Alabama Football: Spring football and step-up time for these five guys

Alabama Football: Crimson Tide hits the practice field Friday for the first of 15 sessions. These five guys need to make a move.

The defending National Champion, Alabama Football gets to return to the practice field – finally. Alabama football fans are anxious for news and the players are no doubt excited for a new opportunity to prove themselves.

In some cases, they will be introducing their ‘playing selfs’ to coaches who have never worked with them on a practice field. The new Crimson Tide coaches are Bill O’Brien, Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks; Doug Marrone, Offensive Line; Jay Graham, Tight Ends and Special Teams; Robert Gillespie, Running Backs and Jay Valai, Cornerbacks.

The coaches will not need name tags but many of the players will be identified by jersey numbers rather than names. So far there is not a new No. 6 to replace DeVonta Smith. There is a new No. 17 to replace Jaylen Waddle. It is early enrollee wide receiver, Agiye Hall. Though not yet official on the Alabama Football Roster, J.C. Latham is expected to wear No. 65 and Ga’Quincy McKinstry, No.1.

The staff and the players will be doing more than getting acquainted. Spring football is about developing skills. For coaches, the focus is on teaching players to improve the skills required to do their jobs. With only 15 spring sessions, the Bill O’Brien version of the Alabama football offense will not be fully implemented.

For players with prior years of preparation, learning will still be important. Some of them will have a sense of urgency to impress as well. Five of the players that situation applies to need to make moves this spring or get left behind.

Two of them are members of the secondary, where a new cornerback and possibly another new starter are needed. Marcus Banks and Jalyn Armour-Davis have frequently impressed the Tide staff in the past. Banks is a junior and Armour-Davis is a traditional, redshirt junior. For both of them, the time to move beyond special teams’ roles is now.

In addition to Jahleel Billingsley, the Crimson Tide needs another pass-catching tight end. Cameron Latu, now in his fourth season, has a chance to be the main guy for that role. Latu had to learn the position, coming to Tuscaloosa as a linebacker, but now is his time to impress.

On the offensive line, the new signing class is loaded with talent. Tommy Brockermeyer and J.C. Latham might be good enough to play in 2021. Two guys that will not want to be passed by the newcomers are Kendall Randolph and Javion Cohen. Cohen, though a lesser touted recruit, impressed as a freshman. He could win a starting job. Redshirt senior, Kendall Randolph has been the utility guy in the position group, getting most of his snaps as a tight end. If he is ever going to nail down a starting role at guard or tackle, the time is now.

Practice No. 15 will the A-Day game on Apr. 17. The latest word is fans will be allowed in Bryant-Denny up to about 25 percent capacity. The scrimmage will be broadcast by ESPN.