Alabama Football: Senior Leaders Key to Crimson Tide's Quest to Repeat

Even though Alabama will field a noticeably younger team this fall, their journey in trying to become the first defending national champion to repeat in over a decade will be guided through bumps in the road by a core group of grounded seniors. 

It is no secret that Alabama will field one of the most talented teams in the country despite losing a host of stars who are set to take their talents to the NFL. 

Alabama went through a similar quest two years ago and ended up going 10-3 after a challenging season that saw them falter late in games against LSU and Auburn. 

While the 2010 team had several key contributors like Heisman Trophy winning running back Mark Ingram, quarterback Greg McElroy and wide receiver Julio Jones returning, the team seemed to be lacking from a leadership standpoint. 

The 2012 team has less returning starters and lacks the star power—like the current NFL players mentioned above—that were available two years ago.

So what makes Crimson Tide fans believe this year will be different?

It may not be, but one thing that will not be lacking is the presence of key senior leaders on both sides of the line of scrimmage. 

On offense, by accepting a position change for the third consecutive season despite playing his previous spot at an All-American level, reigning Outland Trophy winner and fifth-year senior Barrett Jones has proven to be the ultimate example of putting the team first. 

His selflessness will go a long way to setting a precedent that apparently was lacking the last time Nick Saban’s bunch tried to defend their national championship. 

Jones isn’t alone on offense, with fellow elder statesmen flanking him in left guard Chance Warmack and tight end Michael Williams joining him up front. 

On defense, a trio of defenders will enter their fourth and final season (senior defensive tackle and JUCO transfer Jesse Williams is in year two) in Tuscaloosa—defensive end Damion Square, linebacker Nico Johnson and safety Robert Lester—and help to usher along the next wave of potential stars who begin their first year as significant participants. 

Johnson, in particular, has stepped up to take over the as the team’s vocal leader. 

The most important factor for this year’s team is that all of these players were around two years ago, and they can help this year’s team avoid the same pitfalls that led to their demise in big games. 

Now, the group’s biggest—and perhaps most difficult—task that remains is to rewrite history by leading Alabama to its third national title in four seasons. 

Considering what the current senior class has accomplished to this point, betting against them to do the unthinkable would be illogical. 

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