Age was supposed to be Alabama’s weakness heading into the 2012 season. Instead, it turned out to be one of its strengths.
The Crimson Tide lost 10 of its 22 starters from last season, three of whom were juniors that declared for the NFL Draft. It left Alabama with holes at crucial positions, notably at running back and wide receiver.
But true freshmen, two in particular, have stepped up in big ways.
Running back T.J. Yeldon has already rushed for 565 yards and six touchdowns. He exploded for 111 in Alabama’s first game of the season against Michigan, setting the UA record for a true freshman in his debut. He’s posted back-to-back 100-yard games in Alabama’s last two outings, totaling 144 against Missouri and 129 against Tennessee.
“He’s a great football player,” said junior running back Eddie Lacy, whom Yeldon has played behind this season. “I really can’t wait to see him two or three years from now.”
Wide receiver Amari Cooper’s emergence wasn’t as sudden but has been equally impressive. A fellow true freshman, Cooper posted 84 yards and two touchdowns after receiver DeAndrew White left the game with a knee injury. If he wasn’t already, Cooper arrived on the scene Saturday in Knoxville , Tenn., with 162 yards and two touchdowns. It could have been more if a 30-yard screen pass he took for a touchdown hadn’t been called back for a holding penalty.
“He’s been making big plays for us,” junior wide receiver Kevin Norwood said. “That’s what we need down the field. He comes out in practice every week and practices hard. AJ [McCarron] has a lot of confidence in him.”
Yeldon and Cooper have made most of the headlines, but other freshmen are contributing in other ways as well, mostly on special teams. Safety Landon Collins blocked a punt against Missouri, setting up the UA offense with a short field that it turned into a touchdown. Wide receiver Cyrus Jones handled punt return duties with Christion Jones hobbled, drawing praise from head coach Nick Saban for his ability to cut up field.
The early impacts speak to a number of different factors. One is the sheer talent Saban is recruiting, while work ethic and opportunity also play key roles.
“I think the two guys we have that are contributing offensively for us the most have become pretty complete players for us pretty quickly,” Saban said of Yeldon and Cooper. “That speaks to their maturity, preparation, how they practice, what they do every day.”
It’s not uncommon for freshmen to see the field this early under Saban. Julio Jones notched 924 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a freshman in 2008. Trent Richardson carried for 751 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009.
Both players were highly recruited out of high school and considered gems of their respective classes. Their skill level and ability enabled them to get on the field and play critical roles right off the bat.
“It speaks that we’ve been able to recruit some guys who are good enough players at certain positions to be able to contribute,” Saban said.
Yeldon was almost a unanimous five-star recruit among recruiting services out of high school. His late flip from Auburn to Alabama drew national attention, but his teammates saw why he was so highly-regarded during spring practice and fall camp.
“We’re used to freshman running backs around here having an impact,” center Barrett Jones said after A-Day, where Yeldon was named MVP. “That’s exactly what I expected from him. Certainly I think he may be the next great one in a long line of running backs.”
Cooper wasn’t quite as highly touted coming out of high school, a four-star by most experts. But the receiver showed skills that made many believe he could be the next great receiver at Alabama.
“When you look at him, he’s the total package,” said Aaron Suttles, senior recruiting analyst for TideSports.com. “He has everything you want out of a receiver.”
Yeldon and Cooper were also helped by the fact that the pair enrolled early in January, getting a semester under their belt at Alabama before the season began.
“The one thing about freshmen, if you’re going to play at Alabama, you really almost have to be an early enrollee,” Suttles said. “The guys that are going to get the most playing time, I feel, are the guys who go through spring practice, get acclimated to what it’s like being a true student-athlete and get accustomed to that program.”
Part of Yeldon and Cooper’s success, however, has come from the fact that they play at positions conducive to early playing time. As a running back or a receiver, the pair can focus on running a handful of plays extremely well, subbing in and out for those particular plays.
“If you’re an offensive lineman, you’ve got to know who to block on every play, every pass protection, and every mistake you make, somebody’s going to get blown up,” Saban said. “At running back, if you can carry the ball effectively and learn the five or six running plays you’ve got, you can do that and contribute in the game. You can be a very good receiver and be effective in running certain pass routes and be effective at doing that. You don’t have to be complete to be able to contribute at some of those positions.”
On defense, where a player must be prepared for every possible scenario the offense could run, the prospect is nearly non-existent.
“I think it’s harder on the defensive side of the ball,” senior linebacker Nico Johnson said. “It’s an NFL-style defense and it’s real difficult. The defense is not hard, it’s just the terminology. Coach Saban’s terminology, when you come in as a freshman, you want to do everything right and it’s not gonna happen. So coming in on that side of the ball is just real hectic.”
Sophomore safety Vinnie Sunseri and junior linebacker C.J. Mosley are a few of the exceptions. Mosley recorded 67 tackles and two interceptions, playing in mostly passing situations his freshman year. Sunseri, meanwhile, played a key role on special teams last season as a freshman, and eventually at safety after an injury to Will Lowery.
“Coach Saban always wants the best players to be on the field,” Sunseri said. “And if you create opportunities during practice and give yourself opportunities and show you know the defense well enough during practice, then he’ll allow you to create opportunities during games, and that’s what he wants to see.”
“If you have the talent and play up to coach Saban’s standards, then I’m pretty sure you can play whenever you want,” Norwood said.
Cooper and Yeldon have also been aided by injuries to players at their positions that have left gaps for them to fill. White and running backs Dee Hart and Jalston Fowler sustained season-ending knee injuries, giving the two freshmen an increased role.
“They’re both making the most of it, and they’ve really earned the playing time that they’ve gotten,” Suttles said.
Cooper, Yeldon and other freshmen have shown that Alabama’s future could be just as bright as its present. They’ve shown star recruits that an immediate impact can be made right away given the talent, work ethic and right situation presents themselves.
“I’m not really surprised by either of their production once they got their opportunity,” Suttles said. “Given everything that I watched from T.J. Yeldon and then watching Amari, I just knew they had what it took.”
