Alabama is not a school known for its wide receivers. In fact, Alabama has never been known for its offensive prowess.
But in the past few years, Alabama's offensive production has steadily increased, especially through the air.
The season record for most passing yards has been shattered for three consecutive seasons, and one of the keys to that success was DJ Hall.
Hall, who graduated in the spring, leaves Alabama as the all-time leading receiver in school history. He is the only wideout in the history of the Crimson Tide to have back-to-back or multiple 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
Hall was a deep threat for the Tide, but he also wasn't afraid to go over the middle and take the hit when needed.
Even though many fans got fed up with his attitude problems near the end of the 2007 season, his athletic ability will be sorely missed in 2008—or so it seems.
With the nation's best recruiting class coming to campus this week, Alabama hopes to have the tools to reload through the air.
The main focus of this class at the receiver position is no doubt Julio Jones, a 6'4", 215-pound beast who has been compared to Michael Irvin.
Jones comes to Alabama as the greatest college football player never to play a down. The hype surrounding his arrival makes Tim Tebow look like a three-star recruit.
Jones also has the help of an offense that will highlight his abilities, thanks to new offensive coordinator Jim McElwain.
McElwain is bringing in an offense that's more spread out and has a heavier focus on passing—something Alabama fans aren't used to seeing, especially at a school that has produced the likes of Bobby Humphrey and Shaun Alexander.
Considering this new offense along with Jones' large stature, can he become the greatest receiver in Alabama history?
The numbers Jones would have to attain aren't too lofty—from a national point of view.
Jones would have to average roughly 700 yards and about five touchdowns for four years to attain the Alabama records for most career receiving touchdowns and most receiving yards in a career.
For most teams, that isn't too hard to manage.
Jones could be an average receiver to get those records—but DJ Hall wasn't average.
The two records to watch and ultimately judge Julio Jones by are career 100-yard games and back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Hall finished his career with thirteen 100-yard games, once stringing together five straight games of 100 receiving yards—also an Alabama record.
If Jones can achieve those records, there's no doubt he will be the best in Alabama history—at least by the numbers.
The one thing Jones can do to solidify his place in Alabama football history would be to bring Alabama another championship.
Jones' future partner in crime, Star Jackson, has already guaranteed this class will win a national title.
If Jones can make good on that prediction, he will be the best the Crimson Tide has ever seen at his position.
20 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Tim Pollock about 1 year ago
Maybe he should take one snap before we we start cementing his place in Bama history books.
No doubt the kid will catch plenty of fade passes in the endzone, but I think you might be asking too much of this young man.
Clemson's D should give him a good test early on.
Edit Comment Cancel
Nic Gulas about 1 year ago
That was my point which may have gotten lost in all the record talk. He hasnt played one down, and he is already considered one of the greats.
Edit Comment Cancel
Jerry Noonan about 1 year ago
Who is DJ Hall?
Edit Comment Cancel
Nic Gulas about 1 year ago
If you read the article, you would know.
Edit Comment Cancel
Dookie Detector about 1 year ago
This is a dookie article.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ctrl-Alt-Del about 1 year ago
Great article, Nic. There is certainly nothing wrong with looking to the future and hoping for the best out of your players. Naturally, there will be those that say that you are going to destroy a man's confidence if you ever mention him before he has played a down of football.
We can discuss a new recruits potential ability without ruining his career by placing "expectations" on him, everyone does it. Everyone in the nation talks about their hopes for incoming recruits.
It is only the sanctimonious nitwits that attempt to instruct a fan of another team on who they may discuss and who they may not discuss.
I, as all 'Bama fans do, hope that Julio Jones breaks every record that ever existed at Alabama, that is what logical fans wish for. Why would we wish for anything else? I am not going to wish that he fouls up every game and never catches a pass. That wouldn't be something good to shoot for.
The main thing to remember is that we did get the number one WR in the nation, hopefully he will prosper. If he doesn't, on to next year's recruits and the process continues.
Again, great article and there is certainly nothing wrong or bad about hoping for the best from new recruits, it is part of college football. These clowns who insist that if fans ever wish for a player to do good and place "expectations" on him, it is their fault if he bombs out are superstitious throw backs.
Edit Comment Cancel
Thomas Brown about 1 year ago
Julios gonna leave his mark, I havent seen tape from any WR past or present as good as his with the exception of A.J. Green from Summersville.
Edit Comment Cancel
CrimsonTusks.com about 1 year ago
Agreed Dixon. I watched AJ Green in person playing for Summerville on several occasions. That said, seeing both DJ and Julio at the same stage (as in HS Sr.) there is no comparison between the two.
While I expect Julio to contribute next year I see him breaking into his own his sophomore and junior years.
And Nic, for what it's worth, you can take the same article you have written here, add Kendall Kelley and you'll wonder if Kendall is the next coming of Julio.
Edit Comment Cancel
John Wright about 1 year ago
Alabama has never been known for its offense? Never? Anybody ever hear about Bear Bryant and Joe Namath and Kenny Stabler?
