Alabama Crimson Tide

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- There goes the family vacation. Alabama fans planning their annual pilgrimage to Tuscaloosa for the A-Day scrimmage this Saturday were hit with some disappointing news when it was learned that fab freshman tailback Derrick Henry would miss the remainder of spring because of a fractured leg.

A-Day had been built as Henry's opening act. For months, we had heard how talented the former five-star athlete was: A 6-foot-3, 238-pound man-child with the shoulders of a linebacker and the feet of a tailback. Much of signing day was devoted to what position he would play at Alabama: running back, H-back, linebacker, something in between?

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Editor's note: This is a series introducing Alabama's 2013 recruiting class that will continue to run after signing day.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- ESPN 150 running back Altee Tenpenny (North Little Rock, Ark./North Little Rock) was one of the first players to commit to the University of Alabama in the 2013 class. Despite rumors and speculation that he would flip to in-state Arkansas, Tenpenny stayed true to his word and signed with the Crimson Tide. He was one of four running backs in the class. The Arkansas native visited Tuscaloosa last week during his spring break. He plans to enroll this summer.

Q: What made you sign with Alabama?

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- The majority of Alabama’s early enrollees in the 2013 class come from the offensive side of the ball, but the most intriguing newcomer has to be five-star athlete Derrick Henry. How big is he? What’s he look like after a month in the Crimson Tide’s new weight room? Most importantly, what position will he play?

Those questions will be answered on Saturday when Henry takes the field for the first time with his Alabama teammates as the Tide open spring practice.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Last week, the University of Alabama inked the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class for the second year in a row. The class was made up of prospects from 13 different states and featured a combination of skill players and interior linemen.

This week’s O-zone takes a closer look at the class, breaking down its strengths and weaknesses, and singling out a few players who could stand out when they get on campus.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- When the ink dried Wednesday night, the University of Alabama came away with the No. 1 recruiting class for the second year in a row. Coach Nick Saban garners most of the attention, but the job done by his staff should not go unnoticed.

Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart deserves credit for staying with Reuben Foster. The ESPN 150 linebacker initially committed to Alabama and then flipped to Auburn. But in the end, he signed with the Crimson Tide. Smart never gave up on him.

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It was social media at its finest. Using Twitter, we asked you -- the fans -- to ask ESPN 150 running back Altee Tenpenny whatever was on your mind, and he was kind of enough to take some time before signing day to answer your questions.

Tenpenny also confirmed his commitment to the Crimson Tide on Monday night, tweeting out that he was ‘100 percent to Bama.’

Twitter questions
@RazorbackJacked: #AskAltee Will he be choosing between Bama and the Hogs on signing day or just signing with Bama?

Tenpenny: I will just be signing with Alabama.

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Editor's note: From now until signing day, TideNation will examine the remaining uncommitted prospects still considering the University of Alabama. Today, we look at ESPN 150 running back Alvin Kamara.

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Editor’s note: Every Tuesday and Thursday between now and national signing day, TideNation will review each position and look at who figures to start, who could rise up the depth chart and who might be on the way. Today we’ll look at the specialists.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- It’s stretch time for the University of Alabama. With the exception of five-star defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes, the Crimson Tide have hosted all of their remaining targets for official visits, and now it’s a countdown to signing day.

Over the weekend, the UA staff and commitment Bradley Bozeman agreed to a grayshirt next year, which opens up another spot in the 2013 class. The Tide now can add five, possibly six more recruits over the next two weeks.

This week’s O-zone looks at who is most likely to fill the remaining spots and also previews this weekend’s junior day in Tuscaloosa.

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A little behind on the recruiting trail? Worry not -- TideNation has you covered. To catch you up on where the Alabama recruiting class of 2013 stands, we'll take you through the high points, including how the coaching staff has addressed certain needs and set the team up for seasons to come.

Team needs: With three of five starting offensive linemen and two of three defensive lineman starters off to the NFL draft, Alabama was forced to focus on finding help in the trenches. Nick Saban and the rest of the UA coaching staff had success filling those needs with the 2013 class, particularly along the offensive line. The Crimson Tide secured the commitments of four offensive linemen, one coming by way of a junior college in New York. Leon Brown, who was ranked in the top 20 of all junior college prospects by ESPN, could find himself competing for the starting right tackle job vacated by D.J. Fluker.

Help is on the way: Outside of the lines, Alabama was once again in search of talented athletes to continue bringing potency to an offense that's been on a steady rise the past few years. Amari Cooper and T.J. Yeldon were difference makers in 2012 and there could be one or two who do the same this year. Derrick Henry, the No. 1 athlete in the country and Alabama's lone five-star commitment, could be the biggest wild card of the class. At 6-foot-3 and 243 pounds, he's an option at tailback, H-back and possibly linebacker. He'll begin at running back, where he set a national career rushing yards record at Yulee High in Florida.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Coming off its second straight national championship, the University of Alabama hosted a parade on Saturday to honor this year’s team. With more than 30,000 people coming into town, it was a perfect weekend to host recruits, and the Crimson Tide took advantage, hosting 12 official visitors.

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When Bret Bielema took over as the Arkansas head coach, he made ESPN 150 running back and Alabama commitment Altee Tenpenny a priority for the Razorbacks’ 2013 class. Over the weekend, Tenpenny took his official visit to Fayetteville.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- On Monday, the University of Alabama picked up commitment No. 21 for the class of 2013 when ESPN 150 defensive end Tim Williams committed to the Crimson Tide following his official visit to Tuscaloosa this past weekend.

With the latest addition, this year’s class is beginning to fill up fast with just a few precious spots still available. This week’s O-zone takes a look at the remaining targets, who Alabama will likely finish with and which top recruits will be on campus this weekend as the Tide celebrate their latest national championship.

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