The 2010 "Replacements" For Alabama's Departing Football Players Ch. #1

This is an offseason special set of articles that will explain in detail why most people are so excited about 2010 despite a killer schedule and player losses from last year's national championship team.

In no particular order, we begin with Damion Square, only because I'm excited to get him back from last year's knee injury. I'm picking him to be the replacement for Lorenzo Washington at defensive end.

Had he not been hurt last year, Damion may have ended the season as the starter. He's about 6'3" and around 275 lbs. the last time I checked. If his knee has fully recovered, he will be quick and a real pass rush problem for the teams we face.

He is another one of our Texas men, from Houston, where he played defensive tackle in high school. Nick Saban's got him at end now to utilize that size and speed to get in a quarterback's face in a hurry.

The good news is that Square is not the only capable replacement for that end. He will be challenged mightily and may end up rotating in and out to share playing time with the likes of Luther Davis, a senior from West Monroe, Louisiana, who is 6'3" and 299 pounds. Davis saw playing time this year and was steady.

Still worried? Don't be. Milton Talbert of Hattiesburg, Mississippi is a 6'4", 275 lbs. reserve defensive end who has seen a lot of game time himself. He will be a senior this year and is sure to see some playing time.

The truth of this position is that this entire position is more athletic and deeper this year than last year. Having Square on one end and Marcel Dareus on the other is going to up our sacks from the defensive end spots this year.

Each of these men can hit a 40-yard run faster than Washington's usual 5.02 time and can deliver the same kind of pop once they get there. Anytime you lose a senior starter, there's reason to groan and worry, but Saban's got the replacements for this position all lined up and you can officially stop worrying now.