Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days, Wednesday, July 13, 2016, in Hoover, Ala. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)HOOVER, Ala. – The 2015 college football season ended with confetti falling on Alabama players following the Crimson Tide’s 45-40 thrilling win over Clemson.
That party is over.
Alabama is gearing toward a run at a fifth national championship in eight seasons. Preseason camp is set to start Aug. 4, but returning players insist they already have laid some of the foundation for another memorable run.
“You don’t come to Alabama for the parties,” Crimson Tide senior defensive end Jonathan Allen said Wednesday at SEC media days. “It’s hot. It’s humid. You don’t come here for the parties. You come here for football. If your main focus is to party, then this might not be the school for you.”
Allen, tight end O.J. Howard and safety Eddie Jackson were the three players who accompanied coach Nick Saban to the Southeastern Conference’s annual offseason event. All three had a chance to bypass their senior seasons for an opportunity in the NFL draft, but each chose to return for one more go-around with the most dominant program in the sport.
Howard decided to come back despite earning MVP honors in the championship game, when he had five catches for 208 yards and two touchdowns.
“I still had some goals that I wanted to accomplish here in college,” Howard said. “I had an opportunity to graduate in May, so I accomplished that goal. I feel that I can improve on the field in my route-running and in some techniques in the running game.
“There are things I can improve on that will allow me to be an even better player.”
Alabama returns six offensive starters, and that includes junior left tackle Cam Robinson. The 6-foot-6, 326-pounder was arrested in May for marijuana possession and felony possession of a stolen firearm in Monroe, La. The district attorney in Monroe dropped those charges last month.
Saban had announced internal punishment for Robinson and junior defensive back Hootie Jones, who also was involved in the Monroe incident, and said Wednesday that if the two continue to do what is asked of them, they will not miss any playing time. Alabama opens its season Sept. 3 against Southern California in Arlington, Texas.
“That is my decision,” Saban said. “I am also basing this decision based on the type of people these guys have been in our program and what they’ve done to change their behavior relative to our program.”
Alabama will begin preseason drills with yet another quarterback competition. This year’s candidates are redshirt junior Cooper Bateman, redshirt sophomore David Cornwell, redshirt freshman Blake Barnes and true freshman Jalen Hurts, who enrolled early and went through spring practice.
“For the third year in a row, I’m standing up here talking about somebody’s going to be a new quarterback for us,” Saban said. “Somebody’s got to win that job. Somebody’s got to win the team. That has not necessarily happened yet.”
Said Howard: “It’s been like this for the last three years. We’ve just got to take it the same way, and we’ll be fine.”
The biggest difference facing this year’s Tide compared to some predecessors is their lack of a proven tailback. Gone is Derrick Henry, who rushed for an SEC-record 2,219 yards last season and won the program’s second Heisman Trophy, as well as the versatile Kenyan Drake.
Bo Scarbrough and Damien Harris are Alabama’s top returning tailbacks, with neither having rushed for 200 yards a year ago.
“This is the first time for many, many years that we have not had an experienced, talented running back who has proven his value,” Saban said. “Glen Coffee played and was joined by Mark Ingram. Mark Ingram came back and played with Trent Richardson. Trent Richardson played with Eddie Lacy. Eddie Lacy played with T.J. Yeldon. T.J. Yeldon played with Derrick Henry.
“We always had one of those guys coming back, but this will provide opportunity for some other players who are talented players to have a chance to succeed at that position.”
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.