SB Nation - William Vlachos

Michigan vs. Alabama Preview

Zach Travis — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 17:30:02 -0000

(8) Michigan vs. (2) Alabama; 8:00pm, September 1st. Arlington, TX

It's almost here, that moment that we have all been patiently waiting for. All that time this summer you spent going away for the weekend, sitting on the beach, throwing parties and grilling out with friends, it was all a cover. Everyone thought you were genuinely enjoying yourself, and in a way, deep down maybe you were, but I know better. You can't fool me. It was all just a way to pass the time and speed up the hands of the clock.

You wanted football back more than anything. Now you have it.

Your favorite team wasn't just passing time, it was working hard to get better. Denard Robinson spent his summer becoming more comfortable in the offense, hopefully to curtail his interception problem. Will Campbell spent the offseason slimming down and now has a wardrobe composed entirely of half-shirts. Craig Roh was drinking olive oil milkshakes because that is what you do when you want to bulk up a body that already requires nearly 4000 calories a day just to operate in stasis.. Freshmen spent time getting used to campus life while seniors relished the last go-round. Kickers kicked and punters punted. Its a year round job*.

*(NCAA Disclaimer - It's not a job, despite the long hours and adverse conditions.)

Now all that hard work is finally about to pay off. Michigan is matched up against some directional MAC scho---

/looks at schedule

/drops jaw

/leaves it there on the floor for a while

Ok, so Michigan doesn't just kick the season off with a MAC school of FCS bodybag -- results not guaranteed. Michigan starts the 2012 season off with a bang, in the kind of marquee matchup usually reserved for only the highest of bowl games. Michigan faces the defending national champions, less than nine months after Alabama dismantled LSU on the same field where MIchigan had escaped its overtime game against Virginia Tech a week before.

Brady Hoke has literally done everything right since taking over this team almost two years ago. He has made all the right coaching hires, hit the recruiting trail hard, and willed a young, flawed team to a Sugar Bowl win and an 11-2 record. What could he do for an encore?

Beating the defending champs wouldn't be a bad start.

(Full preview after the jump...)

When Michigan Has the Ball

Alabama's 2011 defense wasn't just great, it was all-time great. We are talking G.O.A.T -- or at least prominent in the discussion. Here is a list of things the Tide defense led the country in:

- Rush Defense (72 ypg)

- Pass Defense (111 ypg)

- Pass Eff. Defense (83.69)

- Total Defense (183 ypg)

- Scoring Defense (8.2 ppg)

- Opponent Third-Down Conv. (24.4%)

- Opponent Redzone Conv. (58.8%)

- Plays over 10 yards (75), 20 yards (20), and 30 yards (10)

Everything. I should have just said everything. At least everything that counted. The Tide returned almost the entirety of the 2010 defense en route to one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory. Had it not been for the faulty leg of not one but two kickers, Alabama would have probably beaten LSU in the regular season and marched unscathed to a dominating win over whoever was unlucky enough to get the call up to ~~the chopping block~~ the BCS title game.

The good news? Alabama loses a number of players off that vaunted defense, four of them in the top-35 picks in the 2012 NFL draft.

The bad news? It is Alabama, and there are just a bunch of future draft picks waiting for the call up. Some things never change.

Michigan's run game is unquestionably the strength of the offense, and with one of the better offensive lines in the Big Ten, Michigan should be able to find some success on the ground, but it won't be easy.

Alabama's defensive line is as most true 3-4 defensive lines are: big. At the nose is Jesse Williams who played at defensive end a year ago but more than has the size (6'4, 320lbs.) to hold up on the inside. Williams wasn't a disruptive player, but in this defense he doesn't have to be. All he has to do is hold the point of attack and let the linebackers run free. This will be a bear of a matchup for Ricky Barnum in his first game as a starter at center, and giving up 25lbs. in this matchup could very well mean that Barnum needs a lot of help.

The ends are returning starter Damion Square (6'3, 286lbs.) and Ed Stinson (6'4, 282lbs.) Square was third on the team a year ago in TFLs (behind departed linebackers Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower, thank god) and has started at end the last season and a half. Stinson was a rotation player a year ago. Both these ends should give Michigan trouble, but neither is an elite pass rusher.

The big question for Alabama in the front seven is how do the replacements fill in for the aforementioned departed backers? Stepping in for Upshaw at the Jack linebacker spot will be sophomore Xzavier Dickson (6'3, 262lbs.) and for Hightower at the Mike it will be sophomore Trey Depriest (6'2 242lbs). Both players got a lot of run in reserve roles a year ago, but will be obvious downgrades in the short term from their all-world predecessors. If Michigan is lucky this will mean less negative plays as those two were responsible for the majority of the team's TFLs and sacks a year ago. Adrian Hubbard (6'6, 248lbs.) will be stepping in at the Sam linebacker spot, and could see time at the Jack.

The returning starter is Nico Johnson (6'3, 245lbs.) at the Will, but expect CJ Mosley (6'2, 232lbs.) to get plenty of time in the lineup, moving Johnson to the Mike and experimenting with different looks based on the situation with the three sophomores. Both Johnson as Mosley are long experienced and should step up as leaders on defense.

The story of this unit is potential. All three of the first-year starters have the physical ability to play at an amazingly high level, but considering how integral Upshaw and Hightower were not just as players but as leaders, this could be a matchup where Michigan could find some success. It will be up to the performance of the backs in the run game and in pass protection, as well as the guards ability to get to the second level and get a body on these backers. If Michigan's line can handle the front three with any success and make life hard on the linebackers with a constant stream of blocks to deal with, Michigan should be be okay in the run game.

