For an Alabama football Championship to be achieved in 2017, it comes down to the defensive line, new starters and key reserves.
There are many interesting position battles for the 2017 Alabama football team. On the offensive line and in the secondary, new starters will greatly affect the 2017 record.
The most important determinant in the success of the 2017 football season comes down to one area and three positions. This make-or-break area for the Tide is the defensive line. The positions are the three, hand-on-the-ground slots the Tide typically uses in its nickel defense.
Everyone understands that Nick Saban builds his defense from a 3-4 alignment with two defensive ends and a nose tackle. That defense was Alabama football’s base defense until the proliferation of spread offenses. To counter the spread attacks, the Tide’s most used defense and thereby its new base defense is the nickel or the 4-2-5.
The nickel gets its name from the additional defensive back employed in the formation. In the 4-2-5 front, the Tide usually adds a linebacker who lines up similar to a defensive end position. Most often last season that fourth defensive line slot was filled by Ryan Anderson.
In 2016, the two interior positions were filled by Da’Ron Payne, Dalvin Tomlinson, Jonathan Allen, Anfernee Jennings, or DaShawn Hand. Of those five players, three are moving to the NFL. Last season, those three former players combined for 192 tackles.
Add Reuben Foster with 115, and Tim Williams with 31 for a total of 338 tackles from the 2016 season needing to be replaced in 2017. Alabama football is loaded with linebackers for 2017. Foster was a great player, but the Tide has an abundance of talent at linebacker for 2017.
The defensive line is an entirely different situation. Let’s look at the 2016 tackle numbers again in another way. In 2016 the Alabama football front four and edge rushers Tim Williams and Christian Miller made 342 tackles.
Five, now former players, made 235 of those 342 tackles in 2016.
Not somebody, but some bodies have several big shoes to fill in 2017. Let’s look at the options in 2017 and we’ll start in the middle.
Da’Ron Payne – Nose Tackle – 6’2″ 320 lbs. – 2017 Junior
Whenever the words beast or freak were used last season, Alabama football fans most often thought of defensive players: Jonathan Allen; Dalvin Tomlinson; Ryan Anderson; Reuben Foster; or Da’Ron Payne.
Payne was a 247 Composite 5-Star player coming out of high school. He has been an Alabama starter since the Arkansas game in his freshman season. ESPN named Payne to their Freshmen All-American team.
Payne made 36 tackles in 2016 but in his role, tackling is secondary to clogging the middle of the Tide’s defensive front. Forcing the opponent’s offensive line to regularly double-team him, allows Tide linebackers to make more tackles. As a run stuffer, Payne is as good as anyone in the SEC.
Just how strong is Daron Payne? The answer is we may not know. According to Matt Zenith of http://al.com during spring 2016 workouts Payne did:
"“a 365-pound power clean, a 500-pound bench press and a 600-pound squat to go along with a 4.93 in the 40-yard dash at 6-foot-2, 319 pounds. But the Tide’s standout sophomore defensive tackle told his high school coach, Bill Smith, that he could have done more in those three lifts if he had been allowed to do more weight, especially the bench press and squat.”"
If he chooses to make the move after the 2017 season, Payne is likely to be a first-round NFL draft choice.
Barring injury and being over-burdened from too many snaps, Payne’s presence has the middle of the Tide D-Line looking good for 2017. Who else can fill in at an interior defensive line slot? We’ll look at all the options and start with the best one first.
Da’Shawn Hand – Defensive End – 6′ 4″ 280 lbs. – 2017 Senior
Coming out of high school, Da’Shawn Hand was a consensus 5-Star recruit. Rivals listed Hand as the overall No. 1 player, ahead of Myles Garrett, Jabrill Peppers, and Leonard Fournette.
It is an understatement to say Hand was not the typical high school superstar. Promises of immediate playing time did not entice him. He wanted to play for and with the best and was prepared to earn his way into a regular rotation.
Among his many college choices, Hand has said one of the main reasons he selected Alabama was his appreciation for the school’s Civil Engineering department.
Hand became part of the Tide’s defensive line rotation as a freshman. In his sophomore season, he contributed six and a half tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Last year, Hand played in all 15 games and contributed 21 total tackles. Hand played mostly at the defensive end position. Much like Jonathan Allen, Hand can slide to a defensive tackle slot when needed.
