anything. I can see the upside to him, but I can see why LSU didn't worry about letting him go to Bama. Kirkpatrick and Scott are both younger and better than he is. He probably can play Star, but I don't see him as a starter.
Dre Kirkpatrick- Real physical guy that could play safety or corner. He is a much better tackler than Scott, but not as good at covering the deep route as Scott. I think he's gonna be fine and may be another great corner by the time he is done.
Robert Lester- If you wanted to know what you have in Lester, reference the 60 yard Ingram run. In that play you see him realize he's gonna get chewed up because he's taken the wrong angle. Instead of stopping Ingram, he tries to work around Hanks and get in position. That was a double mistake because Hanks just owns him down the sideline and once he gets past him, Ingram takes a whack at him and gets an extra 5 yards. He had 8 tackles, but I couldn't name one that was meaningful. I know by me not just loving all over him, that will induce a quasi-support for him, but folks, he's not much of a player at this level.
Will Lowery- I thought he played well when he was in. He didn't get abused by anyone during the game, kept everything in play, and is sending a message to Woodson to get with it or enjoy the view.
DeMarcus Miliner- While I am high on Fulton, Miliner is a guy that needs more time and work. He needs a lot of time with the coaches and needs to get more aware of the situations. Best example, the last play TD to Gibson. There is no reason in the world to let a guy slip past you into the open on a hail mary play. There is no other place the QB will put the ball other than the end zone so why are you letting him get past you? Gibson really worked him over all game, but he does tackle well. He may be a candidate for safety.
Wes Neighbors- I get the legacy thing, but man oh man he really isn't much of a player right now. He let several guys get past him in coverage including the above mentioned Gibson TD, and just looked unsure of what he was supposed to do. He looks like another special teams guy.
BJ Scott- Real impressed with his growth and use of the redshirt to get back to the breakout Scott again. Did a great job on Julio in coverage, but needs to work on tackling. I really think if the staff didn't waste a year with the WR crap, he's an all SEC lockdown guy this fall. As is, he's going to be having that fabled breakout game this fall, just at defense.
Rod Woodson- I see the potential in him, but he really is just a raw athlete when you get down to it. I think he almost would be better served playing at Sam because his instincts are more in line with a linebacker than that of a cover safety. I think his spot on the depth chart during A Day has a little insider intention to wake him up, but he's still going to backup Barron and Lester.
Kendall Kelly- Not bad for a guy going on 2 weeks on the job. He suckered AJ into throwing at him once and broke it up, and he laid some good wood on a few guys in the flat when the QBs left them hanging. I really expected him to look lost, but he's playing the position better than I could have expected. He needs to get some mop up PT to see himself doing it and learning more, and down the road he could be a good one.
Specialists.....eeek
Cade Foster- Better biceps than kicking game right now. He brings back memories of the Wild Thing because he can drill one 10 yards into the endzone on one kick and short it 15 the next. I get the feeling that a platoon is coming here until Cade can control his leg inside 40 on FGs and kickoffs.
Jeremy Shelley- Pretty consistant at A Day. He doesn't have a big leg, but he's going to be steady when kicking 35 yard FGs and extra points. That will be welcomed.
Any Punter used- In a phrase....oh shit.... never in my lifetime can I remember a time where the most welcomed newcomer is a punter because they flat out don't have one on campus today. There was a point where I thought i might have to lose 10 lbs and give it a whirl. I'm pretty sure I could get a net of 25 yards.
Quarterbacks
Overall, I thought all 4 QBs played well overall. A few mistakes made by all, but you want that in the spring so there is something to chew on them during film and summer drills. I think the depth chart is pretty firm if all stays as is. McElroy is the starter, McCarron will get the mop up and maybe some early snaps against some teams. Jackson, assuming he stays, will be the 3rd by default because Sims will redshirt.
Star Jackson- I thought his first showing of A Day 10 was not his best. He didn't really look like he was thrilled with things, but then a few passes went his way and he started to look confident. I think he's coming along, but he just lacks the intangibles that McElroy and McCarron have to get up the depth chart.
