Today we conclude all my SEC Previews with a look at the Alabama Crimson Tide, last year's SEC Champions, National Champions, and team of Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry. Alabama lost only one game their entire season, and it was to an Ole Miss team that mostly beat them on turnovers and flinging the ball. Was it a bit of a fluke? Looking back, I'd have to say yes. But it was also the kind of fluke that Alabama needed to galvanize the team on their way to dominance of the league.
Alabama is the big bully on the block, and whoever wants to win the SEC is going through them first. Last season, Jake Coker did an admirable job at QB while throwing for over 3100 yards and 21 TDs. He also threw 8 picks, which an Alabama QB under Nick Saban is NOT supposed to do. The Tide usually pride themselves in not turning the ball over. This year we actually have a QB CONTROVERSY in Alabama between Cooper Bateman and Blake Barnett. Bateman played in about 5 games last year including the ill-famed Ole Miss game where he started for some odd reason. He didn't look very good when I watched him, and it was obvious why Coker got the job. Barnett is a red-shirt freshman so we don't really know what he is yet. Either way, QB play has rarely mattered at Alabama because...
They produce RB after RB after RB who can put up massive yardage and carry the team. Last year it was Derrick Henry and his 2200+ on the ground with 28 TDs. Next up off the RB Factory assembly line is sophomore Bo Scarbrough, a guy with that braided hair coming out of the back of his helmet which reminds you of every Alabama RB you've seen punish defenses since Eddie Lacy. At times I think Alabama just raises RBs from birth in an enclave somewhere, and they are presented in pairs to Nick Saban at the age of 12 to battle for his amusement. The winner gets a scholarship and a starting shot on the team in 7 years. Nick eats the loser whole. It's like Beyond Thunderdome but with more crimson and southern accents.
I'll mention the WR's only because I get to talk about one of my favorite players in all of college football, Calvin Ridley. The now sophomore receiver put up massive numbers in his freshman campaign with 1045 yards, 7 TDs, and a long of 81 yards. He was a deep threat to end all deep threats. If you haven't seen film on the kid, go check it out because you'll immediately see why he's the best receiver right now in the league in my mind. He's Julio Jones level of NFL style talent. If he's not a top 10 Draft guy by the end of his career assuming he stays healthy, I'll be shocked. Oh and on top of that, Alabama still has #2 WR Ardarius Stewart and steady TE hand OJ Howard to provide a safety valve for the QB who wins the job. I love the receiving core on this team.
The Alabama offensive line is one of the biggest strengths of the team year to year. Here's the problem for 2016: Alabama lost their center Ryan Kelly to the draft. That means a guy named Ross Pierschbacher was supposed to move to the center slot. But suddenly in the last week Alabama announced that Ross is move to RG instead of center, and taking the snaps now was Bradley Bozeman who is a redshirt junior, while Ross was a redshirt sophomore. The move confused everyone, and of course Alabama isn't saying why they suddenly changed. But mark my words, this is a HUGE deal. Suddenly changing not only your QB but also your center, and then switching centers about a week before your first game? That's a big pressure on the offensive unit to perform with a brand new RB.
On defense it should be complete turmoil when a team loses 5 starters and their coordinator to a head coaching job. At Alabama, nobody cares. Next man up is a very real thing on this unit, and I don't expect the Tide to have any fall-off whatsoever. The one thing you are used to at Alabama is size. This year I think you will see a lot of speed to go with that size. One of the leaders LB Tim Williams will provide some pop. The secondary should be terrifying with guys like Minkah Fitzpatrick, who had two interceptions in the Texas A&M game, and leader Cyrus Jones playing cornerback opposite Marlon Humphrey. You may remember me picking on Humphrey a lot last year (deservedly) so we'll see if he's improved his play in 2016. If he has, that secondary should be the best in the nation.
But what about the defensive line? They will be fine there as well. Johnathon Allen decided to return for another year instead of hitting the NFL draft, so he'll anchor that line at defensive end and do his best to sack the QB. He'll share the duties on the line with returner Dalvin Tomlinson, Da'Shawn Hand, and now sophomore Daron Payne. They have a guy named Payne on the line. That kind of says it all doesn't it?
Overall, why in the world would you pick against Alabama to win the West even when they replace a bunch of their key pieces? They've proven time and again that they can reload with the best of them, and that defense will always keep them in games. Yes, they have some offensive questions. Yes, they are changing QB. I fully expect them to look very mundane early in the season as they work some stuff out. But if Bo Scarbrough is half of what he's hyped to be, the Crimson Tide will be just fine in 2016, and they will turn on the jets late in the season like they usually do.
ALABAMA PREDICTION: 11-1
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