Alabama Crimson Tide

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. -- AJ McCarron was almost giddy when he spoke with ESPN's Tom Rinaldi on the morning of national signing day. Alabama's junior quarterback has won two national championships as a starter, and he broke all kinds of passing records this past season. And despite all he has accomplished, the steely, strong-armed veteran had something to get worked up about, something to look forward to next season.

McCarron wasn't smiling because of the big board of recruits being filled up in the Alabama football offices. He checked out of the recruiting game the minute he signed his own national letter of intent. The quarterback instead went flush when Rinaldi asked what excited him most about the upcoming season.

"My receivers," McCarron answered, laughing nervously. "I look out there and see the explosive guys out wide that can make plays."

McCarron won't lack for options in the passing game in 2013. All of his starters return, including fab freshman Amari Cooper. Cooper, Kevin Norwood and Christion Jones will be joined by a talented group of backups: DeAndrew White, Kenny Bell, Chris Black, Marvin Shinn and Cyrus Jones. Throw in the two wideout prospects and one tight end signed on Wednesday and the list of targets goes up. Robert Foster, the No. 2 receiver in the ESPN 150, and O.J. Howard, the second-ranked tight end/H-back in the country, will make an impact sooner or later.

"We have different types of receivers -- bigger guys, smaller guys that are fast," McCarron told Rinaldi. "It's going to be a fun year for our offense."

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The final game of the 2012-13 college football season is almost upon us. After more than five weeks of preparation, Alabama and Notre Dame will meet at Sun Life Field in Miami Gardens to battle for the BCS National Championship.

In advance of the game, let's look at five key storylines for the Crimson Tide:

1. The long layoff: UA coach Nick Saban thrives under these types of game situations. When everything is on the line and he has time for extra preparation, he's nearly unbeatable. In fact, he's 7-1 in championship games and he has never lost a national title game. But the layoff was interesting in another respect, too. The time away from the football field was invaluable for three players nursing injuries. Had Barrett Jones not had a full five weeks, who knows if he'd be playing. Linebacker Denzel Devall would not have been able to participate after hurting his knee. And what about wide receiver Kenny Bell? It's a surprise the junior is even on a football field right now after breaking his leg in the Iron Bowl.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Watching Kenny Bell run through drills and speed through his routes, it's hard to believe that only a month ago he broke his tibia, an injury that required surgery. But as the scars form, the junior wide receiver who was Alabama's best deep threat at the position is trying to get himself prepared for Notre Dame and Miami. The trip to South Beach for the BCS Championship Game is only days away.

"He's doing pretty well," sophomore wideout Christion Jones said. It's common for Alabama to allow injured players to stay away from speaking to the media. "He's doing really well to get back and get ready and get involved in practice."

Jones, who himself dealt with a sprained ankle earlier in the season, said he's been surprised by Bell's recovery. Though Bell is still limited in what he can do and continues to wear a black no-contact jersey, the fact that he's even on the field is impressive to Jones, his sophomore teammate from Adamsville, Ala.

"He's recovering quick and hopefully he'll be back and ready to play against Notre Dame," Jones said.

Coach Nick Saban said on Dec. 18 that Bell was "cleared to start doing some things" and that "how he does, how he manages, what his tolerance is to activity is will be determined as we go." Saban added then that he couldn't "make a call as to whether he'll play in the game or not at this juncture."

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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 quarterback AJ McCarron.

No. 10 AJ McCarron
Quarterback
Third team All-American selection

Role in 2012: McCarron didn't have to think about battling to become the full-time starting quarterback this season as backup Phillip Sims transferred to Virginia.

The good: The junior took his game to another level in his second year starting under center. For most of the season he led the country in passing efficiency, andn despite a few below-average performances at the tail end of the year, he finished that way, beating out the likes of Georgia's Aaron Murray and West Virginia's Geno Smith. McCarron threw 26 touchdowns to three interceptions, with 2,669 passing yards so far.

The bad: Beyond seeking out another national championship, there's a reason McCarron decided to return for his senior season. His inconsistency down the stretch revealed that there's still work to be done on his game. Whether it was getting happy feet in the pocket, making uncharacteristic reads or letting a ball sail too high, McCarron underwhelmed in key moments against LSU, Texas A&M and Georgia, and with so many NFL scouts watching, he couldn't afford to.

Crystal ball: The good news for McCarron is that while his dream of playing in the pros waits, his receiving corps at Alabama gets stronger. He'll benefit from a number of quality receivers. Outside of the projected starters Kevin Norwood, Christion Jones and Amari Cooper, Alabama will tout talented backups in Kenny Bell, DeAndrew White, Chris Black and Cyrus Jones. As cornerback Dee Milliner put it, "If he comes back with the weapons we have at receiver, he can be unbelievable."

