One would think that with major issues going on in places like USC, with possible major NCAA violations in both the football and basketball programs, the NCAA would try to quickly rule on issues that are less important.
That very well may depend upon who you are.
Word first surfaced of a potential issue involving Freshman All-American running back Mark Ingram and Freshman All-American wide receiver Julio Jones back in early summer.
Curtis Anderson, an Athens businessman, had taken the duo on a fishing trip with him over the spring. Mr. Anderson had covered the cost of the trip, which is where the problem began.
The University of Alabama investigated the situation and determined no NCAA rules were violated since Mr. Anderson had no affiliation with the university or its athletic program. The findings were turned over to the SEC office and then forwarded to the NCAA.
''The university is aware of Mr. Anderson and has taken appropriate steps," said a statement from Deborah Lane, Alabama's assistant to the president and assistant vice president for university relations.
''Mr. Anderson is not affiliated with UA. He is not a UA booster, fan or alumnus, and is not a UA season ticket-holder. In fact, Mr. Anderson told us that all of his family are fans of another SEC school."
The problem with the situation is a matter of amateur status for the student-athletes. In this case, if the money is reimbursed for the cost of the trip, that status should be protected.
The NCAA rules at its convenience on these matters and seems to rule quickly in some cases, while not in others.
Recently questions arose on the eligibility of Tennessee freshman tailback Bryce Brown. Brown had some camps that were paid for by sources other than family. That brought into question his eligibility due to his status as an amateur athlete.
The NCAA ruled on the issue, and Tennessee quickly filed an appeal to the NCAA ruling on Brown.
Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin asked for a quick ruling on the appeal matter, and the NCAA complied fairly quickly, ruling that Brown would be eligible and would face no suspension time from games.
"I really believed that they were going to get this right," Kiffin said. "I really spent time explaining who this kid is and what he's about. Obviously this is not a kid that should be punished for something like this."
Obviously, with the opening game for Alabama coming in four days against No. 7-ranked Virginia Tech and with both Jones and Ingram being starters, the University of Alabama has asked for a quick decision as well.
Unlike the Tennessee situation, however, the University of Alabama continues to wait on a ruling despite the nature of the case being fairly simple to resolve.
It's difficult enough to head into an opening game against a top-ranked opponent without having to worry about eligibility issues for two starters. That type of situation only compounds the problem.
Jones and Ingram certainly should have cleared the trip with the athletic department before going—something they failed to do. But these are young college students who more than likely didn't realize this could be an issue.
With the NCAA there's always the possibility of a delayed ruling on any situation; if you happen to be the University of Alabama, the delay should be expected.
After all, these rulings are so much easier to make when your program resides north, south, east, and west of Tuscaloosa.
Read more Alabama Crimson Tide Football news on BleacherReport.com
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Anyone who has seen or heard a Nick Saban press conference knows about it: A question is asked by a reporter that prompts a verbal tirade from the coach.
Many have said Saban employs such tactics to intimidate the media, but he has admitted he does it so many times to send a message to his players. In other words, Saban uses various psychological techniques to reach his players and to shape the way they think.
In his book, How Good Do You Want to Be?: A Champion's Tips on How to Lead and Succeed at Work and in Life, Nick Saban shares his four steps to success in football and in life.
1. Organization
Create an environment where everybody knows his or her responsibilities and each is responsible to the entire group.
2. Motivate to Dominate
Understand the psychology of teams and individuals, and use that knowledge to breed success.
3. No Other Way than Right
Practice ethics and values and demand the same from your team.
4. Look in the Mirror
Maintain an understanding of who you are by knowing your strengths and your weaknesses.
All of these steps are simply part of "The Process," as Saban likes to say. Saban believes in building a program not only through recruiting and the development of talent, but also by reconstructing the mindset of the players he recruits—molding their psychological mindset.
Saban teaches his players to not only be determined to have success on the field, but also to visualize that success and accept it as reality, not allowing anything to deter their mindset.
As Saban's teams begin to achieve success, he uses "The Process" to counter the tendency to believe that success builds upon success and therefore competition becomes easier.