Da’Shawn Hand may be the most highly rated Alabama recruit, not considered a “bust”, who has never started a game for the Crimson Tide. Unless stymied by an unforeseen injury, Hand’s starting drought will end on Sept. 2, 2017.
Much will be expected of Da’Shawn Hand in 2017. It is fair for fans to be confident Hand will deliver.
Isaiah Buggs: Defensive End – 6′ 5″, 290 lbs. 2017 Junior
Buggs was the nation’s #1 Junior College defensive end. He is expected to be an integral part of next season’s playing rotation.
Isaiah Buggs was brought to Alabama football from junior college to provide an immediate contribution to the defensive playing rotation. Primarily a defensive end at the JC level, Buggs is expected to also fill in at defensive tackle as needed.
Check out this video review of Buggs from http://al.com
As an older player, he has the size and physical maturity to contribute as a run-stopper. At 6′ 5″ the Tide may look to some added weight for Buggs to be more effective inside. As an early enrollee the Alabama football and nutrition program has time for Buggs to add strength and weight as needed.
The other possibility is that Buggs stays at his current weight and is the other defensive end starter. The best use of Buggs could be determined by how much confidence the Tide has in other players. One of those other players most likely to part of the regular rotation is Quinnen Williams.
Quinnen Williams – Defensive Line – 6′ 4″ 284 lbs. 2017 Redshirt Freshman
Quinnen Williams spent the 2016 season toiling on the scout team. To most fans, his contribution went unnoticed. His ability did not go unnoticed by the 2016 regulars who matched up against in practices.
Williams has quietly (except for a viral cannonball video below) worked himself into an integral role for the 2107 defense.
https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaFTBL/videos/10154788331112209/
Cannonball contests will do nothing to impress Jeremy Pruitt and Nick Saban.
The weight shown above for Quinnen has not been updated for months. It is suspected he will play in the fall at around 300 lbs. Just like the other players we have discussed, Williams could play inside or outside.
If Quinnen Williams can replicate his scout team heroics as a regular next fall, he could log as many plays as Isaiah Buggs.
Josh Frazier – Defensive Tackle – 6′ 4″ 315 lbs. – 2017 Senior
Josh Frazier played in twelve games during his freshman and sophomore seasons. Last season he competed in 14 games and was credited with eight tackles.
Frazier is a capable player who should see increased action in 2017. Alabama football needs a bigger contribution from Frazier to allow rotation of the Tide’s big bodies. Expect Frazier to become the fifth, sixth or seventh player in the Tide’s defensive line rotation.
Raekwon Davis – Defensive Line – 6′ 7″ 320 lbs. – 2017 Sophomore
Coming out of high school Davis was a highly rated 4-Star recruit. 247 Sports Composite Rankings listed Davis as the No. 84 overall player in the nation.
It will be very interesting to see an updated weight for Kwon. I have seen estimates that he is now in the 335 lb. range. Playing defensive tackle at 6′ 7″ is a challenge. More specifically it is a pad level issue where shorter offensive linemen gain an advantage against Davis.
Davis only saw action in seven games as a freshman and was credited with four tackles. According to various practice reports in 2016, Davis was a long way from becoming a polished player.
Here are some highlights of Raekwon at the U.S. Army All-Star game:
It is easy to get excited about Raekwon Davis’ potential. He is needed for the defensive rotation in 2017.
As we discussed at the start of this post, the defensive formation used most often by Alabama football is the nickel or the 4-2-5. Usually, in the 4-2-5 an outside linebacker becomes a down lineman, as Ryan Anderson has for the last three seasons.
Sometimes the fourth down lineman is an edge, speed rusher, as in Tim Williams. In the complex Tide defenses Anderson and Williams, as outside rushers, sometimes paired with two defensive tackles, Allen, Payne or Tomlinson.
For 2017, both Anderson and Williams must be replaced. Not to mention Allen and Tomlinson.
Anfernee Jennings – 6′ 3″ 264 lbs. – Outside Linebacker – 2017 Sophomore
Coming out of high school Jennings was a consensus 4-Star recruit. He redshirted his first season for Alabama. In 2016, as a redshirt freshman, Jennings competed in 15 games. He was credited with 19 tackles.
