Questions as Alabama Begins Spring Practice

We break down the new 2016 Alabama Crimson Tide as they began spring practice.

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Sixty days. That’s how long we have suffered in the emptiness of  no Alabama Football since the National Championship game on January 11th. Fear not though, for spring practice began Friday. A new year, which brings new questions for positions on the team:

Offense: 

Another season, and more offensive records were broken with Coach Lane Kiffin calling plays. Kiffin made good with most Alabama fans this past season by running the ball all the way to a Heisman trophy for his running back Derrick Henry, and a national title. This season should have similar offensive production with all the weapons Kiffin has to choose from, including a wide receiving core may be the most talented ever at Alabama. Some coaching changes were made as running backs coach Burton Burns takes over Special Teams while Bobby Williams moves to an off the field role. Alabama also moved Coach Mario Cristobal to tackles and tight ends, and hired Brent Key to coach the offensive line.

Quarterback:

The most obvious and the most important question for this years team: Who will be the quarterback? For the third year in a row, Alabama will be looking for a new signal caller, and it’s as wide open this year as before.

Early indications would point the front runner for the job being to the highly touted redshirt freshman, Blake Barnett.  Also competing for the job will be redshirt junior Cooper Bateman, redshirt sophomore David Cornwell, and early enrolled freshman Jalen Hurts. Barnett started turning heads as a freshman last year in the spring, and with a year in the program now, he will receive most of the attention during this competition. Bateman has the most experience of the four, including a start against Ole Miss last season, while Cornwell was in a position to win the job last year over Coker and Bateman, he ultimately fell to third string duties as the season began. True freshman Jalen Hurts helped the team prep for the National Championship game by using his duel-threat skills to play DeShawn Watson on scout team, but I would expect him to pick up a redshirt once the season starts.

If history has taught us anything in this situation, it is that this question will not be answered when spring practice ends. While Barnett may be viewed as the favorite, so was transfer Jake Coker two years ago in the spring but Blake Sims went on to win the job. It will come down to who can make the right decisions with the ball, and most importantly, be a leader on the team. So take who gets first team reps over the next five weeks with a grain of salt, but enjoy the competition among them.

Running Backs:

If you are distraught due to the departure of Heisman winner Derrick Henry and fan favorite Kenyan Drake, take a deep breath and get ready for the next ones up. Sophomores Damian Harris and Bo Scarbrough will likely be the two headed monster this year, with Junior Derrick Gore in the mix. Harris played back up to Henry last season, showing signs of great vision and shiftiness, while Bo has the size (6’2″ 240 lbs) and freakish speed and power that will remind you of Henry. This is the most inexperienced backfield Nick Saban has had since his first year in 2007, but the talent and potential is there to become the backfield that Bama fans have become accustomed to.

Defense: 

Kirby Smart has finally gotten his well deserved chance as a head coach, and I wish him all the best (stop stealing our recruits, Kirby!!). Kirby took Alabama secondary coach Mel Tucker with him to be his defensive coordinator at Georgia, so Alabama hired Jeremy Pruitt to replace Kirby. Pruitt was the defensive coordinator at Georgia the last two seasons and coached at Alabama from 2007-2012. Pruitt has an understanding at what Nick Saban wants on defense and is a great recruiter. Alabama also hired Derrick Ansley was hired to coach the secondary, replacing Mel Tucker.

Linebackers: 

The biggest question on this years defense is who will replace Reggie Ragland as the play-caller and leader on the defense. There is a plethora of talent again on the defense this year, especially on the front seven. Senior linebacker/human heat seeking missile Reuben Foster figures to be that guy that will lead the defense in 2016. After spending 3 seasons learning the system and playing in different roles, it is his time to shine. Dillion Lee graduating opens up a position at inside/outside LB and a pair of junior linebackers, Shawn Dion Hamilton and Rashaan Evens, will have a larger role this year, including taking that position. Evens figures to also mix in with Seniors Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson as a linebacker/pass rusher hybrid as he did in his career game against Clemson. Also keep an eye on sophomore Keith Holcombe to have a limited role in this years defense. Alabama has plenty of talent to use and rotate in again this year depending on the situation during the game.

Secondary:

With the departure of seniors Cyrus Jones, Geno Matias-Smith and Jabriel Washington, there is playing time to be had, and Alabama once again has the talented players to plug right in. Senior Eddie Jackson coming back will provide the leadership and experience that the secondary will need. Sophomores Ronnie Harrison and Minkah Fitzpatrick both had breakout freshman years in 2015, and both will play huge roles in 2016 as Alabama tries to have a Top-5 overall defense again. Senior Maurice Smith and Junior Laurence “Hootie” Jones will also get playing time at safety depending on the defensive package. Junior Tony Brown is viewed as the favorite to replace Cyrus Jones at corner, but after being sent home during Cotton Bowl practice, we don’t know how far in Saban’s doghouse he is. Junior Anthony Averett and redshirt freshman Kendall Sheffield are expected to be in limited roles at corner too.

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So lets enjoy the fact that we are now one step forward in the right direction with spring practice returning. Before you know it, it will be September and all will be right in the world again.