In the warfare Saban employs, no singular game is considered as having more importance than any other game on the schedule. Saban asserts if his players play with a single mind and with one focus, playing each individual snap independent from the scoreboard, his team will play at its highest caliber.
Saban often comments to the media that his team isn't result-oriented like people may want; instead, they are process-oriented. In other words, the individual result of one game or of one play is not the goal; it's the culmination of "The Process" and using those steps for success in the end. When this is achieved, the results will come.
Saban speaks of "self-determination" and "positive energy"—points that were stressed by the Pacific Institute, an organization that speaks to groups on mental transformations, when he brought them in to address his team over the summer of the 2008 season.
The Pacific Institute stressed self-actualization, self-confidence, and self-esteem issues.
Saban stated in a 2008 media conference, "I think your ability to motivate, reach, affect—however you want to say it—these different personalities, but not let their personalities be divisive to the team chemistry, is a key to being successful."
During his career, Saban has learned that you not only have to recruit the top talent to win football games. You also have to reconstruct the mindset of the players to believing in their success and to have an unwavering determination to achieve the results they have already visualized.
In 2007, when Saban was forced to suspend five players from his team, some of whom were starters, right before the Tennessee game, Saban addressed his team and refused to allow it to be an issue.
Saban reminded his team that adversity is not something that creates a stumbling block to winning; it is something that should intensify the desire to win and be successful—that the team needed to visualize their goal and overcome the situation with more determination than ever before.
This wasn't a problem in terms of "The Process." It was merely another step in achieving their goals.
Alabama went on to defeat Tennessee that day, 41-17. Saban's attitude played no small part in how his team reacted.
When Alabama lines up to play Virginia Tech in the 2009 Chick-fil-A College Kickoff, the game will already have been played, and every contingency will have already been accounted for in the mental preparations of the players.
So while the media may continue to rant on Saban and how he chooses to do things and the things he says, it's all just a part of his psychological warfare.
It's all just part of "The Process."
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Gone is running back Glen Coffee and his 2,458 yards and 16 touchdowns. Gone is quarterback J.P. Wilson, the record holder in almost every single University of Alabama passing category. Gone is left tackle Andre Smith, the All-American, Outland Trophy winner.
The Alabama offense has some huge holes to fill in 2009 if the team has any hopes of a repeat trip to Atlanta to play in the SEC championship game.
Quarterback
Redshirt junior Greg McElroy surprised many when he grabbed the starting job and didn't look back. McElroy has been solid through the spring and in the beginning of fall camp.
McElroy showed flashes of his potential last season. His 34-yard touchdown pass to Marquis Maze in the annual Iron Bowl game against Auburn ignited the excitement of Alabama fans everywhere.
In McElroy's first season as a starter at Carroll Senior High School in Southlake, Texas, he threw for 4,636 yards and 56 touchdowns. Clearly, he knows how to pass the football.
McElroy is a very accurate passer and a student of the game. He's a very smart player who has put in extra work in the film room.
Redshirt freshman Star Jackson, blue chip freshman A.J. McCarron, and walk-on Thomas Darrah have battled for the No. 2 position on the team.
Jackson, an athletic, mobile player, has struggled to completely pick up on some aspects of the offensive schemes. Still, coach Nick Saban has praised the quarterback in recent days for his leadership, effort, and athletic ability.
McCarron, a true freshman with a strong arm, is a bit undersized and needs to bulk up to take the pounding of a full SEC schedule. Reports out of spring and fall camp have indicated McCarron has been very impressive in his passing ability. He's displayed a strong arm and nice accuracy.
Darrah, a walk-on player, has a really strong arm, but has struggled with consistency.
Jackson appears to be the leader for the number two position, while coaches hope McCarron can have a redshirt year to learn the offense and have a year under the strength and conditioning program to add some size to his 6'4" frame.
Running Back
Freshman All-American Mark Ingram returns for his sophomore season as the starting running back. Last season, Ingram gained 728 yards with 12 touchdowns as Coffee's back up. Ingram is a 230-pound bruising runner who can run quite effectively between the tackles.