Jennings has the physical tools to be a similar hybrid linebacker to Ryan Anderson. Anderson played the position at around 255 lbs on an inch shorter frame. Basically, Jennings and Anderson have the same physique.
Christian Miller – 6′ 4″ 230 lbs. Outside Linebacker – 2017 Junior
Coming out of high school in 2014, Miller was a 4-Star player, ranked as the No. 39 overall player in the nation by 247 Sports Composite.
Miller redshirted as a freshman in 2014, not for lack of talent, but for lack of enough bulk. In 2015 and 2016, Miller took part in 27 games, mostly as a special teams player. Over the two season period, he was credited with 16 tackles.
Miller saw limited action as a speed rusher in 2016. If he continues to add weight he is expected to have an expanded role in 2017. Alabama football has options other than Miller to replace the departed Tim Williams. Terrell Hall will factor into the speed rusher competition.
One other option for that outside rusher role might be Rashaan Evans. Evans will be fighting to win a starting role at either the Mike or Will linebacker positions. Alabama football is very deep with young linebackers and defensive coaches will have many options to choose.
It’s Time To Review the Numbers
For the Alabama Nickel or 4-2-5, numbers are important to keep the bigger guys fresh. In 2015, Alabama could go 10 deep in the front four. Alabama football did not have the same depth in 2016 and basically relied on seven players.
Was that the difference between a National Championship in 2015 and coming up just short in 2016? A good argument can be made that it was the difference. Alabama looked tired late against Clemson. As the old quote often attributed to Vince Lombardi said, “fatigue makes cowards of us all.”
There were no cowards on the field against Clemson, only courageous young men whose bodies were pushed to their limits. Alabama football needs more depth up front in 2017.
For big-bodied down linemen, the Tide needs a minimum of eight healthy players and nine would be better. Let’s check our numbers:
Locks to Start: Da’Ron Payne and Da’Shawn Hand
Probable Starters: Isaiah Buggs and Quinnen Williams
In the Rotation: Raekwon Davis and Josh Frazier
Hyrid LB/DE: Anfernee Jennings
That is seven players. Alabama football needs two more. Who can provide that essential depth?
Alabama has O.J. Smith, Johnny Dwight, and Jamar King. Of the three, Smith has seen a little action, Dwight, and King virtually none. Reasonable expectation suggests none of these players will be a factor in 2017. It would not be a shock, if one or more transfer or give up football entirely.
Alabama signed two highly rated 2017 recruits in defensive end LaBrayan Ray and defensive tackle, Phidarius Mathis. Both are predicted to have great Alabama careers. Neither enrolled early so both will be miss spring practice.
It is very difficult for a true freshman to earn playing time if they start in the summer. We fans will have to hope Ray and Mathis grow up quickly as football players.
The only remaining option would be an offensive lineman, converting to a defensive line position. Alabama is loaded on the offensive line. Playing time will be precious.
Deonte Brown and Scott Lashley are 2017 freshmen redshirts. Lashley has a chance to win as starting role on the offensive line. During the spring or later, Lashley and Brown may choose to pursue more playing time with a move to defense.
Speed Rusher: Christian Miller
As we said earlier, Christian Miller appears most likely to step into the Tim Williams role. 2017 sophomore Terrell Hall will compete with Miller and is almost certain to be part of the playing rotation.
Alabama is so deep at linebacker, there are ample options for this position.
The 2017 Defensive Line is the key to a Championship.
Does Alabama have the roster resources to replace 235 tackles of the 342 tackles made by the front four in 2016? Does Alabama have the depth in 2017 to go 90-plus plays against a top offense and prevail a winner?
In every other position grouping, Alabama football has the player resources for Championship football. Whether the Tide has sufficient resources at the defensive line position will determine the 2017 season. Will it be a good year or will it be a Championship year? Follow the D-Line for the answer.
Next: Check Out Other Tide Position Battles
Alabama football Spring Practice begins on Tuesday, Mar. 21. The annual A-Day game will be Apr. 22. Let us know what you think about new 2017 starters. Connect with us on Facebook.