News Article: SI: Alabama Could Be Reloading Instead of Rebuilding

[deliveryman35]

Need to work on your spring. Think it is clogged up.

Does the defense get fixed in the offseason? Do we find/develop a kicker? Do we keep Sark? Do guys in key positions advance in their development or regress like some did this season? Who stays? Who goes—on both the roster and the staff? I have a lot of questions.

 

[Ledsteplin]

if we could just get either Smitty or Ruggs back, the offense would be in great shape. Mac would do great, if Tua doesn't return or is unable to start right away.
We really could use some of those injured on defense to return. I think some will. Hopefully most.
We're just gonna have to wait and see how all this plays out.

 

[CajunCrimson]

I reported this post for its offensive material.

Lumbago isn't a bad word

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Does the defense get fixed in the offseason? Do we find/develop a kicker? Do we keep Sark? Do guys in key positions advance in their development or regress like some did this season? Who stays? Who goes—on both the roster and the staff? I have a lot of questions.

Yeah, me to. But the marriage license has already been signed and the five kids are here. Oh , wait a minute. Wrong board...


I think the defense get a lot better, Sark stays and we continue to have kicker struggles. 2 out of 3 ain't bad though.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

I think there are one narrative we probably haven't discussed and it's probably not fair to do so, but worth considering for now.

If those guys decide to come back, especially on the offense side, what does that mean for our current players who were set to see significant playing time next year?

If Tua does decide to come back, then what happens to Mac Jones? Will he decide to transfer?

Ruggs/Smith what does that mean for Shavers and others?

What happens if Najee does decide to come back? What does that mean for Robinson and Ford, especially with how K. Robinson did last year and Trey Sander recovering 100 percent?


I think Saban is probably asking the guys to make a decision whether they're staying or not, so he can plan accordingly. Last year, we saw few guys saying they were staying around this time....

 

[B1GTide]

Does the defense get fixed in the offseason? Do we find/develop a kicker? Do we keep Sark? Do guys in key positions advance in their development or regress like some did this season? Who stays? Who goes—on both the roster and the staff? I have a lot of questions.

Every team has questions. Doubt comes from within your mind.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Well, Lewis is gone lol

There is a snap of him singing "I won't practice for free no mo!"

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I think there are one narrative we probably haven't discussed and it's probably not fair to do so, but worth considering for now.

If those guys decide to come back, especially on the offense side, what does that mean for our current players who were set to see significant playing time next year?

If Tua does decide to come back, then what happens to Mac Jones? Will he decide to transfer?

Ruggs/Smith what does that mean for Shavers and others?

What happens if Najee does decide to come back? What does that mean for Robinson and Ford, especially with how K. Robinson did last year and Trey Sander recovering 100 percent?


I think Saban is probably asking the guys to make a decision whether they're staying or not, so he can plan accordingly. Last year, we saw few guys saying they were staying around this time....

Well, technically, until these players make it official they are leaving early. They are a part of our "current players" coming back next year as well. I know what you're asking and think it is a good question. Personally, and I know this is going to sound callused, I don't care. Winning a title is so hard and even though we've gotten used to them over the last ten years. This season really made me realize how quick things can turn. So if we have an opportunity for proven stars to come back and give it another run. I'm all for it, even if it means losing a few potential stars in doing so.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

I was hoping those undisciplined players who kept causing penalties were seniors. I still hope so. And if not then I hope someone can teach them (coach them) to play with discipline.

 

[CajunCrimson]

I think there are one narrative we probably haven't discussed and it's probably not fair to do so, but worth considering for now.

If those guys decide to come back, especially on the offense side, what does that mean for our current players who were set to see significant playing time next year?

If Tua does decide to come back, then what happens to Mac Jones? Will he decide to transfer?

Ruggs/Smith what does that mean for Shavers and others?

What happens if Najee does decide to come back? What does that mean for Robinson and Ford, especially with how K. Robinson did last year and Trey Sander recovering 100 percent?


