|
QB
John Parker Wilson |
|
|
2007
Statistics |
Coach:
Nick Saban
7-6,
1 year |
2007
Record: 7-6 |
|
WEST.
CAROLINA |
WON
52-6 |
at
Vanderbilt |
WON
24-10 |
ARKANSAS |
WON
41-38 |
GEORGIA |
LOST
23-26 (OT) |
vs.
Florida State |
LOST
14-21 |
HOUSTON |
WON
30-24 |
at
Mississippi |
WON
27-24 |
TENNESSEE |
WON
41-17 |
LOUISIANA
STATE |
LOST
34-41 |
at
Mississippi State |
LOST
12-17 |
UL-MONROE |
LOST
14-21 |
at
Auburn |
LOST
10-17 |
INDEPENDENCE
BOWL |
Colorado |
WON
30-24 |
|
2007
Final Rankings
AP-UR, Coaches-UR, BCS-UR
|
2008
Outlook |
When
Alabama hired Nick
Saban, fans expected
the world from the
$4 million man.
But last year he
didn't live up to
his promise as he
inherited a bunch
that just wasn't
ready for the intensity
he delivers (they
lacked discipline,
as evidenced by
numerous arrests
since he took over).
Tireless recruiter
Saban has quickly
made waves, cleaning
up the state in
recruiting and taking
home the nation’s
top-ranked class
by most evaluating
services. Offensive
coordinator Jim
McElwain was brought
in to revive an
offense that struggled
late last year and
to help quarterback
John Parker Wilson
make winning plays
instead of losing
ones. McElwain's
overall goal? Repair
the shattered confidence
of Wilson, who led
the downward spiral
of Alabama's season
(arguably starting
with an interception
at the end of the
first half in a
loss to Mississippi
State that was returned
103 yards for a
score). Wilson was
never the same after
that, save a few
drives in the Independence
Bowl.
McElwain
brings in a balanced
approach; his Fresno
State unit averaged
more than 200 yards
both rushing and
passing per game
last year. That
balance is what
the Tide will need
to take the pressure
off Wilson and make
a run with the ground
game. But, that
run game may not
have anyone to get
the tough yards
when needed. Remember
the loss to lowly
Louisiana-Monroe?
Alabama was stuffed
late in the game
on third- and fourth-down
with less than a
yard to go. The
hope is that freshmen
Mark Ingram and
Ivan Matchett are
mentally ready for
the SEC demands,
because they are
physically there.
Either that, or
Alabama will have
to rely on some
oft-injured and
smallish running
backs yet again.
The defense has
some key talent
back, but its best
players could be
the guys Saban has
scouted in the new
recruiting class.
The old saying of
"you lose one
game per every true
freshman starter"
will test Alabama's
defense, as two
young linebackers
and a fresh-faced
safety could creep
their way into the
starting lineup.
The front seven
just isn't yet full
of SEC-caliber players,
but another year
in Saban's strenuous
off-season weight
program should at
least add some strength,
if nothing else.
New players will
be counted on from
the get-go, but
it should be a couple
more top-notch recruiting
classes before the
defense is near
the greatness that
Alabama fans have
grown up expecting.
There's
no question this
team will be improved,
but by how many
wins? Saban wanted
to get rid of the
patsies on the non-conference
schedule, so he
was able to finagle
a season-opener
against Clemson
at the Georgia Dome
in Atlanta. That
will give Alabama
an early look at
what it has against
a team sure to be
ranked. Road games
at Arkansas, Georgia,
Tennessee and LSU
will no doubt be
the toughest challenge.
Alabama can't discount
those Sun Belt teams
anymore after last
year's ULM debacle,
and this year, Arkansas
State and Western
Kentucky will come
to Tuscaloosa on
a high, thinking
they for once have
a shot at this storied
program. Don't forget
Auburn at home in
the final game of
the year, as the
Tigers have won
six straight and
still haven't lost
in Tuscaloosa. No
matter how good
this team is, whether
it wins six, eight,
or 10 games, the
lasting memory in
fans' minds this
year will take place
on Nov. 29, when
Alabama tries to
erase those six
years of misery.
