Alabama Crimson Tide

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.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- They never took a snap that meant much, but it didn't keep Alabama's second-team offensive line from taking pride in its work last season. The "Touchdown Twos" they'd call themselves, a hungry group of reserves eager to make the most out of the garbage time at the end of games.

Alabama had no trouble getting out to a big lead last season -- the Tide averaged a two-touchdown lead at the half and won games by an average of nearly 28 points -- which meant plenty of playing time for offensive linemen like Ryan Kelly, Austin Shepherd and Arie Kouandjio. The fourth-quarter reps they'd receive would add up to nearly two full games by the time the season was over.

The snaps would also prove invaluable as all three reserves are now projected starters on a line that will also feature Anthony Steen and Cyrus Kouandjio.

"That was awesome," said Kelly, who is tasked with replacing Barrett Jones at center. "I remember the first game going in against Michigan. There’s five minutes left in the fourth quarter and I hadn’t played in a game since my senior year in high school. It was my second year and I was so nervous. I didn’t know what we were supposed to do, got in there, messed everything up. Arkansas (Week 3) came around and we’re beating them pretty good at halftime and come into the third quarter, they asked us to play the third, the rest of the fourth and from there you just feel more comfortable as the games go on.

"I give all the credit to the ones for making that happen. That’s only going to spark our careers and every rep you get in a college game is more valuable than you can imagine."

Kelly and Co. made the most of their opportunity, not just sustaining leads in the fourth quarter, but building upon them. After a few late scores, the Touchdown Twos were born.

"That was something we joked around about when we went in because that was our chance to shine because we couldn’t get the playing time," Shepherd, the projected starter at right tackle, said. "Touchdown Twos, try to score, have fun with it. It was just kind of a joke."

Looking back, though, Kelly said it was more than a joke. The twos were learning a lesson. They were learning how to be starters.

"Being a one is a little more serious," Kelly said. "Being a two you still need to be ready but at the same time mentally it’s kind of hard. You don’t know if you’re going to play so you get ready mentally, but at the same time you might not play. That’s the best you can ask for, to go out and have fun with it."

Kouandjio, who is battling for the starting job at left guard, said the fourth-quarter experience was just the beginning, he explained.

"We’re going to keep building," he said, "keep stacking those bricks.”

As Alabama hits the homestretch of spring practice, a picture of the offensive line is emerging. The area once viewed as the biggest question mark this offseason is suddenly one of the team's most promising units.

"I like the way the offensive line is progressing," UA coach Nick Saban said on Wednesday. "They obviously need to continue to improve, but Arie has really had a good spring and done a nice job at left guard. Kellen Williams continues to make improvement, and he's playing center and guard. Austin Shepherd and (Leon Brown) both are making good progress at right tackle. Some of the other younger players are making progress as well. Ryan Kelly has really done a good job at center.

"That part of it, I feel like is taking shape. I think we have some other parts of our team that we really have to be concerned about, trying to get some depth created, but I kind of like the way the offensive line is coming along."

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Year after year, the tone is the same. Nick Saban, stubborn and strong-willed as ever, opens spring camp at Alabama with a similar message: Forget the past season, forget the championship, forget everything you've done.

"Every year you've got to reinvent your team," he told reporters after the first day of practice three weeks ago.

For the 61-year-old head coach of the defending champions, both eyes are locked firmly on the future. Time spent in the past is time wasted. There are too many more important questions to be considered.

"Who are going to be the leaders?" he asked. "Who are going to be the guys that set an example? Who steps forward as young players who show that they have the responsibility to do a job and be dependable in doing that job so that we have a chance to play winning football with them?"

In the time since Alabama has opened camp, Saban and his staff have been busy. First, assistant coaches like Mario Cristobal (offensive line), Billy Napier (wide receivers) and Greg Brown (secondary) needed to be acclimated to the environment. Then came the position changes. Eleven starters had to be replaced and some weak spots on both sides of the ball needed patching. Running back Dee Hart and wide receivers Christion Jones and Cyrus Jones were moved to cornerback at the start of camp and all three remained there through the Tide's first scrimmage.

But now that Alabama has entered the homestretch -- only six practices remain in the spring -- the outlook of the team is starting to take shape. Ryan Kelly has solidified his role as the team's starter at center, replacing All-American Barrett Jones; Geno Smith is solidifying his spot as the team's No. 2 cornerback, picking up where future first-round pick Dee Milliner left off; and C.J. Mosley is stepping into an even larger role, going from the most popular reserve in the country to a full-time starter for the first time in his already decorated career.

It's a start, Saban said, but not anything more than that. AJ McCarron is his quarterback, T.J. Yeldon is his running back; this much he knows. It's what he doesn't that's bothersome. After Alabama's first scrimmage on Saturday, Saban voiced his frustration. Halfway through the spring, he wasn't seeing the answers he'd liked.

