Alabama Football: The State of the Secondary Pre-Spring Practice

With spring practice getting underway on March 13, Bleacher Report will break down where Alabama stands at each position group heading in, players to watch and what needs to be done. First up: the secondary.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — While most eyes will be on Alabama’s quarterback position, there arguably won’t be a more important position battle in terms of 2015 success than in the secondary, where the Crimson Tide have a lot of questions to answer after a disastrous season on the back end of the defense.

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Alabama gave up more passing yards (3,164) in 2014 more than any other year in the Nick Saban era. It ranked No. 59 nationally in passing yards per game, also a Saban-era low.

Perhaps even more troubling is that the two coaches who worked closest with the defensive backs, Saban and Kirby Smart, are supposed to be masterminds on that side of the ball. It’s safe to say some of the luster has started to wear off of those two distinctions.

This spring, Alabama will inject some new life into that side of the ball with new players and coaches, while young players will need to start developing earlier than expected after the loss of several key contributors.

After a one-year stint with the defensive backs, Smart is moving back to inside linebackers, a position group he coached during Alabama’s elite defensive runs when it was winning championships. Replacing him in the secondary is Mel Tucker, the former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, who has quite the tall task ahead of him.

What all will be involved in that task?

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For one, Alabama is losing a lot on that side of the ball. Landon Collins, Nick Perry and Jarrick Williams—three safeties who all started at one point or another this season—are gone. Collins is expected to be a first-round draft pick at strong safety. Perry started all but one game at free. And Williams was a regular at Star and Money in passing situations.

Behind them, Alabama doesn’t have a lot in terms of experience coming back.

Geno Smith will be looked at to be the leader of that group going forward. The converted cornerback started six games last year at Star or Money and has experience playing free safety. If there was any sure thing to pick from the safeties next year, it’s him.

Jabriel Washington has been a good situational player for Alabama at safety, but at 5’11” and 183 pounds, it’s hard to see him playing much more of a role than that in his senior year.

Otherwise, it’ll be up to some green players.

Hootie Jones played in seven games in 2014 as a true freshman, on special teams or in the secondary. He has a good frame at 6’2” and 221 pounds to play strong safety and has shown a nose for ball-carriers.

The good news in all of this is at cornerback, where Alabama returns three players with starting experience to compete for two starting spots.

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Cyrus Jones is all but a guarantee to keep his job as an every-game starter from last year. He was a pleasant surprise last year, as the 5’10”, 194-pound cornerback didn’t back down from bigger receivers, using his physicality to make up the size difference and become a rock solid option for Alabama on the outside.

Eddie Jackson and Tony Brown will likely fight for the No. 2 job like they did much of last season. Both have shown flashes and the natural ability to be great players at the position, but consistency and the mental side of things remain an issue.

There will be a lot of work to do with this unit during spring practice. The goal shouldn’t be necessarily to lock down permanent roles for players but to get players up to speed and see how fast the younger players progress.

Deionte Thompson and Ronnie Harrison were both 4-star early enrollee safeties who have as good a chance as any safety signee to get some early playing time, possibly at Star or Money, two defensive back positions that will need to be filled. Spring will be essential for the pair to get caught up quickly if they hope to be thrust into the mix.

The outlook isn’t bleak for Alabama in the secondary heading into the spring. There is potential for several players to grow into full-time roles who have the talent to succeed at them.

Spring practice will be the first step in this group’s maturation process and a chance to put a bleak 2014 behind it.

Marc Torrence is the Alabama lead writer for Bleacher Report. All quotes and reporting were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. 

Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.