re: Bama Football Tidings

LINK ]Alabama Football: A too long list of players not healthy for the opener by Ronald Evans

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There is nothing official yet from the Alabama football staff but it is looking more obvious a long list of players will not be 100 percent for the opener.

A quick word to Alabama football fans – if you are expecting some detailed insider scoop on injured players, this post may not be for you. What follows is insight based on credible presumptions. We are not trying to scoop anyone.

The next day for any official word about Alabama football players will be Thursday and provided by Nick Saban. When he reluctantly releases a depth chart next Monday, more information will be made available.

We expect the word ‘probable’ to be well used in describing who is healthy enough to open the season against the Duke Blue Devils. We should all remember every team has injuries during fall camp. Competition is fierce for playing time and practice reps. Only a few Alabama football players (barring new injuries) are expected to be designated as out indefinitely.

Many others will be healthy enough to play but at varying percents below fully sound. No offense to the Blue Devils, but the Alabama football staff should feel no urgency to push players back quickly. The trainers and medical staff will decide but any Crimson Tide player at 80 percent or less should maybe sit out the first two weekends of the season. Such a decision would not put game outcomes at risk.
Alabama Football Players out indefinitely

Josh McMillon – ILB – Knee damage
Trey Sanders – RB – Foot injury
Nigel Knott – CB – Unspecified medical problem

The probable or questionable list

LaBryan Ray – DE – Ankle injury
D.J. Dale – DT – Twisted knee
Jerome Ford – RB – High ankle sprain
Stephon Wynn – DT – High ankle sprain
Christian Harris – ILB – Unspecified knee ailment

The ‘if not 100 percent, why play them’ list

Terrell Lewis – OLB – Recovering from an ACL injury last season
Chris Allen – OLB – Recovering from an ACL injury last season
Shyheim Carter – DB – Carter has been nicked up through much of fall camp

A couple of guys who have missed some work this fall, Miller Foristall and Matt Womack are expected to a full-go against the Blue Devils. A couple of more, Antonio Alfano and Pierce Quick were not on track to appear in more than four games this season. They do not need mop-up duty in the early weeks.

There are other teams with similar injury concerns to the Crimson Tide. David Cutcliffe’s Duke team probably has more starters who will miss the season opener. But after losing Terrell Lewis and Chris Allen last season and after Tua played so much at less than 100 percent, Tide fans are justifiably concerned about injuries.

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Getty Images
ua Tagovailoa is pursued by Clemson's Christian Wilkins during the second half in the CFP National Championship on Jan. 7 in Santa Clara, California. [
link=(LINK ]Clemson defenders explain how they exploited weakness they discovered in Tua Tagovailoa's game by studying his film Michael Wayne Bratton

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Despite having a truly incredible individual season, the lasting image many have of Tua Tagovailoa has defined him this entire offseason. That’s just the way it is at Alabama under Nick Saban these days. Winning 14 consecutive games to start the season is nice but it doesn’t mean as much if the Crimson Tide don’t walk off the field for the final time as national champions.

That’s a harsh but accurate reality for many Alabama fans and one that has defined Tagovailoa heading into his junior season in the eyes of some college football fans. Considering he completed 69 percent of his passes for 3,996 yards with 43 touchdowns and only six interceptions — and arguably should have won the Heisman Trophy — in his first season starting for Alabama, that’s probably an unfair criticism of Tagovailoa.

However, be that as it may, Clemson clearly took advantage of Alabama’s quarterback in the latest College Football Playoff National Championship Game and exploited what they saw on film to help open the game with a Pick Six that appeared to set the tone for the evening.

So, what was it that the Tigers saw that allowed them to do that? They explained just that in a recent AL.com article from Michael Casagrande.

“Really, we knew that he wasn’t reading the defenses that well in the backfield,” former Clemson defensive lineman Bert Huggins said. “So, we were disguising the defense pretty well and then we would move into a different defense. He just couldn’t read the defense.”

Clemson linebacker Kendall Joseph credited defensive coordinator Brent Venables for exhausting game planning.

“We understand what he wanted to do and we wanted to exploit it,” Joseph said. “It started with trying to knock him off rhythm and get some pressure and get some hits on him and try to rattle the quarterback and I think we did a good job of that.”

Those are some interesting observations from Clemson’s defenders on facing Tagovailoa. When you think back to his first performance in a national championship game, this is something Georgia would not have seen coming based on a lack of available film to pick apart on Tagovailoa. While his poor performance in the 2018 SEC Championship Game was chalked up to being injured against the Dawgs, it’s possible Kirby Smart and his program picked up on some of the same things Clemson saw leading up to the latest title game.

The entire AL.com article is well worth checking out. You can read it here.

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BOL's podcasts are pretty nice. They cover some stuff that's otherwise behind their paywall. And you can listen while you're doing something else. They'd appreciate your feedback comments.

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I really like Travis Reier. If I ever went back to BOL, it would be because of him.