Senior Roy Upchurch, a quick, shifty runner, has shown the potential of game-breaking ability in the past. Last season, Upchurch battled with a neck injury but appears to be healthy now. In limited action, Upchurch tallied 350 yards and four touchdowns.
Junior Terry Grant, a fast scatback, has re-established himself this fall as a potential playmaker in 'Bama's offense.
Grant rushed for 890 yards with eight touchdowns in 2007. In 2008, nagging injuries and some inconsistency kept him off the field. Now Grant has returned healthy and been impressive in practice.
Heralded incoming freshmen Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy are both big, powerful backs. Both have shown ability and impressed in fall camp, but both will need to fight hard for playing time with the three veterans in front of them playing well.
Alabama is extremely deep at the running back position, and early playing time there will be hard to come by barring injuries.
Wide Receiver/Tight Ends
Freshman All-American Julio Jones returns for his sophomore season as the biggest play threat on the Tide offense.
In his first season at 'Bama, Jones caught 58 passes for 924 yards with four touchdowns and displayed the ability to make big catches at critical times.
This season, Saban has indicated that Jones will be moved around to make covering him more difficult for opposing defenses.
Coaches have hoped someone else would step up opposite Jones to take some pressure off of him. The leading candidate through fall camp seems to be redshirt sophomore Marquis Maze.
Maze showed flashes of his potential last year. The speedster has the ability to stretch the field and be the perfect complement to Jones' more physical receiving style. Maze was very impressive during the spring and has received praise from Saban in fall camp as a player who can be a playmaker for the Tide.
Senior Mike McCoy, sophomore Darius Hanks, junior Earl Alexander and true freshman Kevin Norwood have been battling for playing time as well.
Norwood has been impressive and caught three passes for 60 yards in the most recent scrimmage. Hanks has had an impressive fall camp and showed flashes of potential last season.
McCoy has been inconsistent in the past, and has worked hard to improve this summer. Alexander has battled some injuries that have prevented him from contributing as much as he would like, but appears healthy now.
Senior transfer Colin Peek, a former Georgia Tech tight end, was very impressive last season in fall camp. Peek unsuccessfully petitioned the NCAA to not have to sit the 2008 season out.
Peek is a receiving threat and should excel in a Jim McElwain offense. At 6'6", 260 pounds, Peek has the size to take advantage of certain personnel groupings he will face on defense. Peek has battled a fracture on his foot but expects to be ready by the opening game. Peek has emerged as the No. 1 tight end.
About midway through the 2008 season, freshman Brad Smelley worked his way into the playing rotation at tight end. He went on to catch seven passes for 98 yards in limited action.
Smelley had a knack for big catches on third down. At 6'3", 218 pounds, Smelley will likely be utilized as he was last season, as a situational player on passing downs.
Junior Preston Dial, a 6'3", 245-pound tight end, notched one catch last season. Like Smelley, Dial is thought more of as a hybrid, situational player.
Redshirt freshman Michael Williams, a 6'6", 270-pound tight end, emerges as the most likely blocking tight end to replace Travis McCall. Williams is a very strong player with the size to be quite effective as a run blocker.
Offensive Line
Juco transfer James Carpenter steps into the LT position formerly held by Outland trophy winner Andre Smith. Carpenter has been solid through spring and fall camp and impressed coaches through both. Alabama DC Kirby Smart stated that Carpenter was a solid, SEC caliber lineman.
Carpenter has been impressive enough that heralded freshman DJ Fluker has been working with the second administrative grouping at RT.
Fluker reported to fall camp in less than excellent condition. Coaches weren't pleased by his offseason efforts in that department and have since had him in a strict conditioning program. Fluker has shown the potential that he was recruited for, but needs time in the program to mature and get to the proper conditioning levels.
Junior William Vlachos, a weight room warrior, has taken over the starting position at center. Vlachos has performed well in camp and has a solid hold on the position.
Right guard is the position that is still unsettled on the line. Redshirt freshman Barrett Jones has now emerged as the leader for the RG spot. Jones manned the spot in the Tide's first scrimmage of fall camp and held onto to it after the coaches analyzed the film.