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 wide receiver Amari Cooper.

No. 9 Amari Cooper
Wide receiver
53 receptions, 895 yards, 9 touchdowns

Role in 2012: Cooper began the season as a backup receiver but progressed quickly into a starting role, thanks to injuries to Kenny Bell and DeAndrew White.

The good: The freshman didn't waste much time showing what he can do at Alabama, flashing an above-average ability to get behind defenders and catch passes in traffic. He caught his first pass against Michigan in the season opener, two more against Western Kentucky the following week and hauled in his first career touchdown a week later. It wasn't long before he was breaking the century mark in receiving yards, which he did four times this season, and catching multiple touchdowns in a single game, which he did three times.

The bad: For a rookie, there was very little to pick on in Cooper's game. He was just as adept catching short- and medium-range passes as he was going deep. He could abuse second-tier talent such as Florida Atlantic just as easily as he did the likes of future NFL safety Baccari Rambo and Georgia. The only concern might have come in the SEC Championship in what was arguably the play of the game. Cooper showed his youth on the game-winning touchdown pass from McCarron. Instead of running his route and trusting the play, Cooper looked back midway and slowed down, thinking the ball was going elsewhere. While he was able to outrun the mistake, plays like that will catch up with him.

Crystal ball: There's no doubt Alabama has a go-to receiver for years to come in Cooper. He's the most successful freshman receiver the Tide have had since Julio Jones. Cooper is a complete wideout with the talent to develop into a first-round pick by the time his career in Tuscaloosa has come to a close. He'll be further aided next season with quarterback AJ McCarron returning for his senior year and the wide receiver corps getting a much-needed boost in terms of depth with the return of Bell, White and freshman Chris Black.

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 wide receiver Kevin Norwood.

No. 83 Kevin Norwood
Wide receiver
26 receptions, 395 yards, 4 touchdowns

Role in 2012: Norwood picked up where he left off late last season, becoming a consistent possession receiver for the Crimson Tide.

The good: The junior stepped up as a leader of the young receiving corps that lost all three of its starters from a season ago. Despite battling his own nagging injuries, Norwood became a reliable target for quarterback AJ McCarron, especially late in games. His three straight receptions in the fourth quarter against LSU kept the Tide's perfect season alive.

The bad: Norwood's inability to stay on the field consistently hampered the passing game as a whole. Outside of Norwood and Amari Cooper, there were no reliable outside receivers. DeAndrew White and Kenny Bell both went down with season-ending injuries, Chris Black never started a game after injuring his shoulder in pre-season camp and neither Marvin Shinn or Cyrus Jones were able to step up in their absence.

Crystal ball: Norwood's return will allow for more flexibility in the receiving corps next season. If he can stay healthy, he would presumably start alongside Cooper and slot receiver Christion Jones. That would leave Bell, White and Black coming off the bench, plus any unknowns that might present themselves in spring or fall camp.

A conference title and a trip to the national championship are both on the line Saturday.

For Alabama, one of its top receiving weapons is down. Facing the SEC's No. 2 pass defense, this isn't exactly what coach Nick Saban or his team needed in what is now the biggest game of the season.

But that doesn't mean the Crimson Tide is void of talent at that position. For starters, freshman Amari Cooper has been fantastic this season, catching a team-high 47 passes for 767 yards and eight touchdowns.

However, Georgia knows what Cooper can do and will stop at nothing to neutralize him Saturday. That means someone has to step up with Kenny Bell, arguably Alabama's best deep threat, out. Someone has to take the pressure off Cooper and provide some help for quarterback AJ McCarron.

That person will be junior Kevin Norwood, who has quietly compiled 26 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns. He isn't exactly the deep threat that Bell was, but a solid outing from him should help Alabama's offense be the balanced unit it wants to be against Georgia's top-flight defense.

The Tide could get by on running the ball a little more. Running backs Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon have more than proved that they are capable of having the offense run through them. But with a defense like Georgia's, which is playing its best and has allowed an average of 59.3 rushing yards and just 1.9 yards per carry in its past three SEC games, the Tide needs balance.

It needs to be able to go over the top, and it needs Norwood to step up. This offense operates at its best when it can keep the defense guessing with the run and play-action. According to ESPN Stats & Information, McCarron is completing 73.3 percent of his passes off play-action this season. He's thrown 10 touchdown passes off play-action -- twice as many as last season -- and seven of those have come on passes thrown 20 yards or longer.

