Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- In a lot of ways, summer camp is the great equalizer. For college football programs like Alabama, it's a time where there are so many prospects in one place that the names on the back of the jerseys begin to mean nothing and all that matters is the performance. Who they are and what they're ranked as goes out the window. Sometimes there aren't names on the players jerseys at all, just numbers by which to objectively evaluate and grade on a sheet of paper.

Alec Morris was a name no one knew before he came to Alabama's camp two years ago. Plenty of college coaches had seen the strong-armed Texas quarterback throw but very few had offered him a scholarship. Because of that, he was viewed as a marginal prospect. Why? Well, that was a mystery even to those intimately involved in the process.

"They'd all said they liked what they saw, that he had a live arm and good zip on his passes," said Jeff Fleener, Morris' former offensive coordinator at Allen High just outside of Dallas. "We'd ask the guys that why they didn't offer and what it came down to every time was because the head coach doesn't understand why he doesn't have more offers in the first place."

He explained the phenomena as such: "Once a player gets one or two offers, he'll get one hundred."

Alabama, Fleener said, didn't bother with whether other schools thought enough of Morris to offer a scholarship.

"Luckily for Alabama they trust their evaluation process," he said. "They don't get caught up in stars or offers."

What made the difference for Morris was camp and a throwing session the Allen High staff called to request of Alabama. Morris, who was already committed to Wake Forrest and whose only other offer was from North Texas, was in the state visiting family and wanted the chance to have at least one day to show UA head coach Nick Saban and then-offensive coordinator Jim McElwain what he could do.

By the time he left a session with McElwain and Saban, Morris had made an indelible impression, earning a scholarship offer that would become committable if neither of the two previously offered quarterbacks -- Jameis Winston and Gunner Kiel -- chose to come to Alabama.

Soon after camp, Winston committed to Florida State, Kiel went with Indiana and Morris flipped his commitment from Wake Forest to Alabama. Today, Morris is in the running to back up AJ McCarron under center and could very well wind up the starting quarterback in 2014.

But Morris' story isn't the only one of a no-name player making waves at camp. Offensive lineman Brandon Hill came out of nowhere to land an offer two years ago. Wide receiver Raheem Falkins' performance at camp sewed up his position with Alabama a year ago. Amari Cooper, who would go on to set nearly every rookie receiving record at Alabama this past season, was on no one's radar before he camped in Tuscaloosa.

Camp, with its one-on-one sessions and top competition, separates the wheat from the chaff for college coaches. With a player on campus, they get to answer the most important question of all: Can this kid play for me?

Fleener said that it's a running joke that as a staff they can make nearly any player look good on tape. What they do when they get to camp and actually have to perform is something different altogether.

"If you cut it down to 10-11 clips, we can make them look like an All American," Fleener said. "They want to know, is this kid a highlight video?

"Camp is definitely an opportunity for them to see what kind of football player they're recruiting."

ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
2012 record: 13-1
2012 conference record: 7-1 (first, Western Division)
Returning starters: Offense: 5; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2

Top returners
QB AJ McCarron, LT Cyrus Kouandjio, RG Anthony Steen, WR Amari Cooper, RB T.J. Yeldon, LB C.J. Mosley, LB Adrian Hubbard, S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, CB Deion Belue, DE Ed Stinson

Key losses
C Barrett Jones, LG Chance Warmack, RT D.J. Fluker, RB Eddie Lacy, CB Dee Milliner, S Robert Lester, LB Nico Johnson, NG Jesse Williams

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Eddie Lacy (1,322 yards)
Passing: AJ McCarron* (2,933 yards)
Receiving: Amari Cooper* (1,000 yards)
Tackles: C.J. Mosley* (107)
Sacks: Adrian Hubbard* (7)
Interceptions: Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix* (5)

Spring answers

1. Weapons abound: It's an embarrassment of riches, really. The Alabama offense has steadily gained strength in recent years, but this coming season promises more explosiveness with a senior under center and a number of playmakers at wide receiver. Starters Amari Cooper and Kevin Norwood return, along with a triumvirate of rehabilitated weapons in Chris Black, Kenny Bell and DeAndrew White. Throw in a talented freshman in tight end O.J. Howard the possibilities in the passing game are limitless.

