🏈 The Van de Graaff Projected Offensive starters for Bama 2025

QB- Will Ty Simpson finally get his shot? Who am I kidding, it's his to lose. Question is who the back-up will be....
Austin Mack or Keelon Russell. I think Mack has the edge but no denying the athletic ability of Russell.

RB- Jam-Jam Miller
Back-ups-
Richard Young (Redshirt Sophomore), Dre'lyn Washington (Redshirt Senior), Daniel Hill (Sophomore), Kevin Riley (Redshirt Freshman), Akylin Dear (Freshman)
Key note, watch out for Kevin Riley.

WR- Starters- Ryan Williams (Sophomore), Germie Bernard (Senior), Isaiah Horton (Redshirt Junior)

Back ups- Jalen Hale (Redshirt Sophomore), Cole Adams (Redshirt Sophomore), Rico Scott (Redshirt Freshman), Bubba Hampton (Redshirt Freshman), Derek Meadows (Freshman), Lotzeir Brooks (Freshman)

Jalen Hale could easily be in the starter group but Brandon Van de Graff Changed my mind.

TE-Starter- Josh Cuevas (Redshirt Senior) I think this guy will shine. Danny Lewis Jr. (Redshirt Junior),

Jay Lindsey (Redshirt Freshman), Kaleb Edwards (Freshman), Marshall Pritchett (Freshman), Peter Knudson (Graduate Student)

OL- Starters : LT Kadyn Proctor (Junior), LG Michael Carroll (Freshman), C Parker Brailsford (Redshirt Junior), RG Jaeden Roberts (Redshirt Senior), RT Wilkin Formby (Redshirt Sophomore) ***Kam Dewberry or Geno VanDeMark could also start at LG. I am giving the edge to Carroll cause thats how I roll.

Back-ups: Kam Dewberry (Senior), Roq Montgomery (Redshirt Sophomore), Arkel Anugwom (Redshirt Sophomore), Olaus Alinen (Redshirt Sophomore), Joseph Ionata (Redshirt Freshman), William Sanders (Redshirt Freshman), Casey Poe (Redshirt Freshman), Michael Carroll (Freshman), Ty Haywood (Freshman), Jackson Lloyd (Freshman), Micah DeBose (Freshman), Mal Waldrep (Freshman)

Feel free to add what you think or analyze this with Terry P glasses and confuse me.

My Projected Defense Later.

Kirk Van de Graff does not nor ever thinks he knows or has a crystal ball in his pocket to give these assumptions. I just guess and research.

 

[Kirk Van de Graaff]

This has been the mantra about Russell through out spring. Just guessing, but I bet he is the #2 QB before the season is over. I bet he will be like AJ was during his RS year. Has all the tools, just needs a better grasp/knowledge of the offense and catch up to the speed of the game.

Yeah bro, I think by end of summer camp he will move to the 2nd position.

 

[TerryP]

This has been the mantra about Russell through out spring. Just guessing, but I bet he is the #2 QB before the season is over. I bet he will be like AJ was during his RS year. Has all the tools, just needs a better grasp/knowledge of the offense and catch up to the speed of the game.

I see Kirk has started his defense thread. So, on that note...

I think we'll see the same thing we saw last year when they released the "official depth chart." When they listed the DT position last year it was Smith OR Oatis.

Here: Austin OR Keelon. If we're seeing a blow out early on in the season I'd lean towards Austin taking the first few reps, then Keelon. (IF injury comes into play ... it's deja vu repeating itself to 2010: it's Greg > AJ > Starr vs what the depth chart read Greg > Starr > AJ.

 

[RTB X Bot]

 

[im4uainva]

Comparing to King Henry?! Nothing would thrill me more! A good portion of my recalling King henry was the way he would take a hand-off and outrun defenders to the edge and be gone, or bust through the line and leave everyone in his dust. I'd buy that for a dollar!


ROLL TIDE!