In a press conference held after the scrimmage, Saban was asked about Jones by media representatives from al.com and responded:
"He has been doing the best job today, to this point," Saban said of Jones after the scrimmage, "but we've got a lot of competition at a lot of positions."
Sophomore Alfred McCullough had also been battling for the position and spent some time with the first grouping, but was inconsistent.
LG Mike Johnson returns as does RT Drew Davis. Both are solid, SEC linemen.
The keys for the Alabama offense this season clearly rest upon how effective Greg McElroy and the new starters are on the offensive line.
With the exception of RG, most of those positions have been solid in fall camp and coaches hope Jones will be the final piece to the puzzle on the offensive line.
Alabama will continue to try and establish the running game and utilize a short to mid-range passing attack. If Alabama is able to receive serviceable play at quarterback and the offensive line gels, look for the Tide to contend for an SEC title and be a player in the national title hunt as well.
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Kerry Murphy Update
Alabama DT Kerry Murphy returned to camp last night. Murphy had been out due to the recent shooting death of his 22-year-old brother.
Jack LB Position
Senior Eryk Anders and sophomore Courtney Upshaw are receiving most of the reps at the Jack LB position.
In Saban's multiple defensive scheme, the Jack LB is a hybrid position. It combines an LB and a DE position into one role. Sometimes the player will go down into a DE stance, making the scheme an instant 4-3 look.
Other times, the position player stands up and plays LB, giving the defense a 3-4 look. The position is important in Saban's defense as it's used primarily as a rushing position to place pressure on the QB.
Anders, who is athletic and very quick, was impressive in Saturday's scrimmage, recording three sacks from the spot. He appears to be the front runner to be the starter when UA travels to Atlanta to take on Virginia Tech.
Inside LB Dont'a Hightower had taken some reps there early on, but has since been practicing mainly at his normal position.
O-Line
The RG position continues to be up for grabs. Redshirt freshman Barrett Jones took reps with the first unit in Saturday's scrimmage. After the scrimmage, Saban was asked about Jones and stated:
"He has been doing the best job today, to this point," Saban said, "but we've got a lot of competition at a lot of positions."
Jones has continued to be with the first grouping this week and appears close to winning the job. Sophomore Alfred McCullough has been battling for the position as well.
The LT position has been locked down by Juco transfer James Carpenter. The emergence of Carpenter, whom defensive coordinator Kirby Smart called a solid SEC lineman, has allowed blue chip recruit D.J. Fluker to take reps with the second-team at RT and take some of the pressure off of him.
William Vlachos, the strongest player on the team, continues to hold down the center position and has been impressive.
Free Safety
Replacing All-American Rashad Johnson at FS will be no easy task. Robby Green has been the front runner going into fall camp, but Mark Barron has continued to impress as well and has received work with the first administrative grouping.
Both players are expected to rotate in the position.
Freshmen Looking Impressive
WR Kevin Norwood has been impressive so far in fall camp. The 6'3" receiver has earned praise in camp from head coach Nick Saban, starting QB Greg McElroy, and his fellow receivers.
"Kevin Norwood made a lot of plays in the scrimmage," Marquis Maze said. "He's been making a lot of plays since we started camp. He plays fast. He's a very good guy, and he just wants to learn."
Norwood caught three passes for 60 yards, including a 44-yard TD catch from Thomas Darrah in the scrimmage Saturday.
Anthony Steen, a 6'3", 305-pound blue chip offensive line recruit, who has been working with the second grouping at LG, has been impressive so far in fall camp and caught the coaches' eyes.
Ed Stinson, a 6'5", 260-pound LB/DE, has caught the attention of the staff and his fellow defenders. Stinson is quick and powerful and has shown the ability to catch on quickly.
Eddie Lacy and Trent Richardson, the two blue chip running back prospects, have both looked good at fall camp. Both will have to work hard for playing time as veterans Mark Ingram, Roy Upchurch, and Terry Grant have all been impressive.
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On Sep. 5, one of the most anticipated games of the 2009 college football season will pit No. 5 Alabama against No. 5 Virginia Tech on prime time television. This article will examine some of the key match-ups in the game.
