A-Day Game 2009: To Be Held 4/18/09

 Anytime you look at Nick Saban's Crimson Tide you see promise. I see this every time i watch them play, but i feel especially confident about this coming up season. In order to gain the hype that we fore seek in 2009, we need to have a great A-Day game. There are reasons for everything, and everything has a reason. I believe that this year's A-Day game's reason is to create a complete team for the coming up season. We will be having many star players leave for graduation and the draft, but we have many more that can fill in their spots; too many!

 The QB position is the #1 priority for this season, and it needs to be filled with the best player. There are two players trying to earn that spot for this season and that is: Gregg MacCelroy (Junior) and Star Jackson ( Sophomore). They are both tremendous athletes that lack one key elimate: Experience. Neither of them had much playing time in 2008. With MacCelroy becoming a Junior this year, i believe he will become our starter. Still, you never know. Star Jackson had a stellar High School year as a senior. He is a 5 star quarterback too. Nick Saban definitely has that in mind. With John Parker gone, the QB spot will hurt us next season.

 Another position in need of repair is the Running back position. With Glenn Coffee leaving to go into the draft, the spot will be open until the Spring game. There are three players looking to score the position, and they are: Terry Grant (Junior), Trent Richardson (Freshman), and Mark Ingram ( Sophomore). I believe that Trent Richardson, who has a lot of hype coming into Alabama, will be the starting running back. Then, Coach Nick will line Mark Ingram up behind him at Full Back. This is because Richardson is one to cut outside and run down the sideline for more yardage, while Ingram likes pounding it inside on short yardage situations. This could be a great offensive scheme to have if you are Alabama. I think that coach Nick will try everything he can to fill in this position during the Spring game.

 One more important position is Free Safety. Losing Rashad Johnson is a major loss to Bama, but we have a well experienced, well respected player that may fill it: Javier Arenas (Senior). Arenas is not the guy that will hit you so hard that you will lose your helmet, but he will occasionally get a fumble or two. He can definitely get high and intercept the ball, but he needs to get stronger if he wants to become the starter. Javier is more of a return man than anything, but Saban needs to fill this position, and Javier will not disappoint.

 Alabama will have many new faces on the field in 2009, but they will have many old ones as well. Look for Alabama to dominate this season as we are improving each and every day. Coach Nick will have his work cut out for him this season though in the SEC west. I think he can handle a litttle competition though. Roll Tide!