Returning
the Tide to the
nation’s elite
is a long-term project,
and fans know that
another year of
marginal results
will eventually
elicit their return
to prominence. After
watching programs
like Nebraska and
themselves rotate
coaching regimes
seemingly every
other year for the
past decade and
suffer for the fan-bases’
lack of commitment
to any of the worthy
candidates, Saban
has the leeway to
take ‘Bama
wherever he sees
fit. That’s
a good plan. A dynasty
will ultimately
come, and 2008 will
build more of the
foundation which
will eventually
prop the Crimson
Tide into the Top
10 for years to
come.
Projected
2008 record: 8-4
|
|
ALABAMA
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4 |
DL
- 4 |
RB
- 3.5 |
LB
- 3.5 |
WR
- 3.5 |
DB
- 3.5 |
OL
- 4 |
.. |
|
ALABAMA
2007 Statistical
Rankings |
OFFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
60 |
8 |
Passing: |
59 |
6 |
Total
Off: |
75 |
7 |
Sacks
Allow: |
51 |
7 |
|
DEFENSE |
|
National |
Conf. |
Rushing: |
28 |
4 |
Passing: |
48 |
6 |
Total
Def: |
31 |
6 |
Sacks: |
73 |
5 |
|
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
John Parker Wilson,
255-462-12, 2846 yds.,
18 TD
Rushing: Terry
Grant, 180 att., 891
yds., 8 TD
Receiving: Mike
McCoy, 28 rec., 207
yds., 1 TD
Scoring: Leigh
Tiffin, 25-34 FG,
36-36 PAT, 111 pts.
Punting: P.J.
Fitzgerald, 64 punts,
38.7 avg.
Kicking: Leigh
Tiffin, 25-34 FG,
36-36 PAT, 111 pts.
Tackles: Rashad
Johnson, 94 tot.,
57 solo
Sacks: Ezekial
Knight, Lorenzo Washington
- 3 each
Interceptions:
Rashad Johnson, 6
for 64 yds.
Kickoff Returns:
Javier Arenas, 27
ret., 24.3 avg., 0
TD
Punt Returns:
Javier Arenas, 21
ret., 15.4 avg., 1
TD |
|
|
C
Antoine Caldwell |
|
|
|
ALABAMA |
|
|
OFFENSE
-
8 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 6 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
DJ Hall-WR, Keith
Brown-WR, Matt Caddell-WR,
Justin Britt-OG |
DEFENSE:
Wallace
Gilberry-DE, Darren
Mustin-WLB, Keith
Saunders-LB, Simeon
Castille-CB, Marcus
Carter-SS, Jimmy Johns-LB
(dismissed), Ezekial
Knight-LB (medical) |
|
|
2008
OFFENSE |
QUARTERBACK
Year two of the Nick Saban
era at Alabama will have
a new look on offense.
After Major Applewhite
bolted for Texas, Jim
McElwain, who turned Tom
Brandstater from nothing
into a pretty decent quarterback
at Fresno State, was brought
in to run the Crimson
Tide offense and mold
John Parker Wilson into
a winning SEC quarterback
his senior season. Wilson,
a pocket passer with a
hint of athleticism in
his third year as a starter,
should break several career
records halfway through
the year, but his career
has been marked by the
bad plays – think
two key interceptions
in losses to Mississippi
State and UL-Monroe and
a key fumble in a loss
to LSU. Wilson is just
13-13 in his career as
a starter and fans are
hoping McElwain can turn
Wilson into a winning
college quarterback for
his senior year. How does
he do that? Get Wilson’s
confidence back after
the late-season blunders
and fix his ability to
lock in on only one wide
receiver, which he did
all too often with the
now-departed D.J. Hall.
Behind Wilson are two
youngsters in Greg McElroy
and Nick Fanuzzi, though
neither have much game
experience. Saban has
said that McElroy is a
"capable backup."
Both are pocket passers
without much mobility.
Walk-on Thomas Darrah,
a 6-foot-6 beanpole with
a rocket arm, impressed
some during spring practice
but has a ways to go from
being a complete quarterback,
though he outperformed
Fanuzzi, a scholarship
player, in the final scrimmage.
