Many Alabama football fans consider the Monday of game week one as the most important and exciting day of any preseason. The reason why is the annual depth chart release. A reluctant Nick Saban typically pulls back the Crimson Tide curtain a bit with a depth chart.
Unless there is a last-minute change, a new norm may be defined on Monday with no depth chart release. Nick Saban gave an indication last year that week-one depth charts were of no value to his team. Instead, Saban told beat reporters “you may have seen your last one.” He also implied depth charts could be disruptive and at best were nothing more than a guideline of what players might start in the Tide’s opening game.
So who is left in the dark? Alabama Crimson Tide fans certainly are. To some extent, so is the Middle Tennessee State coaching staff and to a lesser degree the Texas staff. This is not to suggest Nick Saban is worried about what opposing coaches know. He isn’t.
Alabama players will continue to compete for starting and key roles this week. That competition will continue in game one and throughout the season. Most Crimson Tide players know where they stand in the pecking order of position groups. Their status is pretty clear in what Nick Saban defines as the “organizational groupings” used in practices.
Alabama football fans are left with more days of guessing about several positions. QB1 and QB2 are foremost on the minds of Alabama fans, along with left tackle, Will inside linebacker, and multiple positions in the Crimson Tide defensive backfield and defensive line.
That guessing may continue until the Texas game. Some clarity will be provided by what is expected to be a tough contest.
What’s next for Alabama Football?
To some extent, Alabama fans are left to guess, knowing it will likely be the evening of Sept. 9 before any definition of the 2023 Alabama Crimson Tide team can be accurate. Even then, Alabama will be far from a finished product. An immensely talented, but somewhat inexperienced team will be much different in late October, November, December, and January. There are many reasons to believe in the last month of the regular season, and in three post-season games, this Alabama football team can be something special – as in championship special.
Alabama football fans will be disappointed in not having a depth chart to argue about over the next few days.