AJ McCarron- I think the folklore and desire to have a gunslinger has moved from Darrah to AJ. At least they will get their wish eventually. There is no question that when the time comes, he'll be ready. He's confident, has the arm and the size to be anything he wants to be. He just needs time and a little more coaching about handling situations. By that, I mean he needs to work on his awareness at times. Saban grilled him for not thinking through a couple of plays (he misread the D once, threw over the middle of the field to throw the ball away, and threw into triple coverage a couple of times), and he made a poor decision on the grounding call, and he was 3 yards beyond the line when he flipped the pass to TR, but as the game went on, the better he played. As to the debate over AJ and Greg, it is pure Internet bullshit. He's gonna start, but not this year unless Greg gets hurt. Losing a game or two will not result in any player being benched for that. I think that as far as when AJ finishes vs. where Greg finishes, AJ will be far beyond him possibly if he continues to grow.
Greg McElroy- McElroy is a nice compliment for AJ to learn from. Greg's biggest asset to the team is that he is an extension of the staff in the huddle. The term game manager gets mangled by folks, but the last two titles Bama won were QB'd by game managers. Must work somehow despite the moniker being such with fans and their desire to see ESPN stat lines. Greg doesn't have a cannon arm, but he doesn't make many bad throws ( the INT was bad, but from TV land it was hard to tell what happened), and he makes the plays when he has to make them. The Auburn and Florida game seem to be distant memories for a bunch out there. The bottom line is that this offense has a foundation with 2 Heisman running backs and an experienced QB that keeps the offense in check and doesn't lose games. I really think once it gets to fall game time, his play probably will grow as experience and more snaps with the 1s will help him. I think with the pressure not on him to win games, and letting the 2
Phillip Sims- I will say this, if you want to know what kinda guts he has, his first completion was with Barron in his grill. His mechanics are solid, and like Travis said, he needs to speed up the wheelhouse. I don't see anything in Sims game that gives me gas yet. He didn't complete many, thanks to Julio, but he has good zip on the ball, and didn't blink or show uncertainty with the first string on him.
Running Backs
The interesting thing here is that there is a lot of quality depth here. Ingram has no worries as the 1st RB, Richardson also is locked in at 2, the question starts at 3. Upchurch's role is up for grabs and Lacy and Goode look to be in a good race to be that guy. Lacy probably is ahead but it isn't as much as I would have guessed before Saturday.
Demetrius Goode- I thought he had a better day than he did a year ago. He's not letting the 3rd string role go without a fight and I like that. His TD run was a really good sign that he's ready to show up and be a player again. I don't know if he can beat Lacy out, but I will say that I was really surprised to see him playing with confidence after last year's timid showings.
Jeramie Griffin- I think he's fighting through the rehab and knee fears, but he made a good catch for a big man and looked like he wanted to play. I think he'll get some snaps in the fall, but the number per game will probably be higher early in the year than later.
Ben Howell- It is always nice to see a walkon earn a little PT, and he did late.
Mark Ingram- There just isn't a lot he can't do. I think that he has a great chance to win the Heisman again, but this year I think he will be more balanced. I think a 1200 yard rushing, 500-600 receiving year may be ahead.
Eddie Lacy- The guy has the potential to do a lot in his time on campus. He just needs to be patient and pay the dues. Lacy shows a lot of vision for a guy his age and that's impressive because young RBs like to burst then look not look then burst. He needs to work on his running style some, he gets too high and that's usually how knee injuries occur.
Trent Richardson- TR has all the tools to be a Heisman winner as well. I don't know if he will get enough snaps and situations to do such, but there is nothing in his game that says he can't. His hands are improving and his blocking was better. If he can continue to block or work to improve it, that will be a big thing for this offense. The OL issues being what they are, if he can knock a rush end off the route, that frees up more options for McElroy to go to.
Wide Receivers
I think the discussion about coaching with the WRs has merit. If you missed it, a fella had the balls to say Cignetti needed to go. While I don't think he needs to be fired, I do think the coaching has not improved the talent they have. There is this bland retort about how a few looked good this spring during A Day. My reply is remember how McCoy always did too? The issue is this, drops are mental, but when one guy has it, it is one guy. When the whole crew has the drops, and Jones/Hanks/Maze all have gone through spells, it is more than the guys, it is about coaching and breaking errors. The Texas game still lingers as a bench mark of where this unit is and where it has to go to meet the potential that they have.
