📡 Alabama's O-Line could be reshuffled in 2018

[Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com]

Alabama loses only one starter on its offensive line -- center Bradley Bozeman. But the unit could undergo a significant transformation nonetheless.

Less than two months have passed since Alabama defeated Georgia to claim its 17th national title. But the Tide has already set its sights on winning another championship. With spring practice around the corner, AL.com will take a look at where the Crimson Tide stands in each position group as the offseason begins in earnest. The second in a nine-part series examines the team's offensive line.

Projected depth chart:

LT: Jonah Williams, Alex Leatherwood

LG: Alex Leatherwood, Josh Casher

C: Ross Pierschbacher, Brandon Kennedy

RG: Lester Cotton, Dallas Warmack

RT: Matt Womack, Jedrick Wills

Departed: Center Bradley Bozeman, guard J.C. Hassenauer

New arrivals: None

Due to arrive in the fall: Center/Guard Emil Ekiyor, tackle Tommy Brown

Outlook:

The strength of the 2018 team is expected to be its offense. In part, that's because it will be buttressed by an experienced blocking front that lost one starter -- center Bradley Bozeman, a 2017 Remington Trophy finalist.

The departure of Bozeman isn't insignificant. He was a consistently good performer, and he leaves a void that could require the Tide to make multiple move to reorganize the unit. Bozeman himself speculated that Ross Pierschbacher may slide over to center -- the spot he had occupied briefly after Ryan Kelly left following the 2015 campaign. Bozeman went on to say that tackle Alex Leatherwood could assume Pierschbacher's role at left guard while Jonah Williams and Matt Womack stay at the tackle positions with incumbent right guard Lester Cotton remaining firmly affixed where he has been.

But more shuffling could happen. Jedrick Wills, the talented rising sophomore, has plenty of potential and has the capability of supplanting Womack at right tackle.

He played 120 snaps last season and didn't allow a single pressure, according to ProFootballFocus.com.

Getting Wills and Leatherwood on the field would seem a priority. Both tackles were high-profile recruits who have already demonstrated that they're ready to perform on the college level. But at least one of them could find himself deployed at an interior position.

This, of course, is not a bad problem to have for offensive line coach Brent Key. And spring practice will give him time to work out a sensible solution.


Rainer Sabin | rsabin@al.com
Alabama's O-Line could be reshuffled in 2018

 

[TUSKtimes]

This is where the real competition will be on offense. The best thing about our 2 new tackles is their power and flexibility in the passing game. Leatherwood probably is still getting overlooked for just how great the backup job was in the NC. Jonah Williams going out, our best OL, could have signaled the beginning of the death march given how badly we were already being outplayed.

Tagovailoa figures to throw the rock a lot more and it might be the best guys in passing situations that win these positions. No matter what, this is a deep, deep offensive line. Another great problem to have.

 

[BamaFan334]

This is where the real competition will be on offense. The best thing about our 2 new tackles is their power and flexibility in the passing game. Leatherwood probably is still getting overlooked for just how great the backup job was in the NC. Jonah Williams going out, our best OL, could have signaled the beginning of the death march given how badly we were already being outplayed.

Tagovailoa figures to throw the rock a lot more and it might be the best guys in passing situations that win these positions. No matter what, this is a deep, deep offensive line. Another great problem to have.

I second all of that. I think Leatherwood is a must on the line wherever they feel he fits best. I know @TerryP likes Womack and I have no issues with him at all, but I think Wills proves too much and takes over at right tackle.

 

[UAgrad93]

This will be a fun group to watch this Spring. We could potentially see Jonah in the Barrett Jones role, and he make the move to center. Leatherwood and Wills will be hard to keep off the field considering their performances last year. Does Cotton and or Wommack hold off the competition to retain their position?

opcorn2:

 

[TUSKtimes]

I second all of that. I think Leatherwood is a must on the line wherever they feel he fits best. I know @TerryP likes Womack and I have no issues with him at all, but I think Wills proves too much and takes over at right tackle.

We knew when Bama had the great offensive line class filled with OTs in 2016 that somebody was going to have to play OG. If we're going to get the best 5 on the field that day has come.

 

[Destiny's Child]

I would watch for two senarios...

a) LT Leatherwood
LG Wills
C Kennedy
RG Womak
RT Jonah williams

Jonah did fine with the switch but with a left handed QB the danger will be his blindside or the right side. I also think even if Jalen wins out that Jonah was more dominating on the right and Leatherwood is bigger and more athletic (more of a prototypical LT). Wills I believe is too talented to keep off the field and I think Womak is a guard at the next level might as well get him there now. Kennedy is less experienced but I wasn't impresses with Piercebaker at center.. what he does give us is a swiss army knife back up at guard or either center.

B) LT Jonah
LG Piercebaker/ Leatherwood
C Kennedy
RG Womak
RT Leatherwood/ Wills

I think a) gets our best athletes on the field but how they work together is almost more important that talent on the oline. B) gets the most experience on the field

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Need to develop both a great center and a worthy backup this spring. It looks like the rest of the positions on the OL are in pretty good shape.

 

[colbyjacks]

My guess

LT: Alex Leatherwood
LG: Ross Pierschbacher
C: Jonah Williams
RG: Lester Cotton
RT: Jedrick Wills

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Yeah, guys...all right...i want to see the he 2012 type oline...well...not fighting with the QB....but the other way...domination....and quality backups...
We are under 200 days till kickoff....cant wait...

 

[planomateo]

Jonah's going to make himself more valuable to the NFL playing multiple OL positions. Granted he's not able to hone his craft at tackle though

 

[TerryP]

Jonah did fine with the switch but with a left handed QB the danger will be his blindside or the right side.

While we may see a change I don't agree with your premise. With pro-style offenses starting in the Pistol or Shotgun so often it's really taken the blind side aspect out of the game. Yes, we still see LT's getting big bucks but we're also seeing a vast number of the leading defensive linemen in the league coming from the left side of the defensive line.

 

[Bama Guy]

so many riches

 

[Tidestalker]

My guess

LT: Alex Leatherwood
LG: Ross Pierschbacher
C: Jonah Williams
RG: Lester Cotton
RT: Jedrick Wills

I agree with everything but RT... And I still partially agree. Mine would be:

RT: Womack / Wills

After what Leatherwood did in that title game, he has to have the inside track at LT. Plus I feel like Wills has a body type better suited for guard than Leatherwood... Can't see Leatherwood on the interrior.

Womack is the wild card because he played some good football last season. Everyone, myself included, wants to see what Wills and Leatherwood can do though. So many options.

But let's keep it real - I can't remember 1 season that the OL stayed healthy. That depth will be awesome next season. RMFTR!

 

[TUSKtimes]

But let's keep it real - I can't remember 1 season that the OL stayed healthy. That depth will be awesome next season. RMFTR!

It really saved our backside in the playoff this year. All the damage was being done on the defense with so many injuries while the offense stayed pretty much intact through the regular season. Then down goes Cotton and down goes Williams in the playoff. Enough attrition to make a QB start running for his life instead of leading the team to victory. I thought Hassenauer came in and gave us great flexibility and senior leadership. Leatherwood was so good it left the impression he probably could have started all season had the situation required it.