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*Anyone else remember the good ol' days, back when there were honest-to-goodness fall camp position battles at Alabama? C'mon now, surely you recall the 2007 preseason. Oh, there are still some starting jobs to ponder -- cornerback and the second tight end spot come to mind -- as we count down the days to August 2. Thing is, they don't seem to have the same shelf life they once did.
Competition that used to carry over to the final scrimmage of the preseason doesn't make it to the first scrimmage at UA these days. In fact, I'll go ahead and predict that the first teamers who take part in Sunday's open practice at Bryant-Denny Stadium will be in those same roles when the Crimson Tide travels to Atlanta Labor Day Weekend to take on Virginia Tech (barring injury, of course).
As for the aforementioned spots, there are questions to be answered. Specifically, who will team with Brian Vogler in the Crimson Tide's two tights: Harrison Jones, OJ Howard (who inches toward favorite status with each glowing comment from AJ McCarron) or Malcolm Faciane?
Also, how much will the return of Jalston Fowler from injury impact the roles of Alabama's tight ends and H backs? Finally, given how much the offense will utilize three wide receiver sets, how much will it really matter?
At corner, Deion Belue is entrenched as a starter, leaving Cyrus Jones, John Fulton and Geno Smith as likely candidates to fill the spot on the other side. For a guy new to the position, Jones was impressive at boundary corner in the A-Day game. Meanwhile, Fulton made the most of his last true action of the 2012 season, playing well at Dee Milliner's old spot against Texas A&M. Then there's the star position in the nickel and dime to finalize, a spot Smith saw time at down the stretch of the 2012 season. Lest we forget, UA also welcomed a handful of promising newcomers at the position.
Outside of the starting 22, there are also the placekicking and long snapping jobs to finalize. Cade Foster or Adam Griffith on field goals and kickoffs... or both? Then there is the rarity that is true freshman Cole Mazza, a snapper who didn't have to prove himself first at this level before receiving a scholarship.
Again, sounds like a good bit to sort out but look for front line roles to be determined quickly. Perhaps even before Nick Saban signs his first autograph on Sunday.
*As far as depth goes, some areas that probably won't be settled as quickly include running back (pending the health statuses of Fowler and Derrick Henry) and the defensive sub packages (third corner and safety). As for running back, I'd expect Kenyan Drake to open drills as the backup to TJ Yeldon and I wouldn't expect him to give up that role easily, especially if he improves off the ball. I'll also be interested to see how the pass rush packages shake out, especially where guys like Denzel Devall and Dalvin Tomlinson are concerned.
*Alabama's numbers at linebacker tell us we shouldn't expect a freshman to see legitimate snaps but history tells us something different. Newcomers saw the field at the inside and/or outside spots in each of Saban's first six seasons at Alabama.
*For a guy who made known his desire to get out of College Station as early as after the upcoming season to 400,000 twitter followers (and their followers), Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel now seems intent on being around for the 2014 college football season.
How else do you explain his actions of the last few weeks?
Look, we know you're just a 20-year-old having some fun, John. Unfortunately, NFL teams don't see it that way. Instead, they view immaturity beyond the teen years as a gateway to bigger issues down the road. Then again, history tells us that talents like Manziel -- especially those at his position -- usually find a taker in the first round.
Bottom line: if Manziel manages to stay out of trouble while posting numbers as good or better than a season ago, he'll ride the RGIII/Russell Wilson/Colin Kaepernick wave into the league in a year's time. The question is, will Manziel be afforded the opportunity to make the decision for himself or will someone else make it for him?
*I still think LSU will prove to be Alabama's toughest test of the regular season. And that's with the understanding that troubled running back Jeremy Hill could be at McNeese State by the time kickoff arrives.
My reasoning is simple (and redundant): the Tigers continue to match up as well with UA along both lines of scrimmage as any team in the SEC. Just because you haven't heard of some of the guys who will fill vacancies up front for Les Miles' team this season doesn't mean they won't be very good -- especially by the time November rolls around.
*I'm going with the reverse of my SEC East pick from a year ago, when I picked South Carolina to beat Georgia only to see the Bulldogs advance the SEC Championship Game. This year, I like UGA to top the Gamecocks in Athens but it will be South Carolina who will move on to Atlanta. The formula is similar to a season ago except the roles are reversed: UGA has LSU on the schedule this year and faces Florida in Jacksonville while USC doesn't see UA, LSU or Texas A&M and gets UF at home.
*Another SEC prediction: Under first-year coach @BretBielema, the coaching version of @JManziel2 on twitter for those who haven't noticed, Arkansas will lose the same number of games in 2013 as Wisconsin lost a season ago. Seeing as how the Badgers won the Big Ten title a year ago, people tend to forget that they dropped six games. Unfortunately for Bielema, Western Division foes Alabama, LSU and A&M aren't on probation like Leaders Division opponents Ohio State and Penn State were in 2012.
*If you think the NBA season is long and grueling, you've never had a kid travel the AAU circuit. Put it this way, over the last five months I've had waaaay more than the recommended allotment of Subway combo meals.
*If you aren't reading this from the line for Alabama's Fan Day, you've already missed the cutoff for Saban's autograph.
