Alabama Football: 5 Position Battles to Watch in Crimson Tide's Spring Game

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — On Saturday, Alabama fans will get as close to a taste of real football as it gets until September when the Crimson Tide holds its annual A-Day spring game (2 p.m. CT, SEC Network+).

While Alabama will be playing itself, it will do so in front of what should be a decent crowd at Bryant-Denny Stadium, with live contact and a game-like simulation.

But it will be hard to read too much into things for a couple of reasons.

Alabama won’t show its full hand offensively or defensively, especially when it comes to tweaks in Lane Kiffin or Kirby Smart’s system. A-Day will basically be watered-down versions of both.

Still, you can get somewhat of a gauge on where certain players are in their developments and how people react to that kind of environment. It will also be a chance to see Alabama’s early enrollees in action.

Let’s take a look at five position battles to watch on Saturday, before the long, slow offseason begins.

Quarterback

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We’ll go ahead and get this one out of the way.

Jake Coker, Alec Morris, Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell and Blake Barnett should all get a chance to show what they can do under center.

What will be more interesting is who plays where and for how long.

While the quarterbacks have mostly worked in order of seniority so far, Cornwell seems to be making some moves in that rotation.

It’s tough to judge quarterbacks at A-Day, especially in a group this big where it’s hard to find any sort of continuity. The defense can also cheat a little bit, knowing that the offense is only allowed to run certain plays and packages.

Still, it will be interesting to watch what kinds of throws they make and even to see Barnett in action at all.

Running Back

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There’s no question here at the top. Derrick Henry will be the leader, and Kenyan Drake will follow.

But after those two, it’s pretty much anyone’s guess.

Ronnie Clark, a converted safety who redshirted last season, and early enrollee Desherrius Flowers are the next two healthy options on campus right now. 5-star Damien Harris will get to Alabama in the summer, so not in time to show off what he’s got at A-Day.

No one has seen Clark or Flowers play in a game yet, so their play will be watched closely. There also should be a handful of walk-ons that get carries, too, though none is exactly a threat to take over the No. 3 role.

Also of note at running back will be how the top two are used.

Saban has hinted about a package that includes Henry and Drake on the field at the same time. That would surely make fans in the stands and watching from home salivate, but will Saban and Kiffin be willing to show that off in front of a national audience, or will they save it for an actual game?

Cornerback

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Cyrus Jones is locked in at the No. 1 spot, even as he sits out spring practice after having hip surgery. Who will play next to him, though, is up in the air.

In a way, Jones’ injury was a positive since coaches were able to get more looks at the guys behind him.

Tony Brown seems to be the favorite at this point, especially after Eddie Jackson’s switch to safety that’s looking more and more like it will stick.

But guys behind Brown like Bradley Sylve, Anthony Averett and Marlon Humphrey will get their chance to shine too.

For how vanilla A-Day is in terms of scheme, a lot of being a cornerback is just lining up one-on-one and staying on your guy. Alabama’s corners will get plenty of opportunity to do just that.

Offensive Line

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Alabama will see a lot of new faces on the offensive line this year, and A-Day will be the first glimpse we’ll get at this unit.

Cam Robinson is back at left tackle with Ryan Kelly at center, but after that, the Crimson Tide is looking to replace three new starters.

Redshirt freshman Ross Pierschbacher looks like he’ll be the guy at left guard, with former JUCO transfer Dominick Jackson at right tackle and Bradley Bozeman at right guard.

That should be the combination that starts at A-Day, but don’t be surprised to see some mixing and matching at some point or another.

Last year, Alabama struggled to find a solid option at right guard, which hindered some things with continuity.

Like at cornerback, the offensive line will have more one-on-one matchups. Combine that with going up against what is an extremely deep and talented defensive line, and this should give fans a realistic idea of where the offensive line is in its development right now.

Middle Linebacker

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One of the higher-profile position battles this spring has been for the right to replace Trey DePriest, and fans should get to see both Reuben Foster and Shaun Dion Hamilton play some first-team minutes on Saturday.

Foster would be the obvious choice for the job, but injuries have plagued him during his Alabama career, largely due to a poor tackling form that opens himself up to neck stingers. His hits are devastating, but they put him at risk just as much as his opponent.

Saban, though, insists that those issues are behind him and that he hasn’t had injury issues this spring. At Tuesday’s practice, he wasn’t wearing the large cowboy collar that he usually does to limit the damage he does to himself.

But Hamilton, too, has shown progress during the spring and will be a major challenger for the job. He got some playing time as a true freshman last year and has all the tools needed to succeed in that role.

They both should get plenty of opportunity at A-Day.

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

Follow on Twitter @marctorrence.