Alabama’s football program is off to a tremendous 2016.
The Crimson Tide won their fourth national championship under coach Nick Saban in January by outlasting Clemson. In the ensuing days, tight end O.J. Howard, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, linebackers Reuben Foster, Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson, and safety Eddie Jackson decided to return for their senior seasons.
In early February, Alabama signed its eighth No. 1 recruiting class in the past nine years.
The good times have continued this month, with Saban and his Crimson Tide collecting more positive exposure with last week’s trip to the White House.
Saban’s 10th spring in Tuscaloosa starts this afternoon with the first of 15 allotted workouts, which will be followed by a week off for spring break. The program is not without questions, and those who ask Saban in upcoming weeks about the sky-high projections that will accompany his team later this year should do so at their own risk.
1. Will a quarterback step forward?
Considering Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin have opened the past two seasons without a clear-cut quarterback, finding a starter in March or April isn’t exactly a must. Still, that doesn’t mean junior Cooper Bateman, redshirt sophomore David Cornwell or redshirt freshman Blake Barnett can’t get on a roll and collect some separation.
Bateman battled Jake Coker for the job entering last season and actually started in September against Ole Miss, the Tide’s lone loss in a 14-1 season.
“The competition never stops,” Bateman said. “We went from camp into the first few games, and we were still battling during our practice reps. Your spot is never secure. You always have to keep working and keep pushing.”
Alec Morris, the third-stringer each of the past two seasons, bolted in December and is now a graduate transfer at North Texas. Jalen Hurts is a dual-threat talent from Texas who will vie as an early enrollee.
2. Can Foster replace Ragland?
Reggie Ragland greatly benefited by returning for his senior season, racking up 102 tackles and 6.5 sacks for the national champions and positioning himself as a first-round selection in the upcoming NFL draft. Ragland took over leadership duties from Trey DePriest, and now that role will be assumed by Foster.
Foster was the nation’s No. 1 inside linebacker signee in the 2013 class but did not have an immediate impact, amassing 19 tackles through his first two seasons. As a junior, he emerged and racked up 73 tackles and eight tackles for loss.
A big plus for Foster is that he can look around and see experience in all directions.
3. Is Scarbrough next in line?
The genealogy of Alabama tailbacks since Saban’s arrival in 2007: Glen Coffee begat Mark Ingram, who begat Trent Richardson, who begat Eddie Lacy, who begat T.J. Yeldon, who begat Derrick Henry, who rushed for an SEC-record 2,219 yards last season and joined Ingram as recipients of the Heisman Trophy.
Henry and backup tailback Kenyan Drake are gone from last season’s roster, and third-leading rusher Bo Scarbrough had just 18 carries for 104 yards (5.8 per carry) as a freshman. A majority of Scarbrough’s numbers came against Charleston Southern, but he did have three impressive carries for 17 yards in the Cotton Bowl semifinal against Michigan State.
“Bo Scarbrough is a carbon copy of Derrick Henry, if not better,” senior guard Alphonse Taylor recently told AL.com. “Once it clicks with Bo, he’s probably going to be one of the best running backs in the country – easily.”
4. Will there be defensive adjustments?
Alabama’s assistant coaching fixture under Saban is no longer in the program, with Kirby Smart having taken over at Georgia following a tremendous nine-year run with the SEC West power. Replacing Smart is Jeremy Pruitt, who was Georgia’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons and had a vastly improved unit last year except for struggles against Alabama, Florida and especially Tennessee.
Pruitt was Alabama’s secondary coach from 2010 to ’12, with the Tide winning national titles his last two seasons in that role. Saban is certain to get asked whether there will be any tweaks philosophically on that side of the ball.
5. Will there be signs of complacency?
Saban isn’t the best coach in college football by happenstance. He gets a pulse on his team each spring, and if he doesn’t like what he sees, he will not hide his feelings.
In 2010, Saban sensed a complacency following the 2009 national title, and that team went on to finish 10-3, which is disastrous by recent standards. He liked last year’s team from the start, staying positive through the loss to Ole Miss, when some national writers suggested Alabama’s dynasty was dead.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.