Five questions as Crimson Tide open spring football practices

Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) and running back Najee Harris (22), shown during the team's loss to Clemson in the national title game this past January, headline the Crimson Tide offense entering spring practice.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) and running back Najee Harris (22), shown during the team's loss to Clemson in the national title game this past January, headline the Crimson Tide offense entering spring practice.

Alabama will conduct its first of 15 spring football workouts Friday afternoon in Tuscaloosa with seven new assistant coaches and having to replace 11 players who received invitations to the recent NFL combine.

It will also be the first practice since the Crimson Tide endured a 44-16 pummeling at the hands of Clemson in January's national championship game.

There have been recent springs at Alabama in which coach Nick Saban has been tasked with combating overconfidence, but that shouldn't be an issue on the heels of the most lopsided loss of his 12-season tenure.

"We're looking forward to sort of rebuilding the program so that it's what we want it to be," Saban said in late January. "We've got a lot of work to do, but I'm excited about the people we've been able to get and attract to come to Alabama."

There is more of a rebuild feel this spring, but Alabama does return quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, running back Najee Harris and a wealth of receivers with Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Heading the defense will be end Raekwon Davis and outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings, who elected to come back for their senior seasons, as well as outside linebacker Terrell Lewis and cornerback Trevon Diggs, who are returning from injuries.

Alabama will not hold its second practice until March 18, when the university returns from spring break, and the A-Day game has been set for 2 p.m. EDT on April 13. A-Day will be televised by ESPN2.

Here are five questions the Tide must face in the weeks ahead:

1. Are name tags needed?

Alabama's seven new assistants top the six new ones from a year ago.

There is familiarity with the new coordinators, especially on defense, where Pete Golding was promoted after just one season on Saban's full-time staff. Golding will continue to coach the inside linebackers.

Steve Sarkisian is back to run the offense after serving as a Tide offensive analyst in 2016. He replaced Lane Kiffin and called the plays during the Tide's 35-31 loss to Clemson in the championship game of the 2016 season before spending the past two years as offensive coordinator of the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

Alabama's only assistant in the exact same role from last season is Jeff Banks, who is the tight ends coach and special-teams coordinator.

"These coaches have a great mix of energy, enthusiasm and experience that will be a tremendous asset to our program," Saban said.

2. Who replaces Jonah?

Three offensive line starters from the national championship game - left tackle Jonah Williams, left guard Lester Cotton and center Ross Pierschbacher - must be replaced. Williams leaves the biggest void, having been a consensus All-American at his position last season.

Former five-star Alex Leatherwood, the starter at right guard last year, could get the first opportunity at left tackle. It was the 6-foot-6, 304-pound Leatherwood who replaced an injured Williams early in the third quarter during the national championship game of the 2017 season against Georgia and helped the Tide rally for the overtime win.

One possible first-team lineup is Leatherwood at left tackle, Emil Ekiyor at left guard, Chris Owens at center, Matt Womack at right guard and Jedrick Wills at right tackle. Wills started at right tackle last season, but expect some experimenting in the 15 practices ahead.

3. Will the secondary stabilize?

Alabama lost its top six defensive backs from the 2017 team that won Saban's fifth national championship with the program, and last year's rebuilding efforts in this area were sidetracked when Diggs went down. Some restocking will have to occur this spring as well after cornerback Saivion Smith and safety Deionte Thompson chose in January to forgo their senior seasons.

Diggs and Patrick Surtain are expected to head a cornerback contingent that also includes Jalyn Armour-Davis, Josh Jobe, Nigel Knott and early enrolleee Jeffery Carter. Xavier McKinney and Shyheim Carter should be the top safeties, with Jared Mayden, Eddie Smith and Daniel Wright vying for opportunities as well.

4. Who's up next at tight end?

Irv Smith and Hale Hentges provided Alabama an experienced tandem at tight end last season but have moved on, leaving Miller Forristall, Major Tennison and Kedrick James next in line. Those three combined for zero catches last season, most of which Forristall missed due to a knee injury.

5. What newcomers step up?

Alabama signed the nation's No. 1 class in the 2019 recruiting cycle, with 15 of its signees having already enrolled.

Defensive ends Antonio Alfano and Justin Eboigbe and offensive tackles Pierce Grant, Evan Neal and Amari Kight were all top-100 national prospects who will try to make an impact, while new quarterbacks Taulia Tagovailoa and Paul Tyson will compete behind Taulia's older brother and Mac Jones.

One early enrollee who won't be overlooked is kicker Will Reichard, who hopes to remedy a position that missed nine extra-point attempts last season.

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

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