Alabama Football: Amid Coaching Chaos, Team Looks to Fill Needs With Recruiting

As the coaching carousel turns at full speed, Alabama looks to fill needs with it's 2011 signing class.

Alabama may have an advantage during times like this because Nick Saban dictates what kinds of offense and defense Alabama runs. Some programs are run more like a corporation with high-profile offensive or defensive coordinators sometimes changing the personality of the program entirely.

When a recruit visits Alabama he knows that they are going to run the pro set multiple offense and the 3-4 defense. Coaches may come and go but Saban will hire staff who believe in and implement his vision of the program, a vision that has been proven to work.

Not only does Saban's vision work for the team, but his growing list of former players in the NFL proves it works individually, as well.

Alabama is fairly loaded in talent overall but there are definitely some positions of need. Additionally, Alabama is beginning to see a number of juniors declaring early for the NFL draft. 

This is a good and bad problem. 

It robs your team of leadership but it also excites recruits to see how many players are developing to a high level in the program.  

One difficulty with the departing juniors is that you're taking a slot filled by a young man who has been out of high school for about three years with a kid who was at the prom a month earlier. The difference in maturity is like night and day and it definitely shows on the field.

To combat the problem, Nick Saban has looked more and more at the nation's junior college ranks to find more mature players to take their place. 

Alabama has sometimes turned to the junior college level to find players to replace others who signed with Alabama but just didn't develop into the kind of players they expected. Many times a junior college signing could signal the end of a career at Alabama.

Alabama's most glaring weakness in 2010 was the defensive line. Alabama was near dead last in the nation at rushing the passer and didn't stop the run particularly well. Needless to say, much of Alabama's recruiting activity has revolved around the big guys.

Alabama currently has a verbal commitment from Jessie Williams, the nation's number one junior college defensive lineman. Williams, an Australian, is a muscular 6' 4", 330 lbs, and could possibly step right in and start.

Alabama also has kept contact with Quinton Dial from Pinson, Alabama. Dial originally committed to the Tide in 2009 but failed to qualify. Dial is a massive lineman at 6' 6", 330 lbs, and probably still has room to grow. Dial is on track to finally make it to campus this spring.

Other players being targeted by the Tide are Cornellisu Carradine, who played at Butler County Community College in Kansas. The 6' 5", 250-lb defensive end has speed and is a top target of many SEC programs. He will have three years to play once he transfers.

Alabama's offensive line didn't fair much better than the defensive line. Alabama graduates its left tackle, and considering how bad the running game was, I wouldn't expect any starter to feel safe this spring. 

Alabama is targeting one of the top lineman in America by the name of Cyrus Kouandjio, the brother of current Tide player Arie Kouandjio. Having his brother on the team could help or hurt the Tide's chance to land Cyrus. Most believe Alabama to be the team to beat, however.

Alabama is also after former Tennessee Vol Aaron Douglas, who has been at a junior college in Yuma Arizona.

Another need position is linebacker. Though Alabama has recruited well, their loss of Rolando McClain, who has left early for the NFL, has been problematic. Alabama had hoped that fellow linebacker Dan'te Hightower would step in and take his place, but the transition never took.

Hightower never developed the comfort level at the Mike position and his grievous knee injury from the year before effected his mobility.

Alabama attempted to plug the hole with various combination's of true freshman CJ Mosley, sophomore Nico Johnson, and veterans Chris Jordan and Jarrell Harris. Though the defense as a whole improved over the year, it's clear that Alabama needs help here.

Alabama was on to Russellville product Brent Calloway early on. Calloway played defensive end for much of his high school career but he was expected to play linebacker at the college level. The position hid his true ability from some, but Nick Saban sniffed it out and the recruiting services weren't dumb to the fact either. Rivals surprised many by applying a 5-star rating this past summer.

Calloway played in the Alabama-Mississippi all-star game and proved to everyone why he is rated a 5-star candidate by dominating the game with nine tackles, including 1.5 for loss and a half sack. With Alabama's instability at linebacker the opportunity for early playing time is there.

Alabama has commitments from several other players, including one of Ohio's best players in Trey DePriest. Alabama continues to target Tony Steward from St. Augustine, Florida, who is rated a 5-star prospect.

With two of the three starting wide receivers eying the NFL early, Alabama needs to prepare for the future and has four players committed thus far.

Prospect Danny Woodson is the son of a former Tide quarterback by the same name. Woodson was one of the most amazing athletes I saw play the position at Alabama, but numerous factors prevented him from reaching his full potential. Some by his own making, others just being a time before dual-threat quarterbacks were well utilized.

His son Danny Jr. was not considered a major prospect when Alabama offered him and he accepted.  Since that time he has exploded on the high school scene and bulked up considerably. He is now a strapping 6' 2", 210-lb receiver who made the key play in overtime to get the win for the Alabama all-stars in the Alabama-Mississippi Football Classic.

The very first player to commit to the 2011 class is Marvin Shinn, who is currently the eighth-ranked wide receiver in the country according to Rivals. Shinn has been the subject of many decommittment rumors but to date is officially still solid to the Tide. 

Alabama regularly plays six to eight or even more defensive backs in its scheme, and depth was a problem in 2010. If Alabama had a quality replacement for Mark Barron, perhaps the injured player would have given way during the Iron Bowl and prevented the quick touchdown to allow the Tigers back in the game.

Alabama has a commitment from one of the nation's best in Hasean Clinton-Dix out of Orlando, Florida.  Also, Chris Jones out of Adamsville, Alabama, has committed to the Tide. 

One position of need that is amazingly unrepresented in the list of verbal commitments is running back.  Most everyone expects Mark Ingram to declare for the NFL soon, and his backup Trent Richardson will be eligible to do so a year from today. With no clear heir apparent the opportunity exists for playing time now and stardom in a year.

Alabama is not only one of the nation's top programs, but is also capable of a national title run in 2011.  Add to that the fact that Alabama is running the increasingly rare pro set offense that puts a premium on the power running game. 

Why every top running back in America isn't camped at Saban's office door is beyond me. The discrepancy could be the result of one or more running back recruits already being "in the pocket," though not announced publicly. Only a select few know that answer.

Chances are when the dust settles Alabama will have a top running back or two in this class. 

Much could change between now and signing day. 

With several major programs replacing head coaches, changes will occur. Other programs like Texas are in total chaos. There will be many staff changes that could effect recruiting.

And every junior who declares for the NFL early opens another scholarship. Juniors will have to declare by January 15th, meaning Alabama may have more slots to fill in the final 15 days of the silly season.  

Many things could effect both where a player eventually signs and what players end up getting an offer from Alabama. The excitement toward the end is why we all get sucked into this crazy game of major college football recruiting.