2008 was a pivotal year for the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football program. It will be remembered as the year Alabama turned the corner, and became one of the major players in college football again.
In just two years Nick Saban has changed the mindset and attitude at Alabama from... can we win... to when we win.
Going 12-2 caught the entire nation by surprise and even the most optimistic Bama fans were caught off guard by this year's successes.
This year's outgoing senior class played a major role in setting the tone for the underclassmen now there, and the great players yet to come.
Players like John Parker Wilson, Antoine Caldwell, Rashad Johnson, Travis McCall, Bobby Greenwood, Nikita Stover, Marlon Davis and Nick Walker have left their mark on Alabama football.
They have Alabama fans' deepest gratitude for their dedication and hard work.
No longer is Alabama pleading with recruits to give the Tide a chance, with Coach Saban and the new enthusiasm at the Capstone, great recruits are flocking to Tuscaloosa, AL to become part of a program on the rise.
The Tide is rolling and great players want to ride that wave to fame and glory.
With what most experts assessed as the No. 1 recruiting class for 2008, and what is already predicted as another top five class coming in for 2009, no wonder Alabama fans are already counting the days until September 5, 2009. That is when Alabama kicks off its season in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA against preseason Top 10 Virginia Tech Hokies.
With Alabama returning at least 10 players on defense, Alabama looks to improve its No. 6 ranking in total defense set by this years squad. There is much to be excited about but great players like Rashad Johnson, Bobby Greenwood will be missed as leaders and contributors on defense.
On offense the Tide will need to replace long time starter John Parker Wilson at quarterback.
Coach Saban has promised open competition at quarterback starting in the Spring with the odds-on-favorites being Junior Greg McElroy, Starr Jackson and A.J McCarron. Greg McElroy has played in certain situations and really looks poised and competent.
There has also been some talk about South Carolina's quarterback Chris Smelley transferring from South Carolina to play baseball for the Tide. Interesting?
Losing Glenn Coffee early to the NFL would seem somewhat unsettling, but the return of Mark Ingram and Roy Upchurch softens that blow.
Look for incoming Freshman Trent Richardson to make an impact just as soon as he can break into the lineup. Alabama already has players like Jeremy Griffin and others on campus with some game experience at the running-back position .
The offensive line will be a question mark with the loss of Andre Smith and Antoine Caldwell.
Alabama so far has had great success recruiting offensive linemen under Saban and with incoming players like D.J.Fluker and others like Tyler Love, Barrett Jones, and John Michael Boswell already with a year under their belt things could come together quickly at that position.
Alabama loses both tight ends with the departure of Nick Walker and Travis McCall.
Tight ends Chris Underwood, Brad Smelley and Preston Dial have some game experience. So far there aren't any tight ends per say coming in with 2009's recruiting class.
There are some players listed as athletes that could be up for utilized as tight ends and that may be Saban's plan.
At receiver Alabama is running neck and neck with LSU for the top receiver prospect in the country, Rueban Randle. He would make a great addition to Julio Jones and company!
The kicking game is in good hands with the return of Leigh Tiffin and P.J. Fitzgerald returning for their senior seasons.
The coaching staff stays pretty well intact, except for the departure of Kevin Steele. He will be missed especially as a recruiter. Luckily defense is Coach Saban's strength so I feel confident about his forthcoming replacement.
All and all things look bright for 2009, and although 12-2 will be hard to match, fans are optimistic that Alabama will be just as tough to handle in 2009 and even more so in the future as Saban continues to build his program at Alabama.
Alabama is not yet in the position of just reloading, but the ammunition supply is quickly becoming more than sufficient to being able to maintain a championship caliber team for years to come.
With two great recruiting classes under his belt, Saban must be looking at the future and thinking about the great possibilities. So are Alabama fans!
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