2. Rebuilt offensive line: It started the offseason as the biggest question mark but spring camp quelled any fear of the offensive line experiencing a significant drop-off after losing three of five starters from last season. Center Ryan Kelly has become the centerpiece snapping the football, stepping in for former Rimington Award winner Barrett Jones at center. And with two cornerstone linemen in left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio and right guard Anthony Steen, coach Nick Saban has to feel good about where things stand up front on offense.

3. Leadership from the top: For two years he hasn't had to take the bull by the horns. There have been other, often older, leaders to step up and take charge. But this season is different for quarterback AJ McCarron. He's not only coming into his own as a passer, he's developing into the voice of the football team -- and not just on offense.

Fall questions

1. Secondary solutions: Year after year, the problem is the same. Alabama develops stars in the secondary only to see them leave for the NFL draft. This time it was shutdown cornerback Dee Milliner and veteran safety Robert Lester walking out the door. And who will step up to replace them remains unclear. Deion Belue looks to have rebounded after a shaky first season in Tuscaloosa and rising sophomore Geno Smith showed promise as a rookie in 2012. But it will take more than a handful of starters to keep the Tide's secondary on track.

2. Rushing the passer: While it's true that Saban's system isn't built on traditional defensive statistics like sacks and tackles for loss, it is capable of accomplishing those things with the right playmakers in place. And recently there's been a lack of pure edge rushers capable of collapsing the pocket on a consistent basis. Adrian Hubbard stepped up at outside linebacker late in the season, but his production has been up and down. If guys like linebacker Xzavier Dickson and defensive end Dalvin Tomlinson can provide that pressure, the defense will be in good shape.

3. In case of emergency: It's the scenario no one around Tuscaloosa wants to entertain: What would happen if AJ McCarron were injured and missed a significant portion of the season? If he were to go down would the Tide's championship hopes leave with him? Last year's backups have been inconsistent at best and don't appear to be real options over the long term. The three early enrollees at the position aren't ready either, but redshirt freshman Alec Morris may be the one the staff can rely on. He'll have the fall to prove whether he's capable of becoming a dependable backup, and in turn the future at quarterback when McCarron moves on after this season.

With spring practice complete and fall camp right around the corner, TideNation's power rankings return with a look at the top 10 Alabama players heading into the offseason.

1. QB AJ McCarron (Last ranking: 2): After three trips to the White House, there's not much that fazes McCarron. Even after two interceptions in the A-Day game, there wasn't an ounce of concern. "None," in his words, and at this point in his career there shouldn't be. His championship rings, his record-breaking stats and his talent speak for themselves. There might not be a more decorated quarterback in school history by the time he hangs it up.

2. ILB C.J. Mosley (3): It's one thing for a quarterback to play with a black jersey. It's another for a linebacker to do it. But a bum shoulder wouldn't slow Mosley down. The rising senior and leading tackler from last season played all spring with a shoulder harness and a no-contact jersey, yet he found a way to contribute. On Saturday, Mosley finished with a team-high nine "tackles" and, more impressively, caused and recovered a fumble on the same play.

3. LT Cyrus Kouandjio (NR): He's the rock, the anchor to a line replacing three starters. And if you're going to start over, it's nice to have a franchise left tackle like Kouandjio. The rising junior enters the season as arguably the most prized offensive linemen in the SEC. It's only a matter of time before he declares for the NFL draft and is taken near the top of the first round, so Tide fans should enjoy him while they can.

