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re: 2018-19 Roster/Depth Chart breakdowns and updates
Posted on 2/27/18 at 10:36 pm to TidalSurge1
Posted on 2/27/18 at 10:36 pm to TidalSurge1
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WHO'S COMING IN?
4-star OT Tommy Brown
Alabama signed a pair of offensive linemen during the 2018 cycle in Brown and Emil Ekiyor, and Brown -- who stands at 6-foot-6, 313 pounds -- should start his college career out at tackle. The only problem is there are a lot of players competing at the same positions.
Although Nick Saban and company are open to playing freshmen, it’s difficult to envision Brown filling anything other than a reserve role in his first season in Tuscaloosa, or even redshirting.
This post was edited on 2/27/18 at 10:43 pm
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Posted on 2/27/18 at 10:36 pm to TidalSurge1
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WHO COULD STEP UP?
Go ahead and pencil Williams in as a starter somewhere along the offensive line. Whether that’s at left tackle, right tackle or elsewhere, however, remains to be seen. Bozeman sees the soon-to-be junior as a tackle, and Williams certainly has experience there.
Womack started all 14 games at right tackle this past season and showed promise at times. But so did Wills and Leatherwood, especially when the latter replaced Williams at left tackle in the national championship game and more than held his own against Georgia.
Those four players will be the ones to watch at the bookend positions of Alabama’s offensive line this spring. Should Williams move inside, look for either Leatherwood or Wills to step into the void he leaves behind protecting the starting quarterback’s blindside.
This post was edited on 2/27/18 at 10:44 pm
Posted on 2/27/18 at 10:37 pm to TidalSurge1
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PREVIOUS OFFSEASON OUTLOOKS
Quarterback
Running back
Wide receiver
Tight end
This post was edited on 2/27/18 at 10:47 pm
Posted on 2/28/18 at 11:31 am to TidalSurge1
ECU grad transfer QB expected to join Tide (BamaOnLine)
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As Nick Saban stated in his post-National Signing Day press conference, Alabama is likely to add a graduate transfer quarterback to its roster after not signing a signal caller out of high school in the 2018 class.
One name that’s emerged in the weeks to follow is East Carolina transfer Gardner Minshew. The Mississippi native visited Tuscaloosa for the day last Friday and currently holds an offer to join the program for the 2018-19 season and potentially beyond with a redshirt year available.
Speaking to sources with knowledge of the situation, Minshew very much enjoyed the visit to the Capstone and, for now, the plan is to join the program this summer.
While Minshew can’t practice with the team this spring, sources say he is looking forward to being around the facilities often in the next few months for meetings and to take in practices, all in an effort to acclimate himself to the team for his arrival this summer.
Auburn and Tennessee have been two others mentioned with Minshew. He hasn’t visited either to this point.
Keep in mind: there is not a letter of intent or binding agreement for Minshew to sign, so if another opportunity were to arise or another program began to show interest, Minshew would be free to explore those avenues if he decided to do that. Sources, however, say he is grateful for the opportunity that Alabama has presented, so the likelihood of that happening is slim.
Minshew was named ECU’s starter entering spring drills. The Brandon, Miss. native started five of 10 games during the 2017 season, leading East Carolina in completions (174), attempts (304), passing yards (2,140) and passing touchdowns (16) as a junior. He established ECU and AAC single-game records with a 52-of-68, 463-yard performance at Houston on Nov. 4.
After leading Northwest Mississippi Community College to the 2015 NJCAA national title, he transferred to ECU and played in seven games during the 2016 campaign as a sophomore.
Posted on 3/2/18 at 5:56 pm to TidalSurge1
Five questions for Alabama's OLBs in advance of spring practice (BamaOnLine)
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Ahead of spring practice set to begin later this month, BamaOnLine takes a look at five questions for Alabama's outside linebackers.
5.] How much will we see of Anfernee Jennings during spring drills?
Given that the knee injury he sustained late in Alabama’s win over Clemson in the Sugar Bowl required surgery, it’s difficult to imagine Jennings being far enough along in his return to take part in contact work in the coming weeks. The last time we saw the redshirt junior on the field, he recorded three tackles for loss, including a sack, and a pressure of Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant that resulted in an interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Mack Wilson. In other words, August will be the time to find out about Jennings’ health. Not March.
Posted on 3/2/18 at 5:56 pm to TidalSurge1
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4.] Where will Christian Miller and Terrell Lewis line up?
Both have at least two years in the system, so Williams and Lewis are interchangeable as far as the strongside and jack linebacker spots are concerned. That said, each have body types most often associated with the latter. When on the field together in the past, it’s been Miller at SAM and Lewis at the hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker position. Look for that pairing — along with redshirt freshman Jamey Mosley — to carry over into upcoming spring drills.
