Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- At a certain point, there's too much work to be done on the football field. So much so that the idea of competition goes out the window. With three vacant starting positions on the Alabama offensive line this spring, the idea of actually battling for playing time is unthinkable, at least to left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio.

The depth chart, he noted, is still open.

"Everybody is just working," Kouandjio said following Wednesday's practice. He and guard Anthony Steen are the only two returning starters on the line. "At this time, we're not even thinking about competition."

They might be the only ones, though.

If Alabama is going to have anywhere near the success it had last season, the offensive line must come together, and in a hurry. Kouandjio might have the luxury of feeling good about his position on the depth chart, but he's the exception to the rule, as Alabama must replace three NFL-caliber offensive linemen in Barrett Jones, Chance Warmack and D.J. Fluker. That's not to mention the other seven former starters now plying their trade elsewhere.

At least Kouandjio would admit that practice felt different without his former teammates around.

"It feels weird," he said. "I've been with those guys for a long time."

But he's been with his brother, Arie, longer. And with Warmack gone, Arie has a chance to start alongside his twin at left guard. He'll have to fend off Kellen Williams for the spot, but so far he's the favorite to win the starting nod.

Chemistry, the glue of any good offensive line, is already set on the left side. After playing together in high school, the Koundajios don't have to say a word to communicate to one another.

"It's my brother" Cyrus said, "of course we already have camaraderie. We already understand each other.

"I love playing with my brother. He's always pushing me, and I'm always pushing him."

The camaraderie of the line as a whole won't come from either Kouandjio, though. Ryan Kelly, the man charged with replacing Jones at center, is looking to make his stamp as the leader of the unit now. And as Cyrus put it, he brings a lot to the table, rivaling Jones in at least one respect.

"He's the most professional person I know," Cyrus said of Kelly. "He's really serious, and that's the perfect center right there. Most centers have to be really tough, and I trust him 100 percent. I trust him as much as I trusted Barrett Jones last year.

"I think things are looking good for him."

Cyrus also singled out rising sophomore Brandon Greene for his improvement this offseason. He, Williams, Isaac Luatua, Alphonse Taylor and newcomers Leon Brown and Brandon Hill have added depth to the offensive line.

"He's doing so much better from last year," Cyrus said of Greene. "He got so much better over the break. His hands are where they're supposed to be, his footwork is good, he is where he's supposed to be right now."

Head coach Nick Saban, for his part, downplayed the transition taking place on the offensive line. He said new position coach Mario Cristobal is doing a "really good job" at coaching and connecting with the players.

"He’s done a good job teaching them," he said. "He’s got good energy and enthusiasm. He brings some new ideas. That’s always welcome when you have new coaches join the staff. So everything about this so far from a transition standpoint has been positive."

And like everything with the offensive line, Saban's remarks came with a caveat.

"But that's a work in progress, too," he said.

Editor’s note: Each day between now and Alabama's date with Notre Dame in the BCS National Championship, we will review the season for a key Crimson Tide player or coach and attempt to project what’s next for him. Today we’ll look at left guard Chance Warmack.

No. 65 Chance Warmack
Left guard
First-team All-America selection

Role in 2012: Warmack was the most effective blocker on the best offensive line in all of college football.

The good: The senior rose from a possible NFL prospect to the top-rated offensive lineman overnight. As scouts looked at his game film, it was obvious -- Warmack was dominant and tenacious. Every time Alabama was running the ball, it was his direction and he could be seen 3, 4 and 5 yards ahead of the play, churning his feet and barreling over defenders.

The bad: Truth be told, there aren't many weaknesses to Warmack's game. His strength and durability are obvious. He started 39 career games and missed a team-low six assignments this season. His toughness and production speak for themselves. He had a team-best 36 pancake blocks. His only weakness, which comes more by way of a default, might be pass protection. He struggles with pad placement at times, though he doesn't have much trouble recovering from any minor flaw in technique.

Crystal ball: Warmack will go somewhere in the first round of April's draft. Barring catastrophe, that much is certain. Who replaces him at Alabama is not as obvious. Sophomore Arie Kouandjio could slide in at either right or left guard, depending on what the coaching staff does with Anthony Steen. But the real tantalizing option is freshman Alphonse Taylor, who will likely redshirt this season. The former four-star prospect transitioned from the defensive to offensive line in fall camp and seems well on his way to a career at guard. He's already 6-foot-5 and 340 pounds and has great athletic ability for a man his size.

From now until kickoff in Arlington, Texas, we'll be counting down the days before Alabama and Michigan get the season started. Today, we move to No. 50 and what it means to UA football. See all the previous editions here.

A quick bit of trivia: Who is the largest player on the University of Alabama roster?

The answer: Alphonse Taylor. As in, true freshman Alphonse Taylor.

When coach Nick Saban and staff sealed the commitment of the lineman from Mobile, Ala., they got a huge player in terms of both size and potential. The 6-foot-5, 340-pounder isn't a lumbering giant. He has nimble feet and a quick burst. And he's versatile, too. He enrolled early and began spring practice on the defensive line, but ended the early practice period trying his hand on offense.

The future for Taylor appears to be on defense. In fact, he was listed as a defensive lineman when he signed and continues to be listed that way on the official roster. But given Alabama's lack of depth on the offensive line, Taylor could see himself practicing more and more alongside seniors Barrett Jones and Chance Warmack, rather than against them.

“I’m excited for him to play guard, man,” Warmack told TideNation during spring practice. “He’s an exciting player. He knows a lot already. He came in with a positive attitude. I want to take him up under my wing and help him as much as I can.

“He’s a really powerful guy, a really big guy. He’s going to be really special some day -- sooner than you think."

The battle for Taylor's services will be even more interesting in 2013. Alabama loses two starters on the offensive line for sure, and possibly a third if D.J. Fluker decides to enter the NFL draft early. But Jesse Williams graduates after this season and Taylor appears to be his natural replacement at nose tackle.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- There’s a reason Alphonse Taylor stands out on a football field.

When a player stands at 6-foot-5 and carries around 340 pounds of muscle, he’s bound to catch your eye.

So when Taylor, the largest player on the University of Alabama roster, was suddenly lined up along the offensive line and not across from it on Wednesday, people took notice -- not that he didn't look the part.

Taylor, who was one of eight early enrollees at UA, may be as green as a shamrock, but he certainly doesn’t show it. In a sea of 300-pounders, the 20-year-old with a smile as wide as his biceps is a natural fit. He’s agile and picks up the game quickly, according to starting left guard Chance Warmack, who referred to Taylor simply as “big man.”

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