"We're not where we'd love to be or would like to be," he said. "… It all starts with guys being able to sustain the kind of mental intensity you need to have to be a good football player, especially when things get a little tough, it gets a little tough, you get a little bit tired. We just don't have the mental toughness we need from enough guys to sustain things, pay attention to detail, and do the little things right so we can execute better as a team."

He continued: "We had some guys play well, but kind of hit and miss right now. We don't have enough guys doing the right things the right way all the time."

Sound familiar? It should. Rewind the tape to this time a year ago and you'll notice the same displeased tone. Whether it's genuine disappointment or a never-ending battle to fight complacency through the press, Saban is nothing if not consistent.

"I’m talking about things like effort, toughness, focus to execute, the kind of intensity you need to do your job on a consistent basis," he said following the Tide's first scrimmage of the spring a year ago.

His message got through then, but will it this time around? With so much success built up over the past few years, can it be sustained?

With it being the spring, the answers to those questions remain unknown. Saban isn't interested in the past and he's not terribly excited about looking that much farther into the future. A-Day is right around the corner and there's too much work to be done for him to take his eye off the ball now.

In Tuscaloosa, it's been as it's always been since Saban arrived: A process.

"We don't have enough guys doing the right things the right way all the time," he said. "That's something we really need to work on. It's a work in progress to try to continue to improve."

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: From now until the start of spring camp March 16, TideNation will count down the 12 most intriguing players to watch on the Alabama football roster. Today we look at center Ryan Kelly.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- For the Alabama Crimson Tide to have the season they hope for, the offensive line must come together -- and in a hurry. With a season-opening date against Virginia Tech in Atlanta, followed by a trip to College Station, Texas, to visit the Texas A&M Aggies, time is of the essence. There are just two offensive linemen returning from last season, and without a strong front five it will be difficult, if not impossible, for Alabama to repeat as national champion.

Chemistry will be vital. Without it, talent means nothing. It's what made last season's line so good. The players weren't just skilled, they worked well together. Rediscovering that delicate composition of guard, tackle and center will begin in a few weeks when spring practice starts and new offensive line coach Mario Cristobal takes over the reins from the departed Jeff Stoutland.

Cristobal will rely on aid from Ryan Kelly. The rising redshirt sophomore is a shoo-in to replace Barrett Jones at center. Kelly, who signed with Alabama in 2011 as the No. 4 center in the country, was with the second team for the last two springs and spent several weeks running with the first unit during bowl practice, while Jones sat out with an injury. During that time, Kelly gained the respect of many of his teammates.

Jones has called Kelly a more talented center than he'd ever hope to become. Chance Warmack chimed in later, adding that Kelly was an "exceptional young player" who catches on well to the schemes.

"He's keen on carrying me and taking control in terms of making the right calls," Warmack said of Kelly on Dec. 27. "Knowing the scheme, what it takes to be a starter at center on the offensive line. He's doing a really good job."

Though he has yet to start a game in his career, Kelly understands the responsibility of the playing center. While he enjoys the recognition his teammates have already given him, he said he's trying not to get a big head about it and continues to work hard to improve. As the one calling protections, he's the captain of the line, though Cyrus Kouandjio and Anthony Steen are senior to him in status. Ultimately, the success of the entire line rests with him.

"When I make a call, that’s what everyone else makes his call off of," Kelly told reporters before the BCS National Championship. "So if I’m wrong, everyone else is wrong."

And if everyone else on the line is wrong, nothing will work. The ball starts off in the center's hands, not the quarterback and not the running back. While other flashier positions might gather more attention when spring camp opens March 16, at the end of the day there might not be a more important person to the health of the offense as a whole than Kelly.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama went to the well once more when it hired offensive line coach Mario Cristobal. Two years ago, coach Nick Saban stole Jeff Stoutland away from the University of Miami, and with Cristobal he did the same. He can only hope the move pays off as well the second time around.

On the face of it, it should. Cristobal is already being hailed as a home-run hire, and with good reason. The former Florida International head coach has a strong resume and well-rooted ties to the South Florida recruiting scene, an area Stoutland patrolled for two years at UA. Cristobal is young (42 years old), ambitious (he all but built the FIU program from nothing) and energetic. He was hired by Miami as its tight ends and assistant head coach on Jan. 11 and some of the first words out of his mouth were about hitting the recruiting trail hard.

"With three weeks to go in recruiting, it’s about attack mode," Cristobal told reporters at his introductory press conference."Wherever I need to go, wherever I need to be sent, whatever I need to accomplish, anything involving 2014 or ’15, it’s ‘,Go!’ There’s no time to rest."