This post was edited on 3/2/18 at 5:59 pm
Posted on 3/2/18 at 5:57 pm to TidalSurge1
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3.] Who are prime candidates to swing between outside and inside LB spots?
Returning players who have worked both inside and outside in the past include Dylan Moses, Ben Davis, Joshua McMillon and VanDarius Cowan. With Jennings in rehab mode and Keith Holcombe playing baseball, both the outside and inside positions could be down a guy for most — if not all — of the spring. Again, though, in Jennings and Holcombe we’re talking about players with a wealth of experience, so reps this time of year aren’t as important to them as they are underclassmen. While Moses and Wilson are expected to head up the inside positions, both have shown capable of kicking outside in passing situations.
This post was edited on 3/2/18 at 6:02 pm
Posted on 3/2/18 at 5:57 pm to TidalSurge1
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2.] From the next wave of outside LBs, who will begin to emerge?
Two years into his time at UA, it’s time for former five-star recruit Davis to make strides on the competition at his position. All the physical attributes are in place for the Gordo native to make an impact. Whether he’s reached a point in terms of the mindset needed to factor at the spot remains to be seen. If he hasn’t, guys like Cowan, Christopher Allen and Jarez Parks are good bets to form the tier below Miller, Lewis, Jennings and Mosley.
This post was edited on 3/2/18 at 6:03 pm
Posted on 3/2/18 at 5:57 pm to TidalSurge1
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1.] How about a very early prediction for quarterback sacks for OLBs in 2018?
If we learned anything about this position last season it’s that health is everything. With Jennings, Miller and Lewis all missing time — and playing at less than 100 percent strength on other occasions — Alabama got a grand total of four sacks from its four primary outside linebackers in 2017. Compare that total with the 21 sacks UA received from the position in 2016 and it’s no wonder last year’s defense fell 14 sacks short of its total from the previous season. If position coach/new defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi gets a full season’s worth of reps from Jennings, Miller and Lewis, there’s no reason to think this group won’t approach the numbers Ryan Anderson and Tim Williams contributed to two years ago.
This post was edited on 3/2/18 at 6:08 pm
Posted on 3/2/18 at 6:22 pm to TidalSurge1
Our LBs are gonna be sick next year. It's hard to say which one has the highest potential.
Posted on 3/5/18 at 10:28 pm to SECSolomonGrundy
Five questions for Alabama's CBs in advance of spring practice (BamaOnLine)
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Here, BamaOnLine takes a look at five questions for Alabama's cornerbacks in advance of spring practice.
Posted on 3/5/18 at 10:28 pm to TidalSurge1
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5.] How many players will it take to replace Minkah Fitzpatrick?
Between the base, nickel and dime packages, Fitzpatrick covered at four different positions: corner, safety, star and money. With as much nickel and dime as Alabama finds itself in these days, it was star and money where we saw Fitzpatrick line up the most in 2017. Looking at what UA returns in the secondary, expect a return to more guys playing situational roles than the one-man depth chart luxury Fitzpatrick provided. While it’s possible that a starting corner could drop down to star and/or a starting safety could roll up to money, it’s unlikely we’ll see a defensive back take on a workload similar to what Fitzpatrick handled anytime soon.
This post was edited on 3/5/18 at 10:31 pm
Posted on 3/5/18 at 10:29 pm to TidalSurge1
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4.] Is Trevon Diggs ready to take over at one of the corner spots?
A year ago at this time, Diggs looked to be on his way to replacing Marlon Humphrey as a starter at corner. Even after being victimized in the 2017 A-Day game, Diggs started opposite Anthony Averett against Florida State in the season opener. Two quarters later, Levi Wallace was entrenched at the spot and never gave Diggs a chance to get his job back. With Wallace, Averett, Fitzpatrick and Tony Brown gone, the opportunity for Diggs this time around is even better than it was 12 months ago. With a bevy of talented newcomers set to hit campus this summer, Diggs needs to make a strong statement in March and April.
This post was edited on 3/5/18 at 10:33 pm
Posted on 3/5/18 at 10:29 pm to TidalSurge1
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3.] Will Saivion Smith be a starter by the first scrimmage of the spring?
No reason to think the nation’s top-ranked junior college corner won’t be working at the top of the rotation from the outset of spring drills. After recording two interceptions and six pass breakups at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College last fall, Smith benefited from coming in midyear, an arrival that afforded him the opportunity to get his feet wet during College Football Playoff practices. In possessing length, athleticism and man coverage ability, Smith checks the boxes on Nick Saban’s list of critical factors at the position.
This post was edited on 3/5/18 at 10:34 pm
Posted on 3/5/18 at 10:29 pm to TidalSurge1
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2.] Other than Diggs, is there another returning player capable of nailing down a spot?
