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Spring Review: RB picture still unclear

Spring Review: RB picture still unclear
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

The Players: Tailbacks: 29 Terry Grant; 38 Glen Coffee; 5 Roy Upchurch; 10 Jimmy Johns. Fullbacks: 40 Baron Huber; 30 Patrick Hanrahan; 44 Jacob Vane.
2007 signees: Jamar Taylor (Lakeland, Fla.); Demetrius Goode (Chatham, Va.); Jeramie Griffin (Batesville, Miss.)
2006 Season: Johns: 66 carries for 293 yards and 1 touchdown, 1 reception for 16 yards; Grant: 2 carries for 22 yards; Upchurch: 12 carries for 37 yards and 2 touchdowns; Huber: 1 reception for 4 yards.
Good to see: Nick Saban arrived at Alabama with a stable full of running backs but no clear starter amongst them. After four weeks of spring practice, the depth chart isn't much clearer but one thing is clear: multiple Crimson Tide backs will carry the ball this season.
Of the six candidates that began the spring at running back (Ali Sharrief moved to safety midway through spring practice) no one distinguished himself more than Grant. Grant showed his ability to be a home-run threat for the Tide last fall when he ran all over the Tide defense during a pre-season scrimmage. Unfortunately for Grant, who started at kick returner, he never got the chance to showcase his abilities on the field when his season was cut short by a shoulder injury.
Grant returned from his surgery in a big way this spring stepping up and showing his coaches that he has the speed to outrun defenders on the corner and the agility to make tacklers miss. Grant's 8 carries for 47 yards in the A-Day Game were a solid indicator that he is ready to step up as one of the Tide's top ball carriers in the fall.
Behind Grant, things remain a little cloudy as all the Tide backs showed promise during the spring but not enough to completely sell the coaching staff just yet. Coffee returned after a year off showing the same speed off the edges that made him a solid backup during the 2005 season. Coffee also boasts arguably the best pass protection skills of the group.
Upchurch, whose season also ended in an injury that led to surgery last year, remains the most physically gifted of the Tide running backs and showed that the year off has not diminished his impressive speed and strength. Upchurch will almost certainly factor into the battle for playing time in the fall.
Without a doubt the most pleasant surprise from the running back corps this spring was the play of February signee Taylor who finished high school early to get a jump on his college career. Taylor distinguished himself immediately as a strong physical specimen and earned the respect and praise of his teammates and coaches for his hard work and talent as a ball carrier. Taylor's 44 yard performance in the A-Day Game may have put the freshman right into the thick of the competition for some significant playing time in the fall.
Need to see more of: As the returning back with the most experience, Johns had an opportunity to step up and claim a starting job this spring. Instead, academic issues led Johns to two missed practices and a public admonition from Saban, landing him squarely at the bottom of the depth chart. Johns did put in an impressive performance in the A-Day Game with 26 yards off just 6 carries and showed he has the physical tools Saban is looking for to compliment Grant's speed and agility. Johns will need to stay in the good graces of his coaches off the field if he wants to see time on the field this fall.
Though each of the Tide backs showed potential, none showed the consistency they'll need to be an "every down" back for the Tide against SEC competition. With each player coming off an injury of some kind, durability and long-term health become issues of concern as well. Which back is able to play with the most consistency and remain healthy throughout the fall may be the most important factor of all in determining the 2007 depth chart at running back.
Overall: With five talented and young running backs all competing for the job this spring, there was plenty of motivation for each man to give his best and work to improve. Through fifteen practices, no one was able to jump out as the clear favorite for the job but each showed they are capable of contributing to the offense and making big plays in the running game and the passing game. How the backs progress in the off-season and how their various recently-repaired injuries affect them this fall will be the deciding factors on who takes on the crucial role of starting tailback for the Crimson Tide.

Updated on Saturday, May 5, 2007 9:30 am EDT

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Spring Review: Experience abounds in kicking game
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Travis Reier, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer – Rivals.com

The Players: Placekicker: 86 Jamie Christensen; 18 Leigh Tiffin; 15 Andrew Friedman. Punter 11 P.J. Fitzgerald; 7 Adam Hill. Holder: 11 P.J. Fitzgerald; 7 Adam Hill. Snapper: 54 Brian Selman. Kickoff return: 28 Javier Arenas; 38 Glen Coffee; 20 Jonathan Lowe; 11 Matt Caddell. Punt returner: 28 Javier Arenas.
2006 Season: Christensen: Converted 13 of 17 field goal attempts (long of 46 yards) and 17 of 18 PATs. On kickoffs, Christensen posted four touchbacks and sent three kicks out of bounds. Tiffin: Converted eight of 13 field goal attempts (long of 47 yards) and 12 of 13 PATs. Friedman: On kickoffs, Friedman recorded one touchback in 11 attempts. Fitzgerald: Picked up freshman All-SEC honors after averaging 38.2 yards per punt. Nineteen of his 57 punts were downed inside opponents' 20-yard line. Arenas: Averaged 9.2 yards per punt return and 19.1 yards per kickoff return. Had punt return scores of 65 and 86 yards.
Good to see: After suffering through a partially torn right abductor for nearly all of the 2006 season, Christensen returned to health, showing good lift and distance on field goals and kickoffs. For the second straight season, Christensen is dealing with a new rule involving kickoffs. Like the NFL, college kickoffs will now take place at the 30-yard line, placing a premium on leg strength and coverage. On A-Day, Christensen consistently drove his kickoffs inside the 10.
Until he gets another meaningful opportunity in a game, Tiffin will be most remembered for his struggles at Arkansas last September. But in knocking home five of six field goal attempts in spring scrimmages, the sophomore showed the ability to bounce back. Tiffin's lone scrimmage miss of the spring came from 49 yards out in stormy conditions.
Arenas is on track to become one of the SEC's top return men. Never one to call for a fair catch on punts, the sophomore gets as much as he can out of every opportunity. Arenas has shown solid hands to date, something you don't always see from a young player.
Coffee joined Arenas back deep on the spring game's opening kickoff, but Lowe might be difficult to keep out of the mix. The junior transfer from Mississippi State has SEC experience both on punts and kickoffs -- and it showed on his 45-yard kickoff return on A-Day. Incoming freshman Marquis Maze will be another candidate to keep an eye on when fall camp gets underway in August.
Fitzgerald's 53-yard bomb in the first quarter of the A-Day scrimmage produced one of the day's biggest cheers. The sophomore averaged 41 yards per punt in the spring's final scrimmage.
Need to see more of: Luke Spaulding filled in well for Drew Lane as the Tide's long snapper in 2006 and now Selman will take over the thankless job. A Bryant-Denny Stadium capacity crowd didn't appear to rattle the sophomore on A-Day, as his snaps were crisp and on target.
The question with Fitzgerald involves consistency, not ability. The same can be said of the placekicking situation, where both Christensen and Tiffin are talented enough to rank among the SEC's elite at their position.

With a wealth of experienced skill talent on hand, the return game should be more of a factor than it was a season ago (UA ranked ninth in the SEC in kickoff return average and seventh in punt return average in 2006). And thanks to the latest rule change, there should be plenty of opportunities on kickoff returns.
Overall: Kicking and punting shouldn't be a problem for the Tide, but what about the coverage units? Terrence Jones was one of the better special teams performers to come through the program in recent years and he'll need to be replaced. Guys like Demarcus Waldrop, Marcel Stamps, Cory Reamer, Eryk Anders, Charlie Higgenbotham and Chris Rogers possess the tools needed to excel when covering kicks, making them good bets to see time on coverage teams. With kickoffs being pushed back five yards (and off a one-inch tee), stealing a blow for frontline players won't be as easy.

