Alabama's Steady Use of Freshmen Regularly Overlooked

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — You’ve probably heard the rhetoric surrounding each and every recruiting class that head coach Nick Saban has put together for the University of Alabama. 

Freshmen don’t play. “You want playing time? Go elsewhere.” Saying yes to Alabama means sitting and waiting for your chance. “You’ll never play there.”

It all gets used against the Crimson Tide, yet Saban keeps landing top classes, having players named All-Americans and drafted, and winning championships.

Moreover, the numbers don’t quite back those sentiments up.

When Alabama won the national title last season, the leading receiver was a true freshman, as were the two players inserted as extra defensive backs in the nickel and dime packages, which as far as the Crimson Tide are concerned, essentially made them starters.

A key contributor on the defensive line and at tight end were true freshmen, while a starting cornerback and offensive lineman were both redshirt freshmen. 

This isn’t to say that players don’t get frustrated and never transfer due to lack of playing time, they do. Wide receiver Chris Black didn’t crack the starting lineup and will be suiting up for Missouri this season, and it probably played a part in safety Shawn Burgess-Becker’s decision to leave, which was first reported by 247Sports on Monday.

Overall, Alabama played 12 true freshmen (half of last year’s recruiting class) and nine redshirt freshmen, which was about average since Saban arrived in 2007. 

Specifically, the true freshmen who played in 2015 were wide receiver Daylon Charlot, Burgess-Becker, offensive lineman Lester Cotton, defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, running back Damien Harris, safety Ronnie Harrison, tight end Hale Hentges, running back Xavian Marks, defensive tackle Da’Ron Payne, wide receiver Calvin Ridley, running back Bo Scarbrough and guard Dallas Warmack.

The redshirt freshmen were offensive lineman Josh Casher, running back Ronnie Clark, defensive lineman Johnny Dwight, linebacker Keith Holcombe, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, wide receiver Derek Kief, linebacker Christian Miller, offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher and defensive lineman O.J. Smith.

Year	True	Redshirt
2007	7	8
2008	16	8
2009	8	7
2010	7	13
2011	7	9
2012	11	11
2013	14	10
2014	11	5
2015	12	9
Totals	93 (10.3 avg)	80 (8.9)

The true freshmen combined to start 27 games, with five making stats, most notably Ridley. After taking over Robert Foster’s spot following a shoulder injury, he became just the second wide receiver in Alabama history to have a 1,000-yard season.

"I think we all saw the writing on the wall,” offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said. “Regardless of Robert's injury, Calvin was gonna play a bunch.”

“He sort of ‘gets it.’ He knows what it takes,” Saban said.

That “gets it” has always been sort of the key when it comes to Saban playing young players because not everyone is ready to play when he arrives or even after training camp.

"The big thing with young players is the maturity to be able to grind through the season,” Saban said.

“The season is a grind, but you've got to embrace the grind. The younger guys have a more difficult time being able to do that week in and week out, and I think they go through some ups and downs.”

Tackle D.J. Fluker redshirted his first year because he wasn’t ready to take on SEC pass-rushers. Running back Eddie Lacy did too.

Derrick Henry didn’t but looked lost on the field during his first game against Virginia Tech at the Georgia Dome in 2013. His stat line ended up reading one carry, minus-three yards.

He had a 100-yard game in relief against Arkansas, the first of 16 during his career, but it wasn’t until going through the bowl practices that things really started to click for him. Henry came off the bench to have 100 rushing yards on eight carries and took his first reception for a 61-yard touchdown against Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.

Position also plays a part.

One of the most impressive things about Alabama’s most recent national championship was the secondary, where cornerback Cyrus Jones had been the only proven player at his position heading into training camp. Safeties Eddie Jackson and Geno Matias-Smith were both converted cornerbacks, and you already know about the other three.

“It’s going to be difficult, you know,” Jackson said about playing in Saban’s scheme as a freshman. “It’s a new system. You can’t learn everything. Even Marlon being here two years as a redshirt freshman, but it’s different. Game time and practice are two different things. You really have to come in and be really focused.”

Additionally, no quarterback has played for Saban at Alabama as a true freshman, although Jalen Hurts hopes to end that streak this year.

When Greg McElroy injured his ribs against Florida in the 2009 SEC Championship Game, AJ McCarron nearly played. Instead, he later had the opportunity to try to win three straight national titles (2011, 2012 and just missing in 2013) and called it the “best thing that ever happened to me in the end.”

Year	Name(s)
2007	Rolando McClain
2008	Julio Jones and Dont'a Hightower
2009	Barrett Jones
2010	C.J. Mosley
2011	None
2012	Amari Cooper
2013	None
2014	Cam Robinson and JK Scott
2015	Calvin Ridley and Marlon Humphrey

“You come to Alabama, you have to compete every day in everything you do,” Hurts said. “Every day here is an evaluation…you’re being evaluated. I have no problem with that. Everything is about competition. You come here, you’re going to do what’s best for the team. That’s being the best player.”

That’s what some people don’t quite get about Saban and Alabama, because he’s proved over and over again that he’s not afraid to play a freshman.

Go back to 2008 and Saban’s first full recruiting class, and 16 of the players he landed played that first season when Alabama reached the SEC Championship Game. Running back Mark Ingram Jr. scored 12 rushing touchdowns that season, and wide receiver Julio Jones was pretty much a starter the day he arrived on campus.

“It’s a constant competition, no one’s spot is safe, you have to go out there and continue to fight,” wide receiver ArDarius Stewart said.

School	Total
Alabama	10
Florida State	9
Michigan State	9
Oklahoma	9
USC	8
Arizona State	7

A year after the Football Writers Association of America named linebacker Rolando McClain a Freshman All-American in 2007, the first of 10 for Alabama during the Saban era (which tops the nation), Dont’a Hightower followed suit in 2008.

This year, Alabama landed two linebackers in its recruiting class who may be comparable in terms of talent and potential, Ben Davis and Lyndell Wilson. On paper, its difficult to see where they might fit in for the 2016 season, but no one would be surprised if both played.

Those things have a way of working out.

"We weren't worried about perspective,” Saban said after signing the linebackers. “We like getting good players who can go out on the field and play good. Perception doesn't win any games for us around here, but good players do."

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Christopher Walsh is a lead SEC college football writer. Follow Christopher on Twitter @WritingWalsh.