4. RB T.J. Yeldon (7): It's almost as though Yeldon was an afterthought as many fans clung to the untapped potential of early enrollee Derrick Henry this spring. It's typical of a talented team, though, as Yeldon, only a sophomore, is already taken for granted. It was only a year ago that he was the energizing rookie making fans forget about incumbent Eddie Lacy. Unoticed or not, Yeldon is a feature back worth his weight in gold.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Depending on which way you look at it, Alabama's scrimmage on Saturday was either good or bad for the future of the football team. Good because the offense scored 11 touchdowns and didn't cough the ball up once, and bad because the defense failed to make many stops and didn't generate a single turnover.

Ah, the joy of spring football. When you play against yourself no one really wins. The players simply get to hit one another, and that's a pleasant enough experience.

"Defensively, I guess it’s good and bad news," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "We didn’t create any turnovers but the good news is we didn’t turn it over on offense, so that’s probably a good thing. But we practiced a lot of different situations out there, which is great exposure for our players."

Saturday marked the 12th practice and second scrimmage of the spring for the Crimson Tide. The next scrimmage will be the last when the doors to Bryant-Denny Stadium are swung open on April 20 for A-Day.

And even then, the result of the game-like practice will be the same: either the offense will look spectacular and the defense horrendous, or vice versa.

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A lot can (and will) change before we get into the teeth of the 2013 season, but who would you take right now as the top receiving duo in the SEC?

The most productive receiving tandem in the league a year ago was the Vanderbilt combo of Jordan Matthews and Chris Boyd. They combined for 2,097 receiving yards, 144 catches and 13 touchdown receptions.

The good news for the Commodores is that they’re both back.

It’s tough to pick against a proven twosome like Matthews and Boyd, but below are some others to watch next season.

Amari Cooper/Chris Black (Alabama): You could add Kenny Bell to the equation, too. He was the Crimson Tide’s top deep threat before he was injured. Cooper was sensational down the stretch last season, and Black was the guy everybody was raving about last preseason before he got hurt. Throw in promising freshman tight end O.J. Howard, and AJ McCarron should have a wealth of targets to choose from next season.

Michael Bennett/Malcolm Mitchell (Georgia): Before Bennett was injured just prior to the South Carolina game last season, he and Aaron Murray were really developing some nice chemistry. At 6-3 and 208 pounds, Bennett has size, speed and knows how to get open. With a healthy Bennett back in the fold and Mitchell’s ability to get deep, the Bulldogs’ passing game could be even better than it was last season.

Mike Evans/Malcome Kennedy (Texas A&M): The Aggies also signed a trio of talented freshmen who will be on campus this summer. Evans has built off a terrific redshirt freshman season and has been a force this spring. He had more than 200 yards receiving in the scrimmage last weekend. Kennedy had the big catch against Alabama last season and is one of those guys who could really blossom as a fourth-year junior.

Dorial Green-Beckham/Marcus Lucas (Missouri): Everybody’s back for the Tigers with the exception of T.J. Moe. Green-Beckham didn’t take the SEC by storm as a freshman like some predicted, but probably too much was expected. He still caught five touchdown passes and will be much more of an every-down threat as a sophomore. The 6-5, 220-pound Lucas is also back after leading the Tigers with 46 catches and 509 receiving yards last season.

Jarvis Landry/Odell Beckham, Jr. (LSU): Dropped passes plagued the LSU receivers last season, but the entire passing game improved later in the year. Landry is coming off a monster scrimmage last Saturday and is a very good route-runner. He and Beckham combined for 99 catches (seven touchdowns) last season. Also keep an eye on redshirt freshman Travin Dural, who missed last season with a knee injury. He has excellent hands and can stretch the field.

Donte Moncrief/Vince Sanders (Ole Miss): The Rebels’ fans are all excited to see coveted signee Laquon Treadwell, who was ranked by ESPN as the No. 1 receiver in the country. But there are already a few proven playmakers on campus, namely Moncrief. He caught 10 touchdown passes last season and just missed 1,000 yards receiving. He’s one of the SEC’s more underrated players. Sanders averaged 12.9 yards per catch and had four touchdown receptions, while senior Ja-Mes Logan was second on the team with 43 catches.