True freshman Star Jackson,
who will be the most athletic
of the bunch as soon as
he enrolls, will get a
chance to compete for
playing time right away
and show his worth for
the future.
RUNNING BACK
Alabama had five tailbacks
get carries last year
– Glen Coffee, Terry
Grant, Roy Upchurch, Jimmy
Johns and even scat-back
Jonathan Lowe at the end
of the year – but
none proved that he is
(yet) a capable running
back in the SEC. Coffee
might be the best of the
bunch, but the junior
was sidelined for four
games last year during
a textbook scandal, where
four others were also
suspended as well. Upchurch
has shown flashes, but
has been injured for much
of his career. Grant began
last year as a starter,
but battled injuries late
in the year. His abilities
are best in the open field,
and he didn't show he
could be a guy to run
through the tackles 25
times per game. Johns
moved to linebacker and
Lowe is a last-resort
option. There's a good
chance that two newcomers
– Mark Ingram and
Mobile-product Ivan Matchett
– can see key carries
since both already have
the physical build to
combat the grind of the
college game and since
Alabama is sorely lacking
in guys who can get three
yards and a cloud of dust
every time. Redshirt freshmen
Demetrius Goode and Jeramie
Griffin are options, with
Griffin figuring into
the fullback/H-back blocking
spot and battling returning
tight ends Preston Dial
and Travis McCall for
reps.
RECEIVER
If there was a strength
in this offense last year,
it was at wide receiver,
but the position turns
over most of its key personnel.
The top returner is the
sure-handed Nikita Stover,
but he was hampered this
spring by a bad hamstring
injury and was surpassed
by junior Mike McCoy and
sophomore Earl Alexander.
Since hamstring injuries
linger, it’s unknown
how long this will sideline
Stover. The next star
of the bunch could be
McCoy, who actually beat
Brown out for a starting
spot early last year.
It was McCoy and the 6-foot-5
Alexander who emerged
as starters coming out
of spring, but look for
the offense to feature
four wide receivers at
some point. That paves
the way for highly touted
freshmen Julio Jones and
Burton Scott to come in
and make plays from the
start. Jones is 6-foot-4
with an incredible vertical
leap; Scott is smaller,
but dynamic in the mode
of former USC star Reggie
Bush. Redshirt freshman
Darius Hanks showed promise
in the spring and will
get his chances, as will
fellow redshirt freshmen
Marquis Maze and Brandon
Gibson. Hanks impressed
with his smoothness, while
Maze could remind some
of Tyrone Prothro. Jones
was the star of this nationally
rated No. 1 class, and
either he or Scott could
be the game-breaker that
this unit is missing at
the moment.
TIGHT END
McElwain and the emergence
of some veteran tight
ends have made the position
more of a focal point
for this year's team.
Senior Nick Walker (6-foot-5
and 270 pounds) is not
only the biggest tight
end, but also the best
pass receiver. Fellow
senior Travis McCall is
the better blocker, but
both have shown that when
the tight ends are needed
to split out wide, each
can do the job. Georgia
Tech transfer Colin Peek,
who picked the Yellow
Jackets over Alabama back
in 2005, is trying to
gain eligibility immediately
after coming in January
since new GT coach Paul
Johnson doesn't use a
tight end. If he can't
play, redshirt freshman
Randy Underwood could
show that the future is
now as the multidimensional
youngster impressed during
spring practice.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Most of the unit returns,
though it was hardly a
strong point last year.
Most of that was because
starting center Antoine
Caldwell and starting
guard Marlon Davis were
suspended four games late
in the year and other
starters battled injuries.
Junior Andre Smith –
all 340 pounds of him
– is regarded as
one of the best left tackles
in the country, yet his
weight has to be a concern.
If he drops to around
320 pounds, Smith could
be a top pick in the 2009
NFL Draft (one mock draft
projects him going at
No. 3). There's nothing
better on the offensive
line than a strong presence
on the left side, and
that's what Smith is.
Caldwell skipped out on
NFL riches to come back
for his senior season.