Getting back to the situational theme, junior Shyheim Carter is a good bet to line up at star with the first-team nickel defense when spring ball gets underway in a couple of weeks. Carter saw time in place of Brown in the College Football Playoff Championship Game, a stretch that included the overtime portion of Alabama’s win over Georgia. Jared Mayden is another guy to keep an eye on. The junior-to-be worked behind Averett with the second-team defense in 2017.
This post was edited on 3/5/18 at 10:35 pm
Posted on 3/5/18 at 10:29 pm to TidalSurge1
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1.] With Derrick Ansley moving on to the NFL, any reason for concern on the coaching front?
Alabama secondary coaches come and go but the “graduate assistant” — Nick Saban — has been around for 11 years now. In all seriousness, Ansley was instrumental in continuing the development of guys like Averett and Wallace. With the mass exodus both at corner and safety, though, new position coach Karl Scott will have more on his plate in 2018 than Ansley did at any point in his two seasons at UA.
This post was edited on 3/5/18 at 10:36 pm
Posted on 3/6/18 at 3:02 pm to TidalSurge1
Alabama announces 2018 spring football practice schedule (BamaOnLine)
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Alabama released its 15-day spring football practice schedule Tuesday, and spring ball will be back in Tuscaloosa in two weeks.
The Crimson Tide will return to the field Tuesday, March 20, for its initial spring practice following the university's week-long spring break (March 12-16). It will be the team's first time back on the practice field since winning the Tide's 17th national championship.
March 20 will also be the first practice for Alabama's new assistant coaches -- and the first practice as coordinators for Mike Locksley and Tosh Lupoi -- and five early enrollees.
All practices are closed to the public, other than the A-Day Game on April 21. It will take place at Bryant-Denny Stadium and will air on ESPN at 1 p.m. CT.
2018 Spring Football Practice Schedule:
Tuesday, March 20 -- 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 22 -- 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 24 -- TBD
Tuesday, March 27 -- 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 29 -- 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 3 -- 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 5 -- 3:30 p.m.
**Saturday, April 7 -- TBD
Monday, April 9 -- 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 11 -- 3:30 p.m.
Friday, April 13 -- 3:30 p.m.
**Saturday, April 14 -- TBD
Tuesday, April 17 -- 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 19 -- 3:30 p.m.
**Saturday, April 21 -- 1 p.m.
** indicate scrimmage dates at BDS.
Posted on 3/7/18 at 10:21 am to TidalSurge1
Alabama's O-Line could be reshuffled in 2018 (al.com)
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Less than two months have passed since Alabama defeated Georgia to claim its 17th national title. But the Tide has already set its sights on winning another championship. With spring practice around the corner, AL.com will take a look at where the Crimson Tide stands in each position group as the offseason begins in earnest. The second in a nine-part series examines the team's offensive line.
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 10:22 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 10:21 am to TidalSurge1
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Projected depth chart:
LT: Jonah Williams, Alex Leatherwood
LG: Alex Leatherwood, Josh Casher
C: Ross Pierschbacher, Brandon Kennedy
RG: Lester Cotton, Dallas Warmack
RT: Matt Womack, Jedrick Wills
Departed: Center Bradley Bozeman, guard J.C. Hassenauer
New arrivals: None
Due to arrive in the fall: Center/Guard Emil Ekiyor, tackle Tommy Brown
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 10:26 am
Posted on 3/7/18 at 10:22 am to TidalSurge1
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Outlook: The strength of the 2018 team is expected to be its offense. In part, that's because it will be buttressed by an experienced blocking front that lost one starter -- center Bradley Bozeman, a 2017 Remington Trophy finalist. The departure of Bozeman isn't insignificant. He was a consistently good performer, and he leaves a void that could require the Tide to make multiple move to reorganize the unit.
Bozeman himself speculated that Ross Pierschbacher may slide over to center -- the spot he had occupied briefly after Ryan Kelly left following the 2015 campaign. Bozeman went on to say that tackle Alex Leatherwood could assume Pierschbacher's role at left guard while Jonah Williams and Matt Womack stay at the tackle positions with incumbent right guard Lester Cotton remaining firmly affixed where he has been.
But more shuffling could happen. Jedrick Wills, the talented rising sophomore, has plenty of potential and has the capability of supplanting Womack at right tackle. He played 120 snaps last season and didn't allow a single pressure, according to ProFootballFocus.com.
Getting Wills and Leatherwood on the field would seem a priority. Both tackles were high-profile recruits who have already demonstrated that they're ready to perform on the college level. But at least one of them could find himself deployed at an interior position.
This, of course, is not a bad problem to have for offensive line coach Brent Key. And spring practice will give him time to work out a sensible solution.
This post was edited on 3/7/18 at 10:29 am
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