Alabama Football: What to look for leading up to fall camp
By Ronald Evans
Alabama football fall camp is two weeks away. Check out three areas, worthy of close attention leading up to the start of camp.
The symbolic kickoff to the new season, SEC Media Days is finished. Alabama football fans now have two more weeks of summer dog days before the pace quickens with the start of fall camp. Players are required to report on August 2nd and the first day of fall camp work will be Friday, August 3rd.
In the interval, Alabama football fans still have important areas to follow. The top three involve injury-roster updates; 2019 recruiting and any potential ILB graduate transfer.
Injury – Roster Update
Over the last few weeks, Alabama football has lost Terrell Lewis to an ACL injury; Jordan Davis to academic deficiencies and JUCO; VanDarius Cowan to team dismissal and Keith Holcombe to full-time baseball. The loss of four linebackers is a serious concern, particularly at inside linebacker where Cowan and Holcombe would have played.
The normal recovery period for an ACL surgery is 9 months or longer. Early reports, post-surgery, are that Terrell Lewis will work to return for post-season play. The causes for optimism are multiple. Foremost is the toughness and determination of Lewis. Add that drive to the medical marvel of stem cell use and perhaps he can play late in the season.
Other injury news is positive. Tua is fully recovered from his spring injury. Anfernee Jennings said this week he will be 100 percent healthy for fall camp.
Roster Changes
Alabama football has roster room to add a graduate transfer, inside linebacker. There have been some rumblings of the staff being in contact with a couple of prospects. There is no chance of a transfer starting over Dylan Moses and Mack Wilson. Bringing in a grad transfer for a chance to win a second-team role is difficult. If it happens, the window until fall camp is when it will happen.
2019 Recruiting
Shortly after the current NCAA dead period ends, Alabama football will host a second Champions Cookout of the summer. Two priority 5-Star prospects, Trey Sanders (RB) and Darnell Wright (OL) are expected to attend. Sanders has talked about a decision before the start of his high school season. Wright will not make a decision until later but getting the No. 7 rated player in the nation back to Tuscaloosa would be a huge boost.
Another top 5-Star prospect, Daxton Hill may make a decision in the next few weeks. Hill is a Tide priority and most experts believe it will come down to Alabama football and Oklahoma. The Sooner have a late-July cookout also and where Hill decides to visit will indicate which team leads.
Another July date of note is the 30th when Ishmael Sopsher is scheduled to announce a top five. Sopsher is the DT at the top of the Tide’s Big Board and the No. 5 overall prospect in the 2019 class. The five will include his two leaders, LSU and Alabama football.
Next: Some interesting facts from the latest 2018 roster
The recruiting Dead Period does not limit all contact. Even in this slower period, the recruiting process grinds on. We will review all the remaining targets soon.