Matchup No. 1: The UA O-Line vs. the VATech D-Line
UA enters the 2009 season breaking in three new faces on the offensive line. Juco transfer James Carpenter enrolled prior to spring training and enters fall camp with a solid grasp on the LT position vacated by former All-American Andre Smith. Carpenter has impressed the staff with his abilities allowing heralded incoming freshman D.J. Fluker to get some looks at the RT position.
The strongest player on the Tide team, Junior William Vlachos, stepped into the center position formerly held by All-SEC C Antoine Caldwell and hasn't looked back. Vlachos has performed quite well in his starting spot going into fall camp.
Junior Brian Motley emerged from the spring as the leader at the RG position. Motley has battled injuries to this point in his career. RT Drew Davis has shifted to RG in practice when Fluker comes in at RT. RG is still a question mark.
VT enters fall camp doing some reshuffling on their defensive line. Junior DE Jason Worilds returns after leading the Hokies in sacks last season with 8. Beyond him, things are a little shaky. VT has very few experienced defensive linemen returning. Junior John Graves, a starting tackle, has been moved to defensive end to fill the spot vacated by Orion Martin.
VT coaches hope senior Nekos Brown is able to step up at DE and allow Graves to return to his more natural tackle position.
UA relies heavily on the rushing attack and boasts one of the best backfields in the SEC. Freshman All-American RB Mark Ingram returns for his sophomore season as the leader at running back. He is joined by senior Roy Upchurch and highly touted incoming freshman Trent Richardson.
Summary:
UA is breaking in some new linemen with some experience. VT is shuffling some linemen due to inexperience and lack of depth. UA had one of the top rushing offenses in the SEC last season and returns a deep, talented backfield.
Slight edge here goes to Alabama.
Matchup No. 2: VT Passing Attack vs. UA Secondary
The Hokies have finished 99th or worse in total offense for three consecutive seasons. If VT has any hopes of defeating UA, that will have to change.
Junior Tyrod Taylor returns as the starting QB for the Hokies. Splitting time with Sean Glennon last season and working with three freshmen wide receivers, Taylor only threw 2 TD passes in 2008. Taylor has had some mechanical issues in his throwing technique that coaches have tried to address in the spring. Taylor has suffered from ankle injuries and must stay healthy. Behind Taylor, there is little depth.
Last season, VT had to rely on three freshmen receivers. Jarrett Boykin ended up being the most consistent of the three. He led the team with 441 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. The VT passing game, which was anemic at best last season, must have major improvements to move the ball on a tough UA defense.
The UA secondary drew some criticism last season for failing to finish on some plays. Although in position to make a play, often times the DB failed to look back for the football.
The departure of All-American FS Rashad Johnson leaves a void. Sophomore Robby Green has emerged as the leader to replace Johnson. Green possesses speed and solid coverage skills, but lacks experience. Senior Justin Woodall, a hard hitting strong safety, returns to call the plays in the defensive backfield.
Kareem Jackson and Javier Arenas both return in the starting cornerback spots. Jackson is a solid cover corner who sometimes shows poor technique. If coaches can get him to turn for the ball, he will be in a position to make more interceptions. Arenas, who has exceptional speed, came into his own last season as a first-year starter and, by season's end, teams avoided throwing his way.
Marquis Johnson returns at the nickel corner spot, but had some issues with consistency last season. Blue chip freshman Dre Kirkpatrick has already turned the coaches heads in early fall camp with his speed and coverage ability. He will push Johnson for playing time.
Summary
VT's passing attack has been porous the past several seasons. Taylor has yet to prove he can get the job done in the air. Facing a Nick Saban defense won't be easy. The experience in the UA secondary is a major plus for UA.
Large edge here goes to Alabama.
Matchup No. 3: Special Teams
UA has a true star on special teams in Javier Arenas. Arenas is a threat to score every time he touches the ball. As an All-SEC punt returner last season, he averaged 15.9 yards per return with three touchdowns. Leigh Tiffin returns at PK and is a solid SEC kicker. P.J. Fitzgerald returns to handle punting duties and has been average at best.
VT will have to rely on a new kicker for the third straight season. Ryan Williams emerged as the leading candidate for punt returner and Dyrell Roberts returns as a solid kick returner.