In the secondary, Michigan -- and more importantly, Denard Robinson -- catches a break because three of the Tide's starters from last year, safety Mark Barron and corners Dre Kirkpatrick and DeQuan Menzie, are gone. Barron was the lynchpin of the Tide secondary in 2011 and will be replaced by Vinnie Sunseri (6'0, 215lbs.), a solid player but a downgrade. Next to him will be third-year starter Robert Lester (6'2, 210lbs.) who has been a rock at free safety for the Tide.

The corners are both new-ish. Deion Belue (5'11, 179lbs.) is a juco transfer and Dee Milliner (6'1, 199lbs.) was the Tide's nickel corner a year ago. Both will be good, but neither has the type of game experience of the two departed starters.

Denard Robinson has received a lot of praise this offseason for his development as a passer and his advanced understanding of the offense, and he will need both of those. Despite replacing three starters in the secondary, the Tide will still be very capable of capitalizing on Robinson's mistakes. Nick Saban's specialty is building a defensive gameplan that slows the run game, forces long second- and third-downs, and takes away the quarterbacks comfort zone. If Michigan beats Alabama it will be for one of two reasons on offense: the rushing offense was consistently successful on first and second down, and/or Denard Robinson found a way to keep the chains moving despite long third-down situations.

Given his track record, it is hard to expect Robinson to be as good as he needs to be, even with improvement factored in.

The Outlook

Michigan can gain the advantage in this matchup, but it is going to depend heavily on the Wolverine's ability to run the football. When Michigan can move the ball on the ground effectively (Neb '11, OSU '11) it creates a lot of short fields which lead to first downs and openings in the passing game that Robinson can exploit. When Michigan's run game is bottled up (MSU '11, VT '12) it puts too large a burden on Robinson's shoulders and allows other teams to bring more pressure.

The Tide will still be a very good defense, but losing so many key players -- not only of the Make Plays variety, but more importantly the kinds of guys that lead the defense and deal with checks and stunts on the field -- will mean that Michigan won't be facing a perfect unit. There will be great defensive plays, but there will also be mistakes. Michigan will need to make good on those mistakes if it wants a chance to keep up on the scoreboard.

Advantage: Even

When Alabama Has the Ball

If I told you nine months ago that when Michigan and Alabama faced off that the bigger advantage for the Tide would be when it had the ball, you would have called me crazy. Yet, that is where we are at.

The real place to start here is under center. Nick Saban has had some solid quarterback play during his time at Alabama, but this looks like it could be the year where quarterback becomes the genuine strength of the offense itself.

As a freshman in 2010 AJ McCarron got a number of snaps as a backup behind senior quarterback Greg McElroy, and 2011 fall practice kicked off with a full-fledged quarterback controversy as McCarron fought for the starting job with Phillip Sims. By the second week of the season McCarron established himself as the clear number one option and set about putting together an Alabama quarterback season: hand the ball off to ______(insert Heisman candidate running back's name) and throw safe passes on third-and-long.

Everything was dandy. Alabama was winning, Trent Richardson was making people look like fools, and the defense was, well you read those stats above. Then something unexpected happened. AJ McCarron came out and played the game of his life against LSU. He picked apart the defense with smash passing concepts and continually picked on Tyrann Mathieu. The Bama offense marched and while he finished with no passing touchdowns, the only offenses that put up more passing yards on LSU were Oregon and West Virginia -- and nobody matched the 68 percent completion rate McCarron managed to put up. Not bad company.

This season it looks to be McCarron's show, the problem is who will he throw to. Alabama didn't have any game changing receivers a year ago, but between losing the top two outside receivers, tight end Brad Smelly, and Richardson -- a solid receiver in his own right -- the Tide have to replace a lot of production in the passing game. The leading returning receivers are TE Michael Williams (16 rec, 191 yds, 2 tds), WR Kevin Norwood (11 rec, 190 yds), and WR Kenny Bell (17 rec, 255 yds, 2 tds). Lesser utilized sophomores DeAndrew White and Christion Jones will also be stepping into the lineup to start with Bell the first receiver off the bench. There is enough talent here that the Tide should be fine in the long run, but McCarron will have his hands full early on leading this unit through the trials and tribulations of replacing so much production from 2011.

Michigan's secondary isn't elite when it comes to coverage, so shutting down the Tide passing game seems like a tall task, but both safeties have shown a good ability to keep things in front of them and limit the big plays (the OSU game, and its unique game plan not withstanding). If Michigan can play sound coverage in both man and zone, this group of receivers could struggle to find the openings for McCarron that last year's senior-laden group was adept at finding. This is Michigan's best chance of slowing the Bama offense and making it one-dimensional.

Luckily for the Tide, there is another way to move the ball, and being a one-dimensional running team isn't really a weakness. Alabama returns one of the best offensive lines in the country. The headliners is Barrett Jones, last year's Outland Trophy winner who is moving inside to start at center after playing LT a year ago. Jones is an all-American lock, and should be a first round pick. He isn't alone. Right tackle DJ Fluker is in his third year starting, was the top rated lineman in his class coming out of high school, and should challenge for first-team all-SEC.

The reason that Jones slid inside isn't just to replace departed senior William Vlachos. It is also to make room for second year tackle and first-year starter Cyrus Kouandijo, 2011's top rated offensive line recruit and the next anchor of Alabama's line. The sophomore got playing time in a reserve role last year before injury, and he should be a solid addition to the line this year.

The guards are third-year starter Chance Warmack and second year starter Anthony Steen. Warmack should push for all-SEC recognition, and Steen is anything but a liability along the line.

This unit is impressive from top to bottom, not only in pedigree and production, but also in the cohesiveness that they have displayed. Greg Mattison fawns about that:

What about their offensive line makes them so good?

