News Article: Spring clean-up: Tide has few holes to fill, but they’re big

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Spring clean-up: Tide has few holes to fill, but they’re big
By Jess Nicholas
TideFans.com Editor-in-Chief
March 2, 2009

With spring practice not far away, Alabama finds itself replacing only a handful of departed starters from 2008.

Offensively, Alabama lost RB Glen Coffee and LT Andre Smith to early NFL Draft entry. QB John Parker Wilson and C Antoine Caldwell were also lost, as was the tight end combo of Travis McCall and Nick Walker and RG Marlon Davis.

Although those players accounted for more than half the starting offense of 2008, the real question marks are on defense, where Alabama lost just two players, DE Bobby Greenwood and FS Rashad Johnson. But the loss of Greenwood and Johnson is causing just as much stress as the loss of seven top offensive players.

Here’s a look at those open positions, who will be fighting for them in the spring and some other key matchups to watch (true freshmen/JUCO transfers are not listed unless participating in spring practice):

Left tackle
Out: Andre Smith
In: James Carpenter, Tyler Love, Barrett Jones, Taylor Pharr, Drew Davis
Favorite: James Carpenter
Darkhorse: Barrett Jones
Analysis: Any number of things can happen at this position and one of them – the possibility of true freshman D.J. Fluker starting from day one – won’t be added to the mix until fall camp. In the here and now, James Carpenter figures to be the favorite in the spring. He projects as a left tackle out of JUCO, he was a midterm graduate and is already enrolled at UA (meaning he’ll also go through spring camp) and scouts rave about his potential. Of the rest, Tyler Love was supposed to be the left tackle of the future when he was signed in 2008, but injuries and lack of weight gain have hurt his chances. Taylor Pharr has been around several years but has yet to make a push at any position. Drew Davis, Alabama’s right tackle in 2008, could move across to left tackle, especially if Carpenter is needed at right guard. Barrett Jones may be the most intriguing name. Many expect him to also compete at center. He isn’t as tall as the other players in this list or as big, but his technique is excellent.
Prediction: James Carpenter

Center
Out: Antoine Caldwell
In: William Vlachos, James Carpenter, Alfred McCullough, John Michael Boswell, David Ross, Evan Cardwell, Barrett Jones, Brian Motley, Scott Deaton
Favorite: Barrett Jones
Darkhorse: William Vlachos
Analysis: Alabama coaches are going to struggle just to get each candidate sufficient audition time for this position. While there are a total of nine names currently attached to the discussion, the real battle will probably concern three players, Jones, Vlachos and McCullough. Carpenter will likely be toiling at left tackle, at least until fall camp when Fluker arrives. Boswell figures to be more in the mix at right guard. Ross and Cardwell are useful bench players, but Cardwell has durability issues and Ross didn’t exactly blow anyone’s doors off in 2008 when he was the top reserve guard off the bench. Deaton hasn’t played yet despite being a veteran, and Motley may need to stay at left guard for depth purposes. That leaves last year’s backup, Vlachos, dueling with young phenom Barrett Jones and converted defensive end Alfred McCullough, who has impressive physical stats but has yet to make his mark. McCullough is also in the mix at right guard. If the choice is Jones versus Vlachos, and if the coaches go with athletic potential, they’ll select Jones. But Vlachos’ scrappy attitude has won him some fans. This one could get interesting.
Prediction: Barrett Jones

Right guard
Out: Marlon Davis
In: Alfred McCullough, John Michael Boswell, Brian Motley, David Ross, Evan Cardwell, Scott Deaton, James Carpenter, Chance Warmack
Favorite: John Michael Boswell
Darkhorse: Chance Warmack
Analysis: This could actually prove to be the toughest position on the line to replace. It all comes down to whether Boswell is up to the task. While Boswell played right tackle in 2008, the similarities between him and current starting left guard Mike Johnson – who also began his Alabama career at right tackle – are pretty obvious. Boswell will be challenged here mostly by Alfred McCullough and David Ross. McCullough was turning heads in fall practice while sitting out the season to redshirt. Ross, last year’s top backup at right guard, struggled when overexposed, particularly in the Sugar Bowl against Utah. True freshman Chance Warmack has an excellent chance to earn playing time if he plays up as good as he looks physically. As for the rest, the same comments apply as did above in the discussion of center, with the notable exception of Carpenter: If neither Boswell nor McCullough can grab this position, there’s a good chance Carpenter could find himself having to move inside – thereby triggering a shuffle at left tackle.
Prediction: John Michael Boswell