Schedule: The Crimson Tide will open spring practice on Saturday and conclude the spring with their annual A-Day spring game on April 20 at 3 p.m. ET in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

What’s new: Former Florida International head coach Mario Cristobal will coach the Alabama offensive line. He replaces Jeff Stoutland, who left to become the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line coach. Billy Napier is the Crimson Tide’s new receivers coach and replaces Mike Groh, who left to take a job with the Chicago Bears. Also, Greg Brown will replace Jeremy Pruitt as secondary coach. Pruitt left to take the Florida State defensive coordinator’s job.

On the mend: Senior cornerback John Fulton (toe) and senior receiver Kevin Norwood (toe) will be limited this spring. Fulton is recovering from toe surgery.

On the move: Alabama’s deep enough at receiver that receivers Christion Jones and/or Cyrus Jones could get a look at cornerback this spring.

New faces: The Crimson Tide have nine early enrollees who will go through spring practice. Included are two of their most highly rated true freshmen in the 2013 class – running back Derrick Henry and tight end O.J. Howard. Alabama would like to get the 6-6, 235-pound Howard involved in the passing game right away. Junior college newcomer Leon Brown will get a long look at right tackle on the offensive line.

Key battle: With three starters gone in the offensive line, the battle for the right tackle job could be a closely contested one. Junior Austin Shepherd probably enters the spring as the guy to beat, but don’t count out Brown.

Breaking out: There hasn’t been any shortage of marquee cornerback talent to come through Alabama over the last few years, and sophomore Geno Smith looks like he could be the next great one. He’s poised to take Dee Milliner’s spot and saw his role expand as last season progressed. By the end of the season, he was the Tide’s third defensive back on passing downs. Staying in the secondary, look for talented sophomore Landon Collins to make his presence felt at safety. And on offense, sophomore center Ryan Kelly was impressive during pre-bowl practices last December while filling in for the injured Barrett Jones and working with the first unit.

Don’t forget about: Alabama should be as deep and talented at receiver as it’s been under Nick Saban. Sophomore Amari Cooper returns as one of the premier playmakers in the league. But the Tide will also add redshirt freshman Chris Black to the mix, and Black would have played a lot last season had he not injured his shoulder during the preseason. He’s the one who turned heads during the spring game. Norwood isn’t expected to be out there much this spring, but senior Kenny Bell should be back from a broken leg. And there’s also junior DeAndrew White, who missed most of last season with a knee injury.

All eyes on: T.J. Yeldon was sensational last season while sharing time in the Alabama backfield with Eddie Lacy. They became the first two players in Alabama history to both rush for 1,000 yards in the same season. With Lacy leaving early for the NFL draft, Yeldon gets his shot to be the feature back, although Alabama has played multiple backs under Saban. Everybody will be watching the 6-3, 242-pound Henry this spring after he racked up an incredible 4,261 rushing yards as a high school senior. Don’t sleep on junior Jalston Fowler and sophomore Kenyan Drake. How healthy is sophomore Dee Hart after a couple of knee injuries? There’s also more talent on the way this summer when true freshmen Altee Tenpenny, Alvin Kamara and Alvin Jones arrive. The Tide just seem to breed great running backs.

Editor's note: From now until the start of spring camp on March 16, TideNation will count down the 12 most intriguing players to watch on the Alabama football roster. Today we look at quarterback AJ McCarron.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- What do you do for an encore when you've already won three national championships? How do you follow up a historical season where you write school records and lead the country in passing efficiency? How do you make a senior year special when the previous three have already yielded so much?

These are questions AJ McCarron has already pondered. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have decided to announce his intention to return to school for a final season way back in December. He was on his way to another title game and had the option to turn pro and test the NFL waters. Instead, he thought there was unfinished business to be attended to at Alabama.

"I feel like I can still grow," he said. "Hopefully be able to showcase my talents a little bit more next year. And just grow as a quarterback and a leader."