"To me, they're so good at their combination blocks. Without getting too technical, but always in a defense, there's a person who is shaded so he will get help with a guy slamming down on him, and sometimes a guy stays on him, and that frees up the linebacker. They're really good at slamming down and coming right up on the linebacker as if he went to the lienbacker right away. I think they're as good of a combination blocking offensive line as I've seen. Obviously a lot of that comes from playing together. Tremendous experience from strength, where you don't have to overextend yourself to do your job because you know you're strong enough to be able to do it with just a little bit of help."

The Alabama offensive line has a combined 95 starts, four of the players have a full year of starting experience together, while three have been starting together for two years.

Meanwhile, Michigan's defensive line is anchored in the middle by two players without starting experience, Quinton Washington and William Campbell, and the only returning starter is Craig Roh. This is the worst matchup on the field for Michigan, and unless Campbell and Washington can grow up in a hurry and deal with the stellar interior blocking of an experienced interior line, there is little doubt that Alabama will be able to run the ball with ease. As far as getting a pass rush, it is doubtful that Michigan's defensive ends, Roh or Jibreel Black, will be able to generate much if any pressure from the outside. Greg Mattison will need to experiment with blitz packages to get linebackers free runs at the quarterback, or else McCarron will have all day to throw. When you give AJ McCarron all day to throw, you're going to have a bad time.

In the backfield the Tide lose the Mack truck that was Trent Richardson but return his primary backup, Eddie Lacy. Lacy spent fall camp dinged up with a sprained ankle after toe surgery kept him out of off season practices, but Lacy is reportedly ready to go for Saturday. He ran for 694 yards and seven touchdowns on 95 carries a year ago, and should transition easily to the role of feature back in this offense. For a change of pace Alabama can bring in Jalston Fowler, a bigger back (6'1, 242lbs.), five-star true freshman TJ Yeldon, or tourture Michigan fans with what could have been lining up small and shifty Dee Hart in the backfield. Yeah, Alabama has options.

Michigan's defensive line is going to have its hands full with the offensive line of Alabama, and that is going to put a lot of pressure on the linebackers to get off blocks and make tackles on the second level before this talented group of Alabama running backs gets into the secondary. Senior Kenny Demens should be fine in the middle as his strength has always been going downhill, filling holes, and wrapping up tackles. The big x-factor in the run game could be the offseason development of Will linebacker Desmond Morgan. A year ago Morgan struggled with diagnosing plays, attacking from the right angle, and dealing with blocks. If these issues are still present in a big way, Michigan could see a lot of cutback runs that test the safeties' abilities in run support. Finally, with the offensive line most likely swallowing the pass rush of Michigan's front four, it is time for Jake Ryan's official announcement party as a terrorizing force off the edge. If Ryan can pick up where he left off against VT (6.5 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack), it would go a long way toward helping Michigan create some second- or third-and-long situations.

The Outlook

This is where things get ugly for Michigan. It all starts with the offensive line. Alabama is going to look to run the ball early and often, not taking the reins off McCarron in the passing game and instead allowing him to pick his spots and bring along the inexperienced receiver corp. On top of that, Michigan's coverage isn't overly susceptible, where the defensive line and small-ish linebacking corp will have their hands full. Look for Alabama to run for somewhere around 150 yards and 5.0 ypc. Yes, it'll be that bad.

Michigan's one hope is that when it is able to force the Tide into third-and-long situations, that the pass defense makes things hard enough on Alabama's young receiving corp that the Tide struggle to convert longer downs. With McCarron's development and ability to place the ball in a small window, this seems less and less likely.

Michigan will give up yards to Alabama. Probably close to 350 or 400 of them. You won't be used to this because it didn't happen very often last year. Only two teams (ND and Northwestern) put up over 400 yards on the Wolverines, and three more (SDSU, OSU, and VT) topped 350. The key to this game, just like the key to those games, is going to be that Michigan limits big plays and finds ways to get the Tide offense off the field -- be it with turnovers or punts, or even field goals. If Alabama's run game is as effective as it seems like it will be, this is too tall a task, and that will be the difference in the game.

Advantage: Alabama

Special Teams

Kickoffs are most likely a moot point to discuss these days since returns are going to be greatly curtailed. That leaves us with punts and field goals.

Alabama will be rolling out Jeremy Shelley at PK. He was the more effective of the two kickers a year ago, making 21 of 27 FG attempts. Michigan, meanwhile has Brendan Gibbons back, who was 13 for 17 last year and culminated his year of redemption with the game winning kick in the Sugar Bowl. Alabama gets a slight edge in this one.

Cody Mandell punts for Alabama, and averaged 38 yards per punt a year ago. Will Hagerup looks to have taken back the starting punting job for Michigan, and if that means he has his head on straight -- and by all accounts he has been booming punts as of late in practice -- that would be a huge advantage for Michigan. Right now, lets mark it down as even.

A year ago Christion Jones only returned three punts. Jeremy Gallon returned 19 for an average of over ten yards per. Slight edge to Michigan for being a known quantity.

Advantage: Even

Coaching

I don't think this is going to get its own section every week, but this week I couldn't possibly talk about this game without talking about the coaching matchup. It is -- outside of the defensive line of Michigan vs the offensive line of Alabama -- arguably the biggest factor.

Brady Hoke is great. I love him like I have loved few coaches in my day. He has the right approach to the game, to his job, and to recruiting. He has done nothing but make the right decision day in and day out since January 2011. We couldn't ask for a better man to lead the program. His coaching staff has proven to be very good at dealing with problems in games and preparing for opponents. Michigan gets an A for coaching, and it isn't even a question.

