🏈 Andy Staples: Tigers, Trojans, Tide exit spring practice atop Power Rankings

[BAMANEWSBOT]

Alabama Crimson Tide
2011 record: 12-1 (7-1 SEC)
Key returnees: LB Nico Johnson, S Robert Lester, DL Jesse Williams, QB AJ McCarron, C Barrett Jones, OG Chance Warmack, RB Eddie Lacy
Key losses: RB Trent Richardson, WR Marquis Maze, LB Courtney Upshaw, LB Dont'a Hightower, CB Dre' Kirkpatrick, CB DeQuan Menzie, DT Josh Chapman
Spring star: S Vinnie Sunseri
Since 2008, the most amazing part of any Alabama game has been looking at the players who have clean uniforms after the clock strikes zero. Even the guys who didn't play a down look like future NFL players. That kind of depth -- Big Ten fans, insert your oversigning cracks here -- allows the Crimson Tide to lose the kind of talent they lost from the 2011 national title team and still look like one of the best teams in the nation. The Tide also have done a good job of getting inexperienced players snaps so they aren't shocked when they become starters. For example, cornerback Dee Milliner played in nickel situations last year. This year, he'll probably be on the field for every down that matters. Meanwhile, linebacker Trey DePriest appeared in 13 games as a freshman while backing up Hightower, the first-rounder DePriest will likely replace.


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[TerryP]

I can understand Staples not including Vlachos as one of the key losses. After all, look who replaces him.

I can NOT understand why Staples forgot the #7 selection in the draft. Is he putting that much stock in Vinnie?

 

[TerryP]

One thing that jumped out at me is Andy had UArk at #4 going into the spring. A motorcycle accident later, and they've dropped eight slots.

I realize it's just one voter, and it's an AP voter on top of that. But, I also realize if the media is thinking along these lines now it stands to reason the coaches will follow a similar thought pattern.