Updated on Friday, May 4, 2007 12:00 pm EDT

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Spring Review: WR corps leads offense

Spring Review: WR corps leads offense
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

The Players: 22 DJ Hall; 81 Keith Brown; 11 Matt Caddell; 9 Nikita Stover; 7 Will Oakley; *4 Tyrone Prothro; 80 Mike McCoy; 82 Earl Alexander; 20 Jonathan Lowe; *25 Aaron McDaniel; 19 Darwin Salaam.
* Denotes injured player
2007 signees: Brandon Gibson (Mobile, Ala.); Darius Hanks (Norcross, Ga.).
2006 Season: Hall: 62 receptions for 1,056 (17.0 yards per reception) and five touchdowns; Brown: 44 receptions for 590 yards (13.4 ypr) and three touchdowns; Oakley: 18 receptions for 223 yards (12.4 ypr); Caddell: 16 receptions for 150 yards (9.4 ypr) and two touchdowns; Stover: 12 receptions for 192 yards (16.0 ypr) and two touchdowns.
Good to see: Hall entered spring practice as the clear frontrunner on the wide receiver depth chart after turning in arguably the greatest season by any Crimson Tide receiver in history in 2006. Despite his evident playmaking ability, Hall opted to play through the pain of his injured shoulder this spring, deciding to put off a needed surgery so he could get in as much practice as possible with his new coaching staff.
Hall's tenacity proved to be a positive as the senior showed why he will enter the 2007 season as one of the most respected receivers in the SEC and the Tide's most dangerous offensive weapon. Hall scored touchdowns in the Tide's final two spring scrimmages, including an impressive snag during the A-Day Game that sent the 92,000 fans in Bryant-Denny Stadium into a frenzy. Hall's five catch, 87 yard performance in the A-Day Game illustrated how Major Applewhite's offense will make use of Hall's abilities and fans can expect to hear Hall's named called out quite a bit this fall thanks to the Tide's increased emphasis on the passing game.
Behind Hall is a pack of talented and experienced receivers who each showed steady progress this spring in picking up their new offense. Brown's athletic ability will likely once again land him in the number two spot on the depth chart while Stover, despite having an off day at the A-Day scrimmage, made drastic improvements and adjustments from last season according to his teammates.
Caddell likely earned the honor of most improved receiver this spring as he appeared to overcome some of the mental hurdles that had been holding him back in previous seasons. Caddell has long been known as one of the most athletic and best route-running receivers in the group, has struggled with drops in the past but stood out early on this spring hauling in four catches for 80 yards in the Tide's first spring scrimmage and an impressive touchdown grab in the A-Day Game. If Caddell can keep his confidence up in the fall, he may earn a starting role as one of the Tide's top three receivers.
Youngsters McCoy and Alexander also had strong springs turning in impressive performances at the A-Day Game and showing throughout the spring that they have the physical tools to become excellent receivers down the road. Mississippi State transfer Lowe, who will be eligible to play this fall, also showcased his uncommon agility and athleticism this spring particularly in the return game. Whether Lowe will be able to crack the deep rotation at wide out this fall remains to be seen.
Need to see more of: While Brown's spring was more productive than some of his past efforts, he continued to struggle with injuries sitting out several practices with various bumps, bruises and pulls. While Brown clearly has the ability to be a strong playmaker for the Tide, he'll need to remain healthy for a longer stretch this fall if he hopes to become a key part of the Applewhite's offensive attack.
Oakley also missed most of the full contact work this spring as he recovered from shoulder surgery. Oakley turned into one of the Tide's most reliable receiving options last fall but will need to remain healthy through fall camp if he hopes to maintain that status.
Overall: Having three talented and experienced playmakers at the top of the chart at the same position is a luxury the Crimson Tide have not experienced in quite some time and the senior trio of Hall, Brown and Caddell will be expected to carry the Tide offense this fall while the relatively inexperienced running back unit develops. All three players have made their share of plays over the years for the Tide but will need to hit on all cylinders and remain healthy for the Tide offense to be productive in big games.
The Tide should also enjoy uncommonly strong depth in the wide receiver corps with Stover and Oakley each capable of coming up with big catches as well as making yards after the catch, giving the Tide five legitimate threats at wide out. As McCoy and Alexander develop, the group will grow even deeper and stronger and should be the bread and butter of the Tide offense in Nick Saban's first year.

Updated on Thursday, May 3, 2007 1:20 am EDT

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SEC Position Rankings: Where does Tide OL rate?

SEC Position Rankings: Where does Tide OL rate?
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Travis Reier, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer – Rivals.com