Summary
UA has an explosive return man and a solid kicker. VT breaks in a new kicker and a new punt returner. Special teams is always a trademark of a Beamer coached team.
Large Edge here goes to UA.
Match-Up #4: Nick Saban Vs. Frank Beamer
Nick Saban is one of the top five coaches in college football today and is known for his versatile 3-4 pressure defense. Saban is a master motivator and adjusts well during games. Saban comes in with a 105-50-1 career coaching record. Saban has led his teams to one national championship and two divisional championships.
Frank Beamer is one of the top 10 coaches in college football. Beamer is known for stout defenses and excellent special teams. Beamer comes in with a 218-112-4 career coaching record. Beamer has led his team to 3 Big East titles and 3 ACC titles.
Summary
Two of the top coaches in football square off with both relying on strong defenses.
Slight edge here goes to Alabama.
This matchup looks to be one of the best this college football season. The teams will be similar in what thay try to accomplish: maintaining a strong defense and running the football. The recent loss of Darren Evans, the starting RB for VT, makes the Hokies' task even more difficult.
Look for Alabama to use a strong defense and solid rushing attack to beat the Hokies.
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As opening day looms across the conference, let's examine the divisions and determine how things may turn out. In this first installment, we will take a look at the Western Division of the SEC.
Last season, the race for the divisional title hinged upon the Alabama-LSU game. Will that be true this year as well or will another team, like Ole Miss, have something to say about who ends up in Atlanta?
1). Alabama Crimson Tide-
Nick Saban leads the Tide into 2009 still smarting from the two game collapse to end last season. The focal point through spring and going into fall camp has been all about finishing. The Tide will benefit this season from their schedule as most of the difficult games will be at home.
Alabama must replace three starters along the offensive front, but so far things have looked well in practice. James Carpenter, the solid Juco transfer, has shown the potential and ability to be a solid starter at the left tackle position. William Vlachos, the strongest player on the team, has grabbed the starting center spot and caught the coaches attention. Brian Motley came away from spring as the starter at right guard; if Motley stays healthy, this position should be a strength.
The defense will once again be amongst the best in the nation. Alabama returns one of the top nose guards in the game in Terrence Cody and boasts perhaps the best linebacking corps in college football with All-American Rolando McClain and All-SEC Freshman Donta Hightower manning the middle.
Alabama returns one of the top wide receivers in the nation in All-American Julio Jones and All-SEC Freshman Mark Ingram powers the running game..
The coaches believe they have a solid Quarterback in junior Greg McElroy and as long as Alabama gets serviceable play from the QB position, they should be repeating their trip to Atlanta.
2). LSU Tigers-
Last season, Les Miles LSU Tigers struggled in a number of areas. One of the most painful to watch was at the quarterback position. Jarret Lee was forced into action after the injury to Andrew Hatch and things went downhill from there.
This spring, Jordan Jefferson looked much more consistent and ready to challenge for playing time at the position. Coaches have been pleased with the solid play from newcomer Russell Shepard as well. Any improvement in the passing game would be significant in helping the Bengal Tigers improve upon last season's record.
The quarterbacks will have All-SEC TE Richard Dickson to catch the ball and All-SEC RB Charles Scott to head up the ground attack.
Former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis was brought in to revamp the defense and return it to more of the aggressive, attacking unit fans are accustomed to seeing.
LSU has to contend with both Florida and Georgia in the East, and they travel to Alabama and Ole Miss in November. The schedule makes the hopes of reaching Atlanta seem like a daunting task.
3). Ole Miss-
Houston Nutt leads a talented Ole Miss team into 2009 with the potential for a special season for Rebel fans.
All-SEC QB Jevan Snead returns to pilot the Rebels offensive attack. Snead is considered by many to be the best pro style quarterback in the SEC. All-SEC WR Dexter McCluster gives the Rebels their best playmaking ability. Running backs Cordera Eason and Brandon Bolden will need to step to take pressure of the passing game.