That being said, Nick Saban is a natural born killer. He is Napolean reincarnate, a master strategist and completely in control at all times. He has three national championships in the BCS era. There have only been 14 of those titles give out, and he has over 20 freaking percent of them. He has done it at two separate schools, and even today LSU, his last college team, is built in the image of what he created.

Michigan will find ways to exploit the young Alabama defense on Saturday. There will be holes and breakdowns and miscues. The reason that I, and anyone with any familiarity with college football not wearing deeply maize-shaded glasses, can't see Michigan winning this game isn't because of the level of athletes on Alabama's roster. That alone doesn't win you football games. It is the coaching. The fact that once something inevitably goes wrong it will be fixed quickly. Those tiny windows will be slammed shut, and by the end Michigan will be gasping for air.

It is the way Nick Saban does it, and has always done it. Alabama doesn't get an A+ for coaching because Saban is the one teaching the class. He does it every Saturday in the fall.

Advantage: Alabama

Other Stuff

(In which I borrow liberally from Beauford's old preview format, because if its a good idea, why not use it?)

Key Matchups to Watch

Ricky Barnum vs. Jesse Williams - If Barnum can find a way to neutralize Williams on his own in most situations it will allow the rest of the offensive line to create holes and get to the second level. Saban's 3-4 scheme is predicated on the NT taking up multiple blockers in the middle of the line. If Michigan can get away with just one guy then the backs could have a big day.
Will Campbell and Quinton Washington vs. Alabama's Interior Line - Pad level young men, pad level.
Desmond Morgan vs. play diagnosis - If Morgan's game has finally clicked and he is flowing downhill to the ball at good angles, Michigan will do a much better job holding Bama to 4.0 ypc instead of 5.0 -- a big difference. If not: Jordan Kovacs, cleanup in aisles one to everywhere.
Denard Robinson's front foot vs. Denard Robinson's back foot - Stay grounded and work together boys. We'll all thank you for it.
Fitz Toussaint vs. the laundry list of stuff he needs to do to get back in Hoke's good graces - Nuff said.

Alternate Programming: This is the biggest game of the night, but on commercial breaks you check out Auburn vs. Clemson, USC's death machine vs. Hawaii, Oregon vs. Arkansas State to see what Gus Malzahn has cooked up, and Arizona vs. Toledo. No reason on that last one.

Inanimate Object Threat Level: 5. Sure, I've resigned myself to a loss in this one, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to lose it at least three or four times.

Final Prediction:

- Denard Robinson has an INT and a fumble, but accounts for two touchdowns.

- Fitz Toussaint plays at least one half.

- Eddie Lacy goes over 100 yards at 5.0 ypc.

- Jordan Kovacs makes three plays that save long touchdowns.

- Will Hagerup hits the JerryWorld scoreboard on one punt. Win's 100 dollar bet with teammate he made before the game.

- The game is within one score at halftime, but Alabama wins 31-21.

2012 Summer Football Opponent Preview: Alabama

thecristilmethod — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:25:43 -0000

Mississippi State vs. Alabama - Saturday, October 27, 2012 - Tuscaloosa

Quick Facts: University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa

Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Enrollment: 31,747
Founded: April 12, 1831
Colors: Crimson and White
Nickname: Crimson Tide
First Season: 1892
All-Time Record: 814-320-43 (.710)
All-Time SEC Record: 358-163-20 (.680)
National Championships: 14
SEC Championships: 22
Bowl Appearances: 59
Bowl Victories: 33
Head Coach: Nick Saban
Alma Mater: Kent State, 1973
Collegiate Career Record (Years): 141-54-1 (17)
Alabama Record (Years): 50-12 (5)
Offensive Coordinator: Doug Nussmeier
Alma Mater: Idaho, 1993
Defensive Coordinator: Kirby Smart
Alma Mater: Georgia, 1999
2011 Overall Record: 12 - 1
2011 SEC Record/Finish: 7 - 1
2011 Bowl: National Championship
Bowl Result: W - Alabama 22, LSU 0
Full 2011 Statistics
2012 Returning Starters: 12 (6 offensive, 4 defensive, 2 special teams)
2012 Returning Lettermen: 43
2012 Fall Roster

2011 Opponent Season in Review

In 2011, Alabama proved that it's not who wins the battle, it's who wins the war that comes out on top at the end. After coasting with ease through the first half of their schedule, Alabama lost a tough 9-6 slugfest to fellow SEC West elite program LSU in Tuscaloosa in one of the most anticipated games in years. But despite losing that game in November, Alabama - behind head coach Nick Saban - never wavered, and after finishing out the final 3 games of their schedule with convincing wins, found themselves with a chance to make the national title game.

A controversial decision later, Alabama was again faced with squaring off with SEC West foe LSU, this time for the National Championship. But any and all doubts of whether they should be there or not were quickly erased as the Tide controlled the game throughout, and ultimately came away with a 21-0 win and the school's 14th National Title overall.

Individually, Alabama was led by Heisman finalist halfback Trent Richardson, who in his first year fully outside of Marcus Ingram's shadow did not disappoint, accounting for 1,679 rushing yards and 21 TDs. Oh yeah, and Ole Miss fans may remember this play he had against them up in Oxford. Eddie Lacy, the #2 RB at Bama in 2011, didn't have a bad year himself, adding 674 yards to Richardson's total while tacking on 7 TDs as well.

In the tradition of Alabama quarterbacks, A.J. McCarron had a solid year managing the Tide, accounting for 2,634 yards passing and 16 TDs. McCarron spent most of his time managing the vaunted Bama offense, but when he was asked to toss it around, he usually did so to guys like Marquis Maze (627 yards, 1 TD), Brad Smelley (356 yards, 4 TDs), and Darius Hanks (328 yards, 1 TD), among many others.