LINK ]Alabama trying different combinations at linebacker, offensive line by Christopher Walsh

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Crimson Tide still looking for starters at key spots

Alabama practiced inside, in full pads. Shortly after practice started it began to rain.

Coaches are still trying different combinations on the offensive line and at interior linebacker.

Freshman Christian Harris was wearing a knee brace and limited. Senior Markail Benton was more in the mix, but Shane Lee has spent the most time next to Dylan Moses when reporters have watched.

Junior Landon Dickerson was at right guard with redshirt junior Chris Owens at center. They worked ahead of redshirt freshman Emil Ekiyor Jr. at center and senior guard Matt Womack.

Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Stephon Wynn (ankle) and true freshman Antonio Alfano (undisclosed) remain out.

Redshirt freshman Jerome Ford (ankle) was absent.

Tight end Giles Amos was limited.

Coaches are being a little cautious with numerous players who a little banged up (Note: In video, Najee Harris was in the rear of the line).

Injury rundown

• Redshirt junior cornerback Nigel Knott: The only player yet to practice, he’s out indefinitely with what Nick Saban has only described as a medical issue.

• Senior interior linebacker Josh McMillon: Out indefinitely with a knee injury, could miss entire season.

• Freshman running back Trey Sanders: Out indefinitely with a left foot injury, could miss entire season. He’s been riding an exercise bike in Alabama’s weight room during practices.

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Shyheim Carter and Anfernee Jennings (Photo: Denon McMillon, 247Sports)
Shyheim Carter and Anfernee Jennings (Photo: Denon McMillon, 247Sports)
LINK ]Six Alabama players on watch list for 2020 Reese's Senior Bowl [i]by Charlie Potter[[/ihttps://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Six-Alabama-Football-players-on-watch-list-for-2020-Reeses-Senior-Bowl-134648559]

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The Reese’s Senior Bowl released its 2020 watch list on Wednesday, which featured players from nearly every level of college football. And Alabama was well-presented with six seniors on the list.

Below are the current Alabama players that were selected to the Senior Bowl’s 2020 watch list:

CB Shyheim Carter

DT Raekwon Davis

CB Trevon Diggs

ILB Anfernee Jennings

DS Jared Mayden

OG Matt Womack

* positions are from Senior Bowl website.

Carter stepped in as Alabama’s full-time Star, or nickel defensive back, after Minkah Fitzpatrick left for the NFL. As a junior in 2018, Carter finished 10th on the team with 44 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, and registered three quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. He also intercepted two passes, returning them both for touchdowns, and recorded 10 pass breakups.

As a junior in 2018, Davis was expected to build on a breakout sophomore season, but he was overshadowed by Quinnen Williams -- and sometimes Isaiah Buggs. Still, Davis earned All-SEC second-team accolades from the Associated Press and was a defensive player of the week for Alabama’s coaches for his play against Arkansas State, Louisiana and Mississippi State. He recorded 55 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries in 15 games played.

Diggs stepped into a permanent starting role at cornerback in 2018 after a brief stint with the ones to open the 2017 season. But his junior year was cut short when he suffered a foot injury in the Arkansas game that kept him on the sideline for the next nine contests. Prior to that, though, Diggs was tied for fourth in the SEC in passes defended at seven before his injury and broke up a team-high six passes while picking off his first career pass against Louisiana-Lafayette.

Jennings totaled 51 tackles, including 14 tackles for loss (-40 yards) and 6.5 sacks (-30 yards) from his outside linebacker position a year ago. Usually known for setting the edge, he recorded a team-high 11 pass breakups with six quarterback hurries and also added two fumble recoveries for 18 total yards with one returned for a touchdown while adding his first career interception.

After providing depth in 2017, Mayden was the Crimson Tide’s sixth defensive back a year ago, playing safety alongside Deionte Thompson at safety while Xavier McKinney moved down to Money. As a junior, Mayden appeared in 13 games and totaled 18 tackles, including one sack (-8 yards) and two pass breakups. He made headlines for a targeting penalty against Auburn that forced the dime starter to sit out the first half of the SEC Championship Game against Georgia.

Womack is entering his fifth and final season at Alabama and will look to do what he did in 2017 -- start. The redshirt senior was the Tide’s starting right tackle that year, but a foot injury last spring kept him from doing the same in 2018. He missed the first four games of his redshirt junior campaign because of the injury and saw time in seven games as a reserve, while Jedrick Wills started at right tackle. Wills is back, so Womack will have to claim a different starting spot this fall.

Last year, two former UA players participated in the Senior Bowl in Ross Pierschbacehr and Isaiah Buggs, while Christian Miller was present for the interview portion of the events in Mobile, Ala.

The 2020 Reese’s Senior Bowl will kick off Saturday, Jan. 25, from inside Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile.

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Awards no one one on Crimson Tide is up for: 

Lou Groza Award (top kicker) 

Ray Guy Award (best punter) 

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*Siiiiiigh*

Yep, sounds about right.