Tight end
Out: Nick Walker
In: Colin Peek, Chris Underwood, Preston Dial, Michael Williams
Favorite: Colin Peek
Darkhorse: Chris Underwood
Analysis: Had Peek been eligible in 2008 rather than having to sit out the season per transfer rules, he very well may have beaten Walker out for the job then. With Walker now gone, Peek is almost assured of winning this job provided he stays healthy. He’s an upgrade as a receiver and probably a slight upgrade as a blocker, too. Alabama used its tight ends very effectively in 2008 and Walker caught more than 30 balls, so Peek can expect to be quite involved in the passing game. Depth is in good hands, because the others at this position aren’t exactly chopped liver. Preston Dial has quite a bit of playing experience already but might project better at the H-back slot. Chris Underwood is a favorite of some coaches and figures to have an increased role this year. The wild card is Michael Williams, who moved over from defensive end late in the year and has mammoth size (around 6’7”, 250 now, with the potential to easily get to 270 or more). He would figure to have a role as a short-yardage blocker.
Prediction: Colin Peek

H-back/fullback
Out: Travis McCall
In: Brad Smelley, Preston Dial, Chris Underwood, Baron Huber
Favorite: Brad Smelley
Darkhorse: Baron Huber
Analysis: Who plays this position depends largely on how Alabama wants to set up its offense. Baron Huber started at fullback for much of the 2007 season and again in early 2008, but eventually yielded to Travis McCall when Alabama decided to go with an Ace look as its base package. With McCall graduating, Alabama has a conundrum: The odds-on favorite to win this job, Brad Smelley, doesn’t yet have the necessary size and is considered more of a large, physical receiver. Chris Underwood has a traditional tight end’s build. Huber is almost purely a fullback, but he has the requisite size for tight end and is one of the team’s most determined workers. Preston Dial would seem to be the obvious fit, but he’s had injury troubles in the past and just hasn’t seemed to be able to break through the depth chart. Therefore, this position will be decided by offensive strategy, and given that Alabama spent most of the 2008 spring throwing the football only to implement a power-rushing ground game in the fall, it could very well be the opener before anyone knows what to expect. If Alabama wants to stay with an Ace look as the base, Smelley or Dial would be the frontrunners. If the position leans more heavily to fullback, Huber or incoming freshman Mike Morrow could end up with it.
Prediction: Brad Smelley

Running back
Out: Glen Coffee
In: Mark Ingram, Roy Upchurch, Demetrius Goode, Jeramie Griffin, Ivan Matchett, Jermaine Preyear, Terry Grant
Favorite: Mark Ingram
Darkhorse: Roy Upchurch
Analysis: History will probably show that Glen Coffee made the right decision for himself. The SEC is a miniature NFL, anyway, and with Alabama losing three starting offensive linemen and faced with the possibility of having to move one or both of the returning starters around, the chance that Coffee could duplicate his 2008 numbers was pretty slim – even though the ground game figures to be a bigger deal than usual given the change at quarterback. The battle to replace Coffee centers on two men, Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch – at least until phenom Trent Richardson gets here in August. Ingram is a good match for Coffee’s running style, but he’ll need to handle third-down responsibilities better if he wants to see the field more often. The without-the-ball responsibilities make up so much of an Alabama running back’s job duties that Roy Upchurch could win the job by default. Upchurch has battled injuries ever since he was in high school, but hopefully now that he has had his ankles and neck medically tweaked, he’ll be able to give the Tide a shot in the arm. Upchurch also began to develop into a leader last year and when he went down at season’s end, he was clearly missed. The rest of the group currently on campus figure to be mostly role players in 2009, unless injuries hit or Richardson gets lost on the drive up U.S. Highway 43. Terry Grant has the most experience but just isn’t big enough for this offense. He may find a specific package of plays that can showcase his speed, but he won’t be the Tide’s every-down back. Jeramie Griffin came on strong at the end of last year and is the big, bruising back that Saban tends to like. He also could get in the mix at fullback if Alabama goes back to the I. Demetrius Goode appears to have lost a step post-knee injury, and it’s still not entirely out of the realm of possibility that he’ll go back to defense a second time. Ivan Matchett and Jermaine Preyear are a couple of power backs yet to take that first college carry, so given what’s ahead of them – and the fact neither was a prospect on the level of Richardson – it’s highly unlikely either will carry the ball unless it’s at the tail end of a game. Preyear still has a redshirt year available and will probably use it.
Prediction: Mark Ingram

Quarterback
Out: John Parker Wilson
In: Greg McElroy, Thomas Darrah, Star Jackson
Favorite: Greg McElroy
Darkhorse: Thomas Darrah
Analysis: No matter what else is going on in Tuscaloosa this spring, nothing will generate the kind of interest the quarterback battle figures to deliver. It’s the nature of the position. It also doesn’t hurt that Alabama has three completely different kinds of quarterbacks to choose from. Greg McElroy is basically John Parker Wilson all over again – a game manager with an average arm who can reasonably extricate himself from danger in the pocket. Star Jackson may not be a true dual threat quarterback, but he’s still the most mobile quarterback Alabama has had since at least Tyler Watts and perhaps back to Vince Sutton. His arm is stronger than McElroy’s but McElroy has more experience and much better touch. And then there’s Thomas Darrah, who arrived at Alabama as a walk-on. He’s the consummate pocket passer, offering no scrambling skills whatsoever but possessing arm strength that rivals that of Brodie Croyle or Jeff Dunn. There will be three main factors that decide who wins this job: The first is completely in the player’s hands; each must show up ready to compete. The second is what kind of offense Alabama wants to be. If this was an undisputed title run year, McElroy would have to be considered a dead-bang lock for the job given his experience in the system, but few are expecting Alabama to repeat its 2008 performance. If Alabama wants to diversify its offense, either Darrah or Jackson is better equipped to do that. Darrah’s downfield passing abilities are a huge plus in this offense, while Jackson’s ability to make plays on his own adds a different kind of wrinkle. The third factor is what level of mistakes Alabama’s coaches feel prepared to accept. There will be growing pains regardless, but if either Darrah or Jackson starts, those pains are likely to come more often and potentially at worse times. It should also be noted that true freshman A.J. McCarron is expected to compete for the job in fall camp.
Prediction: Star Jackson