Earl Alexander- I didn't notice him playing, probably hurt himself trying to put his name on his EA jersey. I really think it is time for fans to move on here. He just can't stay healthy long enough to be much of a ball player.
Kenny Bell- I was happy to see him moving and working hard to get up the chart. I think he's got the speed to be a nice 4 guy in the spread. The area that he needs to work on is his upper body strength. He needs to be able to create separation and that sometimes needs to come from a push that he just can't do. Fulton pushed him around at times. Outside of that, he has good hands, and his routes seemed to be
Michael Bowman- Out with an injury. Bowman will play again this fall, but he better start moving faster and catching better than he has. Norwood and Bell and Gibson all could fill his role.
Brandon Gibson- Gibson had a better spring than any he had before. He may be the 4 going into the fall. I think he could be a good slot guy to compliment Jones or Maze outside, but with Gibson it always seems to be a case where that next step always seems to be short.
Darius Hanks- Here we are again with Hanks. Hanks every spring looks really good, and he did this year. He made all the catches he needed to and looked to be on his routes better. He is the 3 for the team but the issue for him is consistency and stepping up on a weekly basis. I like Hanks in the slot and I think when he's in sync, he's probably an underrated weapon for this team, but he just needs to continue to show the ability he displayed Saturday.
Julio Jones- The debate will rage all summer about Julio's hands. The debate about sending Julio deep will rage with it. Julio physically is a first round pick. When he has the ball in his hands, he's a first round WR. The issue is that he can't focus and gets laid back too much. The issue comes around because when the scrimmages are closed, he's all world, but you throw some lights and x thousand fans in the stadium, he gets distracted. Some of it is that he's trying to make a play before he has the ball, and that's ok but it is an error that young WR make. Other times, it is him just not following the ball in and taking his eye off the ball. I think once he gets his mind on catching the ball every time it gets in his hands, he can take every game over.
Marquis Maze- I thought he had a good game and looks like he wants to push for more looks. With Julio suffering through drops still, Maze will get those looks. He too needs to not try to make plays before he gets the ball, but he's going to get more looks by default. McElroy seems to have more confidence with Maze than Jones right now too.
Kevin Norwood- Norwood had a good game and a good spring. The staff really likes him, and he's got the ability to be a really good option for McElroy and/or McCarron down the road. The depth chart is loaded against him in part with 4 players that are JRs or SRs, but I don't see anything in his game that says he can't play at this level. He has good hands, squares up to give the QB a target, runs the routes well, and blocks well. He may not get a lot of chances this fall, but next spring he probably is a starter.
Tight Ends
The TEs didn't get a lot of opportunities to show off in the game, but as a whole, I can't see anything that gives me a reason to worry.
Preston Dial- Dial is going to be the H Back again and should get a lot of PT. The A Day game wasn't a great example because the staff threw more than they normally would, but Dial will be asked to do what he did last year and should do fine.
Mike Marrow- I didn't notice Marrow both times I watched the game, but H Back is a better place for him than HB. I think with time he could contribute, but with the staff recruiting more TE's, he could be a memory.
Brad Smelley- Smelley cat....smelley cat...what....are....they....feeding you....It was good to see him getting involved in the offense again and his blocking was a little more consistent than before, but he isn't where Dial or Williams are. I think he will get PT and be used in situations where they want him running routes from behind the line.
Chris Underwood- I think this summer is make or break for Underwood. He's never moved the chart, and the recruiting of new TE's pretty well means that if he continues to flounder, this summer is probably the last chance for him.
Michael Williams- Needs to work on his pass catching and be an option in the passing attack because he's a real load to bring down. Blocking wise, he's their best option as he has lineman size with athleticism. I hope that the coaches can work with him and help him get that option together for him because if he can be a dual threat, he will be a good one.
Offensive Line
I'm ok with the DL being ahead of the OL, but I really didn't like how the edge rush seemed to be open all game long. I think 4 of the 5 spots are locked in with Carpenter, Warmack, Vlachos, and Jones having won their jobs. I think RT needs some more competition. Fluker is a good run blocker, but isn't ready to play in situations where Bama needs to throw a lot. The one thing I saw all the linemen do a lot that bothered me was that they got too high off the snap. If you watch the game again, notice how many times you see the tackles and guards get bent back by the rush. If they get lower and drive up, they bend the defenders back, but the way they did things, they were inviting a breakdown at times because they couldn't get position on defender and keep their feet.