So if Alabama is going to walk out of the Georgia Dome with a victory, Norwood has to play at a different level, and he will. Cooper will help take some pressure away from him, but Norwood has good speed on the outside, which will help him beat Georgia on a couple of big plays Saturday. He's also tough enough to extend plays and drives when he's draped by defenders.

Norwood has battled a leg injury for most of the season, but he says he's better than ever, which makes him that much more of a problem for Georgia's defense. A healthier Norwood will pierce the defense with critical conversions to keep Alabama moving.

Norwood has been solid to this point, but there's more on his plate this weekend. When his number is repeatedly called, he'll repeatedly step up to get Alabama closer and closer to its second straight trip to the national title game.

For the first time, Alabama and Georgia will meet in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday in the Georgia Dome. Here’s a look at what to watch in a contest that’s a play-in game for the Discover BCS National Championship Game:

1. All eyes on Murray: Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray has been quiet this week. He cut off all media interviews and instead devoted all his focus to the biggest game he or anybody on this team has played since arriving in Athens. Murray will go down as one of the most prolific quarterbacks in SEC history. He has passed for 3,201 yards and 30 touchdowns this season and leads the SEC in passing efficiency with a 177.1 rating. He is the first player in SEC history to have three straight 3,000-yard passing seasons and has 89 career touchdown passes, tying him with Peyton Manning for second place all-time in the SEC. What Murray hasn’t done is play particularly well in big games. He could shed that label forever by leading the Bulldogs to a win. Quarterbacks’ legacies are shaped by how they perform in these types of games. Murray is playing his best football right now. Ever since the Florida game, when he was picked off three times, he has thrown 13 touchdown passes and zero interceptions in four games.

2. Making plays at receiver: Both teams have suffered casualties at receiver this season. Most recently, Alabama lost Kenny Bell for the season when he broke his leg last week against Auburn. Georgia earlier this season lost Michael Bennett and Marlon Brown to injuries. Tavarres King has quietly had a big season for the Bulldogs with eight touchdown catches, and Malcolm Mitchell will also be key in this game with his ability to make big plays down the field. More than ever, Alabama will lean on freshman Amari Cooper in the passing game with Bell out. Cooper has eight touchdown catches and is averaging 17 yards per catch. Alabama coach Nick Saban is also prepared to pull the redshirt off Chris Black, who hurt his shoulder in August and underwent surgery. Black is healthy and wants to play in this game.

3. Denting Alabama’s defense: Alabama leads the country in scoring defense for the second straight season. One of the reasons why is that the Crimson Tide simply don’t give up big plays. They have allowed 89 plays this season that have gained 10 yards or more, which is nine fewer than any other Football Bowl Subdivision team. Opponents are averaging 1.9 drives per game against Alabama that reach the red zone, the lowest average among FBS teams. Running the ball in the red zone against Alabama has been nearly impossible. The Crimson Tide are allowing 0.82 yards per rush in the red zone this season, the lowest average in FBS. What makes this such an intriguing matchup is that Georgia has specialized in generating big plays on offense. The Bulldogs have 75 plays that have gained 20 yards or more, which ranks seventh among FBS teams. The only game this season that they didn’t have a play of at least 30 yards was their 35-7 loss to South Carolina.

4. Winning the big ones: This is a stage Alabama is accustomed to being on, and the Crimson Tide have been at their best in marquee games under Saban. They are 3-1 against nationally ranked teams this season and have won nine of their past 11 games against nationally ranked foes. Georgia, on the other hand, has faced just two nationally ranked teams this season. The Bulldogs beat Florida 17-9 and lost to South Carolina 35-7. Georgia has struggled the past few seasons against nationally ranked opponents, losing eight of its last 11 games to teams ranked in the Top 25. The win over Florida on Oct. 27 was Georgia’s first win against a top-10 opponent since the 2009 season and its first win against an SEC team ranked in the top 10 since beating No. 9 Florida 42-30 in 2007.

5. Forcing turnovers: It’s no coincidence that Alabama and Georgia lost the turnover battle in each of their losses this season. Alabama turned the ball over three times in its 29-24 loss to Texas A&M, which didn’t turn the ball over at all. Georgia had one turnover and South Carolina none in the Bulldogs’ loss to the Gamecocks. Which defense can force the most turnovers in this game? Alabama has scored 157 points off turnovers this season, the most in the SEC and fourth most in the FBS. For the season, Alabama is plus-14 and Georgia plus-9 in turnover margin. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron has thrown just two interceptions all season, and both came in the Texas A&M loss. Murray has thrown seven interceptions this season but hasn’t thrown any in five of his last six outings. The exception was the Florida game when he threw three.