Alabama's aerial assault could leave opponents seeing red a little more often this season.
The "red personnel" for the Crimson Tide - more commonly known throughout football as "10 personnel" - describes an offense with one running back, four receivers and no tight end. It's a look that suits this season's Alabama, which returns the dynamic receiver foursome of Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle but is rebuilding at tight end.
"It's something that we will definitely incorporate into what we are doing," offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said Saturday in a news conference. "I would be remiss to not keep those four wide receivers on the field when it presents itself to being an advantageous situation.
"Too many times, if they're standing next to us on the sideline, either something is wrong or we feel really good about something else that's happening."
Alabama held its third preseason workout Monday, practicing for two hours.
Jeudy won the Biletnikoff Award last season as the nation's top receiver after amassing 68 receptions for 1,315 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged a robust 19.34 yards per catch, but Waddle was right behind with an 18.84-yard clip, having hauled in 45 passes for 848 yards and seven scores.
Ruggs tallied 46 catches for 741 yards (16.11) and 11 touchdowns, while Smith had 42 for 693 (16.5) and seven scores.
Last season's offense also contained the tight end tandem of Irv Smith Jr. and Hale Hentges. Smith was just as much of a vertical threat as the wideouts, catching 44 throws for 710 yards (16.14) and seven touchdowns before becoming a second-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings.
The bigger-bodied Hentges aided more from a blocking standpoint and signed a free-agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts.
Miller Forristall is the top returning tight end but is having to miss these first few days of preseason camp due to a foot injury sustained earlier this summer. The former Cartersville (Georgia) High standout played in all 15 games as a true freshman in 2016 but has been shelved each of the past two seasons due to September injuries.
"I think you're always trying to get the best players you have on the field in the most productive positions that you can get them in," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "We would not do that because of the tight ends. We would do that because of the quality of receivers that we have. We're going to continue to try and develop, because when you get in that situation, you're very limited to some degree as to what you can do.
"When you do have a tight end in the game, you can do two-back runs and four opens, which is the same as having 10 personnel in the game, and you can do a lot more things from a protection standpoint."
Alabama was known for its wishbone offense under Bear Bryant and for its power running game earlier in the Saban era. Nobody is expecting a ground attack led by Najee Harris to be abandoned this season, but it's unique even by Crimson Tide standards to have such wealth at receiver.
"Those are four very dynamic players who are playmakers and are very competitive and work hard," Sarkisian said. "They do everything they can, and ultimately it shows in the way they play on the field. We need to continue to try and develop that package so that when we use it, we're not just throwing four wide receivers on the field.
"There has to be a rhyme and reason we're doing what we're doing."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.