John Michael Boswell- JMB is probably the most versatile lineman in the group, but the downside to that is that he isn't the best at either spot he plays. I think if the staff really wants to open up the RT competition, he's a dark horse, but as is, he will play as the first reserve again. I thought he played well on the 2s Saturday but isn't as physical as Warmack.
James Carpenter- He is the best left tackle the team has, but any talk of him being all SEC is a bit much. Upshaw made him a puppet several times during the game, but when Bama ran, he was able to move CU where he wanted. I think he has the capacity to improve, but he won't be a legend or anything like that. He will be a good serviceable tackle that probably would be a better guard.
DJ Fluker- Where to begin? He is in better shape than he was during the season last year. He is a force as a run blocking tackle. He is just a freshman and has a lot of upside to a guy his size. However, he's never going to be a left tackle so long as he stays at this weight and endurance level. He got gassed late and let Alex Watkins blow past him. I think McCullough probably would be a better pass blocking option if the team wants to be a pass happy offense, but since Ingram and Richardson will get the bulk of the offensive plays, Fluker will start because he's good at plowing a run lane.
Aaron Joiner- I noticed him, which means either he did something good or bad. It wasn't good, but he earned a chance to play in a spring game, and will return to the squad.
Barrett Jones- I thought Jones played well and should continue to grow and improve from a good season last year. He was spared the wrath of Dareus for the most part, but when he got Marcel, he did a better job with him than the others did.
Tyler Love- The body yells D1 player, but the fire inside that body yells underachiever. I think the fact that they moved McCullough to LT for the game and Love to RT to make it a better game kinda says a lot. Love may be able to turn that corner that folks have been waiting for, but I question if he can. His brother's motor is a lot better but his brother doesn't have the body that Tyler has.
Alfred McCullough- McCullough did well at LT and I think he is athletic enough to play either tackle this fall. He moves better than the other tackles, but lacks height to maul ends and large linebackers, like Upshaw, in the run game. If Alfred is 2 inches taller, he's starting now if not last year. As is, he's probably next year's LT if he doesn't win the RT job this year.
Brian Motley- Motley has kinda floundered around and is the 3rd string center. He will graduate after this year and that is a positive.
Taylor Pharr- Probably the biggest surprise is that he was the starting punter until injury. If the incoming help doesn't help, he may still be the punter. Prepare for the ribbing from your UT and AU fans if so, but hopefully he can hit a good punt, what I saw Saturday made me think my 33 year old ass could play.
David Ross- He got to start because of Vlachos sitting out for the spring. He didn't really do ok with Chapman, and the snaps were on target, but he doesn't run block nearly as well as Vlachos. He could give a good run for a guard position next spring if one comes open to competition, otherwise, he will platoon the guards and center spots. I do think if Vlachos were to have a season ending injury, Jones may slide over like Caldwell did years ago because he's just bigger and can handle those kinda guys better than Ross can.
Anthony Steen- Steen is a project. He is strong and mauls folks when he gets on them, but is not close to ready when it comes to pass protection. He looks unsure at times about his assignments when he is zone blocking or if a switch/stunt is on. Part of that is being young. I think another year to learn will help him and next year he can compete for a job that comes open.
William Vlachos- Sometimes not playing helps improve your situation. I think getting more time for Ross is fine, but you could tell a difference with Vlachos out. Vlachos will help make Warmack and Fluker/McCullough a better player just like he helped make Jones better.
Chance Warmack- Chance continues to make the guard job a virtual one man race. Warmack is good at finishing off his block and going to the second level. I was real pleased to see him take on Davis and Chapman among others and control them as well as he did most of the game.
Kellen Williams- Williams made a key block to spring Ingram on his 60 yard run. He probably is going to be buried on the chart with Boswell, Warmack, Jones, and Steen ahead of him and all of them being fairly young. What little he played, however, he did a nice job of looking for guys to engage.
