News Article: Alabama May Have the Most Loaded Roster in College Football History

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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A long read, but I think that you guys will like it.

Heading into spring practices Alabama's roster features 19 players who were considered consensus 5-star recruits, in addition to 49 4-star prospects. Combined, that's just under 80 percent of the entire team.


It also means that of the 34 5-star players whom Saban has landed for Alabama since 2008, a remarkable number magnified by there having been very few busts, more than half are currently on the Crimson Tide.


“Yeah, it’s probably a record,” said college football analyst Phil Steele, who writes the wildly popular season preview magazine that’s become an annual industry staple. “I can’t recall anybody prior to that having that many, and the [previous] three straight classes really helped.”
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ost-loaded-roster-in-college-football-history
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
1,351
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Tuscaloosa
I've said before recently that we've seen some of the most talented teams of the last decade end up drawing the short stick when it comes to championships. I think the big thing with this upcoming team is that the question mark almost solely lies on the quarterback position. I'm confident in all the other openings because there is a pretty clear line of succession. Probably will be better in the secondary but a little weaker in the middle of the defense...but we haven't been weak in the middle since 2008 despite roster turnover, it will be stout. Tailback depth is a concern but tailback talent is not. The WR+TE group is as good as it ever has been under Saban.

It is all on the QB position when it comes to roster questions. The ceiling for this team is almost wholly on the intangibles like focus and motivation.
 

b2v4ua

All-SEC
Dec 12, 2009
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Springville,Al
I've said before recently that we've seen some of the most talented teams of the last decade end up drawing the short stick when it comes to championships. I think the big thing with this upcoming team is that the question mark almost solely lies on the quarterback position. I'm confident in all the other openings because there is a pretty clear line of succession. Probably will be better in the secondary but a little weaker in the middle of the defense...but we haven't been weak in the middle since 2008 despite roster turnover, it will be stout. Tailback depth is a concern but tailback talent is not. The WR+TE group is as good as it ever has been under Saban.

It is all on the QB position when it comes to roster questions. The ceiling for this team is almost wholly on the intangibles like focus and motivation.
How can you possibly think it comes down to the QB position. Have you not learned from the past 2 years? That's all I'm gonna say about it.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
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Tuscaloosa
I'm not worried about the QB position, but it is the only big question mark on the depth chart to me. I think we have a pretty good inkling on how the depth chart will shake out elsewhere if everyone does their job in the offseason and camps. QB is a three horse race and the track record over the entire Saban era gives me confidence that the winner will be fine.

Like I said at the end, this team's ceiling is more in the intangibles than the roster.
 

Go Bama

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
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16outa17essee
How can you possibly think it comes down to the QB position. Have you not learned from the past 2 years? That's all I'm gonna say about it.
You haven't said anything except to say that you aren't going to say anything. You asked two questions. :wink:
 

B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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My biggest concern is the loss of Smart. I know that he was a GA when Saban hired him. I know that it is Saban's defense, and that Saban taught Smart. I still can't help but worry about the loss of such a key figure. Continuity helps.
 

TiderJack

Hall of Fame
Jul 9, 2010
12,232
6,265
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Inverness, AL
My biggest concern is the loss of Smart. I know that he was a GA when Saban hired him. I know that it is Saban's defense, and that Saban taught Smart. I still can't help but worry about the loss of such a key figure. Continuity helps.
Smart will be missed and it will be interesting how Pruitt differs in play calling (schemes will be the same) but Pruitt has learned from Smart and Saban also. Pruitt also was the DC for a very good FSU team that won it all. There may be a learning curve for the players and coaches but feel defense will still be our strength.
 

sanjosecrimson

Hall of Fame
May 18, 2007
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San Jose, California
Smart will be missed and it will be interesting how Pruitt differs in play calling (schemes will be the same) but Pruitt has learned from Smart and Saban also. Pruitt also was the DC for a very good FSU team that won it all. There may be a learning curve for the players and coaches but feel defense will still be our strength.
furthermore Georgia's defense last year actually improve the latter part of the season under Pruitt.
 

Mke4Bama

All-SEC
Nov 21, 2006
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Cullman (Good Hope)
Paul Finebaum ‏@finebaum 2h2 hours ago
.@AlabamaFTBL has more 5 stars on its roster than the entire Big Ten, Pac 12 & Big 12
Embedded image permalink
 

twofbyc

Hall of Fame
Oct 14, 2009
12,195
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The defense won't miss a beat under JP - CNS trained KS, he has already had JP on the staff before; he moved on to DC positions and did very well in programs that aren't quite as deep as Bama's.
Bama has the (OK, I hate the word so I won't say it, you can) _____________ to be scary good next year.
As long as their work ethic mirrors the 2015 team (and I've already seen some signing videos that make me think there won't be any drop-off there), we'll be watching them play again in the last game of the season, IMO. The talent is certainly there.
 

paul02085

All-SEC
Sep 12, 2004
1,945
0
0
Loganville, Ga.
I feel that the leadership of the players themselves willed this years team to win. To me that is the key going forward. I think it is becoming a tradition that will become a huge part of the process.... The team demanding excellence and accountability from every member is as powerful as having great talent and great coaching and I think it is becoming more strong each year
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
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Tuscaloosa
My biggest concern is the loss of Smart. I know that he was a GA when Saban hired him. I know that it is Saban's defense, and that Saban taught Smart. I still can't help but worry about the loss of such a key figure. Continuity helps.
I don't think the Smart loss will hurt that much at all. Pruitt was hoping Smart would leave in 2012 so he could get his spot. Instead, it worked out better for Alabama as Pruitt got 3 years of actual DCing before taking it over here. Other than the massive egg they laid against Florida in 2014, he was pretty solid for Georgia and his 2013 FSU defense was pretty nasty in their own right. Since Saban coaches the coaches as much as the players, I'm pretty confident the impact on the defense will be pretty minimal. Keeping Lupoi was an underrated win for the staff...he worked wonders on an underachieving OLB group since Coach Sunseri left.
 

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