1.] Florida
Projected starters: RT Carlton Medder, RG Ronnie Wilson, C Drew Miller, LG Jim Tartt, LT Phil Trautwein.
Best of the bunch: Trautwine and Miller were second-team All-SEC selections a season ago.
Biggest loss: Center Steve Rissler, a first-team All-SEC choice in 2006, made 24 career starts for the Gators.
Biggest concern: With Miller sliding from guard to center in the spring, shotgun snaps didn't always find their intended target.
Biggest reason for optimism: The national champions return four starters and solid depth up front.
2.] LSU
Projected starters: RT Carnell Stewart, RG Lyle Hitt, C Brett Helms, LG Herman Johnson, LT Ciron Black.
Best of the bunch: In a league loaded with talented left tackles, Black, a freshman All-SEC selection in 2006, compares favorably with the likes of Andre Smith, Michael Oher and Phil Trautwein.
Biggest loss: Peter Dyakowski started all 13 games at right tackle in 2006. Dyakowski's off-the-field contributions will also be missed as he contributed more time to community service projects than any other LSU student-athlete
Biggest concern: With 19 career starts at guard to his credit, Will Arnold is the Tigers' most experienced lineman. However, it remains to be seen if he can fully recover from the ankle and knee injuries that cut short his 2006 season.
Biggest reason for optimism: Stewart is the lone senior on the two-deep and he's probably the weakest link of the starting five. This group should be hitting its stride just in time for a road trip to Alabama.
3.] Vanderbilt
Projected starters: RT Brian Stamper, RG Merritt Kirchoffer, C Hamilton Holliday, LG Josh Eames, LT Chris Williams.
Best of the bunch: Williams stands out on a unit that welcomes back all five starters.
Biggest loss: Elliot Hood, a reserve offensive lineman who started six games at right tackle for the Commodores last year, decided to bypass his final year of eligibility.
Biggest concern: Stamper was granted a fifth-year of eligibility by the NCAA, but it remains to be seen if his surgically-repaired back can hold up.
Biggest reason for optimism: Surprised by the lofty ranking? Keep in mind that this isn't just a unit that is loaded with returning starters. They're all seniors, too. Vandy ranked fourth in the SEC in rushing offense (149.6 ypg)and tied for third in sacks against (19) in 2006.
4.] Alabama
Projected starters: RT Chris Capps or Mike Johnson, RG Marlon Davis, C Antoine Caldwell, LG Justin Britt, LT Andre Smith.
Best of the bunch: If you picked a top five list of SEC linemen without concern for position, Caldwell and Smith would almost certainly make the cut.
Biggest loss: None. The Crimson Tide's two-deep returns largely intact.
Biggest concern: With Capps sidelined for contact work in the spring, Johnson found himself as the starter at right tackle when drills came to a close. The sophomore was solid in Capps' place over the second half of spring practice, setting up a potential fall camp battle between the two in August. The loser will be counted on to serve as the top backup to both tackle spots.
Biggest reason for optimism: Ten Tide linemen saw game action a season ago. Even with the coaching change, this group has a much better feel for working together.
5.] Ole Miss
Projected starters: RT Maurice Miller, RG John Jerry, C Corey Actis, LG Reid Neely, LT Michael Oher.
Best of the bunch: Oher has started 22 of the 23 games he has suited up for at Ole Miss. After picking up freshman All-SEC and All-America honors in 2005, Oher was a second-team All-SEC choice by the league's coaches as a sophomore.
Biggest loss: Though he was technically the starter at left guard, Andrew Wicker saw action at all five spots along the Rebels' offensive line in 2006.
Biggest concern: Neely's surge to the top spot at left guard was one of the top storylines of spring drills. Considering the starting experience of those around him, Neely won't need to be spectacular.
Biggest reason for optimism: Bringing in Art Kehoe a year ago as offensive line coach would have to rate as Ed Orgeron's best decision to date. And having talented guys like Oher and Jerry on hand to work with doesn't hurt.
6.] Tennessee
Projected starters: RT Eric Young, RG Ramon Foster, C Josh McNeil, LG Anthony Parker, LT Chris Scott.
Best of the bunch: McNeil, who was suspended for a portion of spring drills, was one of seven SEC centers named to the Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List. Young, who started all 13 games at right tackle in 2006, has worked at left tackle in the past and might again if Scott struggles.
Biggest loss: The graduation of Aaron Sears left a large void at left tackle.
Biggest concern: With the drop-off from Sears to Scott expected to be steep, quarterback Erik Ainge's blindside might be open for business this fall.
Biggest reason for optimism: Experienced players return at the three interior positions, so the Vols should be solid up the middle.
7.] Auburn
Projected starters: RT Andrew McCain, RG Leon Hart, C Jason Bosley, LG Tyronne Green, LT King Dunlap.
Best of the bunch: Seeing as how he entered spring drills as the Tigers' only returning starter, Dunlap is the choice by default.
Biggest loss: A three-year starter for AU, Ben Grubbs was the first guard selected in the 2007 NFL Draft, going to Baltimore with the 29th pick in the first round.
Biggest concern: With the departures of guards Grubbs and Tim Duckworth and center Joe Cope, the Tigers are officially in rebuild mode up front.
Biggest reason for optimism: Even with all the personnel losses over the past two seasons, look for Auburn offensive line coach Hugh Nall to field a strong five in 2007. Player development -- especially along both lines of scrimmage -- has been a strong suit for the Tigers under Tommy Tuberville.
8.] Arkansas
Projected starters: RT Nate Garner, RG Robert Felton, C Jonathan Luigs, LG Mitch Petrus, LT Jose Valdez.
Best of the bunch: A Rimington Trophy finalist a season ago, Luigs started all 14 games at center for the Razorbacks in 2006 after playing at both offensive guard and center as a freshman in 2005. He averaged a team-best 89.7 percent grade overall, including a 97.1 percent clip in pass blocking. Luigs had 35 knockdowns last season.
Biggest loss: After starting for three seasons at left tackle for the Hogs, Tony Ugoh was tabbed by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Biggest concern: With Ugoh and Zac Tubbs finally out of eligibility, the tackle spots are a mystery. Arkansas must also replace Stephen Parker, a three-year starter at left guard.
Biggest reason for optimism: Luigs and Felton are outstanding on the inside and there are high hopes for prep school signee Kareem Crowell at left guard. Thanks in large part to the work done by offensive line coach and running game coordinator Mike Markuson, Arkansas has led the SEC in rushing in four of the last five seasons. Backs like Darren McFadden and Felix Jones don't need much of a crack to be effective.
9.] Georgia
Projected starters: RT Chester Adams, RG Scott Haverkamp, C Fernando Velasco, LG Chris Davis, LT Trinton Sturdivant.
Best of the bunch: Adams has a future in the NFL at either guard or tackle.
Biggest loss: Center Nick Jones finished his UGA career with 32 consecutive starts.
Biggest concern: Adams and Velasco -- who moved from guard to center in the spring -- are proven commodities, but the Dogs are counting on two freshmen (Davis and Sturdivant) and a JUCO transfer (Haverkamp) at the other spots.
Biggest reason for optimism: After Neil Callaway left the program to take over as head coach at UAB, Mark Richt was able to lure offensive line coach Stacy Searels from LSU.
10.] Mississippi State
Projected starters: RT Craig Jenkins, RG J.D. Hamilton, C Royce Blackledge, LG Anthony Strauder, LT Michael Brown.
Best of the bunch: Blackledge has started 18 consecutive games for the Bulldogs, including all 12 at center last season. The senior was recently named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List for the 2007 season.
Biggest loss: Brian Anderson spread 30 career starts over three positions (left and right guard and left tackle) during his time at State.
Biggest concern: Guard Anthony Dunning and center Johnny Carpenter have promising futures in front of them, but there isn't much in the way of depth at tackle.
Biggest reason for optimism: A line that returns four starters will clear the way for one of the SEC's top young backs in sophomore Anthony Dixon.
11.] South Carolina
Projected starters: RT Justin Sorensen, RG James Thompson, C William Brown, LG Garrett Anderson, LT Jamon Meredith
Best of the bunch: The play of Meredith, who has 17 consecutive starts to his credit, is vital to keeping USC quarterbacks upright.
Biggest loss: Center Chris White made 41 career starts for the Gamecocks.
Biggest concern: Competition at the interior spots is expected to carry over into fall camp. Sophomore Lemuel Jeanpierre made the move from defensive tackle to offensive guard late in spring drills and could be the starter at left guard by the time the season opener rolls around.
Biggest reason for optimism: The Gamecocks return an experienced tackle tandem in Meredith and Sorensen.
12.] Kentucky
Projected starters: RT Josh Winchell, RG Jess Beets, C Eric Scott, LG Christian Johnson, LT Gary Williams.
Best of the bunch: Johnson and Williams combine to makeup a talented left side.
Biggest loss: Matt McCutchan was a three-year starter at center for the Wildcats.
Biggest concern: Other than Scott, none of the other starters spent the entire spring on the practice field. Johnson and Williams were suspended indefinitely for academic reasons, while JUCO transfers Winchell and Beets were hampered by knee injuries.
Biggest reason for optimism: The play of Scott, who started at right guard in 2006, at center during spring drills pleased head coach Rich Brooks.

Updated on Tuesday, May 8, 2007 5:00 pm EDT

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SEC: What we know, what we don't

SEC: What we know, what we don't
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Steve Megargee, Rivals.com College Football Staff Writer

After the Oakland Raiders took Louisiana State quarterback JaMarcus Russell with the first pick in the NFL Draft, the next 20 overall selections included six defensive players from the Southeastern Conference.
No wonder SEC teams spent much of spring practice getting defensive.
A survey of publishers from the Rivals.com sites representing SEC teams indicates that many of the league's programs have major issues on defense.
Florida returns only two starters from the defense that dominated Ohio State in last year's national championship game. Arkansas must replace first-round draft pick Jamaal Anderson at defensive end and second-round selection Chris Houston at cornerback. Georgia must figure out who will take over for Quentin Moses and Charles Johnson at defensive end.
Of course, not all the concerns focused on defense. Quite a few teams enter the SEC with uncertain quarterback situations.
Ole Miss is wondering if Brent Schaeffer will ever live up to his promise. LSU is hoping Matt Flynn's 2005 Peach Bowl performance was a sign of things to come. Auburn is counting on a healthy Brandon Cox to return to form. We spoke with publishers for every Rivals.com SEC site to discover which questions were answered and what issues remain unsettled for each conference team following the end of spring practice.

