Front Porch Football2018 Alabama Season Preview
by Chris Paschal
1st – SEC West
Tuscaloosa, AL| Bryant-Denny Stadium (101, 821) | 2017 Record: 13-1 (7-1)
Alabama returns a loaded offense and a talented, but unproven, defense. Further, both coordinators will be new to the program after Daboll and Pruitt left their positions for high profile jobs (new offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills and new head coach for the Tennessee Volunteers, respectively). But this is still Alabama and this is still Nick Saban. If I were a betting man, I have the Tide back in the College Football Playoff this season. But make no mistake about it – the older Saban gets, and the better Georgia becomes, you feel the dynamics of the SEC changing.
Offense
Quarterbacks: Nick Saban may claim there isn’t drama, he may claim that there isn’t a quarterback battle, but Nick Saban also knows that both Jalen Hurts (6-2, 220) and Tua Tagovailoa (6-1, 220) can’t start at quarterback at the same time. Hurts is the proven guy. He’s big, strong (can squat as much as an offensive lineman), and makes very few mistakes (just a single interception in 254 passing attempts last year). Hurts is built for SEC football. He is very durable, and he takes very few risks with the football in his hands. And while Hurts may be one of the true dual-threat quarterbacks this conference has to offer (over 2,000 passing yards and over 850 rushing yards), he also is not as dynamic a passer as his colleague, Tua Tagovailoa.
After successful 2017 season Jalen Hurts has to fight for his spot. Image from Getty Images.
Tua is a playmaker, whereas Hurts in many ways is a game manager. A lot of people hate that term, because calling a quarterback a game manager insinuates that he isn’t very talented. That isn’t the case with Hurts, but at the same time, Alabama’s offense feels a lot different with Tua in the pocket. For starters, while Hurts is athletic and strong enough to run the football as well as a running back, Tua is much more elusive in the pocket. In a lot of ways, Tua’s “escapability” and creativeness in the pocket reminds me of Johnny Manziel. But unlike Manziel, Tua seems to be a lot less of a distraction on the field, off the field, and in the locker room. Manziel was also featured in the rushing attack frequently during his time at A&M. Tua will definitely have his designed runs, don’t get me wrong, but Tua’s magic comes from improvisation, his scrambling ability, and his arm strength. Tua makes throws that Hurts can’t make. It is as simple as that. Hurts by no means was a liability in the passing attack, but he did handicap it with his lack of arm strength and his conservative decision making.
Tua is an elusive gunslinger. Image from Sports Illustrated.
Traditionally, Nick Saban has almost wanted a restricted passing attack, but while Tua may be more of a gunslinger, he seems to be a smart, poised, gunslinger. With the NCAA’s new redshirt rule allowing players to play in up to four full collegiate games in a redshirt year, look for this quarterback battle to be settled during the season, and not during fall camp.
Both Tua and Jalen have the potential to lead Alabama to another National Title. Image from USA Today.
Running Back: The SEC lost so many great running backs to either graduation or the NFL (or both). Kerryon Johnson, Nick Chubb, Sony Michel, Derrius Guice, Ralph Webb, John Kelly, Kam Pettaway, Keith Ford, and David Williams all departed the SEC, and while Bo Scarbrough did leave Alabama early for the NFL, Alabama returns a plethora of great running backs in 2018 (and that doesn’t even include Jalen Hurts, who rushed for 855 yards and 8 touchdowns last season).
Besides Hurts, this rushing attack will feature a senior, a junior, and a sophomore, all of whom are good enough to start for most college football programs. First, the senior, Damien Harris (5-11, 215). Harris hit the 1,000-yard mark last season on 135 carries. For all of you out there that aren’t math people, that means that on average, Harris rushed for just shy of 7.5 yards every single time he carried the football. That is unbelievable. Harris does well between the tackles, but he also has deceptive speed and top-end acceleration. The dude can fly, especially considering as well-built as he is.
Damien Harris has top end speed for his size. Image from USA Today.
The junior featured in this rushing attack will be the under-appreciated Josh Jacobs (5-10, 210). Jacobs was highlighted less last year than in his freshman season (2016), when he rushed for over 565 yards on 85 carries (an astonishing 6.7 yards per carry) and 4 touchdowns. Maybe because the backfield was more crowded in 2017, or maybe because he was fighting through an injury, Jacobs only carried the football 46 times for 284 yards and a single touchdown in 2017. That said, Jacobs did haul in two touchdown catches last season, which should not go unnoticed with so many receivers not returning from last year’s squad.
But possibly the most dangerous option on this year’s rushing attack will be the sophomore, Najee Harris (6-2, 230). As a freshman, Najee rushed the ball 61 times for 370 yards and 3 touchdowns, but look for him to double the number of carries in his sophomore campaign, especially with Scarbrough no longer in the backfield (and even more so if Hurts takes a back seat to Tua later in the season). Najee was one of the top-ranked running backs in the entire country in the 2017 recruiting cycle.
