There is an Alabama football game in town this weekend, which has undeniably brought with it the recent chilly temperatures and blustery feeling of football season.
With the Crimson Tide set to take the field inside Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday afternoon for the annual spring game, several questions are left unanswered surrounding the team, what fans can expect this weekend and the course of the offseason.
Here, we try to break down the biggest questions for Alabama this spring:
Who will shine as quarterback?
Senior signal caller Blake Sims has been in the spotlight all spring as the current front-runner to replace AJ McCarron as Alabama’s starting quarterback. Alabama coach Nick Saban said Sims has “shown a lot of command” this spring, and his teammates have done nothing but praised his efforts during practice and the team’s two scrimmages.
“Blake is getting a lot of confidence,” rising junior wide receiver Amari Cooper said. “He’s looking good out there.”
Sims presents the Crimson Tide with a dual-threat quarterback – something it has lacked for quite some time. But how long can Sims keep this up, especially with Jacob Coker set to join the competition this summer? Regardless of that, Sims has surprisingly separated himself from the other quarterbacks this spring.
The only other player to receive snaps with the first team has been redshirt freshman Cooper Bateman. But Sims looks to be in the sole position of stepping in under season next season – for now, at least.
How does Eddie Jackson’s injury affect the secondary?
Rising sophomore cornerback Eddie Jackson recently tore ligaments in his knee and underwent surgery to repair the damage. An injury is never good news for a team, but Jackson’s absence from spring practice was a huge blow for the Crimson Tide. He was set to play a large role in the secondary as the team’s likely No. 1 corner.
With Jackson out for the spring and most of the summer, players like Cyrus Jones and Bradley Sylve are expected to step up at corner. But another player has made strides in his short time on campus.
Early-enrollee cornerback Tony Brown has been receiving more reps with Jackson on the sidelines, and his teammates said he has played well.
“Tony is very competitive,” senior safety Nick Perry said. “He doesn’t like to lose. Even out there in 7-on-7 or 1-on-1s, he’s fighting for the ball a couple minutes after the ball has been caught.”
Brown will be a player to keep an eye on this Saturday.
Can the defensive line apply more pressure on the quarterback?
Alabama’s defensive line was not one of the team’s strong suits last year, as the unit showed weaknesses as the season progressed. The defensive line was severely inconsistent when it came to applying pressure to the quarterback, something Saban has personally pointed out.
“We just weren’t aggressive off the ball,” sophomore defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson said. “This year, we’re just more aggressive and firing out. I think we’re going to get to the quarterback a lot more this year.”
With players like Ed Stinson and Jeoffrey Pagan leaving for the NFL, Alabama will try to find depth along the defensive front come Saturday.
Will we see increased roles for Derrick Henry and O.J. Howard?
Both Henry and Howard displayed glimpses of greatness a season ago, as both players arrived on campus as early enrollees and highly touted recruits. But neither consistently filled up the stat sheet. Henry sat behind T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake in the backfield, while Howard developed as a blocker.
With new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin in town, maybe these two young players will see expanded roles in the Crimson Tide’s offense. They said they have improved after a year in college, something that will cause Alabama fans to leave puddles of drool in the bleachers Saturday afternoon.
“We always push each other, what we both need to work on to get better,” Howard said. “We both had our flashes, but this year we can become an all-around player at both our positions and be consistent with our play.”