Source: Travis Reier of BamaOnLine.com
What we learned from spring practice: Versatility is key in Nick Saban's multiple defense. Some ends will be asked to slide inside and play tackle when the Tide goes to a four-man front, while others will stand up as outside linebackers in the 3-4. With Saban's affinity for blitzing, Simeon Castille and the rest of the corners will find themselves in man coverage a good bit of the time.
The biggest question remaining for fall: Sticking with the defense, the front seven is home to question marks at tackle and linebacker. Most of the starting jobs appear to be set, but there are depth concerns almost across the board. Ten of the Tide's 24 signees in February were either defensive linemen or linebackers. Those who qualify academically will get their chance to impact the two-deep right away.

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Spring Review: Linebacker spots undergo makeover

Spring Review: Linebacker spots undergo makeover
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Travis Reier, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer – Rivals.com

The Players: Middle linebacker: 21 Prince Hall; 45 Charlie Higgenbotham; 44 Demarcus Waldrop. Weakside linebacker 57 Darren Mustin; 32 Eryk Anders; 6 Marcel Stamps; Jack linebacker 94 Keith Saunders; 98 Brandon Fanney; 35 Charlie Kirschman. Strongside linebacker: 47 Ezekial Knight; 46 Zach Schreiber; 13 Cory Reamer.
2007 signees: Jennings Hester (Atlanta, Ga.); Rolando McClain (Decatur, Ala.); Alex Watkins (Brownsville, Tenn.); Chavis Williams (Dora, Ala.).

2006 Season: Anders: Four tackles. Hall: 77 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. Knight: Four tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble.Mustin: Eight tackles. Reamer: One tackle and one fumble recovery. Saunders: 16 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Schreiber: Six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback hurry, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. Stamps: Two tackles, one quarterback hurry, one blocked kick. Waldrop: 21 tackles, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble.
Good to see: Fresh off a season in which he garnered freshman All-SEC honors, Hall was asked to take on more of leadership role in the new defense. In addition to focusing on his own duties in a multiple scheme that will switch between 3-4 and 4-3 looks, Hall will also be in charge of setting the defense. Defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Kevin Steele didn't spare Hall's feelings early on in the spring, an approach the sophomore seemed to respond favorably to by the close of drills.
With the change in coaching staff, Mustin went from third-string middle linebacker to starting next to Hall. Though his play will never be described as flashy, Mustin turned in a solid spring performance. Anders slid inside from the strongside and finished up as Mustin's top backup. The sophomore represents the top combination of size and athleticism at the position.
On the outside, former ends Saunders and Knight are now classified as jack and strongside linebackers, respectively. Depending on the defense that is called, they will stand up or play with their hands on the ground -- with Saunders doing more of the latter. Despite being somewhat on the smallish side, Schreiber continues to come up with ways to pressure the quarterback. The sophomore began spring drills working with the third group, but moved up to second team after Anders moved to weakside. As a part of the shifting at linebacker during the spring, Reamer made the move from safety to strongside linebacker. Pass coverage shouldn't be a problem for Reamer, but taking on run-blocking tight ends will require an adjustment. After bouncing between end and tackle in his first two seasons in the program, Fanney, who picked off a pass in the second scrimmage of the spring, may have finally found a home at the jack position.
Like Schreiber, Higgenbotham overcomes a lack of size by playing all out on every snap. Now more than 18 months removed from the torn ACL he sustained during his senior year of high school, Higgenbotham -- who worked at both inside spots during the spring -- is moving around much better these days.
Need to see more of: Based on the current depth chart, this isn't the most physically imposing group of linebackers Nick Saban will put on the field during his time at Alabama. It's not overly experienced, either. Hall is the closest thing to a proven commodity and even he has room for improvement.
Between Mustin, Anders and an incoming freshman or two, competition at the weakside position will likely continue on through training camp. At this point, a solid-if-not-spectacular performance from the spot would be acceptable.
While they won't spend all of their time in coverage, Saunders and Knight will find themselves matched up on tight ends in space on occasion. And until they (and the safeties) prove capable, look for opposing offenses to try and work that matchup.
Saunders' spot typically puts heat on the quarterback, which makes his one sack from a season ago a bit of a concern.
Overall: The difference in staff opinions was on display during spring drills, as three of the top backups from last season finished drills as either third-teamers (Waldrop and Stamps) or at another position (Matt Collins to end). With tackle, linebacker and safety all areas of concern, a decent power running game (see Arkansas) could be productive against the Tide defense. While an area that has been home to mediocre recruiting in recent years might get a boost from the newcomers in August, expecting more than one or two of the signees to provide meaningful snaps isn't realistic. More time and talent is needed to return this group to the high level of play we saw just a few seasons ago.

Updated on Tuesday, May 1, 2007 5:00 pm EDT

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Spring Review: Corner play highlights secondary
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Travis Reier, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer – Rivals.com

The Players: Cornerbacks: 2 Simeon Castille; 16 Lionel Mitchell; 3 Kareem Jackson; 24 Marquis Johnson; 28 Javier Arenas; 36 Eric Gray; 23 Tremayne Coger. Safeties: 49 Rashad Johnson; 20 Marcus Carter; 27 Justin Woodall; 26 Ali Sharrief; 43 Sam Burnthall; 8 Chris Rogers; 29 Tyrone King.
2007 signees: Cornerbacks: Kareem Jackson (Macon, Ga./Fork Union Military); Chris Lett (Pensacola, Fla.). Safeties: Tarence Farmer (Houston, Tx.); Michael Ricks (Cortland, Ala./Northeast CC).
2006 Season: Castille: Led the team in interceptions (six) and fumble recoveries (three). Was second in pass breakups (six) and fourth in tackles (71). Gray: 17 tackles and two pass breakups. M. Johnson: Seven tackles. Mitchell: His four interceptions were second best on the team. Also had 25 tackles. Burnthall: Nine tackles. Carter: 31 tackles, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble. R. Johnson: 33 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Rogers: Nine tackles and one fumble recovery. Woodall: Six tackles, one pass breakup, one quarterback hurry and one blocked kick.
Good to see: After leading the SEC in turnovers last season, Castille's knack for big plays carried over to spring drills. The senior posted defensive scores in each of the first two scrimmages -- one on a fumble return and another on an interception. On the surface, it doesn't appear as if Castille's role in the new defense will differ much from the one he played under the previous regime. When the Tide goes to its nickel package, he'll slide from left corner to the "star" position -- something he did quite frequently in his first three years in the program.
With Gray struggling with a hamstring strain, Mitchell was the top option at right corner. Mitchell's ball skills rank second behind those of Castille, although Marquis Johnson and Jackson are not far behind. Speaking of Johnson, in getting his hands on three passes and making six tackles, he had the best A-Day scrimmage of any of the corners.
Jackson wasted no time in establishing himself as the top backup to Castille. With the first-team defense coming out in the nickel to start the A-Day game, the prep school signee got the nod at left corner. Jackson is a physically gifted corner who apparently doesn't struggle with the mental aspect of secondary play.