The defensive side is where Alabama really shined in 2011. The Bama defense produced 3 first round picks and 5 within the first five rounds, including names like LB Don'ta Hightower, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, S Mark Barron, and DE Courtney Upshaw.

Who To Watch For (Offense)

Eddie Lacy (RB - Jr., 6'0" / 220 lbs, Geismar, La)

A lot of people expect somewhat of a drop off between Richardson's 2011 performance and Lacy's in 2012, but I think Eddie will surprise a lot of people this year. I even took him as my #1 running back in last week's FWtCT SEC Draft. Lacy, however, will not be simply handed the starting spot at HB, as youngsters Dee Hart and T.J. Yeldon plan to compete for the job as well. Make no mistake though, no matter who emerges at the top of the depth chart when the season kicks off in 4 weeks, they are sure to have a great season running behind that big offensive line.

Doug Nussmeier - Offensive Coordinator

The price of producing successful teams is that often your coaching staff is highly sought after by other programs. This was the case for Alabama in 2011, as Colorado State tabbed former Alabama OC Jim McElwain as their new head coach last fall. Replacing McElwain is Doug Nussmeier, former OC at Washington from 2009-2011. Nussmeier coached with McElwain at Michigan State from 2003-2005. I wouldn't expect too much to change scheme wise for Alabama, but it will be something to watch as breaking in a new coordinator is always somewhat nerve wracking. Possibly look for Nussmeier to involve the tight ends more in the passing game, exploiting matchups with smaller DBs.

Barrett Jones - (OL - Sr., 6'5" / 302 lbs, Germantown, Tenn)

The leader of the offense up front, Jones is the 2011 Outland Trophy winner who passed up being a top 10 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft to return to school for his senior season. Jones will be transitioning a bit in his final season - sliding down from the left tackle spot where he was the nation's best to center - replacing veteran William Vlachos. Although it will certainly be a transition, I wouldn't expect much drop off from Barrett despite the position move. Jones leads a group touted as the best in the SEC - a group that also includes names like D.J. Fluker and Chance Warmack, among others. It's safe to say whoever is tabbed as the starting running back for Nick Saban will be greatly aided in his productivity by running behind this offensive line.

Who To Watch For (Defense)

Jesse Williams (DT - Sr., 6'4" / 320 lbs, Brisbane, Australia)

The next in a long line of physical freaks on the Alabama defensive front, Jesse Williams looks to have a breakout season in 2012. Oh, and if you haven't already heard, the guy can bench a pound or two (or 600 of them). Williams, an Australian who has only been playing football since he was 15, is a raw talent, but make no mistake, he's already come a long way in his short time on campus. Expect the big guy to have a big fall for Bama, and expect to hear his name called early at the 2013 NFL Draft.

C.J. Mosley (LB - Jr., 6'2" / 232 lbs, Theodore, AL)

You don't really fully replace a guy like Don'ta Hightower, but when you have a guy like C.J. Mosley stepping in to replace Hightower, you certainly like your chances. Mosley, tasked as the new quarterback of this defense, will look to pick up where Don'ta left off before heading off to the NFL last year. Expect Mosley to fill up the stat sheet this fall, and expect to see him playing on Sunday's with Hightower as well.

Game Prediction

Alabama 28 - Mississippi State 13

State has traditionally struggled in Tuscaloosa, and I just don't see that changing this year. State may have more of a chance than in years past with Tyler Russell at the helm, but beating Alabama at Bryant - Denny is no small order, and anything short of a perfect game by State will most likely send us home with an L. I think it's closer than it was in year's past, but Alabama tacks on a late Lacy TD to set the final margin at 28-13.

MnB B1G Preview: Alabama

maize_in_spartyland — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 22:00:06 -0000

Each Wednesday, up through August, I’ll cover a different Big Ten team or Michigan non-conference opponent. Today’s edition is a bit of a special, as I still have a non-conference opponent to cover, the Alabama Crimson Tide, who Michigan will play in Arlington, Texas on September 1^st at 7:00 PM EST on ABC. Michigan leads the series 2-1, with all prior meetings taking place in bowl games. The most recent meeting was in the 2000 Orange Bowl, with Michigan pulling out the 35-34 win in overtime. According to the Golden Nugget Las Vegas’s opening betting lines, released on June 11^th, Michigan is a 12 point underdog to Alabama. Alabama is 18-2 in non-conference regular season games under Coach Saban, with the last loss taking place to Louisiana-Monroe, 21-14, on November 17, 2007, at historic Bryant-Denny Stadium.

To see all of our football previews, click here.

2012 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Preview

2011 Record: 12-1 (7-1 SEC)

Head Coach: Nick Saban, sixth season (55-12 at Alabama) (146-54-1 overall)

Projected Returning Starters: 13

Spring Game: April 14^th(White 24 Crimson 15)

Notes: For the second time in three years, Alabama is coming off a BCS National Championship. However, since the BCS Championship started, at the conclusion of the 1998 season, the previous year’s champion hasn’t fared all that well in the following season. BCS Champions, not including 2011 Alabama, are a combined 167-5 in the year they win the title (average of 12.8-0.4), but are just 133-35 the following season (average of 10.2-2.7). The past two champions, 2009 Alabama and 2010 Auburn, each had at least three losses the following season. In each of his previous two National Titles, Coach Saban lost three games the next season (2003 LSU National Title, 2004 LSU 9-3; 2009 Alabama National Title, 2010 Alabama 10-3), what will happen in 2012?