I think Saban is probably asking the guys to make a decision whether they're staying or not, so he can plan accordingly. Last year, we saw few guys saying they were staying around this time....

Maybe I shouldn't look at it this way, but I think I do.....

If Shavers (as an example) was to bail because Ruggs and Smitty come back -- he wouldn't be seeing playing time anyway. And he hasn't made huge strides this year to earn more playing time (even though he has NFL guys in front of him). It's kind of like Cam Sims. Loved the guy -- but a group of freshmen came in and stole his snaps....he might have been better off transferring.....

 

[teamplayer]

If this does happen then we will be the hands down the favorite to win the Division and Conference next year...

Weren't we the hands down favorite to win the conference this year?

 

[BamaDMD]

Yeah, me to. But the marriage license has already been signed and the five kids are here. Oh , wait a minute. Wrong board...


I think the defense get a lot better, Sark stays and we continue to have kicker struggles. 2 out of 3 ain't bad though.

Soaking this in while listening to Meatloaf in the background....

 

[CoolBreeze]

Weren't we the hands down favorite to win the conference this year?

Yep, before we got decimated by injuries.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Well, Lewis is gone lol

There is a snap of him singing "I won't practice for free no mo!"

We all have different definitions of "free" don't we?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Weren't we the hands down favorite to win the conference this year?

Take the two games we lost, take the players off the field who were forced into action due to injuries and insert the players that would have been on the field if not for injuries. Do we win those two games?

 

[CajunCrimson]

Take the two games we lost, take the players off the field who were forced into action due to injuries and insert the players that would have been on the field if not for injuries. Do we win those two games?

Yep

 

[TideEngineer08]

*2014

If I'm reading my notes correctly, we made the playoff that year.

 

[colbysullivan]

If I'm reading my notes correctly, we made the playoff that year.

Yes but we didn’t play for the national championship. We lost in the semis.

 

[Bamaboy16]

I think there are one narrative we probably haven't discussed and it's probably not fair to do so, but worth considering for now.

If those guys decide to come back, especially on the offense side, what does that mean for our current players who were set to see significant playing time next year?

If Tua does decide to come back, then what happens to Mac Jones? Will he decide to transfer?

Ruggs/Smith what does that mean for Shavers and others?

What happens if Najee does decide to come back? What does that mean for Robinson and Ford, especially with how K. Robinson did last year and Trey Sander recovering 100 percent?


I think Saban is probably asking the guys to make a decision whether they're staying or not, so he can plan accordingly. Last year, we saw few guys saying they were staying around this time....

I think Najee is gone for sure from what I have heard. Losing Mac Jones is fine, he won't go anywhere, but we have Bryce Young coming in. He's insanely talented. As for receivers, they will wait their turn, maybe we lose 1 but we will replace them with freshmen.

Shane Lee & Christian Harris will become backups at LB but gain valuable experience they know they need.

We're fine.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

I've lived through forty-plus years of this stuff.

If you bet "they're leaving," you're gonna be right 90% of the time. We heard this same type of story prior to the 2011 NFL lockout ("oh, all those Bama guys are gonna stay because the NFL might not even play!").

Didn't happen, did it?

So, no, I'm not gonna read "this might happen" news and even pretend it's going to be likely - because it isn't.

Now.......COULD it happen? Yeah, sure, nothing is impossible. But let's not set ourselves up with "oh, I thought he was coming back because I read this article."

(I suspect a lot of this is an attempt to steer clear of the problems inherent in getting ready for a meaningless bowl game with a loudmouth coach and his ex-Ole Miss loudmouth signal caller).

Well, I did not read the article as a guarantee that they were all coming back, just that there's a stronger possibility they might than had been thought. Everyone knows how flaky kids that age are. As has been alluded to above, I think that Tua returning is key, and not just with the receivers. As I said I've known the writer personally for a very long time and I know he's not just making stuff up. However, it may all turn to dust. Not long till we find out for sure...