Defensive Line
Overall, the DL was a lot farther than I expected. I knew Dareus/Chapman/Davis would start, but I worried more about the 2s and 3s. After Saturday's showing, I can't really say that they worry me. The depth chart here is pretty tight and the drop off on talent and quality is not as bad as it was 3 years ago. The truth is that a lot of backups like Moore, Lewis, Murphy, etc. would start at most of the other schools. I think they probably run a lot of bodies out there this fall to build depth, keep legs fresh, and wear out opposing OLs.
Undra Billingsley- Undra played on the 2nd string and did ok. He disrupted a little bit, but he lacks the lower body power to just collapse the interior of an OL. That's part of the reason why they have moved him back and forth at TE/DE. He has the desire to contribute but is kinda a tweener at the 2 positions he can play. I think as is, he can give the DL some rest minutes and be a value in that regard, but I can't see a scenario where he starts.
Chris Bonds- I didn't really see him playing, but I gather that the staff wants another year of S&C for him and get him up to about 280.
Josh Chapman- If fans were worried about losing Cody, I think A Day should have silenced that. Chapman is a guy that I can see the defense using in a couple of different ways. He is a lot more active than Cody in pass rushing situations so I would imagine he won't be coming off the field on 3rd downs or 2nd and longs as much. I also can see them trying to bulk up the front by putting him at end with Murphy at NG some. Chapman seems to be athletic enough to do both. Really, with the secondary being as young and inexperienced as it is, they need him and some others to really push the issue and disrupt more than they did last year.
Marcel Dareus- Dareus is a man amongst boys right now. You better get a good look at him because he'll be inking with the NFL by this time next year. The coaching staff deserves a lot of praise for MD. When he came in, he was raw and knew how to be physical but had no understanding of how to use his body other than just maul a guy. Now, he uses his hands and body to create separation and is now a more complete player.
Luther Davis- I had hope for Davis and it may be just a practice thing to him, but he kinda just goes through the motions. If he can be the Davis of the NC game on Saturdays, he'll be an All SEC type guy. If he goes through the ups and downs that he has for 3 years, he may get beat out over time. Davis will start the season as the number 1 and I think that he's given himself enough of a gap to keep that job, but I can see him being rotated out a lot in nickel and dime situations like Deaderick was.
Nick Gentry- Gentry continues to fight and put a blue collar style to the front 3. He won't start, but like Undra, he can give the guys a quality breather and not have a huge drop in production.
Brandon Lewis- I liked what I saw from Lewis. He was disruptive and doesn't give up on the play. I think he can compete for a starting job this fall if he continues to improve. He has really good lower body power and drives blockers into the play a good bit. Since he's a JUCO, he probably will get a lot of opportunities to play and let some of the freshmen sit and learn/condition.
Brandon Moore- Another guy that looked good on the field. I was really impressed with how athletic he is for a 300 pound guy. A front of Square/Murphy/Moore is a lot of elbows and assholes to deal with. He uses his hands and doesn't let the lineman get his hands inside of his jersey. Like Lewis, I can see them using him a lot to keep the depth fresh.
Kerry Murphy- Murphy is just a lotta boy to handle. Much like Cody, he uses his freakish size to just wear down guys and poor Motley was just crumbling under him after a while. He'll get a lot of reps this year as they try to do different things, but for him to be an every down player, he's going to have to get faster off the ball than what he does. As is, he's a starter in waiting as a run stopping nose tackle.
Darrington Sentimore- DS did ok when he played. He is a rush end by trade and looks better off the open shoulder of a tackle than going inside. He has a good motor and plays to the whistle, but needs more S&C time to bulk up for this style defense. I can see him molding into a Greenwood or Washington type of end.
Damien Square- I really, really like this guy. Honestly, if he doesn't get hurt, he is probably at the same level Dareus is. He's that good and just a real power lineman who understands how to play in this defense. I can see why coaches were raving about him as he redshirted and last summer. I think he will see a lot of PT in the pass rush situations and could be a "starter" like Dareus was last year.
Linebackers
The depth here is getting better as well. I won't go as far as to say they have a 2 deep like the DL does that has little drop off, but it isn't far behind. They do have some things to work on as far as who plays where in the nickel and dime situations, and we may not have gotten a fair look as the rosters were split up, but I would say that experiment continues on through summer. Overall, they have a lot of good players that should get some mop up, breather snaps and about 6 starters for 4 spots. Always a good problem to have.