Defensive end
Out: Bobby Greenwood
In: Luther Davis, Lorenzo Washington, Marcel Dareus, Undra Billingsley, Glenn Harbin, Milton Talbert, Brandon Fanney
Favorite: Lorenzo Washington
Darkhorse: Brandon Fanney
Analysis: Both Alabama’s defensive vacancies aren’t as simple as they would seem on the face, due to the fact that in both cases, a current starter at another position might end up moving into the slot. At defensive end, the question is whether Alabama promotes from behind the departed Bobby Greenwood, or whether coaches decide to move Brandon Fanney down from Jack linebacker in order to get Courtney Upshaw on the field. Fanney is large for a Jack, anyway, and lacks the preferred speed for the position. On the other hand, he’s not really all that capable of sliding inside to tackle when Alabama goes to a 4-man front, which happens as often as not. Still, it should be remembered that under the previous coaching staff, Fanney was being groomed for a tackle slot in a 3-man front and perhaps even nose guard on some downs. If Fanney stays at Jack, the odds-on favorite for Greenwood’s position is Lorenzo Washington. Washington was the starter at nose tackle two seasons ago, but wasn’t really big enough for the position. He is, however, big enough for the tackle/end combo slot that Greenwood filled. Washington can easily slide inside when needed, but the question is whether he can bring a good pass rush off the corner. The same question is in play for Marcel Dareus, who was Alabama’s nose tackle on passing downs late in the season. Redshirt freshmen Undra Billingsley and Glenn Harbin will also get long looks in the spring. Billingsley leans more toward a tackle while Harbin is more of a pure end. Milton Talbert has been around for awhile and played here and there in 2008, but never really made an impact. The key name to watch is Luther Davis, who turned up his intensity in the second half of 2008 and was very effective as a pass rusher. He figures to give Washington the greatest push.
Prediction: Lorenzo Washington

Free safety
Out: Rashad Johnson
In: Justin Woodall, Javier Arenas, Ali Sharrief, Mark Barron, Tyrone King Jr., Robert Lester, Chris Rogers, Chris Jackson, B.J. Scott
Favorite: Justin Woodall
Darkhorse: Chris Jackson
Analysis: Again, the outcome here could involve moving a starter at another position, strong safety Justin Woodall, to the free safety spot. There are a lot of traits needed for a starting free safety in Nick Saban’s defensive scheme, but the most important of all is the ability to quarterback the defense and second to that, just barely, are pure instincts. Third is raw coverage ability. Ali Sharrief has the most experience of the returning players and will probably run with the 1s on the first day of practice, but Sharrief’s one-on-one coverage ability is one of his weaker suits. Woodall, who has spent time in the past both at strong and free safety, can probably make the necessary calls if the coaches focus their efforts on him in spring and fall camps. That would allow Sharrief to remain as the dime safety and would elevate hard-hitting Mark Barron to starting strong safety. Barron is one of the team’s most impressive athletes and hitters, but he had a rough true freshman campaign at safety, and the Sugar Bowl was a microcosm of those struggles. It’s possible that Javier Arenas, who plays the “star” safety when Alabama goes to the nickel package, could slide in here, but Arenas’ one-on-one coverage ability at cornerback is underrated as well as his ability to support the run. Of the other players, Tyrone King Jr. has played as the dime back in certain situations before but has also shown to be prone to giving up the big play – that’s fine for a cornerback; not so much for a safety. Redshirt freshman Robert Lester has an impressive physical game but no experience; he’ll get a long look in spring camp. Chris Rogers, currently a cornerback, is in a logjam there. A fifth-year senior, this is it for him and his size makes him a possibility to get a look at safety. Word is he will get that look once spring drills start. Two wide receivers in 2008, Chris Jackson and B.J. Scott, are also in the discussion. Jackson moved over during bowl practices, while Scott appears to be somewhat in limbo at the moment. Jackson is a cerebral player and if he picks up the defense quickly, could be the guy. Scott is one of the team’s best athletes but his understanding of the playbook will determine whether he makes a splash or not.
Prediction: Justin Woodall (with Mark Barron starting at strong safety)