re: Bama Football Tidings

Laura Chramer Alabama offensive lineman Jedrick Wills Jr. (74) and others prepare to drill during Fan Day practice on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019, at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

quote:

---

The good news about Alabama’s offensive line Posted Aug 20, 8:46 AM Alabama Football Fan Day, Aug. 3, 2019 By Michael Casagrande | mcasagrande@al.com
The August hype surrounding Alabama’s offense is hard to miss. Return a Heisman runner up quarterback, four NFL-caliber receivers and a former No. 1 running back recruit if you want to create a stir.

Below the surface, the foundation of this group justifies the buzz.

Unlike the 2010 Crimson Tide offense that returned Greg McElroy, Mark Ingram and Julio Jones, this 2019 unit has a proven offensive line and depth that’s already being tested with seemingly minor preseason injuries.

Among the seven who have been shuffled through the first team at various times this August, four were top-34 overall prospects in their respective recruiting classes.

“I like the offensive line. I think we’ve got some pretty good experience there,” Nick Saban said. “I like the two tackles that we have. I think they’ve both had really good camps. We have four or five guys that can play inside that have done really well. Without naming specific players, I think we can have a really good offensive line.”

The tackles -- Alex Leatherwood (No. 4 overall in 2017) and Jedrick Wills (No. 34 in 2017) -- anchor the group. Inside, Florida State grad transfer Landon Dickerson, senior Matt Womack, junior Chris Owens, Sophomore Emil Ekiyor Jr., and freshman Evan Neal have been spotted with the first group.

Behind them, only one reserve was less than a four-star recruit coming out of high school.
O-linemen in rotation Star-rating Overall recruit ranking
Alex Leatherwood 5 No. 4 (2017)
Jedrick Wills 4 No. 34 (2017)
Evan Neal 5 No. 7 (2019)
Landon Dickerson 4 No. 31 (2016)
Chris Owens 4 No. 192 (2016)
Emil Ekiyor Jr. 4 No. 113 (2018)
Matt Womack 3 No. 693 (2015)
(247Sports composite ranking)

It also helps when injuries and other experiments have claimed time for interior linemen like Owens, Womack and Ekiyor at points in camp.

“We’ve had players sort of nicked up, missing a practice here, missing a practice there,” Saban said. “Like to get them all out there so we can try to put our best group together and try to get our best five out there, which I don’t know that we’ve ever had the chance to do to this point. But I feel better about the number of players that we have at that position now than I’ve had most of the time in the past, so I feel pretty good about it.”

Dickerson has been spotted at center and guard at times in the last few weeks. And Neal, the No. 7 overall recruit in the 2019 class, has been used with the first team at guard recently.

“The plus side is everyone knows their playbook,” Wills said. “So, it’s been easy with communication and things like that. I feel it’s more, kind of like, I guess you don’t have the same bond as everybody else. But whomever they hop in there it goes smooth and easy. It’s all been pretty good.”

That connection between neighbors on the line can be crucial.

“I guess from anywhere on the line,” Wills said, “you have to trust the guy on the left of you, to the right of you, so it’s kind of like a trust thing, knowing actually who’s in there for you kind of in certain situations.

With Neal, the top-ranked 2019 tackle in 247Sports’ composite, Wills said the 6-7, 360-pounder played “real smooth and real easy” at guard.

“I haven’t really seen anything that really stood out about him being in a new position,” Wills said, “so that’s a good thing.”

Swapping offensive line coaches in the offseason also brought a few new ideas to the room. Out was Brent Key to Georgia Tech, replaced with former Rutgers head coach Kyle Flood who spent the last few years with the Atlanta Falcons.

Flood worked with new Tide offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian in Atlanta.

“They’re like a crazy duo,” Wills said. “They spread like a whole bunch of knowledge throughout the whole offensive line room, and the offense in general. I feel that it definitely helps when it comes down to making decisions, calling plays and coming up with different schemes and game plans. It’s crazy. It helps.”

Less than two weeks remain before the Aug. 31 opener with Duke in Atlanta. Camp unofficially ended after last Saturday’s scrimmage as classes begin this week in Tuscaloosa.

Hype will remain for this offense loaded with skill position players but it’s the line up front that will put them in position for the big-play reputation born last fall.

---

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.