He said he considered the NFL but felt like it wasn't going anywhere. Also, by staying another season he could see his brother develop at tight end for Alabama. Corey, a rising junior, hasn't played in two seasons at UA but might have an opportunity in 2013 with both the tight end and H-back positions up in the air.

What isn't up in the air is AJ McCarron's legacy. After all, that's what he will be playing for in 2013. If he stays on track and doesn't miss any significant time, he very well could wind up the most decorated quarterback in school history. His name is already being mentioned as a Heisman Trophy contender, an award only one other Alabama player has won.

As he's told reporters, another season on campus also means another year to improve his draft stock. Winning games and setting records is one thing, but impressing NFL types is something different entirely. On that front, his resume isn't already complete. There's always more to prove when it comes to courting future employers.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- They lined the sidelines three- and four-deep to watch pro day at the University of Alabama. Not scouts, not coaches, not general managers. The players, Alabama's underclassmen, showed up between classes to glimpse an event they hope will define the close of their careers in Tuscaloosa years from now.

Alabama has had arguably the most success in all of college football at putting players in the NFL. Coach Nick Saban has produced 24 draft picks since 2009, 11 of which were in the first round. With guard Chance Warmack, cornerback Dee Milliner and running back Eddie Lacy all first-round possibilities in April, that number will rise.

A total of eight former Alabama players worked out in front of personnel from all 32 NFL teams on Wednesday. Jesse Williams, a 320-pound nose guard who ran an eye-opening 4.9 second 40-yard dash, visited with a member of the Indianapolis Colts organization. Milliner didn't participate in drills because of a shoulder injury but still found time to speak with a representative of the New York Jets. On and on the list went, players working toward a future in the pros.

Underclassmen like defensive end Ryan Anderson and defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson watched the convention of former teammates and NFL personnel unfold from a set of bleachers on the far sideline of the indoor practice facility. Quarterback AJ McCarron was joined by rising sophomore receiver Amari Cooper and early enrollee tailback Derrick Henry on a row of stationary bikes, pedaling aimlessly on the turf as they soaked it all in.

After the pro day wrapped up, it would be their turn to change into shorts and cleats and work through similar drills as part of an annual program for underclassmen. The NFL personnel who wished to stay and watch were welcome, getting a head start on some of Alabama's top pro talent for 2014 and beyond.

"I remember doing the junior day like we're about to do after this," Williams said. The 6-foot-3 Austrailian came to Alabama by way of junior college in Arizona, and after two short years he's positioned himself as one of the top interior defensive linemen prospects in the country. "It's been a long way since then, winning national championships and then coming back to do this all again. It's been good and it will be a good experience to keep going."

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Editor's note: From now until the start of spring camp on March 16, TideNation will count down the 12 most intriguing players to watch on the Alabama football roster. Today we look at wide receiver Chris Black.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The offseason is about hype. With no games, few press conferences and no interaction with players, the time between the end of the regular season and spring practice is filled with conjecture and speculation about the depth chart, the rising stars and the players facing make-or-break seasons, among other topics.

Among the issues discussed by Alabama fans, none may be more talked about than wide receiver Chris Black. Though the rookie didn't play a single down during his first year on campus, he's one of the most highly anticipated attractions in 2013: Is he 100 percent? Where will he land on the depth chart? Is there any way he'll actually be better than fellow freshman Amari Cooper?

The questions, as ridiculous as they may seem from the outside looking in, are not unfounded. After all, Black was one of the most impressive youngsters during spring camp a year ago. He came to Alabama as the highest-rated receiver in the class, ranked above Cooper by most major recruiting services. Even Nick Saban, who rarely opens up about true freshman with the media, wasn't shy about discussing Black's talent. When he went down with a season-ending injury to his shoulder prior to the start of the regular season, Saban lamented the turn of events.

"He was doing a really good job and he wants to play so bad he can't see straight," Saban said at the time of the injury. "But this is one of the unfortunate things. We feel bad for him but everybody here is going to be very, very supportive. He's going to be an excellent player for us in the future."

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