BVTSB Take: Last year, Alabama became the first team, in BCS history, to win the National Championship without winning their conference. They became only the second team to appear in the BCS National Championship without having won their conference (2003 Oklahoma). The offensive line will anchor the Crimson Tide this year, led by returning starters C Barrett Jones (11 starts at LT in 2011), RG Anthony Steen (13 starts in 2011), LG Chance Warmack (13 starts in 2011), and RT DJ Fluker (13 starts in 2011). LT Cyrus Kouandjio will take over for Jones; Jones will take over for the graduated William Vlachos, who signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans. Quarterback AJ McCarron won’t have to worry about competition from Phillip Sims, who has transferred to Virginia. McCarron threw for 2634 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Expect those numbers to increase with the greater emphasis on the pass. Running back Trent Richardson is now a member of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns – he rushed for 1679 yards and 21 touchdowns last season. Eddie Lacy will take over as the top back (674 rushing yards, 7.1/carry, and seven rushing touchdowns in 2011), but expect freshman TJ Yeldon to see significant time. Expect Dee Hart, who is coming off a torn ACL, to be buried a bit in the depth chart. Alabama loses Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks at wide receiver – the duo combined for 955 yards receiving and two touchdowns last season. Despite the loss of those receivers, expect the wide receiver production to be up, especially with the greater responsibility McCarron will be expected to shoulder. Kenny Bell (255 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2011) and Kevin Norwood (190 receiving yards in 2011) will start at wide receiver in 2012. Duron Carter was expected to start, but left Alabama for Florida Atlantic, after being ineligible last year. Despite the inexperience in the secondary, outside of CB Dee Milliner and SS Robert Lester, expect the pass defense to be strong – Saban personally coaches the secondary. The linebacking corps and pass rush are among the best – teams with weak or inexperienced offensive lines will struggle against Alabama. Alabama opens with Michigan, Western Kentucky, and Florida Atlantic in three of their first four games. They play Western Carolina the week before the Iron Bowl. Alabama hosts Auburn, but travels to Arkansas and LSU this year. Expect Alabama to be strong in 2012, but two or three losses are not out of the question. The early projection should be considered a ceiling.

2012 Early Projection: 11-1

To see the 2012 SEC composite schedule, click here.

What are your thoughts on Alabama football? Tweet to us @BVTSB.

Poll

How many wins do you expect from the Crimson Tide in the 2012 regular season?

0 wins

7 votes

1-3 wins

1 votes

4-6 wins

1 votes

7-9 wins

38 votes

10-12 wins

490 votes

537 votes | Poll has closed

State of the Titans Roster: Center

Jimmy Morris — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:00:58 -0000

We are currently working our way through the state of the Titans roster. Today we look at the centers. We previously looked at QB, RB, WR, TE, OT and OG.

The Titans spent the offseason bringing in every center in the free world with a pulse, yet we are still looking at the prospect of Eugene Amano being the center when the season opens. It appears the one person who has the best chance to beat him out would be Fernando Velasco. I covered him in the guards portion of this series.

Click through the jump for a more in-depth look at the centers currently on the Titans' roster.

EUGENE AMANO
Age: 30
Contract: Entering the 3rd year of the ridiculous 5-year $26 million contract he signed in 2010

Amano was a good guard but is a really bad at center. He will be fighting for his life in camp.

KEVIN MATTHEWS
Age: 25
Contract: Entering the last year of his contract

Matthews is the sentimental favorite to knock off Amano because of his bloodlines, but he has yet to show that he can be an NFL center.

JON COOPER
Age: 25 (turns 26 in October)
Contract: I have not seen the terms of his contract

I will be really surprised if Cooper makes this roster. He looks like nothing more than a camp body.

WILLIAM VLACHOS
Age: 24
Contract: Signed as an undrafted free agent

I am a huge Vlachos fan obviously. I know he doesn't have the measurables to be an NFL center, but he was the anchor of an Alabama rushing attack that was pretty dang good. That counts for something.

Maybe William Vlachos Isn't the Answer for the Titans

Jimmy Morris — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:51:23 -0000

There is not anyone out there that is rooting for William Vlachos to make the Tennessee Titans roster more than I am. It would be really awesome to see a line that didn't have Eugene Amano in the middle of it, and you can never have enough players from the University of Alabama on your team.

I am a little bit concerned, however, after reading these comments from Vlachos:

"I've been watching film for a couple days and my jaw's on the floor," Vlachos said. "They're just so physical, the effort they bring every play is outstanding."

There is no doubt that the Titans had one of the best pass blocking offensive lines in the league last year, but pass blocking is not usually where a line shows up as physical. That term comes from run blocking and the offensive line got manhandled for most of the season there last season.

Maybe he was just watching David Stewart on every play.

And yes, I know that these comments from Vlachos have absolutely no bearing on whether or not he makes the team or can be an NFL center.

The 2012 NFL Draft Wrapup

C.J. Schexnayder — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:00:43 -0000

Just as in 2010, Alabama's post-BCS National Championship NFL Draft proved to be a gold mine for pro teams looking to stock their rosters with the best young talent in the country. A total of eight Crimson Tide players heard their names called from the podium of Radio City Music Hall this week. Here's the final tally with links on the team names to the threads on our fellow SB Nation sites responding to the selection:

Alabama Players in the 2012 NFL Draft

Player	Pos	Pick	Team
First Round
Trent Richardson	RB	3	Browns
Mark Barron	SS	7	Buccaneers
Dre Kirkpatrick	CB	17	Bengals
Dont'a Hightower	ILB	25	Patriots
Second Round
Courtney Upshaw	OLB	35	Ravens
Fifth Round
Josh Chapman	DT	136	Colts
DeQuan Menzie	CB	146	Chiefs
Seventh Round
Brad Smelley	TE	247	Browns

The total of eight Alabama players chosen this year matches the Tide's all time total set in 1987. The number was also the most of any team in the country in 2012 as was the Tide's four first rounders. Here is a list of all the colleges who saw five or more players taken in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Top Teams in the 2012 NFL Draft

Team	Total	1st R.	Conf.
Alabama	8	4	SEC
Georgia	7		SEC
Oklahoma	7		Big XII
Boise State	6	2	MWC
Mich. State	6		B1G
S. Carolina	6	2	SEC
Wisconsin	6	1	B1G
LSU	5	2	SEC
NC State	5		ACC

Since the NFL and AFL drafts were merged in 1967, Alabama has had seven or more players taken four times and half of those have come on Nick Saban's watch. This has become a regular enough occurrence we could be in danger of considering it routine. To belay that, it's worth looking at exactly how far the Crimson Tide has come over the past half decade.

