🏈 Projecting the two-deep

[JoshB]

It's always fun to do Coach Saban's favorite thing: speculate, especially on the depth chart. Thoughts?

 

[LeGarrette]

This could be a big year for true freshmen at Alabama.

 

[Tidestalker]

I like it!!

A few question marks for me...

-Metchie probably in that 5-6 WR spot
-Isn't Ben Davis back at OLB? Either Lee or Moody as the 4th MLB
-Is Wynn seriously injured? Can't remember if that was an issue. If so maybe that's Barmore or Alfano eating some snaps
-It sounds like Neal is in the 2 deep at minimum... One of those guard spots
-Will Foristall be healthy?! Tennison might be a decent bet there... But of all positions that's probably the biggest ? for me

Good post BBJ. RTR

 

[TUSKtimes]

It's always fun to do Coach Saban's favorite thing: speculate, especially on the depth chart. Thoughts?

View attachment 11818

Surtain at the star is a pretty good bet. DJ Dale will settle in the middle if completely healthy. Dickerson will start. And Neal is the real deal.

 

[TerryP]

Thoughts?

That took some time to format (built into the software here, btw.) 'preciate the effort.

I believe you're pretty close. There are a few positions where your list doesn't reflect what's going on in camp.

As example on defense:

• On the defensive line Dale is getting the start over Mathis.
• Mathis will back up Dale, and will also back up Davis before Wynn.
• Moody and Kajo have been backing up Moses.
• Benton and Lee have been behind Harris.
• Davis has been backing up Lewis for at least the last two weeks.

Special Teams:

• KR has been flipped in camp, Robinson then Ruggs.
• Diggs has been before Ruggs backing up Waddle on punt returns.
• LS back up, watch Pugh.

Offense:

• Neal gets the start over Ekiyor
• Owens and Dickerson at center... I think it's Owens for Duke but we're seeing Dickerson soon.
• Tommy Brown behind Wills.

All that said...

It's my view we don't see a set starting lineup in the middle of the linebacking corps until they have a few games under their belts. Trial by fire, if you will. (Cut and Duke will go a long way defining that rotation.)

The defensive backfield and defensive line are pretty well set. WR, QB, RB, TE...all those as well.

Like the linebackers, we'll see different faces along the line through the first five or six games. When Brown comes back I'd put him behind Womack immediately.

 

[jdpas29]

Will Mac Jones have the "Alabama QB hair" a la AJ McCarron? That could factor into playing time a bit as it does appear to hold some power.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Jordan Battle's name keeps peeking out from time to time. I knew when we got this kid from Ohio State he looked the part at safety. Another frosh that might help the defense sooner than later.

 

[Justneedme81]

Jordan Battle been practicing with the two's.

 

[Justneedme81]

"— Major Tennison was second in the tight end line behind Miller Forristall. Cameron Latu was third. Giles Amos was fourth."
Saban concern was TE grouping. I think we'll see Tennison and Forristall with a appearance from latu and Amo once in a while.

 

[UAgrad93]

"— Major Tennison was second in the tight end line behind Miller Forristall. Cameron Latu was third. Giles Amos was fourth."
Saban concern was TE grouping. I think we'll see Tennison and Forristall with a appearance from latu and Amo once in a while.

Amos has a chance to get some PT. The kid looks the part and played it well in the scrimmage Saturday. He had 4-5 catches during the scrimmage.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Bama sure could use a Donta Hightower level freshmen ILB to come thru for this season. I believe they have some talented guys in those positions but I am not sure those guys have that football savvy that many of those ILB's in the recent pass. I Shaun Hamilton type guy would be a real blessing.

We'll see soon.

 

[UAgrad93]

Bama sure could use a Donta Hightower level freshmen ILB to come thru for this season. I believe they have some talented guys in those positions but I am not sure those guys have that football savvy that many of those ILB's in the recent pass. I Shaun Hamilton type guy would be a real blessing.

We'll see soon.

Even though Christian Harris hasn't played there and didn't in HS, he sure looked natural there Saturday. Shane Lee is another that looked good in the scrimmage as well.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Bama sure could use a Donta Hightower level freshmen ILB to come thru for this season. I believe they have some talented guys in those positions but I am not sure those guys have that football savvy that many of those ILB's in the recent pass. I Shaun Hamilton type guy would be a real blessing.

