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JessN: Previews 2015: Alabama Crimson Tide

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JessN

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Previews 2015: Alabama Crimson Tide
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
August 6th, 2015 10:15 PM

Previews 2015: Alabama Crimson Tide Returning Offensive Starters: 2 (LT, C) Returning Defensive Starters: 7 (DE, NT, DT/E, WLB, SLB, RCB, FS) Returning Specialists: 2 (PK, P) Projected Overall Record: 11-1 Projected SEC Record: 7-1 (UGA) Projected SEC West Record: 6-0 Ratings (Ex, Vg, Av, Fr, Pr) Quarterbacks: Av Defensive Line: Ex Running Backs: Vg […]

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B1GTide

B1GTide

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Maybe I misunderstand the point of this article. Do you really believe that your QB and WRs will be average in 2015?
 
colbysullivan

colbysullivan

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B1GTide said:
Maybe I misunderstand the point of this article. Do you really believe that your QB and WRs will be average in 2015?
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From a numbers standpoint, we will probably not have the overall QB and WR production this year as we did in 2014. However, with the talent we have, average QB play is usually enough. McElroy and McCarron didn't light up the stat sheets in 2009 and 2011 respectively, but they got the job done.
 
B1GTide

B1GTide

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colbysullivan said:
From a numbers standpoint, we will probably not have the overall QB and WR production this year as we did in 2014. However, with the talent we have, average QB play is usually enough. McElroy and McCarron didn't light up the stat sheets in 2009 and 2011 respectively, but they got the job done.
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IMO, with your talent at both positions, you will only have average production at either position by choice. I just don't see that happening with Kiffin.
 
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gtgilbert

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Tidetwin said:
One unit, DL, is set; QB, RB, TE, OL, Receivers, LB, DB, Safety and PK are all unsettled or have big caveats and yet, we still go 11-1?
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We were in almost the same spot last year with only the WR and RB groups really set. Everywhere else had a lot of questions.

That said, I don't think there as many caveats with this team as that. The LB group is well established with Ragland and any of the three other guys (Lee, Foster, SDH). I'd like to see Lee win this battle as he would give us a lot more scheme versatility than the other two against these offenses that don't want us to sub. Outside LB should also be fine with three guys who have a ton of reps and some younger ones behind them, especially since we have tended to only play one OLB in recent years and have one of our smaller ends like Allen, Pettway and Hand playing also.

This OL has at least stayed constant since mid-spring. last year there was movement at the guard spots most of the year.

RB is fine, as long as no one gets hurt..

WR - lot of unproven talent so do see the concern here.

CB - Jones is set. I think we'll see Brown have a great year also. Every really good CB we have had experienced some struggles in their first year as a starter, then showed a TON of improvement the next year. If that trend continues we will be fine.

That leaves S, which is the biggest concern I think, especially since we've played a 3 S alignment most of the time the last 3 years. We've only got G. Smith with game experience at that spot, and not a lot of experience at that. Jackson is a heck of an athlete, but will be in year one at S. At Star who??? M Smith? J Washington - both of those guys had big issues in coverage last year. if one of them is the guy, we'd better hope they have the same type improvement we are hoping for from Brown.
 
Tidetwin

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gtgilbert said:
We were in almost the same spot last year with only the WR and RB groups really set. Everywhere else had a lot of questions.

That said, I don't think there as many caveats with this team as that. The LB group is well established with Ragland and any of the three other guys (Lee, Foster, SDH). I'd like to see Lee win this battle as he would give us a lot more scheme versatility than the other two against these offenses that don't want us to sub. Outside LB should also be fine with three guys who have a ton of reps and some younger ones behind them, especially since we have tended to only play one OLB in recent years and have one of our smaller ends like Allen, Pettway and Hand playing also.

This OL has at least stayed constant since mid-spring. last year there was movement at the guard spots most of the year.

RB is fine, as long as no one gets hurt..

WR - lot of unproven talent so do see the concern here.

CB - Jones is set. I think we'll see Brown have a great year also. Every really good CB we have had experienced some struggles in their first year as a starter, then showed a TON of improvement the next year. If that trend continues we will be fine.

That leaves S, which is the biggest concern I think, especially since we've played a 3 S alignment most of the time the last 3 years. We've only got G. Smith with game experience at that spot, and not a lot of experience at that. Jackson is a heck of an athlete, but will be in year one at S. At Star who??? M Smith? J Washington - both of those guys had big issues in coverage last year. if one of them is the guy, we'd better hope they have the same type improvement we are hoping for from Brown.
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I salute your optimism, GT and hope you are right.
 
J

JessN

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B1GTide said:
Maybe I misunderstand the point of this article. Do you really believe that your QB and WRs will be average in 2015?
Click to expand...
These previews typically put a premium on experience at this point in the season, especially experienced players who also happen to be good. However, there is some projection allowed for here (which is why Alabama's secondary rates as "very good" despite being fair at best toward the end of 2014).

The issue with wide receiver is that we count the tight ends in this group, not the OL group. I'm not really blown away by the position at the moment. If you take the names off, here's what you have: Two converted defensive linemen (including one with zero snaps in a game at all, much less as a TE), one undersized guy that can catch but hasn't proven he can block, and a guy with off-the-chart measurables but who has shown no consistency in any part of his game whatsoever (yet). Plus a true freshman and a walk-on.

When you look at WR, one projected starter is out for the year, another key reserve is out for probably the first half at least, which leaves you with four guys with game experience (and almost none of it in tight games) plus a couple of walk-ons and two true freshmen. Frankly, I don't see how you can rate that as "very good" or "excellent" right now regardless of how talented they allegedly are.

Quarterback is a different animal but with the coaches not knowing who is going to start (and they currently don't), it's safe to say it's more likely that Alabama has five guys with cloudy futures than it is Alabama has five superstars all battling for the same piece of territory.
 
B1GTide

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Thanks for the clarification. I agree that your TEs look murky, and that effects your play calling. As you included them in your WR grouping, that lowers their score.

As for QB - I suspect that the reason that you don't know who your starter will be is because you have, for the first time at Alabama in decades, too many very good QBs on your roster. IMO, you have 4 QBs who would start on most other college football teams. That is not average, or even close to average.
 
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BroadwayJoe777

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B1GTide said:
As for QB - I suspect that the reason that you don't know who your starter will be is because you have, for the first time at Alabama in decades, too many very good QBs on your roster. IMO, you have 4 QBs who would start on most other college football teams. That is not average, or even close to average.
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B1GTide

I think you are being overly complimentary, but we appreciate it....:)

As a Buckeye fan, how would you compare our defensive front 7 with your team?

Also, do you agree that Alabama has the best defensive front 7 in college football?

As a Ohio State fan, I am curious of your opinion.
 
B1GTide

B1GTide

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BroadwayJoe777 said:
B1GTide

I think you are being overly complimentary, but we appreciate it....:)

As a Buckeye fan, how would you compare our defensive front 7 with your team?

Also, do you agree that Alabama has the best defensive front 7 in college football?

As a Ohio State fan, I am curious of your opinion.
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I think that we have a huge drop-off after Bosa. We lost a great NG and our second best DE. Alabama will have a better D-Line in 2015 - probably the best in college football.
 
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jps1983

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So, Jess mentions struggles if Cam gets hurt. Now Cam gets hurt. Tough start to fall camp.
 
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tide96

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I'm really not sure about how to grade the WR group. Sure they have less on the field production than many other returning units, but the coaches confidence in this group seems very high. You don't take Amari Cooper off of the field, so of course younger guys will not have as much game time, but I'm pretty confident this group will excell.
 
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