Alabama Offense: better, worse or about the same? Why?

The Alabama offense will take a step back this year. Any offense that loses its starting quarterback, running back, three starting offensive lineman and record breaking wide receiver will take a step back. Even though Alabama is at the top of the recruiting boards year in and year out, those guys were special players who will be hard to replace.

When Jake Coker transferred in from Florida State he was presumptively named Alabama’s starter, especially after Blake Sims’ rough spring. Sims won the job and led the Tide to a special season. Now it is time for Coker to do what he came to Alabama to do: start.

Unfortunately, Coker has not yet won the job. He looked the best out of the five quarterbacks who received snaps on A-Day, but still has failed to separate himself from the pack. Redshirt Freshman David Cornwell is still pushing Coker for the starting spot. I expect Coker to win the job, but I do not see him putting up the numbers Sims put up last year.

The running game will be a pivotal area for Alabama this year. Derrick Henry has shown flashes of greatness at times over the last two seasons, but the every down consistency has yet to materialize. Kenyan Drake is an explosive threat, but is recovering from a gruesome leg injury. Will Henry become the workhorse? Will Drake be 100% healthy?

There are even more questions surrounding Alabama’s third and fourth string running backs than the first and second. Luckily for the Tide, five-star running back prospect Damien Harris will enroll this summer. Harris has drawn comparisons to Alabama great Mark Ingram. I expect Harris to assume the third string spot. I believe he will end the season with more carries than Drake, but Drake will have more touches due to his receiving abilities.

Alabama is charged with the impossible task of replacing NFL 1st-Round draft pick Amari Cooper. Cooper’s explossiveness, ability as a route runner and hands were second to none in the college football world last year. The Tide are also losing DeAndrew White and Christion Jones. White was a speedy downfield threat and Jones contributed more on special teams with his shifty running style.

Obviously Alabama will not be able to replace Cooper. Cooper was one of those Julio Jones, A.J. Green and Marqise Lee talents that only come to an elite school once every 5-10 years. It will be a while before Alabama sees a receiver of that caliber again. But Nick Saban has recruited well at wideout, and Cooper accounted for so much of the production last year, the Tide could make up for his loss with an uptick in production from the second through fourth wideouts.

ArDarius Stewart earned the number one receiver spot with a strong spring capped off by an impressive A-Day performance (8-118-2tds). Robert Foster locked up the second spot with his own strong spring and A-Day game (6-125). Chris Black looks like the Tide’s slot receiver.

A breakout season from junior tight end O.J. Howard would give Alabama a huge boost in making up ground in the receiving department.

Alabama returns its two most important offensive line starters in LT Cameron Robinson and C Ryan Kelly. A series of strong recruiting classes have left this unit in strong shape. Alabama has immense depth along the offensive line. The Tide should once again field one of the country’s top lines.

 

Alabama Defense: better, worse or about the same? Why?

This year the defense appears to be the stronger of the two units for the Tide. Alabama’s front seven will be a menace to opposing offenses. We saw just how good this unit was last year in the Mississippi State game. The scary part for other teams is this unit is only getting better.

A’Shawn Robinson is an NFL ready nose tackle who controls the point of attack and sets the tone for the Tide. Robinson is athletic enough to flex out to an end spot in Saban’s 3-4/4-2-5 nickel hybrid defense and pressure opposing quarterbacks. Jonathan Allen and Jarran Reed are beasts at the end spots and consistently disrupt both the running game and the passing game. D.J. Pettway and Da’Shawn Hand play end more often on passing downs. Alabama shifts its 3-4 to a 4-2-5 with Reed and Robinson in the middle and Pettway and Hand on the ends often on passing downs. Pettway and Hand are dangerous pass rushers.

Alabama is just as deep at linebacker as they are on the line. Reggie Ragland and Ryan Anderson are veteran leaders at the inside linebacker and outside linebacker positions respectively. Reuben Foster and Denzell Devall will probably round out the linebacking corps.

In all likelihood, Ragland will man the WILL positon with Foster at the MIKE, Devall at the SAM and Anderson at the JACK. Tim Williams, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Dillon Lee, Rashaan Evans and Christian Miller will all see the field in reserve roles. Alabama has starting level talent that goes nine players deep at linebacker.

The secondary will continue to be Alabama’s question mark on defense. Last year the corners were suspect; this year it will be the safeties. Landon Collins is gone, Geno Smith has run into legal trouble again and Alabama has even experimented with cornerback Eddie Jackson at safety. G. Smith will probably lock down the free safety spot during the summer. Sophomore Hootie Jones could fill Collins’ shoes at strong safety.

Even with Cyrus Jones’ recent domestic violence arrest, cornerback looks solid this year. Jones was an All-SEC performer who will remain on the team even after the charges. It should be noted he did not physically harm anyone; he destroyed his girlfriend’s phone and threatened violence against her. Jones will be punished accordingly, but will not be dismissed. Jackson has shown flashes of being a lockdown corner, but has struggled with inconsistency. Tony Brown and Marlon Humphrey are highly touted sophomores who looked good in the A-Day game.

Alabama’s defense will improve if the secondary gives up fewer big plays than it did in 2014. New defensive backs coach Mel Tucker will certainly focus on limiting explosive plays in the passing game.

 

You buying or selling this team in 2015? (How many games they winning this year? Playoffs?)

Overall this team should once again be one of the best in the country. The playoff, though, is unlikely in my opinion. I believe the Tide will post a 10-2 record on the way to an SEC Championship. That will not be good enough for a playoff berth though. I think the SEC gets left out of the playoff this year. There is too much parity in the West for a clear cut team to rise above the rest of the pack, and the East is still a gigantic black hole, no matter the hype around Tennessee this spring. I think Alabama loses to a Mississippi School (probably Mississippi State) and one of the three games versus Arkansas, Wisconsin and Georgia.

There are simply too many questions surrounding important positions for this team to compete for a championship, in my opinion. I believe 2016 represents a more realistic opportunity for Alabama to bring home its 16th national title.

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Lucas Rhoden of Roll Bama Roll provided the information for our Alabama Football 2015 Spring recap. For more Alabama football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Lucas on Twitter @LBRhoden.

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