Wide Receiver: Calvin Ridley is gone, which means one of the nation’s top receivers in 2016 and 2017 is no longer in Tuscaloosa. Also departed are members of the supporting cast, Cam Sims and Robert Foster. With all that said, Alabama will have a better passing attack in 2018. Part of that will be due to Tua being more heavily featured in the passing offense at the quarterback position, but an even more important factor is the the trio of sophomores that will make it harder for defenses to fixate on one player the way they did on Ridley last year. Jerry Jeudy (6-1, 185), Henry Ruggs, III (6-0, 180), and DeVonta Smith (6-1, 175) are all dynamic pass catchers that will be thrown a lot of balls in 2018. Last year, Jeudy had the most receptions with 14 and led in receiving yards with 264. Jeudy has the size and speed needed to be the next Alabama great. Henry Ruggs, III is more of a speedster that can stretch the top half of a defense. Ruggs finished last season with 12 receptions, 229 receiving yards, and 6 touchdowns. Ruggs caught touchdowns from both Hurts and Tua last season.
Jerry Jeudy is ready to step into the spotlight. Image from USA Today.
Then there is DeVonta Smith, who had the fewest number of receptions of the three, but who may be the most dangerous with Tua at quarterback. Two of Smith’s touchdown receptions last season were bombs by Tua, including the game winner in the national title game. Speaking of game winners, Smith also caught a simple slant pass from Hurts late in the Mississippi State game, then took it the distance for the game-winning score. The future is bright with these three. True freshmen Jaylen Waddle (5-10, 175) and Xavier Williams (6-1, 190) could also be featured in this season’s passing attack. Both were highly touted recruits.
Georgia fans see Devonta Smith in their nightmares. Image from Alabama Athletics.
Offensive Line: Why does Alabama dominate the SEC West? It’s not their skill players, and it’s not their defense, because LSU has the same caliber of skill players and defensive freaks. It’s not even the quarterback position, because Alabama doesn’t have future NFL quarterbacks under center. Alabama dominates the West because of its offensive line. Year in, year out, Alabama has some of the best run-blocking guards in the country, some of the most athletic tackles in the country, and centers that know how to call protections. It’s Alabama’s true difference maker.
Matt Womack has the experience, but like Hurts is competing with a younger teammate. Image from Alabama Athletics.
This year is no exception. At tackle, Alabama will have a pair of juniors in Matt Womack (6-7, 325) and Jonah Williams (6-5, 300). Don’t be surprised if Womack either moves inside to guard or gets replaced by sophomore Alex Leatherwood (6-6, 315), a former five-star recruit. Womack missed spring practice due to a foot injury, and while he is a strong run blocker, he is actually a mediocre pass blocker. I re-watched the entire Mississippi State game and focused on Womack for every offensive play (because I am a loser), and the he overextends way too much in pass protection. He was consistently beaten on the edge and occasionally was so far out in front of himself that he would lose his balance and fall over. Womack may be tall for a guard, but there’s a good chance he is not fundamentally sound enough to hold off Leatherwood at tackle. At guard, Womack may find his way to a starting role, but senior Lester Cotton (6-4, 325) has a pretty firm hold the other spot. Senior Ross Pierschbacher (6-4, 300) has played mostly guard at Alabama but may be asked to flip to center to replace Bradley Bozeman. So as I just said, the battle to watch is at right tackle. Will the veteran, gritty, mauling-type player (Womack) keep his job, or will it be the highly anticipated underclassman (Leatherwood) steals it from the returning starter?
Alex Leatherwood could take Womack’s spot at tackle. Image from Alabama Athletics.
Defense
Defensive Line: Daron Payne is gone. That hurts. Payne was one of the most athletic nose tackles in recent memory, as evidenced by his selection in the first round of this year’s NFL draft. Senior Johnny Dwight (6-3, 300) will look to replace Payne, which will be near impossible. But Dwight isn’t new to things at Alabama. He spelled Payne last year, and if he can continue to tie up blockers, he will be useful in 2018.
Johnny Dwight no longer has to play behind Payne. Image from USA Today.
At defensive end, Alabama has upperclassmen Raekwon Davis (6-7, 310) and Isaiah Buggs (6-5, 290). These are some big men, but like most Alabama defensive linemen, they are athletic. Davis led the Tide in sacks last season (8.5) and he flashed his versatility and athleticism with an interception in last year’s national championship. Along with Davis and Buggs, Alabama will play LaBryan Ray (6-5, 280), who will have a coming-out party as a sophomore; Quunnen Williams (6-4, 290), who can also play inside; and freshman Stephon Wynn (6-4, 310), who could be used like Johnathan Allen was a few years back.
Raekwon Davis is the total package at DE. Image from SEC Country.