All-SEC DL Greg Hardy leads a talented, physical front seven for the Rebels. The biggest area for concern here is in the secondary despite the return of Safety Kenderick Lewis. Last season saw inconsistent play in the secondary hurt Ole Miss at critical times. So far, no one has stepped up in the backfield and that will be necessary if Ole Miss can contend in the West.
Houston Nutt is a good coach who has been known to lose some games he shouldn't and get the big win when his back is against the wall. The sometimes inconsistent play of Nutt's teams and the question marks in the defensive back field make Ole Miss more of a spoiler team than a contender for the divisional title.
4). Arkansas Razor Backs-
Last season, Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino suffered his first losing season as a college head coach. This year he hopes to improve upon the building process he implemented in season one.
All-SEC RB Michael Smith leads the Hogs ground attack and QB Ryan Mallett returns after a season under his belt in Petrino's schemes. Arkansas returns a solid group of receivers and any Petrino coached team is going to have an effective passing attack.
Nine starters return for the Hogs on defense and Petrino looks for improvement on that side of the ball.
Coaches worked hard in the off-season to add some size to their smaller defensive linemen and linebackers. The lack of size and strength resulted in difficulties for the defense with ground oriented teams.
The secondary was simply porous in 2008 and improvement there is vital for the success of the Hogs. Some of the young incoming players will be counted on to help shore up the pass defense.
5). Auburn Tigers-
The Gene Chizik era begins on the plains as Tiger fans hope to put a miserable 2008 behind them.
The rebuilding of the talent level is going to take time and many of the same problems that plagued the Tigers last season are still an issue.
During the spring, neither Kody Burns or Neil Caudle managed to grab the starting quarterback position. Burns was ineffective last season and Caudle has been plagued by career injuries. Chris Todd, who struggled as well , returns from off season surgery. Coaches had hoped someone would step up during the spring but that never materialized.
A trouble spot for Auburn in 2008, the wide receiver position will count on incoming freshmen to contribute. Last year's leading receiver was walk-on Rod Smith. The receivers lack of play making ability hampered the success of the offense.
All-SEC RB Ben Tate returns to lead the running game. Last season, under former coordinator Tony Franklin, the running game was virtually non-existant. That has to change if the Tigers have a chance for any success in 2009.
All-SEC DL Antonio Coleman heads up a solid defensive unit for the Tigers. Auburns starting eleven should be solid, but depth behind them is questionable.
6). Mississippi State Bulldogs-
New head coach Dan Mullen comes over from Florida to try and resurrect the Bulldog program.
Senior Tyson Lee is the quarterback expected to try and run Mullen's spread offense. Although small in stature (5'10", 200 pounds), Lee was an All-American Juco quarterback and has adequate arm strength and is mobile enough to run Mullen's schemes.
Powerful tailback Anthony Dixon returns as the best offensive threat for the Bulldogs. Dixon doesn't fit the typical spread RB profile, but Mullen's plans to move him around in various positions to get the ball in his hands.
Wide receiver continues to be an area for concern and Mullen's was looking at walkons in the spring to make contributions.
The defense should be solid. The linebacking corps is talented and deep and the defensive front was upgraded with the addition of Pernell McPhee from the Juco ranks.
Lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball will make Mullen's first season a difficult one.
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After a 2008 season that saw Nick Saban lead his team to a regular undefeated season, the obvious question becomes, what are the keys to the Tide's continued success in 2009? Those answers will be examined in this article.
1). The Offensive Line
Ask any college football coach and he will tell you that a strong offensive line is the key to success on offense. Football games are won in the trenches. Last season, stellar play by Alabama's offensive line paved the way to a ground attack that produced 184.6 yards per game and 32 rushing touchdowns.
This year, Alabama looks to replace All-American left tackle Andre Smith, All-SEC center Antoine Caldwell and steady right guard Marlon Davis. Developing an offensive line that is cohesive is paramount to success in 2009.
Junior college transfer James Carpenter emerged from spring as the leader to replace Smith. In a recent interview, Alabama DC Kirby Smart commented that Carpenter had been solid in the spring and shown to be a solid SEC caliber lineman.
Challenging Carpenter for the position will be highly touted incoming freshman D.J. Fluker. At 6'7", 350 pounds, Fluker has the size and talent to be a dominate tackle in college football.