While some will point to Arenas' height when reviewing the fade pass from Greg McElroy to Matt Caddell that went for a Crimson touchdown in the A-Day scrimmage, the sophomore actually had solid coverage on the play. He's not likely to win every jump ball situation, but above-average strength and instincts will give him a chance while in man coverage.
Need to see more of: At safety, the Tide came out of spring drills in pretty much the same shape it headed into the stretch of 15 practices. We knew Rashad Johnson could play the run and blitz effectively. We also knew that playing in coverage wasn't a real strength at either of the two positions. As things stand right now, Nick Saban and Kirby Smart will go into training camp still in search of a playmaker in the middle of the field.
After making the switch from tailback to safety, Sharrief joined Woodall in working with the second-team defense. While he held his own, Sharrief still has a lot to learn from a coverage standpoint -- which, given the transition he was asked to undertake, is more than understandable. As for Woodall, his anticipated march to the top of the depth chart hit a speed bump. The sophomore was hampered by an ankle sprain in the spring.
Burnthall and Rogers, who made the move from corner, makeup the third group, with walk-on Tyrone King also in the mix.

Overall: While there appeared to be some improvement at safety, there's little doubt that opposing offenses will look to exploit the two spots via the pass in the fall. With that in mind, expect to see the Tide's top three corners on the field in a nickel package that will support a blitzing scheme. Of the newcomers, if Ricks completes his A.A. degree in the next month, he will likely factor quickly at one of the safety positions.

Updated on Friday, Apr 27, 2007 5:01 pm EDT

[Stoney]

Saban personally worked with the safetys himself.

[Tuck4Bama]

Five offensive questions revisited
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer –Rivals.com

The Crimson Tide's first spring practice under Nick Saban gave the fans their first look at what the program would look like under the new regime. While plenty of questions still remain heading into the off-season, the Saban and the Tide gave plenty of answers this spring about the future of Crimson Tide football. BamaOnline posed five questions about the offense before spring practice began and now we take a look at what we've learned…
5.) How will the players and their new coaches react to one another?
Undoubtedly the most important and most difficult transition to a new coaching staff involves the players and their new coaches forming a relationship. It was clear from the starting horn on the first day that Saban would be quite demanding of his players both on and off the field and the Tide players as a group appeared to respond well to their new coach's challenge.
There were cases in which the personality and demeanor of the new staff perhaps didn't mesh with certain players. Several players left the team for various reasons (some completely unrelated to the new staff) and others ran across difficulties in meeting the expectations of the new staff. Running back Jimmy Johns appeared to get the message after being suspended from the team due to academic issues but whether he and the rest of the team can stay in step with their coach's demands through the summer months remains to be seen.
The players also developed relationships with their new position coaches, men they'll be spending the majority of their time in practice with. Each assistant coach brings a different coaching style whether it's the academic, focused approach of offensive line coach Joe Pendry or the colorful, smack-talking style of tight ends coach Ron Middleton. Each unit on the team gained a closer relationship with the assistant coach it will learn from in the fall and that could be one of the most important and underrated developments of the Tide's spring practice.
4.) Can the Tide find the right mix on the offensive line?
The most beleaguered unit on the Tide offense for the last several years has been the offensive line and despite a number of talented and physically gifted players joining the unit over the past several years, the Tide was never able to find just the right mix for success last season.
With a large group of redshirt freshmen ready to challenge for a spot on the depth chart this spring, the competition was fierce at every spot on the line and from all accounts those battles were productive for the unit. While the starters at each spot on the line (save right tackle) are expected to return, they'll likely be more productive this fall than ever thanks to a strong and talented group of backups waiting to come in and provide quality relief time for the starters when needed.
At center, Antoine Caldwell continued to prove his leadership ability as the anchor of the line. Behind Caldwell, Evan Cardwell took most of the reps at center as redshirt freshman Brian Motley was moved to the defensive tackle spot.
At the guard spots, Justin Britt and Marlon Davis look to give the Tide its healthiest and most experienced guard duo in years. Davis will be backed up by a pair of mammoth 2006 signees in Taylor Pharr and Alex Stadler who continued to develop into solid contributors throughout the spring. Behind Britt will be spring standout David Ross and sophomore Scott Deaton who benefited from a strong showing in the off-season strength and conditioning program.
While the interior of the Tide line appears as solid as ever, the bookends of the line are where things get a bit less clear. Andre Smith returns to the left tackle spot after a phenomenal freshman year but the returning starter at right tackle Chris Capps, whose season was less than stellar last year, missed most of the spring work with an injury. Sophomore Mike Johnson ended the spring as the A-Day starter at right tackle but hasn't truly locked down the job for the fall. The lack of any strong backups could also make things dicey at the tackle position should the Tide run into injury trouble.
Overall, the Tide offensive front emerged from the spring with much more experience and knowledge of each other than it had in the previous two seasons. With a large group of young and talented backups waiting in the wings, the unit has a chance to improve as the season goes on provided the youngsters live up to their potential and develop under their new coaching staff.
3.) Will a solid third receiver emerge?
The Tide spent last season looking to DJ Hall and Keith Brown as the go-to guys on the offense, coming up with nearly impossible catches on a fairly regular basis and providing a spark to an occasionally lifeless offense. Though other receivers made plays at times, no one stepped up to become the same high level playmaker that Hall and Brown were.
This fall, the big question won't be does the Tide have a solid third receiver, but rather who will earn the starting honors in that role. With Will Oakley missing most of the spring recovering from shoulder surgery, the competition was mostly between junior Nikita Stover and senior Matt Caddell. Stover, who arrived in Tuscaloosa last year, made great strides in improving his consistency and utilizing his considerable physical ability but Caddell's work ethic and improved confidence made him a standout in each of the Tide's three controlled scrimmages.
Caddell's stronger performance in the A-Day Game won't likely mean much come fall camp and the two will likely be forced to duke it out for the starting job at the third receiver spot. The loser of the battle will still likely see plenty of playing time as the Tide figures to spread the ball around plenty on the offensive end.
Beyond Caddell and Stover, redshirt freshman Earl Alexander and sophomore Mike McCoy showed some improvement as well during the spring but thanks to a solid and deep rotation at the top they'll likely need to wait another year before seeing anything more than mop-up duty.
2.) Who will step up at tailback?
Though we did get a chance to see each of the Tide running backs work through spring without any major injuries, the question of which tailback will step up to claim the starting job is still largely unanswered.
Coming off a season-ending shoulder surgery, Terry Grant had plenty of reasons to be intimidated about his first spring under Saban but the sophomore held back nothing and used his breakaway speed and lightning-fast cutting ability to earn himself the starting job on the first team offense at A-Day.
Saban has declared publicly that he would like to split the carries between two running backs with contrasting but complimentary styles in order to keep opposing defenses on their guard. Though Grant clearly impressed his coaches enough to earn a starting spot, the Tide staff was not able to identify that complimentary back to split time with Grant in the backfield.
Sophomore Glen Coffee, who missed last season with a knee injury, showed toughness and a good burst of speed on the corners and Roy Upchurch continues to show strong potential to become the Tide's best all-around back but neither were able to pull away as the favorite.
Jimmy Johns, the returning back with the most experience, would seem to have the powerful, hard-hitting style that would compliment Grant's speed and agility. Unfortunately, Johns' academic issues bumped him to the bottom of the depth chart midway through spring practice. Johns was able to work his way back into the running back rotation as the spring went on but he'll have more to prove than anyone when the Tide returns to the practice field in the fall.
1.) What will the "Applewhite Offense" look like?
As expected, Nick Saban kept much of spring practice under wraps leaving most of the crucial details about his team's new offense to the imagination. Coming into the spring, those familiar with offensive coordinator Major Applewhite's offense at Rice knew he would likely spread things out a good bit at Alabama and judging from the formations the Tide used at A-Day that will likely be the case this fall.
The Tide offense opened the A-Day Game in a three-wide, one back set but employed several variations of both the shotgun and I-formation as well throughout the game. Saban described the team's new offense as a combination of ideas from Applewhite, Saban and Pendry and as the Tide staff learns more about its personnel the offense will likely change and continue to take shape even well into the season.
While the Tide offense will be returning plenty of starters, there will be a necessary adjustment period as the Tide players get the hang of their new offense and their coaches begin to find out what works for their new players.