Jonathan Atchison- He plays well in space. That is the first thing I noticed about him is that he plays the Sam well in coverage. Reminds me a lot of Brooks Daniels in that regard. I question if he is 220-230, but he really could be an extra safety on the field in nickel situations in the future.
Drew Bullard- Got some PT for his efforts, and did ok what time he was in. The politics of football say that we don't see Drew until next spring's game though outside of maybe special teams.
DeMarcus Dubose- Dubose is a big guy out there and he clogs up traffic, but like Bullard the politics are what they are.
Jolston Fowler- Didn't play overly great early, but as the game wore on and he got the butterflies out of his system, he proved why he's in the right spot. Fowler as a running back is like Morrow/Griffin/Goode/etal. in that he's just a spot on the chart. Fowler's size and athleticism can allow him to be a great linebacker down the road though. I think with Patrick using his RS last year, Fowler probably uses his this year and learns the schemes, but I think he's where he needs to be.
Glenn Harbin- It may just be me, but it feels like he and Talbert have been at Bama for 50 years now. He's a big guy that can play with his hand down, but he isn't as athletic as the 3 guys in front of him.
Jerrell Harris- Physically, he looks the part, but he still gets too wrapped up in the hit and forgets to wrap up. He let Ingram and Lacy slip him a couple of times during the day. With that said, there is no way he isn't the starter because Atchison and Jordan are not as far long as he is in the understanding of the defense. He also will probably move inside when the Tide goes Nickel.
Dont'a Hightower- No worries here. Knee looks good, his understanding of the new role (Mike) looks good. He played end on the dime situations and didn't show any hesitation out there. I think the only thing he can't do is be Rolo, but before the injury I thought he would be better, if he stays through his Sr year, he may still be.
Nico Johnson- Not his best day. Got beat 2 times, and the 2nd one was the worst one. He's behind Jordan because he isn't strong in coverage. I think he can still be as good as folks, including me, think he can, but I think the value of Rolando McClain is evident when you watch him now. Now, Nico is having to think and see the field and not having a computer next to him spit it out. Bama will play so much cover package that he probably won't see much time this year outside of mop up until he can show he can play the pass.
Chris Jordan- I always smile when he plays linebacker. I'm that kinda stupid that said after signing day, like Fowler, that he'd be better off at linebacker, and he is. He's a good versatile guy that can play 3 spots and really plays well in space. He covered the running backs well when he drew those assignments and draped the TE's as well. I like what I saw of him and I can see why he's with the 1s right now.
Tana Patrick- I was a little surprised he wasn't bigger than he was. I had heard rumblings that he was bulking up quite a bit. As is, he looked good in his chances to play. He is a pure run stopping linebacker and is still learning how to be a pass defender, but I think in time he will be another solid linebacker for Saban.
Ed Stinson- I can see why there is so much buzz around Ed. He flat out abused the tackles at times. He isn't going to challenge Upshaw yet, but as he grows and matures, he will be as good as Upshaw. I really like how he can engage a guy who has 30 pounds on him and just bend him back.
Courtney Upshaw- Courtney continues to improve and getting more PT last year and having a guy like Anders working with him is starting to pay dividends. He's a 4-3 end like Mark Anderson but also a good stand up linebacker like you see on Sundays. I like that he's taken to the S&C program and getting the total power body that he has. He can drive with his legs and disrupt or use his upper body strength and create space to get to the quarterback. I think after the summer is over, Upshaw will be ready for his "breakout" year.
Alex Watkins- Just abused Fluker late in the game. Watkins just isn't big enough physically to play much though. I could see him in special teams though.
Chavis Williams- If only the light would stay on with this guy. His motor is fine and he can play Sam and Jack, but he just doesn't do all the intangibles to get the trust of the staff. He's going to get some mopup and reserve minutes probably, but nothing to write home about.
Defensive Backs
I worried about the experience and still do. It was hard to tell who was going to be where in the nickel and dime sets that they will use most of the year because they had Jones and others on the other side. I do know this, Robert Lester isnt' the answer at safety. I would like to see Miliner and Fulton try out there.