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***Monday morning thoughts ... http://t.co/WcZN06fbeQ via @247Sports
ā Travis Reier (@travisreier) July 29, 2013
<script async="" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>ā Travis Reier (@travisreier) July 29, 2013
*Anyone else remember the good ol' days, back when there were honest-to-goodness fall camp position battles at Alabama? C'mon now, surely you recall the 2007 preseason. Oh, there are still some starting jobs to ponder -- cornerback and the second tight end spot come to mind -- as we count down the days to August 2. Thing is, they don't seem to have the same shelf life they once did.
Competition that used to carry over to the final scrimmage of the preseason doesn't make it to the first scrimmage at UA these days. In fact, I'll go ahead and predict that the first teamers who take part in Sunday's open practice at Bryant-Denny Stadium will be in those same roles when the Crimson Tide travels to Atlanta Labor Day Weekend to take on Virginia Tech (barring injury, of course).
As for the aforementioned spots, there are questions to be answered. Specifically, who will team with Brian Vogler in the Crimson Tide's two tights: Harrison Jones, OJ Howard (who inches toward favorite status with each glowing comment from AJ McCarron) or Malcolm Faciane?
Also, how much will the return of Jalston Fowler from injury impact the roles of Alabama's tight ends and H backs? Finally, given how much the offense will utilize three wide receiver sets, how much will it really matter?
At corner, Deion Belue is entrenched as a starter, leaving Cyrus Jones, John Fulton and Geno Smith as likely candidates to fill the spot on the other side. For a guy new to the position, Jones was impressive at boundary corner in the A-Day game. Meanwhile, Fulton made the most of his last true action of the 2012 season, playing well at Dee Milliner's old spot against Texas A&M. Then there's the star position in the nickel and dime to finalize, a spot Smith saw time at down the stretch of the 2012 season. Lest we forget, UA also welcomed a handful of promising newcomers at the position.
Outside of the starting 22, there are also the placekicking and long snapping jobs to finalize. Cade Foster or Adam Griffith on field goals and kickoffs... or both? Then there is the rarity that is true freshman Cole Mazza, a snapper who didn't have to prove himself first at this level before receiving a scholarship.
Again, sounds like a good bit to sort out but look for front line roles to be determined quickly. Perhaps even before Nick Saban signs his first autograph on Sunday.
*As far as depth goes, some areas that probably won't be settled as quickly include running back (pending the health statuses of Fowler and Derrick Henry) and the defensive sub packages (third corner and safety). As for running back, I'd expect Kenyan Drake to open drills as the backup to TJ Yeldon and I wouldn't expect him to give up that role easily, especially if he improves off the ball. I'll also be interested to see how the pass rush packages shake out, especially where guys like Denzel Devall and Dalvin Tomlinson are concerned.
*Alabama's numbers at linebacker tell us we shouldn't expect a freshman to see legitimate snaps but history tells us something different. Newcomers saw the field at the inside and/or outside spots in each of Saban's first six seasons at Alabama.
*For a guy who made known his desire to get out of College Station as early as after the upcoming season to 400,000 twitter followers (and their followers), Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel now seems intent on being around for the 2014 college football season.
How else do you explain his actions of the last few weeks?
Look, we know you're just a 20-year-old having some fun, John. Unfortunately, NFL teams don't see it that way. Instead, they view immaturity beyond the teen years as a gateway to bigger issues down the road. Then again, history tells us that talents like Manziel -- especially those at his position -- usually find a taker in the first round.
Bottom line: if Manziel manages to stay out of trouble while posting numbers as good or better than a season ago, he'll ride the RGIII/Russell Wilson/Colin Kaepernick wave into the league in a year's time. The question is, will Manziel be afforded the opportunity to make the decision for himself or will someone else make it for him?
*I still think LSU will prove to be Alabama's toughest test of the regular season. And that's with the understanding that troubled running back Jeremy Hill could be at McNeese State by the time kickoff arrives.
My reasoning is simple (and redundant): the Tigers continue to match up as well with UA along both lines of scrimmage as any team in the SEC. Just because you haven't heard of some of the guys who will fill vacancies up front for Les Miles' team this season doesn't mean they won't be very good -- especially by the time November rolls around.
*I'm going with the reverse of my SEC East pick from a year ago, when I picked South Carolina to beat Georgia only to see the Bulldogs advance the SEC Championship Game. This year, I like UGA to top the Gamecocks in Athens but it will be South Carolina who will move on to Atlanta. The formula is similar to a season ago except the roles are reversed: UGA has LSU on the schedule this year and faces Florida in Jacksonville while USC doesn't see UA, LSU or Texas A&M and gets UF at home.
*Another SEC prediction: Under first-year coach @BretBielema, the coaching version of @JManziel2 on twitter for those who haven't noticed, Arkansas will lose the same number of games in 2013 as Wisconsin lost a season ago. Seeing as how the Badgers won the Big Ten title a year ago, people tend to forget that they dropped six games. Unfortunately for Bielema, Western Division foes Alabama, LSU and A&M aren't on probation like Leaders Division opponents Ohio State and Penn State were in 2012.
*If you think the NBA season is long and grueling, you've never had a kid travel the AAU circuit. Put it this way, over the last five months I've had waaaay more than the recommended allotment of Subway combo meals.
*If you aren't reading this from the line for Alabama's Fan Day, you've already missed the cutoff for Saban's autograph.
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