The View Back To Look Ahead

The year was 2001. Alabama had just finished a season most of us wanted to forget. I remember talking to my old roommate about the prospects for Alabama that year and as always the analysis started with the offensive line. That year, two redshirt freshman came out of nowhere to win starting jobs. 

One was a lightly recruited guy from Homewood named Evan Mathis. The other was an Auburn fan whom Auburn didn’t want, Wesley Britt.

That fall, we were wondering what would come from a team that let two inexperienced redshirt freshman win starting jobs, but these two guys brought a tenacity to the position we hadn’t seen in a while and though the team struggled to mid season they hit their stride late and ripped off four straight victories including a 31-7 beat down of Auburn, that would be the last iron bowl victory we would see until just recently.

At season end, I remembered thinking how the offensive line had started as a weakness and finished as strength. Both Mathis and Britt continued on to the NFL and we are hopeful that the 2009 season will bring us more success stories like this.

Ever good line starts with the two hardest positions to fill, left tackle and center.

The following are my guesses as to the most likely candidates to fill those positions.

True Freshman D.J. Fluker, 6’7”, 325. The legend of D.J. Fluker is growing similarly to the legend of Mt. Cody last fall. If these two guys were to walk into a Chinese buffet together, the owner would likely pass out. You could use this guys old shoes to grow tomatos.

Fluker had trouble with the speed rush at the Army all star game but by all accounts this was partially due to the twisted knee he acquired during practice. Most reports indicated Fluker was possibly the most dominating player there. It’s rare for any true freshman to start at left tackle, but Fluker may just be someone who could.

James Carpenter, 6’5”, 305lbs. Originally from Augusta, GA, Carpenter went the Jr. College route to Coffeyville community college, where he won first team all conference honors.

Carpenter will arrive at Alabama this spring and will be a Jr. this fall. Most believe he would not have been signed if the staff didn’t think he could make a serious push for a starting job. If Carpenter doesn’t win the left tackle job, it’s a good bet he could wind up staring at right guard or possibly gun for right tackle. 

John Michael Boswell, 6’5”, 300lbs. Boswell was the most lightly regarded of the three lineman signed in the 2008 class but after injuries benched the other two freshman Boswell who is a local product from Northport excelled.

I am of the opinion that even though it was a risk we may have been better off slotting him into Andre’s spot against Utah. I can’t imagine he would have done worse than Davis.

Tyler Love, 6’7”, 290lbs. The five-star, can’t-miss recruit that was supposed to win the right tackle spot away from Drew Davis pretty much missed in 2008. But to be honest, it’s extremely rare for a true freshman to be effective and a stress fracture in his leg last summer probably eliminated any chance of him playing in 2008.

Love will start over this spring and hopefully take another shot.  He’s got talent but he needs to hit the weights from what I’ve read.

Bobby Massey, 6’8”, 335lbs. I hate to mention someone who hasn’t committed to Alabama, but Massey is so huge you almost have to foot note that if this guy signs he could be in the mix. Massy is a five-star recruit from Hargrave Military academy.  Massey has many offers though so we won’t know for a while if we will welcome him to campus.

At center, the field is much smaller. There is only one man on the roster with any starting center experience and that is Evan Cardwell. Cardwell has several things going against him. 

One, he is a senior so any experience he gained would be lost at the end of the year.  Also, he is 6’2”, and around 279, he is simply small by SEC standards. Assuming he remains an insurance option, here are my guesses.

Barrett Jones, 6’5”, 280. Jones was the best lineman prospect in Tennessee last year and we snagged him. He hurt a shoulder early and had some corrective surgery recently.

He didn’t play center in high school but he did play the position in the high school all star game and did well so he’s got my vote to try and plug in there first.

William Vlachos,  6’2”, 287. Vlachos was known as a workout warrior but seemed to have issues staying off the scout team this fall.

He did claw his way back to second team so it’s possible the sophomore could compete for the job but my guess he will need to pack on more muscle this summer.

There are certainly other candidates. I seem to remember David Ross playing some center so if he loses his bid for Guard you might see him there. It wouldn’t shock me to see long forgotten former defensive lineman Alfred McCullough learn to snap and go for this position. 

Johnson has locked down the left guard position and the right guard could simply be whoever loses out for the tackle spot.  Ross is probably penciled in right now but he’s got a bull’s eye on his back for sure as does Drew Davis and his right tackle spot.   There are other freshmen who will be on campus this fall. 

Anthony Steen, for instance, has a mean streak from what I’ve read. Chance Warmack was lightly recruited but at 6’4”, 330lbs and showing up early for spring practice, you have to wonder if he won’t force his way into the mix. Plus, he definitely wins the cool name contest.

Most of the time, however, true freshman can’t be counted on. There are also some older players who could be left in the dust. This spring could be their last chance to keep a roster spot but you just never know who’s going to step up out of nowhere and make an impact.

For instance, Drew Davis and David Ross, this time last year, I figured they would be off the team by now.  

Young people can be hard to predict.