Davis and junior Michael
Johnson are likely to
be the starting guards,
but there's a question
mark at right tackle,
where no one has been
able to stay consistent
at that position in each
of the last two years.
The winner coming out
of spring was junior Drew
Davis, who has barely
seen the field since signing
in 2004 and gray-shirting.
He battled sophomore Taylor
Pharr to the end, and
while Drew Davis is the
frontrunner, he could
be pushed by highly-rated
offensive tackle recruits
Tyler Love and Barrett
Jones. But with offensive
line being such a tough
position to come in and
play at immediately, Tide
coaches will likely take
their chances with Drew
Davis. Youngsters like
William Vlachos and Patrick
Crump are part of the
wave of the future and
will get their chances
this fall. Save All-American
Smith, this is a highly
mobile group, and they
will make enable McElwain’s
plans to be shifted laterally,
at will.
|
|
OT
Andre Smith
|
|
|
ALABAMA
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning
Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
John
Parker Wilson-Sr (6-2,
213) |
Greg
McElroy-So (6-3, 218) |
RB |
Terry
Grant-So (5-10, 188) |
Roy Upchurch-Jr (6-0,
192)
Glen Coffee-Jr (6-2,
197) (inj.) |
WR |
Nikita
Stover-Sr (6-0, 207) |
Earl
Alexander-So (6-5,
210) |
WR |
Mike
McCoy-Jr (6-3, 199) |
Darius
Hanks-So (6-0, 190) |
TE |
Chris
Underwood-Fr (6-4,
226) |
Nick
Walker-Sr (6-5, 255) |
TE |
Travis
McCall-Sr (6-2, 261) |
Preston
Dial-So (6-3, 223) |
OT |
Andre
Smith-Jr (6-5, 340) |
Charles
Hoke-Sr (6-7, 253) |
OG |
Mike
Johnson-Jr (6-6, 298) |
David
Ross-So (6-4, 297) |
C |
Antoine
Caldwell-Sr (6-3,
292) |
Evan
Cardwell-Jr (6-2,
278) |
OG |
Marlon
Davis-Sr (6-4, 290) |
William
Vlachos-Fr (6-1, 295) |
OT |
Drew
Davis-Jr (6-7, 276) |
Taylor
Pharr-So (6-6, 281) |
K |
Leigh
Tiffin-Jr (6-1, 198) |
Corey
Smith-Fr (6-0, 195) |
|
|
2008
DEFENSE |
DEFENSIVE
LINE
One of the weakest units
on last year's team and
in the SEC returns just
about everyone, except
for All-SEC defensive
end Wallace Gilberry.
Veterans Bobby Greenwood
and Brandon Deaderick
have the inside track
on starting positions,
but will be pushed by
youngsters Alfred McCollough,
who had a very good spring,
and Nick Gentry and Luther
Davis. Deaderick and Greenwood
are fourth-year players
who came in with a lot
of potential, but have
yet to live up to those
expectations. Greenwood
is long and lean but maybe
a step slow while Deaderick
is quicker. Lorenzo Washington,
a junior, came on late
last season, and he's
the likely starter at
nose tackle in the 3-4
setup. Brian Motley is
also a key figure at nose
tackle, but the sophomore
was injured most of last
year.
LINEBACKER
With former head coach
Mike Shula's inability
to recruit linebackers,
this unit might be the
weakest in the SEC when
it comes to returning
players. Sophomore Rolando
McClain is the best of
the bunch returning, though
he might be better suited
for defensive end. McClain
is now the leader of a
group that doesn't have
much experience, especially
since experienced returner
Prince Hall was suspended
for the spring. The most
intriguing linebacker
was senior Jimmy Johns,
who never lived up to
his promise as a running
back and could even redshirt
this year as he learns
the nuances of the outside
linebacker position. With
Johns moving from inside
linebacker to outside,
junior Cory Reamer stepped
up and was one of the
defensive stars of A-Day.
The starters outside are
now sophomore Chavis Williams
and junior Brandon Fanney.