We'll see soon.

Didn't guys like Nico Johnson, Trey DePriest, Denzel Devall get on the field a ton during their freshman year?

 

[bama alum]

That took some time to format (built into the software here, btw.) 'preciate the effort.


Offense:

• Neal gets the start over Ekiyor
• Owens and Dickerson at center... I think it's Owens for Duke but we're seeing Dickerson soon.
• Tommy Brown behind Wills.

Absolutely! Do appreciate the effort here! Terry, I agree. I though Owens would at least start (may or may not finish the season there...) at center. All Dickerson is getting is high praise from the staff. Eventually, he's going to find his way in with the 1's.

 

[JoshB]

That took some time to format (built into the software here, btw.) 'preciate the effort.

I believe you're pretty close. There are a few positions where your list doesn't reflect what's going on in camp.

As example on defense:

• On the defensive line Dale is getting the start over Mathis.
• Mathis will back up Dale, and will also back up Davis before Wynn.
• Moody and Kajo have been backing up Moses.
• Benton and Lee have been behind Harris.
• Davis has been backing up Lewis for at least the last two weeks.

Special Teams:

• KR has been flipped in camp, Robinson then Ruggs.
• Diggs has been before Ruggs backing up Waddle on punt returns.
• LS back up, watch Pugh.

Offense:

• Neal gets the start over Ekiyor
• Owens and Dickerson at center... I think it's Owens for Duke but we're seeing Dickerson soon.
• Tommy Brown behind Wills.

All that said...

It's my view we don't see a set starting lineup in the middle of the linebacking corps until they have a few games under their belts. Trial by fire, if you will. (Cut and Duke will go a long way defining that rotation.)

The defensive backfield and defensive line are pretty well set. WR, QB, RB, TE...all those as well.

Like the linebackers, we'll see different faces along the line through the first five or six games. When Brown comes back I'd put him behind Womack immediately.

I just posted a screen grab of the excel spreadsheet, I didn't know we had a spreadsheet like this built into the forum?

I've been keeping tracking with as much info as I could but I figured I would miss some.

• I was under the impression Dale was injured or at least a little hobbled, which is why I had Mathis there.
• The backers was sheer guess work from me. There has been a ton of movement there it seems.

-

 

[JoshB]

Didn't guys like Nico Johnson, Trey DePriest, Denzel Devall get on the field a ton during their freshman year?

Yes, Nico was forced to start after Dont'a went down with the knee injury against the Pigs in '09. DePriest was a starter from day one if I'm not mistaken. CJ Mosley, too.

 

[TerryP]

I just posted a screen grab of the excel spreadsheet, I didn't know we had a spreadsheet like this built into the forum?

• I was under the impression Dale was injured or at least a little hobbled, which is why I had Mathis there.
• The backers was sheer guess work from me. There has been a ton of movement there it seems.

Dale has been hobbled but is back at practice. He's expected to be ready for Duke. You may be right on Mathis...but from what I'm hearing about Dale he's farther along today than Da'Ron Payne was as a true frosh.

A ton of movement with the 'backers is putting it mildly. It's not a lot different that the understatement, there's a lot of competition in the defensive backfield.

Hell, we're all guessing.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Yes, Nico was forced to start after Dont'a went down with the knee injury against the Pigs in '09. DePriest was a starter from day one if I'm not mistaken. CJ Mosley, too.

Seems like it hasn't happened so much at the LBer position since Reuben but Bama has a long history under Saban of getting LBers on the field at the position as a freshman. Even Devall was a freshman All-American and played a lot of Jack for us that year. Christian Harris, or Lee or really any of the new-bloods around here aren't reinventing the wheel by seeing early playing time at the position.

 

[TerryP]

Even Devall was a freshman All-American and played a lot of Jack for us that year.

Remember, that was in a back up role to Dickerson.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Remember, that was in a back up role to Dickerson.

And probably a few others like him gained momentum during their first season as they were getting spotted in. But they weren't just getting reps on the special teams. They were playing the position as freshman LBers. Devall was the coaches defensive player of the week vs Miss State that year.