Hunter Bush- Returned kicks and did about as well as the rest of the special teams guys.
John Fulton- If there is a person that gives me a lot of hope for the future, it is Fulton. He is fast and physical. I think he could be a guy that the staff has to find a way to get involved because he's well ahead of his true freshman label. Saban probably will spend a lot of time with him in the summer and help get him ready much like he did with KJ.
Robby Green- If there was ever a time when a suspension really hurt, this is it. Green's fine as a player, but the suspension and lack of talent behind him makes this issue hurt that much more. If he were able to be reinstated, that changes a lot of the issues in the secondary, but without him, they have that many more issues to contend with.
Phelon Jones- He played ok, but I didn't get a sense that he's a long term answer for anything. I can see the upside to him, but I can see why LSU didn't worry about letting him go to Bama. Kirkpatrick and Scott are both younger and better than he is. He probably can play Star, but I don't see him as a starter.
Dre Kirkpatrick- Real physical guy that could play safety or corner. He is a much better tackler than Scott, but not as good at covering the deep route as Scott. I think he's gonna be fine and may be another great corner by the time he is done.
Robert Lester- If you wanted to know what you have in Lester, reference the 60 yard Ingram run. In that play you see him realize he's gonna get chewed up because he's taken the wrong angle. Instead of stopping Ingram, he tries to work around Hanks and get in position. That was a double mistake because Hanks just owns him down the sideline and once he gets past him, Ingram takes a whack at him and gets an extra 5 yards. He had 8 tackles, but I couldn't name one that was meaningful. I know by me not just loving all over him, that will induce a quasi-support for him, but folks, he's not much of a player at this level.
Will Lowery- I thought he played well when he was in. He didn't get abused by anyone during the game, kept everything in play, and is sending a message to Woodson to get with it or enjoy the view.
DeMarcus Miliner- While I am high on Fulton, Miliner is a guy that needs more time and work. He needs a lot of time with the coaches and needs to get more aware of the situations. Best example, the last play TD to Gibson. There is no reason in the world to let a guy slip past you into the open on a hail mary play. There is no other place the QB will put the ball other than the end zone so why are you letting him get past you? Gibson really worked him over all game, but he does tackle well. He may be a candidate for safety.
Wes Neighbors- I get the legacy thing, but man oh man he really isn't much of a player right now. He let several guys get past him in coverage including the above mentioned Gibson TD, and just looked unsure of what he was supposed to do. He looks like another special teams guy.
BJ Scott- Real impressed with his growth and use of the redshirt to get back to the breakout Scott again. Did a great job on Julio in coverage, but needs to work on tackling. I really think if the staff didn't waste a year with the WR crap, he's an all SEC lockdown guy this fall. As is, he's going to be having that fabled breakout game this fall, just at defense.
Rod Woodson- I see the potential in him, but he really is just a raw athlete when you get down to it. I think he almost would be better served playing at Sam because his instincts are more in line with a linebacker than that of a cover safety. I think his spot on the depth chart during A Day has a little insider intention to wake him up, but he's still going to backup Barron and Lester.
Kendall Kelly- Not bad for a guy going on 2 weeks on the job. He suckered AJ into throwing at him once and broke it up, and he laid some good wood on a few guys in the flat when the QBs left them hanging. I really expected him to look lost, but he's playing the position better than I could have expected. He needs to get some mop up PT to see himself doing it and learning more, and down the road he could be a good one.
Specialists.....eeek
Cade Foster- Better biceps than kicking game right now. He brings back memories of the Wild Thing because he can drill one 10 yards into the endzone on one kick and short it 15 the next. I get the feeling that a platoon is coming here until Cade can control his leg inside 40 on FGs and kickoffs.
Jeremy Shelley- Pretty consistant at A Day. He doesn't have a big leg, but he's going to be steady when kicking 35 yard FGs and extra points. That will be welcomed.
Any Punter used- In a phrase....oh shit.... never in my lifetime can I remember a time where the most welcomed newcomer is a punter because they flat out don't have one on campus today. There was a point where I thought i might have to lose 10 lbs and give it a whirl. I'm pretty sure I could get a net of 25 yards.
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