 

[TerryP]

Comparing to King Henry?! Nothing would thrill me more! A good portion of my recalling King henry was the way he would take a hand-off and outrun defenders to the edge and be gone, or bust through the line and leave everyone in his dust. I'd buy that for a dollar!


ROLL TIDE!

Breaking tackles. If Bama runs across a weak tackling team (IE: Notre Dame in title game) he'll run right through the arm tackles.

I don't know what's going to happen with him. I like what I think might happen. They need a ground and pound guy.

 

[Rsedge72]

I say watch out for Hill.

Yeah I think Hill will wind up being the #2 guy.

 

[mando]

Comparing to King Henry?! Nothing would thrill me more! A good portion of my recalling King henry was the way he would take a hand-off and outrun defenders to the edge and be gone, or bust through the line and leave everyone in his dust. I'd buy that for a dollar!


ROLL TIDE!

Unlikely there is another King Henry out there and he found his way to the same school. With that said he doesn't have to be to still be really good and help this team win.

 

[musso]

… Ty Haywood (Freshman), …

Oh wow! I didn’t realize we retained his commitment. Last I remember he was expected to decommit and sign elsewhere.

 

[TerryP]

Oh wow! I didn’t realize we retained his commitment. Last I remember he was expected to decommit and sign elsewhere.

Good catch. He signed with Michigan.

 

[TerryP]

Been chewin' on this ...

We'll call this another of my musings; a case of curiosity not concern.

I believe we're all looking at what we can: what 'empirical data' do we have, that we can use, and get an idea what the rushing game will look like this fall.

Last season there were 134 FBS teams: Bama ranked #47th in the nation. It's better than average; not by a whole lot. The numbers are what you would expect from a running game ranked there: a couple of guys and neither have a note worthy season (leading rusher, 726, next was 668.) It was a portion of the offense that produced, but wasn't consistently productive. You know this. Bama had four games last season where they rushed for under 100 yards: they lost all four.

Now, we're entering season one of DeBoer and Grubb. What should we expect? The only 'empirical' data we have is their last season at Washington. What does that tell us?

In their last season together at Udub their rushing attack was ranked 106th out of 133 that season. WELL below average. Here's where it gets weird. You'd think a running game ranked that low would have a couple of guys who struggled to get 500 on the season, right? But hold on.

Dillon Johnson was a junior that season. He had 233 rushing attempts in 14 games and averaged over 5 yards a carry: just a tad under 1200 for the season. 106th out of 133?

This is why I say, "I don't know."

The team was a top 25 team last year in scoring: a bit over 33 a game. With this WR crew I believe it's realisitic to think "three passing TD's per game, minimum." We're already looking at improved scoring through the passing game. Is that what Grubb decides to "ride?" (See Ryan: "...killing an ant with a sledgehammer.") I can see Grubb using these guys like a 20oz hammer on a thumb tack.

OR ...

There are four guys we could see in the backfield: Young, Hill, Washington, and Miller. The staff did add some depth for blocking with the tight ends group but are they ready? Right now, I think "not quite." I've talked about Jam since he's been here. We've talked about Hill this summer. I still don't know if they can produce, consistently.

 

[musso]

I think we are still looking at a mystery on offense. Defense is much clearer, particularly due to the nature of defense. But there’s been so many variables and irregularities which DeBoer has encountered his last two seasons which has made it so difficult to project for this season. Penix and his WR corps were a rare combo which demanded the lions share of reps. Then DeBoer comes to Bama, with Grubb. Then loses Grubb and has to rely on first time OC Sheridan and a raw and unconventional QB (Milroe), throwing to a WR corps dominated by smallish body types and no elite TEs. Now DeBoer has Grubb back, but no returning QB with meaningful snaps.
If I were to guess, DeBoer and Grubbs don’t yet know what kind of offense they will have this season either. But they have done a great job of preparing for anything by upgrading the WR room, RB room, and attracting a quality OG transfer to limit the loss of Booker.

In my opinion, this was the best they could do under the circumstances: acquire and retain as many air and ground weapons as possible for when the offense finds its “identity.” Better to have options rather than be limited like we were last year.