August 31, 2015
Aaron Suttles
Rivals.com
Arguably, Richard Mullaney was the most important player added in the offseason.
The transfer from Oregon State has experience and a polished element to his game that should translate into playing time for the senior wide receiver.
The University of Alabama has plenty of talent at the wide out position, but it's not exactly the most tested. Mullaney helps out immediately by bringing a veteran voice to the huddle.
He was listed as a first team slot wide receiver on the depth chart distributed Monday.
"I think Richard Mullaney has been a really good addition because of his consistency and great hands, very seasoned, veteran guy who has played a lot of football," UA coach Nick Saban said. "He's consistently made plays in practice and scrimmages."
There is a lot of competition within the group, and that's to be expected after losing the top three wide receivers from a season ago.
ArDarius Stewart is considered the player with the most potential this season, given his speed and toughness.
"I think ArDarius Stewart has played very well," Saban said. "Robert Foster…is a very talented guy who just has to be a little more consistent.
"I think a big thing with this group has to be to understand the importance of precision relative to working with the quarterback, whomever it might be, that they have to trust and depend that you're going to do things a certain way so that they can deliver the ball on time. I think those three guys have done a really good job."
Saban said there are others expected to contribute too.
"Chris Black, who we expect a lot from this year was injured quite a bit of camp but now is coming back and showing some promise, and I'm sure will play. Cam Sims, who has now back been back on the practice field and is now getting better, and is getting reps and playing, we'll see how he develops and probably make a call later in the week as to whether we can use him in this game or not."
Two true freshman have also caught on quickly.
"The two young players are guys who are really, really talented, Calvin Ridley and (Daylon) Charlot," Saban said. "Both those guys need to continue to improve and get to the point that they don't play like freshmen."
If you're counting along, Saban mentioned seven wide receivers capable of making key contributions this season.
"I'd say those guys are probably the primary guys right now to play these positions," Saban said. "That's an area of our team that we have to develop through the course of the year."
Replacing Gordon
Heisman Trophy runner-up Melvin Gordon is gone from the Wisconsin offense. No worries, though, as the Badgers replace him with a back up that nearly ran for 1,000 yards last season.
Junior Corey Clement, 5-foot-11, 217 pounds, made the most of his carries behind Gordon last season, averaging 6.5 yards per carry for 949 yards on 147 rushes.
"He's a good back," senior linebacker Reggie Ragland said. "He still rushed for almost 1,000 yards considering what Melvin Gordon did. He's a good back. He's quick, he can run, and he might run over you, too, so you have to bow up for him."
Fellow linebacker Dillon Lee listed what makes him productive.
"He's really explosive, comes out of his cuts well."
Preparing for Wisconsin
To prepare for Wisconsin, which is on its third head coach since 2012, the team studied film of the Badgers and of Pittsburgh, where current coach Paul Chryst coached last season.
"For us offensively it's a little easier because they have the same coordinator at Wisconsin so we're assuming that he'll do a lot of the same things as the defensive coordinator…(Paul Chryst) has always been sort of that background, of Wisconsin-type run the ball, but also has pro (-style) background in terms of what they did at Pitt, where they were a little more balance.
"They love to run the ball. They also ran it with their quarterback at Pittsburgh and they (Wisconsin) love to run the ball with their quarterback, too."
- See more at: NOTES: Mullaney moves up; LBs examine Clement
Aaron Suttles
Rivals.com
Arguably, Richard Mullaney was the most important player added in the offseason.
The transfer from Oregon State has experience and a polished element to his game that should translate into playing time for the senior wide receiver.
The University of Alabama has plenty of talent at the wide out position, but it's not exactly the most tested. Mullaney helps out immediately by bringing a veteran voice to the huddle.
He was listed as a first team slot wide receiver on the depth chart distributed Monday.
"I think Richard Mullaney has been a really good addition because of his consistency and great hands, very seasoned, veteran guy who has played a lot of football," UA coach Nick Saban said. "He's consistently made plays in practice and scrimmages."
There is a lot of competition within the group, and that's to be expected after losing the top three wide receivers from a season ago.
ArDarius Stewart is considered the player with the most potential this season, given his speed and toughness.
"I think ArDarius Stewart has played very well," Saban said. "Robert Foster…is a very talented guy who just has to be a little more consistent.
"I think a big thing with this group has to be to understand the importance of precision relative to working with the quarterback, whomever it might be, that they have to trust and depend that you're going to do things a certain way so that they can deliver the ball on time. I think those three guys have done a really good job."
Saban said there are others expected to contribute too.
"Chris Black, who we expect a lot from this year was injured quite a bit of camp but now is coming back and showing some promise, and I'm sure will play. Cam Sims, who has now back been back on the practice field and is now getting better, and is getting reps and playing, we'll see how he develops and probably make a call later in the week as to whether we can use him in this game or not."
Two true freshman have also caught on quickly.
"The two young players are guys who are really, really talented, Calvin Ridley and (Daylon) Charlot," Saban said. "Both those guys need to continue to improve and get to the point that they don't play like freshmen."
If you're counting along, Saban mentioned seven wide receivers capable of making key contributions this season.
"I'd say those guys are probably the primary guys right now to play these positions," Saban said. "That's an area of our team that we have to develop through the course of the year."
Replacing Gordon
Heisman Trophy runner-up Melvin Gordon is gone from the Wisconsin offense. No worries, though, as the Badgers replace him with a back up that nearly ran for 1,000 yards last season.
Junior Corey Clement, 5-foot-11, 217 pounds, made the most of his carries behind Gordon last season, averaging 6.5 yards per carry for 949 yards on 147 rushes.
"He's a good back," senior linebacker Reggie Ragland said. "He still rushed for almost 1,000 yards considering what Melvin Gordon did. He's a good back. He's quick, he can run, and he might run over you, too, so you have to bow up for him."
Fellow linebacker Dillon Lee listed what makes him productive.
"He's really explosive, comes out of his cuts well."
Preparing for Wisconsin
To prepare for Wisconsin, which is on its third head coach since 2012, the team studied film of the Badgers and of Pittsburgh, where current coach Paul Chryst coached last season.
"For us offensively it's a little easier because they have the same coordinator at Wisconsin so we're assuming that he'll do a lot of the same things as the defensive coordinator…(Paul Chryst) has always been sort of that background, of Wisconsin-type run the ball, but also has pro (-style) background in terms of what they did at Pitt, where they were a little more balance.
"They love to run the ball. They also ran it with their quarterback at Pittsburgh and they (Wisconsin) love to run the ball with their quarterback, too."
- See more at: NOTES: Mullaney moves up; LBs examine Clement