**Alabama NFL Draft Picks 2006-2012**

The final years under Mike Shula weren't terribly bad in terms of NFL caliber talent but the absolute absence of picks in 2008 shows just how bare the cubboard was when Coach Saban arrived.

Perhaps the better yardstick as to the difference of talent we are seeing on the field since 2007 is the number of first round picks Saban's recruiting classes have produced. The Tide has had eleven players tapped in the first round of the draft since 2009, that's as many first rounders as Alabama had seen taken in the previous 22 years!

Now, obviously, once the draft is over, that's not the end of the story. A significant number of players who are now free agents start getting calls from teams once Mr. Irrelevant is taken. This year proved no exception. While there is some disappointment that folks like Marquis Maze and William Vlachos didn't get selected in the draft's seven rounds, they are certainly going to get their shot at making it in the pros.

Here is a list of the Alabama players who are unrestricted free agents and have signed with NFL teams. The info comes from NFL.com and confirmed news reports as we find them (team names link to the source). If you have link to any others, please feel free to let us know in the comments and we'll keep this tally updated.

Alabama 2012 Free Agent Signings

Player	Pos	Team
Darius Hanks	WR	Redskins
Jerrell Harris	OLB	Falcons
Phelon Jones	CB	Redskins
Marquis Maze	WR	Steelers
Alfred McCullough	G	Ravens
William Vlachos	C	Titans
Alex Watkins	LB	Titans

The list of updates is after the jump.

Update 1: Mobile Press-Register's Creg Stephenson is reporting former Tide player Alonzo Lawrence -- who had gone on to play for Southern Miss and Miss. Gulf Coast Community College -- has signed with the Rams.

Update 2: Phelon Jones now says he's signed with the Redskins

2012 NFL Draft: 6th Round Options

3k — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:03:50 -0000

This is usually when the insanity sets in. It's late in day 3 of the NFL Draft. You've consumed hour upon hour of draft coverage. Your memory gets hazy.

"Wait, did the Ravens take Smithsonian? Hold on. I think he's a basketball recruit. Oh God, what time is it? Oh, 11 am. Whew. I thought it was like 2am. Man, this day's going slow. I think I'm hungry, but I just had a sandwich. Am I supposed to be hungry? Oh look, the pick is in. The Falcons...192nd pick...what kind of name for a school is that? St. Olaf? Haha, they probably like Wenceslaus I and dress like him and talk like him. Why do I know who that is? Aw crap, what time is it? Man this is going slow."

So for those of you looking to spare yourself the phantasmic experience of the 6th round on, these names might be worth considering before skipping to the recap next weekend. (NOTE: The Rams don't have a 5th round pick stemming from the Brandon Lloyd trade)

For reference: 3rd round options, 4th round options. Let's start off with a double from College Station.

Coryell Judie, CB - Texas A&M

I love Judie's game. He's got strong ball skills, and is really soft in his lower body. But man, this guy gets hurt. A lot. He injured his shoulder after transferring from a junior college, requiring surgery and forcing him to redshirt in 2009. In 2010, he reinjured the shoulder, but delayed surgery until after the season. This year, he pulled his hamstring and missed six games intermittently. Based on pure skills and speed, Judie has a top two round makeup. But how high can you draft a guy knowing that his 2012 season is a HUGE question mark health-wise?

Jeff Fuller, WR - Texas A&M (MTD Prospect Notes, MTD Quick Report)

And since we're on Aggies with injury concerns, Fuller had them all this year. Foot, hamstring, concussion, ankle, knee...he was pretty much a big, fast injury every game. If you go back to his 2010 season, though, you see the makings of a very solid big man possession WR. He wasn't great after the catch, but he has great body control. The key for him is to work on his precision. He lumbers through routes, and that allows speedier guys to disrupt his movement. Could well be worth a shot.

Eight more prospects after the jump.

Donnie Fletcher, CB - Boston College

A bigger corner, Fletcher plays more physical than most. Definitely a beast corner against the run. But he's a bit awkward in control and can lose himself in playing the ball, leading to stupid interference calls. Spags would have loved this guy; does Fisher think he can reign him in?

Tydreke Powell, DT - North Carolina (MTD Prospect Notes)

Powell is a space eater who can clog lanes...and that's it. He's a minus on quickness and athleticism, and he struggles to get inside of blockers with longer arms to shed. But for a 6th round price, he could be a useful rotation piece to help shore up the Rams' horrid run defense.

Eric Page, WR - Toledo (MTD Quick Report)

A former high school QB, Page made the move to WR at Toledo relying on his insane quickness and plus athleticism. He's a plus Amendola IMO. Worth a 6th rounder? Quite possibly.

Andrew Datko, OT - Florida St. (MTD Prospect Notes, MTD Quick Report)

If the Rams have yet to grab an extra lineman from the draft by this point and Datko's available, it may be an automatic pick. His skill set is NFL-ready; his body's not. Given that he wouldn't need to be rushed in, if the Rams can give him some extra time to heal, he could be a steal.