Linebacker: With Terrell Lewis (6-5, 255) out for the foreseeable future with a torn ACL, and Anfernee Jennings missing all spring recovering from his knee injury, it looks like (for now at least) that senior Christian Miller (6-4, 245) will be the only experienced outside linebacker returning this season. At Alabama that is almost unheard-of. Sophomore Christopher Allen (6-4, 240) was a heralded recruit out of Baton Rouge, but he may be asked to play at a high level in 2018 after playing sparingly in 2017. Speaking of inexperience, true freshman Eyabi Anoma (6-5, 230) was considered one of the five best prospects, regardless of position, in the 2018 recruiting cycle. He may have to show why that was the case fairly quickly this season.
Christian Miller is the only proven OLB that returns this season. Image from Sports Illustrated.
Inside, Alabama lost Rashaan Evan, who finished 2017 as the Tide’s leading tackler. Junior Mack Wilson (6-2, 235) is a stud, and sophomore Dylan Moses (6-3, 230) might be one of the most athletic linebackers in the SEC this season. But with the number of linebackers Alabama likes to cycle through in a single game, the lack of proven, experienced depth is actually a bit un-Alabama-ish.
Remember when the only time Mack Wilson played was on special teams? Oh, and remember when he knocked out Speedy Noil’s tooth? Image from SEC Country.
Defensive Backs: Minkah Fitzpatrick was a stud for Alabama his freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons. Last year, Fitzpatrick won the Bednarik Award (given to the nation’s defensive player of the year) and the Thorpe Award (given to the nation’s defensive back of the year). That’s tough to replace. And it’s not just him that Alabama has to replace. Safety Ronnie Harrison is also now in the NFL. Harrison tied with Evans last season with most tackles recorded for Alabama. Alabama also lost Tony Brown, Hootie Jones, Levi Wallace, and Anthony Averrett, all of whom recorded at least one interception for Alabama last year. So, who returns? Not a lot, at least in terms of experience.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is now gone after proving he was the best DB in the nation. Image from Alabama Athletics.
Junior Deionte Thompson returns at safety after recording 25 tackles and an interception last season. Junior Trevon Diggs returns for his second season on the defensive side of the ball after signing at Alabama as a wide receiver. Savion Smith (JUCO) and Patrick Surtain were signed in this year’s recruiting class. Both are huge additions for this secondary. Surtain was considered by many to be the top defensive back prospect in the country.
Special Teams
The aforementioned Trevor Diggs has been a solid option at returning kicks, but besides him, most of the faces will be new on the special teams. In classic Saban form, the kicker position looks a bit shaky as there is only one kicker on this entire roster. Punter looks a bit more favorable as Sklyer Delong enrolled early. Delong (6-4, 180) is tall like JK Scott was, and was considered one of the top punting prospects in the Carolinas last year.
Coaching Staff
Both the offensive coordinator and the defensive coordinator are gone from last season’s team. But Nick Saban returns. That’s all you really need to know. Saban’s coaching tree continues to grow, as last year’s defensive coordinator, Jeremy Pruitt, is now the head coach of Tennessee. Saban is a single national championship away from passing fellow Alabama great, Bear Bryant, for the most titles in college football history.
Biggest Strength: Offense – Who would ever have thunk it? Alabama’s offense may be better than its defense this season. I think this offensive attack will finish in the top 3 in both rushing yards per game (in contention with Mississippi State, Auburn, and Georgia) and passing yards per game (behind only Missouri and Ole Miss). That would be some feat for a Nick Saban team. If Saban lets this offense run wild, they have the players at every position to be one of the best offensive teams in the country.
Biggest Weakness: Depth/Inexperience on Defense… Kinda – This is the same exact phrase I wrote for Georgia. Alabama recruits at a level in which their defense reloads, not rebuilds. But the NFL draft, graduation, and the injury bug have left this defense relatively thin at key positions (nose tackle, linebacker, and defensive back). These defensive ends are going to have to play at a level that wreaks havoc in both run defense and pass rush to mask some glaring holes in this defense. But this is still a Nick Saban team. Alabama is still going to be one of the five best defenses in the SEC, if not the country.
Offensive, Defensive, and Freshman Players of the Year
Offensive: Tua Tagovailoa. I feel bad for Jalen Hurts. All he has done is win and play at a high level. But Tua is going to win a Heisman before he leaves Alabama.
Defensive: Raekwon Davis. Davis wants to prove that he is worthy to be considered an early first round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He finished last season with 8.5 sacks, and if he at least matches that number, if not improves it, Alabama’s defense might be stabilized by a massive presence on that defensive line.
Freshman: Patrick Surtain. Surtain is basically the same size as Fitzpatrick, and his arrival in Tuscaloosa is just as anticipated. The second fall camp starts, Surtain is going to show, like Fitzpatrick did, why he was considered the best defensive back prospect on national signing day. And the Tide is going to need him to play well.