With the emergence of Carpenter, there will be less pressure on Fluker to come in and start right away, but the opportunity will still be there if he proves up to the challenge.
William Vlachos emerged from spring as the starter at center. The junior is one of the strongest players on the team and showed in the spring he had a solid grasp on the position. David Ross, a junior with game experience, appears poised to be the backup.
Junior Brian Motley emerged from spring as the leader at the right guard position. Motley has suffered from various injuries in the past, but appeared solid in his play during the spring.
Freshman Chance Warmack enrolled early and participated in spring practice, making him the most likely candidate to be the No. 2 right guard. Warmack is highly thought of by the coaches and has the talent to challenge for the position.
2). Quarterback
Many were surprised by the way Greg McElroy seized the starting spot in the spring and never looked back. But this wasn't new ground for the junior from South Lake Carroll High School in Texas, he also waited his turn there as he backed up Chase Daniel, the 2004 EA Sports High School Player of the Year. McElroy led his team to a 16-0 record throwing for 4,687 yards and 56 touchdowns.
While McElroy won't be asked to duplicate those numbers under Nick Saban's offense, it shows the junior knows how to throw the football. In the limited playing time McElroy has received thus far in his career at Alabama, he has been impressive. Fans still remember the beautiful 34 yard touchdown pass to Marquis Maze in the final quarter of the 2008 Iron Bowl.
McElroy is a smart player who delivers the ball with exceptional accuracy.The coaching staff is excited about his potential contributions at the position this fall. Look for a much improved passing game under his leadership.
Behind McElroy, the situation is not as certain. Redshirt freshman Star Jackson has struggled thus far in picking up the offense. Walk-on Thomas Darrah has demonstrated a strong arm, but has been inconsistent to this point.
Freshman A.J. McCarron, the highly touted recruit from Mobile, AL, has been impressive through spring and will push for the No. 2 position behind McElroy.
3). Wide Receiver- Julio Jones, the freshman phenom, proved to be just as good as advertised in 2008. He caught 58 balls for 924 yards and 4 touchdowns. Look for Jones to be moved around this season in order to create the mismatches that favor the offense. The production opposite Julio wasn't as impressive.
In fact, all other receivers combined for only 53 catches.
This season, Alabama coaches are counting on someone else to step up and take some pressure off of Jones. Through spring, the most likely candidate appears to be Marquis Maze. Last season, the redshirt freshman pulled in just 11 receptions for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns, but often showed the potential for the big play.
Maze has the speed and athleticism to stretch the field and be the perfect compliment to Julio Jones. Coach Saban has expressed excitement about Maze's potential and looks to the sophomore for the consistency he lacked last season.
Other potential candidates include senior Mike McCoy, who has been inconsistent; the physical Earl Alexander, who has battled injuries; Darius Hanks, who has shown flashes of potential; and several highly rated incoming freshmen.
4). Running Backs
Glen Coffee may be gone, but there is plenty of talent in the backfield to take his place. Mark Ingram had a very successful freshman season rushing for 728 yards. Ingram, a big, powerful runner, enters the 2009 season named to the Doak Walker watch list for the nation's best running back and running first string heading into fall camp.
Roy Upchurch enters the season hoping to put past injuries behind him. The senior from Tallahassee has shown game breaking potential in the past when healthy. Heralded incoming freshman Trent Richardson will be giving the opportunity for immediate playing time as Coach Saban has expressed a desire to have three backs ready by the Virginia Tech kickoff.
Richardson is a powerful runner with good speed and should make an immediate impact. Incoming freshman Eddie Lacy, a 4 star running back, will be given a look and have an opportunity to contribute as well.
Other potential candidates include Demetrius Goode and Terry Grant. Goode is returning after successful rehabilitation on his knee, while Grant has mainly contributed on special teams since rushing for 891 yards on 180 carries as a redshirt freshman.
With consistent play from the offensive line, the 2009 Alabama Crimson Tide offense will look to continue their dominance on the ground; after all, hard nosed football is a staple of any Nick Saban coached team; this year's version could be one of his best.