Updated on Sunday, May 13, 2007 9:00 pm EDT

[Tuck4Bama]

SEC Position Rankings: Tide receivers check in
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Travis Reier, BamaOnLine.com Senior Writer – Rivals.com

1.] Alabama
Projected starters: DJ Hall; Keith Brown; Nikita Stover.
Next up: Matt Caddell; Will Oakley; Mike McCoy; Earl Alexander; Jonathan Lowe.
Best of the bunch: Hall holds multiple UA receiving records, including the mark for yards in a season, which he set in 2006 on his to becoming just the second Tide player to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau.
Biggest loss: None. The Tide's top five wide receivers from a season are set to return.
Biggest concern: As good as he's been in stretches during his career, Brown has struggled to stay on the field. The good news is that if the senior falls victim to the injury bug in 2007, there are plenty of options waiting in the wings.
Biggest reason for optimism: With a healthy Tyrone Prothro, this wouldn't be up for debate. Even without him, five upperclassmen with starting experience return for the Tide, which will employ more three wide receiver sets under offensive coordinator Major Applewhite. McCoy and Alexander are two talented receivers who will battle for starting spots after Hall and Brown graduate. The possibility of a five-star receiver from Foley, Ala., joining the rotation in 2008 has the fan base thinking big when looking ahead to the future.
2.] Florida
Projected starters: Andre Caldwell; Percy Harvin; Louis Murphy.
Next up: Jarred Fayson; David Nelson; Riley Cooper.
Best of the bunch: Harvin's receiving numbers (34 catches for 427 yards and two touchdowns) from his freshman campaign were impressive enough, but it's his ability to hit the homerun on reverses and totes out of the backfield that separates him from Caldwell. Harvin averaged 10.4 yards per carry on 41 attempts in 2006.
Biggest loss: Dallas Baker led the Gators in receptions (60), receiving yards (920) and touchdown receptions (10) a season ago.
Biggest concern: The Gators could use another after-the-catch playmaker to go along with Harvin. Fayson could be that guy.
Biggest reason for optimism: On the strength of a strong spring, Murphy surged to the top of the depth chart. The junior caught eight passes for 129 yards and one touchdown in the Orange and Blue game. In addition to the personnel listed above, tight end Cornelius Ingram is essentially another wide receiver, so assigning a linebacker to cover the junior won't cut it.
3.] Kentucky
Projected starters: Keenan Burton; Dicky Lyons Jr..
Next up: Steve Johnson; DeMoreo Ford; David Jones; Sean Murphy; Terrence Jones; Andre Henderson.
Best of the bunch: Burton picked up first-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press after catching 77 passes for 1036 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2006.
Biggest loss: After withdrawing for academic reasons during the spring semester, quarterback/wide receiver Curtis Pulley, who had 21 catches for 201 yards in 2006, was recently readmitted for the fall semester. The bad news for UK fans is that he'll spend the 2007 season redshirting.
Biggest concern: There are experienced players behind Burton and Lyons, but none of the returnees had more than 12 catches last season.
Biggest reason for optimism: Between them, Burton and Lyons combined for 127 receptions, 1,858 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in 2006. Oh, and quarterback Andre' Woodson returns after throwing for 3,515 yards and 31 touchdowns (against just seven interceptions) last season.
4.] LSU
Projected starters: Early Doucet; Brandon LaFell.
Next up: Trindon Holliday; Jared Mitchell.
Best of the bunch: By far LSU's most experienced receiver, Doucet caught 59 passes for 772 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006. The senior caught nine passes for 115 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' spring game.
Biggest loss: Dwayne Bowe led the team in receptions (65), receiving yards (990) and touchdowns (12) a season ago. He was recently selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Biggest concern: Other than Doucet, the rotation was up and down during spring drills. While the strong-armed JaMarcus Russell was always a threat to make plays down the field, opposing defensive coordinators will be interested to see if Matt Flynn can do the same.
Biggest reason for optimism: Even if the talent on hand doesn't step forward, chances are at least one of the incoming freshmen -- DeAngelo Benton, Demetrius Byrd and Terrance Toliver -- will.
5.] Vanderbilt
Projected starters: Earl Bennett; Sean Walker; George Smith.
Next up: Alex Washington; Justin Wheeler; Bryant Anderson.
Best of the bunch: No such thing as a sophomore slump where Bennett is concerned. The Birmingham native followed up his record-setting freshman campaign by catching 82 passes for 1,146 yards and six touchdowns in 2006. And that was with Chris Nickson taking over for NFL first-round pick Jay Cutler at quarterback.
Biggest loss: Marlon White caught 25 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns in 2006.
Biggest concern: The difference between Bennett and the Commodores' next-best receiver (White) last season was 57 receptions.
Biggest reason for optimism: A solid running game and a year of SEC experience for Nickson will only help a passing game that finished seventh (201.4 ypg) in the league a season ago.
6.] Auburn
Projected starters: Rod Smith; Robert Dunn; Montez Billings.
Next up: Prechae Rodriguez; James Swinton; Terrell Zachery; Alex Rose; Tim Hawthorne.
Best of the bunch: Smith averaged 17.4 yards per catch in pulling in 26 passes for 452 yards last season. His four touchdown receptions led the team.
Biggest loss: Courtney Taylor led the way in receptions (54) and receiving yards (704) in 2006.
Biggest concern: Outside of Smith, there isn't much in the way of a proven commodity at this spot.
Biggest reason for optimism: With quarterback Brandon Cox back to full strength, the passing game produced a number of big plays during spring drills. Dunn had four catches for 103 yards in one scrimmage and Billings hauled in four passes for 70 yards and one touchdown in the spring game.
