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SEC West Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide
By James Moroney
Word association, anyone? Here’s one. The 2007 Alabama football team. If you didn’t say schizophrenic then you didn’t watch the same football team that I did. I have never seen a more enigmatic team than the one in Tuscaloosa last year. You literally had no clue what team you were getting on any given Saturday. One week they blow out Tennessee and then they lose a home game to UL Monroe. John Parker Wilson leads an amazing comeback versus Arkansas and then chokes away two games versus LSU and Mississippi State. Nick Saban had his team within three minutes of controlling its destiny in the West and then, three weeks later, his team is barely bowl eligible.
Was there improvement? Yes. All six of Alabama’s losses were by a touchdown or less, and they ended the season with a solid win over Colorado. However, even with all of the silver lining, the team still lost their last four regular season games including one to UL Monroe and struggled in wins over Ole Miss and Houston. Saban has a lot of work to do if he wants to see results similar to his second year at LSU.
On offense, Saban replaced Major Applewhite, recently departed to Texas, with Fresno State offensive coordinator Jim McElwain. McElwain comes to Alabama with over 20 years of coaching experience, mostly with quarterbacks and wide receivers, which includes a year with the Oakland Raiders. His new offense will include shorter passes and timing routes to help some of the inconsistency and turnovers that bothered the offense last year.
Seven starters return for McElwain led by quarterback John Parker Wilson. Wilson will become the most prolific passer in school history this year, but Alabama fans would like to see his win-loss ratio improve before he joins the legendary list of Crimson Tide quarterbacks. Behind Wilson in the backfield will be Terry Grant. Grant, a sophomore, led the team in rushing last year with 891 yards and 8 touchdowns. Look for the offense to rely on Grant early on in the year as the new receivers try to adjust to the system.
The major question mark for the offense will be the receivers. Keith Brown and DJ Hall are gone and leave major holes to fill. Mike McCoy was the go to guy in the spring and should remain solid throughout the year. True freshman Julio Jones will get a look at immediate playing time, and while he is a rare talent and future All-American, he is only a freshman. Alabama needs production from a third receiver to keep the offense moving.
The best group returning for Alabama is their offensive line. All-SEC caliber players, Andre Smith and Antoine Caldwell anchor one of the best lines in the SEC. While this group will be great and dominate most defensive lines, they need to perform better against the elite teams. Last year versus LSU, Alabama ran for only 20 yards and allowed seven sacks against the LSU front seven. While they won’t face LSU’s defensive line every weekend, Alabama needs more consistency from their all-star group if they want to compete for an SEC title.
Saban returns six starters on defense, though Ezekial Knight still has medical uncertainties. Gone are Simeon Castille and Wallace Gilberry. Gilberry led the team in sacks and tackles-for-loss, and Castille was their number one corner from a year ago.
Nick Saban’s defense usually relies heavily on the pass rush of the front line. Create pressure on the quarterback and avoid big plays down the field. Saban has a solid group of starters in Bobby Greenwood, Lorenzo Washington, and Brandon Deadrick, but he doesn’t have much after that. It is probably too much to expect Greenwood and Deadrick to make up for the loss of Gilberry, but they will need to play well or this defense might struggle.
The linebackers continue to take hits during the off-season. Ezekial Knight remains doubtful after a continuing heart condition; no one besides Saban knows the timetable for Prince Hall’s suspension; and now possible starter Jimmy Johns gets kicked off the team after an arrest. Rolando McClain is a solid player and potential star, but he will need help this season. True freshmen Jerrell Harris and Mark Barron could see time immediately for depth reasons and Brandon Fanney looks to be ready for prime time. That being said, Saban can’t afford to lose any more linebackers to injury or suspension.
The secondary will be solid led by super stud Rashad Johnson. Johnson, while talented, needs to stay out of trouble because the defense cannot afford to lose him to suspension at any point this season. Kareem Jackson will take over the number one corner spot and Javier Arenas looks to be the guy opposite him. True freshman Alonzo Lawrence could push for early playing time as he has all the physical tools to become another All-SEC corner coached by Nick Saban.
The Tide return punter PJ Fitzgerald and kicker Leigh Tiffin, and Arenas will be dangerous on kick and punt returns, something LSU fans know all too well.
The schedule this year doesn’t do Alabama any favors. There are two probable losses on the road at Georgia and LSU. A road game against Tennessee could also be a problem as the Vols are likely ready to avenge the blowout in Tuscaloosa last year. Despite what everyone else is saying, I think Alabama takes it to Clemson this year. ESPN puts Clemson as the number 6 team in the country after a mediocre 9 – 4 season that didn’t have any marquee wins. Saban’s teams are known for being able to stop the run and I am not convinced Cullen Harper can shoulder the team if CJ Spiller and James Davis are producing. The road game at Arkansas could be a trap game before the Georgia game and Mississippi State could be dangerous sandwiched between Auburn and LSU. Alabama could easily lose five games on this schedule, but I think that an 8 – 4 season and third in the West is where they end up.
Originally Published: Issue 691 - July 2, 2008
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