Edit Comment Cancel
Nic Gulas about 1 year ago
I didnt say offense, I said offensive prowess, meaning the Tide has never really been a traditional power on the offensive side of the ball. Even in 2005 when Brodie broke those passing records for the first time in years, the defense was rated #2 in the country. Alabama won the 1992 and 1979 National Titles thanks to their defensive play. Alabama is traditionally a defensive school.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ben White about 1 year ago
As an Auburn fan I can only hope he is the next D.J. Hall. Hopefully he will smoke a lot of weed, have a terrible attitude, and basically be a cancer that destroys the team from within.
But kidding aside, do you consider D.J. to be the "best" wide receiver to play at Alabama?
Edit Comment Cancel
Nic Gulas about 1 year ago
Yea, I know and I mentioned that it would be nice if he was DJ Hall without the attitude.
As far as DJ being the best Alabama has seen, if you go strickly by the numbers, there is no denying that he is the best in school history. He is the career leading in yards, yards in a season, career receptions, receptions in a season, career receiving touchdowns, most 100 yd. games in a season. and most 100 yd. games in a career. Those are a lot of records for one guy and pretty much all the recieving records. I think if he had added an SEC title to his resume, there would be no doubt, all attitude issues aside.
I think your best receiver would have to be David Palmer, due to his SEC title, NC, and heisman finish (3rd). Not to mention he was the first Bama receiver to post a 1000 yd. season.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ctrl-Alt-Del about 1 year ago
And hopefully all of Auburn's linebackers will be drunk driving, crack addicted, habitual rehab (going home to be with family every off-season) residents like Blackmon.
I am talking about Tray (parole is cool) Blackmon.
Hey Ben, why don't you take your crap to a smack talking board. If you have a brain, why not use it to contribute in a positive manner. Also, instead of spending all your time writing or commenting on 'Bama, how about discussing your Auburn team?
I think you are more an anti-Bama fan than you are an Auburn fan.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ben White about 1 year ago
"Best" in quotations because it is hard to really say who the best of all time is at any position.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ctrl-Alt-Del about 1 year ago
Nic, nothing personal, but at times 'Bama did have offensive powerhouses. The only reason I bring this up is because we are discussing history and 'Bama's previous offensive production or lack thereof.
Coach Bryant was a coach that just implemented whatever he felt would give the best chance of success.
He had some of the best passing quarterbacks in the nation during the 1960's and then changed his offensive attack completely in the space of a season when he decided that a new offense would give him a better chance to win. Coming off a dismal 6-5-1 season in 1970 and losing his latest record-setting quarterback (Scott Hunter), there was no better time to right the ship and that's what he set out to do.
There was really nothing surprising about what he did. A lot of programs changed their offensive philosophies in the late 60's and early 70's. If you look at the NCAA offensive statistics, teams went from an average of 25 pass attempts per game in 1968 to only 18 attempts per game in 1975, while the rushing attempts per game increased from a low of 44 in 1966 to a high of 52 in 1975. What set Coach Bryant apart is how effectively he made the change.
The average offense in 1973 averaged 193 yards a game on the ground and 131 through the air. The 1973 Bama offense averaged 366 yards per game on the ground and 115 ypg in the air. The average offense in 1964 gained 260 total yards per game, and 323 ypg by 1973, which is an increase of 25%. Bama's offense was gaining 312.9 ypg in 1964 and 481 ypg by 1973, an increase of 54%.
So Bama in 1964 outgained the average offense by 53 yards and by 1973 outgained the average offense by 157 yards (48%)... and today's sportswriters seem to think that Coach Bryant won only by defense with no concept of offense. The facts show just how absurd is that supposition.
For an example, the average offense in 2006 gained 347 yards per game in total yards. An offense that outgained the average offense by 48% would have a total offense per game of 515 yards. There's only one team that can lay claim to having that much total offense in 2006: Hawaii with 559 ypg total offense.
Now, imagine if Hawaii played in the SEC and could STILL have that offensive output.
Coach Bryant did it. Now, how any sportswriter can state, while keeping a straight face, that Bryant won only with defense and an "average offense" just boggles the mind.
Edit Comment Cancel
Nic Gulas about 1 year ago
I guess a better way to have put it would have been that Alabama works in rotations through history, and defense has dominated lately and that the offense is starting to come around in the past 3 years.
Good stuff there and definitely a great argument.
Edit Comment Cancel
Ctrl-Alt-Del about 1 year ago
Of course, Ben, I understand exactly what you mean. Also, I was not directly addressing you when I mentioned sportswriters in my reply, but everyone like ESPN writers, etc...
Edit Comment Cancel
Ben White about 1 year ago
Thanks man. I knew you secretly liked me.
Edit Comment Cancel
Spenser T. Harrison about 1 year ago
No he won't be DJ Hall. Nothing Like DJ Hall. Bama fans will forget who DJ Hall even is after Julio Jones; and he sure as hell won't go undrafted like the "amazing" DJ Hall.
Edit Comment Cancel
Tim Pollock about 1 year ago
I'm just glad Ben and CAD have worked out their differences.
And Spenser, again: You have to be careful making predictions for guys who have never stepped foot on the field. I thought DJ Hall was a dang good receiver, but he was just a head-case. I'm glad to see him gone; dude was good for a huge catch at any moment.
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.