CrimsonBoz

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Exactly correct. Got away with burning everyone because our receivers were that much better so 1 read worked.

UGA gave them the keys to the city.

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Seems from my vantage point as a casual observer, the coaches were not "self-scouting" and thinking like our opponent. If I were UGA / OU / CU what would I do to beat Bama... let's look at LSU and MSU... now since the SECCG what did UGA do that really worked well? I may be mistaken but if you keep doing what the last guy was able to counteract, you will be even worse when a good "next" team will use that against you....

If Bama can somehow get passed the injury bug that has been plaguing them for the last several years, and concentrate on "getting better" each day (meaning correcting and changing those tendencies that the teams at the end of the year were figuring out...) well, this could well be a great year. Best WR's in all of CFB, best QB, much improved OL and a D that will be very much improved over last year.
...But, much like ZZ Top, I could be mistaken!!!

Really like seeing more posting from you Boz

Does anyone think maybe we're going at it too hard in fall camp? I know they have to get ready to play, but beating each others brains out and injuring people is not helpful. The "injury bug" we keep complaining about may be at least partially self-inflicted.

LINK ]Alabama Football: Three Crimson Tide ‘Breakout Candidates’ by Jonathan Waldrop

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This is an inexact science, of course, but based off spring practice and the first weeks of fall camp, here are my potential breakout candidates for Alabama football in 2019.

This is a continuation of Bama Hammer’s look at the top candidates for Alabama football’s breakout stars in 2019.

Miller Forristall (TE)

While I’m not sure that Forristall will put up the relatively (for an Alabama football tight end) gaudy numbers that Irv Smith, Jr. had in 2018, I do believe that the Tide needs to locate a guy who can at least be a solid blocker in the run game and a decoy in the passing.

And this is not a knock on Forristall. The truth is, there’s been such a small sample size to go on during his previous three seasons, we don’t know what he can do. Unfortunately for him, he was a true freshman during O.J. Howard’s final season in Tuscaloosa, got injured early in his sophomore year and then had to play behind Smith and Hale Hentges in his third season.

Forristall doesn’t need to be Howard or Smith. He doesn’t even have to be Michael Williams. There’s room to believe that a guy with Forristall’s size (6’5?, 242 lbs.) can be effective enough to sneak through coverage with the formidable quadrangle of Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle running about.

This is how Smith was successful in 2018. While there’s a pretty stiff competition going on at the position between Forristall, Cam Latu and Giles Amos, Forristall will most likely be the first one out against Duke. From there, I believe he’ll be the most prominently used at the position in 2019.

Emil Ekiyor (OG/C)

This large (6’3?, 326 lbs.) interior lineman is pretty much what scouts dream up for the prototypical “road grader”. Ekiyor, a redshirt freshman, has consistently impressed the Alabama football coaching staff since arriving on campus a year ago and, with the four-game suspension of supposed incumbent Deonte Brown, he’s solidified his place as a starter at left guard.

This is only a piece of the equation, though, because it looks as though Ekiyor has also received first-team reps at center and right guard. And if you think it’s simply easy for a lineman to play either guard position at a high level, ask Lester Cotten or Ross Pierschbacher. The footwork of one is the inverse for another and, by all accounts, Ekiyor can be trusted with both.

And if that wasn’t enough, the precocious big man is doing a pretty good job as the squad’s signal-caller at center. The assumption coming out of the spring for many was that Ekiyor was a mere placeholder until Brown returned, but with Ekiyor’s pliability, there could be up to three different linemen fending him off.

Alabama football is in a very good position right now with up to six guys who could start in the interior of the offensive line, but the safe money is on Ekiyor being one of them at any of the three in 2019.

Xavier McKinney (S)

I know. This one’s not necessarily a “breakout” relative to the rest of the defense. He was a starter on last year’s defense and was the defensive MVP in the Orange Bowl against Oklahoma. And certainly, all signs point to him being a vocal leader on a defense that is looking to get back an edge that was missing in 2018.

I’m talking Xavier McKinney on a national level. Most knew who Minkah Fitzpatrick was heading into 2017, but there was another defensive back who was viewed as the safety that season: FSU’s Derwin James. James did have a great year for a mediocre team, but it was Fitzpatrick that walked away with Alabama football’s second Thorpe Award.

McKinney is in a similar boat in 2019. LSU’s Grant Delpit is rightfully garnering most of the preseason hype at the position, but I believe that it’s McKinney that will be the name on everyone’s lips by early December. His footwork, his instincts and his experience will make for a truly dangerous player.

And like Fitzpatrick, we’ll probably see McKinney line up as a high safety in base, a decoy pass rusher in a six-DB set and, possibly, middle linebacker in nickel. He’s a strong safety with good enough coverage skills to be effective on crossing routes and if he can put it all together, he’ll be a Thorpe finalist at the very least in 2019.

In a roster so filled with blue-chip players, ‘breaking through’ is never easy. But in Tuscaloosa, more so than on any other campus, the cream rises to the top.

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