Said Miami coach Al Golden at the time: ""Clearly his expertise as an O-line coach, a tight ends coach, a guy that has coached many positions and obviously has cultivated talent and recruited in this area, it was just too good a package for us to pass up."

It was too good for Saban to pass up as well. That type of aggressiveness is music to the 61-year-old head coach's ears. Enthusiasm goes a long way on the recruiting trail and in the UA football offices. Cristobal helped the Hurricanes have the 21st-ranked recruiting class in the country, according to ESPN. Four-star receiver Stacy Coley surprised many by choosing Miami on signing day.

Saban praised Cristobal in a news release on Wednesday, calling it "an important hire in terms of working with our offensive line and we feel fortunate that we were able to hire a coach of Mario’s caliber."

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- As Barrett Jones slowly makes his way back into playing shape, the question has to be asked: What if he can't go? What if Alabama's most experienced offensive lineman, and the leader of the offense as a whole, can't play?

The answer is relatively simple. Of all the shuffling that's been done on the second-team offensive line, there's never been a question about who Jones' heir apparent will be. Ryan Kelly, a former four-star and top-five prospect at his position in the 2011 class, is next in line. It's something Jones was all too happy to talk about in mid-November.

"He's my protege, the guy that I've been training up to be the next center, and I think he's going to be an outstanding player and somebody who's going be to a lot of fun for you guys to watch," Jones said of Kelly after beating Western Carolina.

Jones would sprain his foot two weeks later against Georgia in the SEC championship game, hobbling to the stage on crutches. He insisted he would be ready to play against Notre Dame but was held out of practice until Tuesday with Kelly taking all the first-team reps.

"He's extremely quick and explosive," Jones said of his backup. "He just has great feet and body quickness. He's a whole heck of a lot more talented than I am."

The opinion isn't just Jones, who is fond of flattering his teammates. Chance Warmack, Alabama's All-America guard, said Kelly is "an exceptional young player."

"[He] catches on very fast with the scheme of things. I don't really see him as a young player. I see him as a veteran. He's keen on carrying me and taking control in terms of making the right calls. Knowing the scheme, what it takes to be a starter at center on the offensive line. He's doing a really good job."

AJ McCarron joked that life has been easier without Jones snapping him the football at practice. The junior quarterback who leads the country in passing efficiency is close friends with Jones and has told him, "Practice is easier because I don't have to hear him talk."

"I like having him out there, and we kind of go back and forth with each other," McCarron said. "Kelly’s done an excellent job. I have all the confidence in the world in Kelly. I know he can play. When he gets his time he’ll be ready to play, and be ready to show what he can do."

Though Jones stated Wednesday that he will be ready, Kelly has been preparing as if he will have to play. Coach Nick Saban said he was hopeful Jones could practice five times before the game, but he won't be able to do that with just three practices remaining.

Even if Kelly doesn't play during the game, the reps he's getting in practice will be a benefit heading into spring and fall camp where he's expected to step in as the starter at center when Jones is playing in an NFL camp.

"Coach [Jeff] Stoutland always tells us that it can happen to anybody and everybody needs to be ready for it," Warmack said. "He's always been ready. This is his opportunity to contribute not only to the offensive line, but the team. He's doing an excellent job."

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 center Barrett Jones.

No. 75 Barrett Jones
Center
First-team All-America selection

Role in 2012: Jones continued to do what he has done throughout his career: change positions, make it look easy and rack up the awards.

The good: The redshirt senior made the transition to center appear seamless this season. He did not allow a sack in 266 pass attempts, according to Alabama. The offense hummed along, and, despite a few hiccups in pass coverage, the Crimson Tide were able to move the ball with striking efficiency. UA ranked 20th in rushing offense and averaged more than 38 points per game.

The bad: That little "hiccup" was Jones' biggest deficiency. Alabama allowed 23 sacks this season, ranking a pedestrian 53rd nationally. Jones said the errors in pass protection were, in part, a result of poor communication. As the center and leader of the offensive line, the majority of the blame therefor falls on his shoulders.

Crystal ball: It might not be such a stretch to call Jones one of the most decorated Alabama football players of all time. His four seasons playing for coach Nick Saban have been some of the most successful in school history, both personally and as a team member. He followed up winning the Outland Trophy at left tackle in 2011 by taking home the Rimington Trophy this season. If Alabama beats Notre Dame on Jan. 7, he would have three championship rings. Next stop: The NFL. Jones will likely go somewhere before the fourth round in April's draft. Redshirt freshman Ryan Kelly is a shoo-in to replace Jones next season. Jones called the former center ranked No. 4 in the 2010 signing class his protege and claimed he is "a whole heck of a lot more talented than I am."