7.] Georgia
Projected starters: Sean Bailey; Mikey Henderson.
Next up: A.J. Bryant; Mohamed Massaquoi; Kenneth Harris; Kris Durham; Demiko Goodman.
Best of the bunch: After sitting out the 2006 season while recovering from an ACL injury sustained during Sugar Bowl practices in December 2005, Bailey made his way back into the starting lineup in the spring. A starter in 10 games as a junior, Bailey averaged 22.8 yards per catch, reeling in 16 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns.
Biggest loss: Mario Raley caught eight passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns in 2006.
Biggest concern: A tight end (Martrez Milner) had the same number of catches (30) as the Dawgs' top wide receiver (Massaquoi) a season ago. Milner's three touchdown receptions were good enough to lead the team in that department. After an impressive freshman season in 2005, Massaquoi struggled with drops as a sophomore.
Biggest reason for optimism: The return of Bailey gives this group a legitimate big-play threat.
8.] Mississippi State
Projected starters: Brandon McRae; Jamayel Smith.
Next up: Tony Burks; Aubrey Bell; Lance Long; Tyler Threadgill.
Best of the bunch: Burks piled up 850 receiving yards on just 35 receptions (24.3 ypc) a season ago -- all of which was apparently good enough to earn him second team status to Smith coming out of the spring. That's not meant to knock Smith's abilities, because Alabama fans are still trying to forget his 41-yard touchdown reception in MSU's upset of the Tide last November.
Biggest loss: As a part-time starter in 2006, Will Prosser caught 11 passes for 135 yards.
Biggest concern: The first four receivers in the rotation are SEC caliber, but that's where it ends.
Biggest reason for optimism: Whether you choose to call it good fortune or an exceptional eye for talent, the MSU staff has unearthed some diamonds at receiver the past few years. First it was walk-on Smith who made a splash and now there's McRae, a 6-foot-3 transfer from Morehead State who runs in the 4.4 range.
9.] Arkansas
Projected starters: Marcus Monk; Robert Johnson.
Next up: London Crawford; Marques Wade; Reggie Fish; Chris Baker.
Best of the bunch: Monk caught 50 passes for 962 yards (19.2 ypc) and 11 touchdowns in 2006. At 6-foot-6, the senior is a red zone nightmare for opposing defenses.
Biggest loss: Damian Williams transferred to Southern California after pulling in 19 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman a season ago.
Biggest concern: Do the Razorbacks have a legitimate No. 2 receiver behind Monk? Former quarterback Johnson was the other starter coming out of spring practice.
Biggest reason for optimism: With defenses keying on running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, Monk should see more man coverage than a receiver of his ilk normally would. Question is, can quarterback Casey Dick get Monk the football?
10.] South Carolina
Projected starters: Kenny McKinley; Larry Freeman.
Next up: Moe Brown; Freddie Brown; Mike West.
Best of the bunch: Despite being overshadowed by Sidney Rice in 2006, McKinley was extremely productive, pulling in 51 passes for 880 yards and five touchdowns.
Biggest loss: Rice, who took his game to the NFL after piling up 72 catches for 1,090 yards and 10 touchdowns as a third-year sophomore, was a threat to score from anywhere on the field.
Biggest concern: JUCO transfer Freeman looks to be the starter opposite McKinley, but no one took the job by the throat during spring drills.
Biggest reason for optimism: The nation's top-ranked wide receiver recruiting class, which, in addition to Freeman, includes a five-star recruit (Chris Culliver) and two four-star signees (Jason Barnes and Dion Lecorn), is expected to arrive on campus this summer.
11.] Ole Miss
Projected starters: Dexter McCluster; Mike Wallace.
Next up: Shay Hodge; Marshay Green; Mico McSwain; Michael Hicks.
Best of the bunch: McCluster and Green dazzle with their speed and elusiveness, but it was Wallace who led the Rebels in receptions (24) and yards (410) in 2006. Wallace had three catches for 86 yards and one touchdown in the Rebels' overtime loss at Alabama last October.
Biggest loss: None. Ole Miss' top four receivers -- Wallace, Green, Hodge and McCluster -- from a season ago are back.
Biggest concern: In accordance with NCAA transfer rules, the Rebels' top quarterback -- Texas transfer Jevan Snead -- won't be on the field this fall. Seth Adams can run the offense, but it remains to be seen if he can make all the throws.
Biggest reason for optimism: A.J. Jackson, a 6-foot-6 JUCO transfer, should complement diminutive guys like McCluster and Green well.
12.] Tennessee
Projected starters: Quintin Hancock; Lucas Taylor.
Next up: Austin Rogers; Josh Briscoe; Slick Shelley.
Best of the bunch: His stat line from the 2006 season (two catches for 29 yards) does little to quicken the pulse, but practice observers liked what they saw from Hancock during spring drills. Of all the receivers, he appears to possess the top combination of size and speed at the position.
Biggest loss: One of the SEC's top playmakers a season ago, Robert Meachem was named first-team All-SEC after catching 71 passes for 1,298 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2006. The New Orleans Saints selected Meachem in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Biggest concern: In addition to Meachem, the Vols must replace Jayson Swain and Bret Smith, a duo that combined for 88 receptions, 1,141 yards and 11 touchdowns a season ago.
Biggest reason for optimism: It could be argued that the play of Meachem, Swain and Smith made quarterback Erik Ainge look good last season. With the trio having moved on, perhaps Ainge has reached a point in his development that will allow him to elevate the play of those around him.
Top five SEC wide receivers for 2007: Earl Bennett, Vanderbilt; Keenan Burton, Kentucky; DJ Hall, Alabama; Percy Harvin, Florida; Marcus Monk, Arkansas.

