re: Spring Football News & Info

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Seem to recall the reason given why Dan Enos wasn't considered for OC was Saban didn't want to go more pro style.

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Why we shouldn’t sleep on Brian Robinson

Najee Harris gets a lot of fanfare and rightfully so, but we can’t forget about his running mate Brian Robinson. Robinson (6-1, 226) is built to be a feature running back. He’s extremely physical and runs behind his pads to deliver punishment to defenders.

His was fourth in line last year, getting just 63 carries for 272 yards, but he’s now a key part of the rotation.

With the way Alabama has allowed its running backs to split carries over the years, Robinson should get his fair share of carries this year. If Alabama’s offensive line is able to hold up, Robinson could have a monster year. The key for Robinson will be doing things like catching the ball out of the backfield and holding up in pass protection. If Robinson can do that, he has a chance to turn a lot of heads this season as he works to emerge from Harris’ shadow.

Look for Robinson to have a breakout season this year.
Prediction rushing totals for the duo

This is tough because we just don’t know what the offense is going to look like next season under Sarkisian. But if we have to put a total on it, this will be the first time Alabama has two running backs go over 1,000 yards in the same season since 2012.

Look for Harris to get anywhere from 1,250-1,400 yards and for Robinson to come in between the 1,000-1,100 mark. This duo is as talented as any that Alabama has had during Saban’s tenure, so those totals don’t feel far-fetched.

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Defensive lineman DJ Dale has only been campus for a few months, but the early enrollee has already made his presence known.

After Alabama’s second spring scrimmage last Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium, UA coach Nick Saban mentioned the former 4-star from Pinson earned playing time with the first-team line.

“DJ is playing some with the ones at nose,” Saban said.

It was a never a question of whether Dale would have the size – he’s listed at 6-foot-3, 314 pounds – or ability to contribute early. It was a matter of whether he would be able to learn the position and play with confidence in competitive scenarios quick enough.

Well, Dale has apparently impressed Saban with both his athleticism and readiness.

“He’s got good initial quickness, good power, strikes,” Saban said. “(He) seems to be pretty conscientious, shows a little maturity about being able to go out there and do his job.”

Dale is one of eight defensive linemen the Crimson Tide signed in the 2019 class. He’s one of four already on campus and going through spring practice, which concludes Saturday with Alabama’s A-Day game in Bryant-Denny Stadium at 1 p.m. (ESPN2). He may have made the greatest strides out of the four, but Saban sees potential in each of the early enrollees.

The problem for these other players, though, has been translating that ability into production on the field.

“I think when they get in a competitive situation, they completely just dumb down,” Saban said. “They can’t focus. They’re supposed to slant, they don’t slant. So, it’s really — you can see the talent, you can see the ability, but they’ve got to develop confidence when they hear a call that this is what I do and trust in that and believe in that. And right now in practice, it’s starting to happen. But the next step is we’ve got to get it in a competition situation.”

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