Sophomore Charlie Higgenbotham
could have a chance, as
could converted fullback
Baron Huber, but two true
freshmen in Jerrell Harris
and Don'ta Hightower will
get hard looks from the
moment they step foot
on campus. Williams is
young, but has a chance
to be special, and Fanney
is a converted defensive
tackle, so he won't be
as fast as the other linebackers.
But this is what the Crimson
Tide has, and what it
will have to play with.
UPDATE:
LB Jimmy Johns has been
dismissed from the team
and LB Ezekial Knight
has not been cleared to
play for health reason.
He has since asked for
a transfer.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Defensive coordinator
Kevin Steele inherited
a bunch of defensive backs
when he took over, but
the best he found weren't
even recruited by the
former staff. Safety Rashad
Johnson is a walk-on-turned-All-SEC-player
while Kareem Jackson turned
into one of the top young
corners in the league
in just his true freshman
year. Jackson's opposite
corner will likely be
junior Javier Arenas,
who has already made his
mark as a top-flight return
man but has height issues
when up against the 6’3
types. Justin Woodall
is starting to come around.
Woodall could have played
baseball for Alabama in
the spring, where his
fastball touches 94 miles
per hour, but chose to
focus on football. Incoming
freshman Mark Barron should
see immediate action at
safety or linebacker.
Ali Sharrief is a hard-hitting
junior who loves contact,
and juniors Marquis Johnson
and Chris Rogers are listed
as backup cornerbacks.
As of late, this secondary
has been one of the nation’s
top groups, which makes
sense seeing how they
practice against Spurrier’s
offense. Look for more
tight coverage schemes
to force foes to produce
on the ground (only 13
passing TDs given up in
2006 and 14 in ’07)
if they want the win.
|
|
DB
Rashad Johnson
|
|
|
ALABAMA
2008 DEPTH CHART
Returning
Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Bobby
Greenwood-Sr (6-5,
267) |
Alfred
McCullough-So (6-2,
317) |
NG |
Lorenzo
Washington-Jr (6-4,
283) |
Josh
Chapman-So (6-1, 300) |
DE |
Brandon
Deaderick-Jr (6-4,
286) |
Nick
Gentry-So (6-3, 263) |
LB |
Chavis
Williams-So (6-4,
214) |
Eryk
Anders-Sr (6-2, 225) |
LB |
Rolando
McClain-So (6-4, 255) |
Charlie
Higgenbotham-So (6-1,
211)
Prince Hall-Jr (5-11,
255) (susp.) |
LB |
Cory
Reamer-Jr (6-4, 223) |
Baron
Huber-Jr (6-4, 242) |
LB |
Brandon
Fanney-Jr (6-4, 241) |
Alex
Watkins-Fr (6-3, 218) |
CB |
Javier
Arenas-Jr (5-9, 193) |
Marquis
Johnson-Jr (5-11,
186) |
CB |
Kareem
Jackson-So (5-11,
185) |
Lionel
Mitchell-Sr (6-2,
182) |
SS |
Justin
Woodall-Jr (6-2, 224) |
Ali
Sharrief-Jr (5-9,
197) |
FS |
Rashad
Johnson-Sr (6-0, 187) |
Sam
Burnthall-Jr (6-2,
185) |
P |
P.J.
Fitzgerald-Jr (5-11,
194) |
Heath
Thomas-Jr (6-3, 213) |
|
|
|
2008
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Junior
Leigh Tiffin returns as the
place kicker and junior P.J.
Fitzgerald returns at punter,
though Fitzgerald is being pushed
by true freshman Corey Smith,
a spring enrollee who was rated
as the No.12 kicker/punters
in the country (Rivals). Fitzgerald
has a good leg, but also has
the propensity to shank a 24-yarder,
hence the 38.7-yard average.
After his confidence was wrecked
in 2006 at Arkansas when he
missed three kicks, Tiffin rebounded
with a decent 2007 season, beating
out a returning senior starter.
Tiffin missed just one kick
inside of 30 yards and made
both attempts of 50 yards or
more, but missed six kicks between
30 and 50 yards. The small but
shifty Arenas is one of the
nation's best return men and
he mans both spots well as a
constant threat.
|
|