Updated on Wednesday, May 16, 2007 12:00 pm EDT

[Stoney]

From what I saw on my trip to Alabama it appears that the ship is sailing magnificently with Saban as Captain. I heard all this fuss about trying to stick Nick with false allegations of illegal recruiting violations. Tuns out it was just more sour grapes from the Miami crowd.

[Tuck4Bama]

Five defensive questions revisited
td.yspwidearticlebody { font-size: 13.5px; }By Matt Scalici, BamaOnLine.com Staff Writer – Rivals.com

The Crimson Tide's first spring practice under Nick Saban gave the fans their first look at what the program would look like under the new regime. While plenty of questions still remain heading into the off-season, the Saban and the Tide gave plenty of answers this spring about the future of Crimson Tide football. BamaOnline posed five questions about the defense before spring practice began and now we take a look at what we've learned…
5.) Who will step up to fill the vacant secondary spots?
The Crimson Tide entered the spring needing to fill the two voids in the secondary left behind by graduated seniors Jeffrey Dukes and Ramzee Robinson and several newcomers, including a February signee, stepped up their games giving the Tide plenty to be pleased about when it comes to pass coverage.
At corner, several candidates emerged to take over the spot opposite Simeon Castille despite the absence of Eric Gray (strained hamstring) from most of the contact work during the spring. With his knack for making big plays on the ball, Lionel Mitchell took the spring to establish himself as the likely leader for the right corner spot.
The competition for the job is far from over, however, thanks to strong performances on A-Day and throughout the spring from sophomore Marquis Johnson and true freshman Kareem Jackson. Johnson's hard-nosed, physical play make him a tough matchup for any receiver to handle while Jackson surprised everyone with how quickly he picked up the college game. Both players are likely to see significant time on the field this fall.
At safety, the Crimson Tide coaching staff learned a bit more about its personnel but will still need to identify the best man for the job when the team returns for fall camp. At the top of the depth chart, Rashad Johnson remains the Tide's best option as a run-stopper and blitzer but still needs work in his coverage skills. While Marcus Carter remains a strong and physical tackler, he too needs to show improvement in his coverage skills to hold off a charge from some of the younger players.
As far as those youngsters go, Justin Woodall was unable to make the charge up the depth chart that many hoped he would thanks to a nagging ankle injury he suffered midway through the spring. With depth at safety not as strong as the staff wanted, several position switches were made early in the spring including that of former running back Ali Sharrief to the secondary. Sharrief, along with former corners Sam Burnthall and Chris Rogers, spent the majority of the spring learning their new position and thus won't likely be able to come in and contribute immediately at the spot in the fall.
The Tide will need to see some improvement out of its top players at safety during fall camp.
4.) What impact will the redshirt freshmen make on the defense?
After using the 2006 season to develop both physically and mentally, several of the Tide's redshirt freshmen showed this spring that they are ready to make an impact on the field this fall.
In the linebacker corps, Charlie Higgenbotham took his freshman season to recover from an ACL tear he suffered during his senior season of high school but always impressed former defensive coordinator Joe Kines with his effort and tireless work ethic. Despite being rather on the small side for a middle linebacker at 5-foot-10, Higgenbotham showed the speed and tackling skills to earn himself the second-string spot at middle linebacker behind Prince Hall.
Despite starting the spring on the offense, Brian Motley made undoubtedly the biggest impact of any redshirt freshman by earning the starting job at defensive tackle after being moved to the spot the day before spring practice began. Motley has the size and strength to hold down the position for the Tide and while he'll receive more competition in the fall when Byron Walton and Lorenzo Washington are healthy again, Motley impressed the coaching staff in the spring with how quickly he was able to become a dominant force in the middle.
3.) Who will start at linebacker?
As the Tide entered spring practice, they were looking to not only replace two graduating starters in Juwan Simpson and Terrence Jones, but also add a fourth starter for the 3-4 base scheme that Saban will employ.
Coming off a freshman All-SEC season, Prince Hall was asked to take a leadership role in the linebacker corps this spring reading defenses and making adjustments for his teammates. While such responsibility will take time for Hall to master, the Tide coaching staff appeared to be pleased with Hall's progress during the spring.
Alongside Hall, walk-on Darren Mustin stepped up with an impressive spring and claimed a starting role at weakside linebacker. Mustin will battle Eryk Anders in the fall for the starting job but either way the Tide will can expect solid play at the weakside spot this season.
Saban's 3-4 scheme makes use of the outside linebacker spots as both traditional linebackers but also as pass rushers who can move up to the line and provide extra pressure. Saban and his staff utilized two former defensive ends in Keith Saunders and Ezekial Knight to become the prototypes for the new hybrid outside linebacker spots and both players showed what their combination of speed and physicality can bring to the defense.
2.) Can the Tide find a way to pressure opposing quarterbacks?
One of the primary goals of the Tide defense in the spring was finding a way to improve the Tide's feeble pass rush which led to just 13 sacks, the fewest of any SEC team last season.
Saban brings with him a much more aggressive defensive style that will feature more blitzes and from more places, something that is bound to put opposing quarterbacks on their backs a few more times this season. The Tide defensive ends continued to show they are among the hardest working units on the team this spring as Wallace Gilberry and Bobby Greenwood were among the more consistent performers throughout spring practice.
The Tide's outside linebackers will also be utilized more as pass rushers with speedsters Knight and Saunders bringing the skills and size of a defensive end to the position. With the added pressure from both the linebacker and safety spots, the Tide defensive ends will likely have more opportunities to wreak havoc in the backfield this fall.
1.) Who will step up at the all-important defensive tackle spot?
In the 3-4 scheme, the nose tackle is a spot of utmost importance to the defense and the Crimson Tide entered the spring in desperate need of an unproven tackle to step up and take on the responsibility of handling the job.
Unfortunately, off-season injuries to the top two contenders for the job, Lorenzo Washington and Byron Walton, left an even greater need at the tackle position, one that would require the help of a young player from the offensive side of the ball. Brian Motley began the spring as the third string center on the offensive line having added significant size and strength during his redshirt season in 2006. Motley was one of the Tide's most highly touted offensive line signees in Shula's final signing class and was likely to have a chance in the spring to move up the depth chart behind Antoine Caldwell.
Instead, Motley took on the challenge of moving to the defensive side when asked by his coaches and after just a few weeks at his new position, Motley was surprisingly dominant in the Tide's first spring scrimmage.
Whether Motley can hang onto the job in the fall is another question. Though Walton and Washington have yet to prove themselves on the field, they have considerably more experience at the position and when healthy can likely make a strong push for the job. Motley will also face a challenge from a number of talented freshmen that will join the Tide in the fall, including Hoover superstars Josh Chapman and Kerry Murphy, Athens standout Alfred McCullough and Prattville tackle Nick Gentry.
Though Motley stepped up and claimed the job in the spring, the competition at defensive tackle will be more fierce than ever when fall camp rolls around.

Updated on Friday, May 18, 2007 5:01 pm EDT

[Stoney]

This is going to be an exciting team to watch.

[Tuck4Bama]

Team Report: Strategy and Personnel

2007 OUTLOOK: With the arrival of new coach Nick Saban, Alabama starts over with a more experienced head coach who has proven himself as a college head coach in the past. Saban and his new staff spent the spring trying to build a sense of mental and physical toughness that was often lacking in recent seasons under former coach Mike Shula. With only five returning starters on defense and an offensive line with a lot to prove after struggling the past two seasons, the Tide must buy into Saban's demands to improve on last season's underachieving 6-7 finish.

OFFENSE: New offensive coordinator Major Applewhite ran a spread offense at Rice last season but Saban, veteran offensive line coach Joe Pendry and Applewhite remain adamant that the new offense will be shaped to fit Alabama's personnel. The offense returns QB John Parker Wilson and WRs DJ Hall and Keith Brown but must establish a go-to tailback or two and improve up front to give the offense a more solid foundation.

DEFENSE: The move from a 4-3 base to a 3-4 scheme is based primarily on Alabama's depth problem on the defensive line. The three-man front won't be the team's exclusive defense. Instead, Keith Saunders will play the new "Jack" position, a hybrid of defensive end and outside linebacker that should give the Tide some versatility in the front seven and even the ability to transition from 3-4 to 4-3 on a play-to-play basis. The line returns two proven veterans in DEs Wallace Gilberry and Bobby Greenwood while MLB Prince Hall and CB Simeon Castille are quality talents.
SCOUTING THE SPECIAL TEAMS: K Jamie Christensen and P P.J. Fitzgerald return for the Tide but both must become more consistent and dependable. Sophomore return specialist Javier Arenas is a potential star, but veteran special-teams coordinator Ron Middleton has a lot of work to do to make an underachieving kicking game more productive. ROSTER REPORT: Spring practice allowed the coaches to experiment with players at different positions. While the decision to move Brian Motley from the offensive line to nose tackle will be permanent, the coaches can afford to keep looking at players such as Ali Sharrief, who moved between running back and safety; redshirt freshman Taylor Pharr, who moved between offensive tackle and the defensive line; Cory Reamer, who moved between safety and outside linebacker; and Matt Collins, who moved between linebacker and the defensive line.

[Tuck4Bama]

Team Report: Inside Slant



Nick Saban and his coaching staff didn't spend their first spring practice at Alabama focused solely on evaluating personnel, installing new systems and determining depth charts.

They focused their time and energy instead on developing a foundation of discipline, purpose and mental toughness that has often been missing at Alabama in recent seasons.

In the process, Saban and his coaches have discovered some untapped resources, such as nose tackle Brian Motley. He started the spring on offense but moved to defense when injuries limited other potential nose tackles. Motley went on finish the spring as the team's most improved player, according to Saban.
A previously suspect offensive line also made progress in its first spring under veteran NFL assistant Joe Pendry, showing signs of building the sort of depth and effectiveness it often lacked the past two years.
A lot of work is yet to be done as offensive coordinator Major Applewhite continues to install a multiple-formation offense based on Alabama's available personnel, starting with quarterback John Parker Wilson and receivers DJ Hall and Keith Brown.
The same is true on the other side of the ball, where defensive coordinator Kevin Steele is putting together pieces for a 3-4 defense that will attempt to make use of versatile players such as a hybrid linebacker/defensive end. "The bottom line is, the team's character is made up of individuals and what kind of character they have," Saban said. "We set the standard, but nobody can create it except for the individuals. It's their choice. It doesn't take any ability to have effort, it doesn't take any ability to show toughness. Don't just go out there and endure. Go out there and improve."