Quentin Richardson, CB/FS - Washington

If you saw this year's Alamo Bowl, Richardson was one of the few defensive players (from either the Huskies or Baylor) who came out looking good. Washington held RGIII under 300 yards and to just one TD...though Baylor did run for over 400 yards en route to a 67-56 victory. Richardson's best in sitting the route instead of playing near the line, so I wouldn't be surprised if he's asked to transition to FS.

William Vlachos, C - Alabama

Vlachos isn't an especially gifted player. But he's fundamentally clean, and people inside the Tide's program have praised his work ethic for years. He'd be a solid 6th round pickup to throw into a soft rotation basis with Scott Wells the steady starter. Plus, would make for an easy marketing tie-in at the Ed - Vlachos Nachos.

Rokevious Watkins, G - South Carolina (MTD Prospect Notes)

Watkins is a huge lineman who has experience at tackle, but is just too slow to play there at the NFL level. But adding this much size in the 6th with the experience Watkins has going against SEC defenses is a decent buy.

Brandon Bolden, RB - Ole Miss (MTD Quick Report)

And maybe my favorite for last. Bolden's got solid speed, agility & power. His acceleration isn't great, but it's solid. Most valuable though could well be his passing game skills. Bolden looks incredibly comfortable in the passing game, and could contribute to 3rd downs immediately. Me likey.

So what names make sense near the end of the draft? Who do you like that Rams should spend a late pick on? What factors will the Rams need to consider here?

Holler.

Recap of the Alabama Pro Day

outsidethesidelines — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 01:06:27 -0000

In years gone by the annual Pro Day in Tuscaloosa was little more than a sparsely attended and obligatory affair, but the arrival of Nick Saban and the subsequent ascension of the Alabama football program have changed that drastically. Pro Days have become almost a mini-NFL Combine in Tuscaloosa, with countless members of the NFL scouting community and several general managers in attendance, and that was again the case this morning. Additionally, several former Alabama players, including Andre Smith, Rolando McClain, and Marcell Dareus were also in attendance to support their former teammates.

From the outset, the morning was admittedly missing some star power due to the absence of a handful of notable players. Trent Richardson (knee), Mark Barron (double hernia), and Courtney Upshaw (knee), all of which are expected to be first round draft picks this upcoming April, did not participate in the activities due to various injuries. All three, however, are hoping to work out in front of scouts later this month on March 29th when they once again take to the Hank Crisp Indoor Facility.

Josh Chapman also did not work out for the scouts, as he continues to recover from surgery to repair ACL and meniscus tears, though he was present and did conduct interviews. Chapman participated in the bench press, which is about all he will be able to realistically do before the Draft given his recovery.

Marquis Maze was another player that did not work out, as he continues to try to recover from the strained hamstring he suffered in the BCS Championship Game. Maze gave it a go in Indianapolis but posted some relatively pedestrian times and struggled to catch the football with any consistency, so he sat out today in hopes of getting healthy before giving it another try later this month.

In other big names, Dont'a Hightower and Dre Kirkpatrick participated in some drills, but both players chose to rest on the 40 times they posted late last month at the NFL Combine. Given that both are likely first round picks and that both ran solid times in Indianapolis, they had far more to lose than gain by running again, so it's no real surprise that they ultimately chose to stand on their previous times.

Of course, for all of the talk of the big names, Pro Day is routinely far more important for players of much smaller billing, as they seek to use one of their few opportunities to perform in-person before the scouting community as a way of earning a late round selection or a camp invite later this summer. To that end, several players worked out in front of scouts today hoping to do something, anything, to catch some attention, including Jerrell Harris, William Vlachos, Brad Smelley, Darius Hanks, Nick Gentry and others.

Vlachos might have the best chance of any of that group to be selected during the Draft, and for what it's worth he has added a few pounds since the Senior Bowl and did show decent agility, always a necessity for a center. Even so, Vlachos still looks far more like an aging Packers fan than the prototypical lineman, and he still figures to be a niche prospect.

Jerrell Harris could probably also be added nearly along Vlachos, though in his case he has all of the physical attributes necessary while generating significant concern over his lack of consistency and his general ineffectiveness during his first three years on campus. If Harris can convince scouts he can continue to play like he did late last season, he'll likely find a spot on Sunday, and to his credit he showcased his impressive build and athleticism earlier today.

Brad Smelley posted respectable times in the 40-yard dash, clocking in at the mid-to-high 4.7 second range, but given his slight build that may not be quick enough. Much of the same could potentially be the case for Darius Hanks, who improved on his times in Indianapolis but only slightly. Nick Gentry worked out in some linebacker drills, though the transition from collegiate nose guard to professional linebacker seems near impossible. Alfred McCullough could have a chance at the next level due to his versatility, but for several others that worked out today -- Phelon Jones, Robby Green, etc. -- the odds seem very long to put it nicely.

For those interested, a replay of Pro Day, along with Nick Saban's address of the media, is available online at RollTide.com.

2012 Senior Bowl Open Thread

Todd — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:50:05 -0000

Folks, it's your last opportunity to see DeQuan Menzie, Brad Smelley, Courtney Upshaw, and William Vlachos in an Alabama helmet, so make the most of it.

Game time/date: 3:00 PM CST, Saturday, January 28, 2012

Location: Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama.

TV Coverage: NFL Network. Paul Burmeister, Mike Mayock and Charles Davis will be in the booth, while Rebecca Haarlow and Heath Evans roam the sidelines.

Radio Coverage: Sirius XM Radio, Channel 88. Jason Horowitz, Tim Ryan, and Pat Kirwan with the call. Jim Miller will serve as the sideline reporter.

Rosters: The North Team, and the South Team.