College Football 2011: 12 Players Who Have To Shine for the Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is poised to make another national championship run in 2011, but for them to complete that mission, there are 12 players on the team who must perform beyond what they have done in the past to help the team reach that goal.
Let's take a look at who those 12 players are and see what roles they'll have to fulfill to help the Crimson Tide have another championship year.
William Vlachos: Truly the Man in the Middle
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William Vlachos has always done a good job at center, but this year he's going to have to step up in three areas to become a leader, a psychiatrist and a coach all in one.
It's not going to be good enough this year for Vlachos to simply continue being a good center—he's going to have to provide senior leadership for the entire offensive line. This means not only being a role model for the rest of the offensive line, but showing them how to take care of their business in the weight room, on the practice field, off the practice field and on game days.
As if that wasn't enough, he's going to be have to use his leadership role to be a coach on the field. Vlachos will have to set the offensive line blocking schemes with two players sometimes playing different positions. He won't have the last word in the huddle, but he'll almost certainly have the first, in most cases.
Lastly, he's going to have to be a babysitter and psychiatrist for A.J. McCarron (or whoever lines up behind him) this year, their first as a starter.
Vlachos has to be the eyes of sanity that his teammates can look to in the huddle when things look crazy. He has to be able to assure them that they can get the job done.
I can't think of a better man than Vlachos at this time in his career to break in a new quarterback. He did it successfully with McElroy, and now he has to do it again.
Barrett Jones: One Man with Two Jobs
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The tragic loss of Aaron Douglas means the position battle between Douglas, McCullough and Kouandijio won't happen. Instead, there's still a huge question mark going into summer as to who can step up and take the left tackle job, the most worried-about position on the Tide's offensive line.
The coaches are still hoping there's a player who can step up and claim that job as their own, which would keep the team's best guard (Barrett Jones) where he is now. But until somebody claims that spot, the coaches know they still need a rock on the end of the offensive line, and although it isn't Jones' natural position, he's a natural answer.
Jones has the size and footwork to do the job, but more importantly, he has the experience of many years in the SEC trenches. While he may not be best long-term solution at the position, he can certainly hold back the defensive ends until that solution comes along.
This is asking a lot of a lineman, but Jones is a lot of lineman and one heck of a man.
Trent Richardson: Is His Back Big Enough to Carry the Offense Early On?
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On the offensive side of the ball, Trent Richardson may have to be man for the offense early on in the season while a rookie quarterback gets his SEC legs under himself.
Having a weapon like Richardson means linebackers can't put their ears back and rush the quarterback for fear of having Richardson run past them with the ball.
For the passing game to get going, you have to have a great running game, and Richardson will do his part to get the running game going early and keep it there all season long.
Richardson's ability brings fear to defensive opponents and may get safeties inching up toward the line in run support. That can only lead to good things for a quarterback who only has to deal with one-on-one coverage on his receivers.
In the end, Richardson may not only help the Tide toward another title, but help himself toward a Heisman of his own. For all of this to happen, he will have to be better than he's been before, and that's asking a lot a man already widely considered a superstar.
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Darius Hanks: This Guy Has to Step Up and Step Up Big
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When I talked to Darius Hanks at the conclusion of the Capital One Bowl last season, he told me he was ready to take over and be the go-to guy this year for Alabama.
For the offense to click, he has to make good on that promise.
With the loss of Julio Jones, Hanks has to have a senior season that eclipses all his other seasons so far. Hanks has the courage to go over the middle and shows no fear, but he will have to step up his ability to break tackles and get those tough extra yards after contact that made Jones such a valuable player.
Word has it that that he worked extra hard in the weight room this winter, so it will be interesting to see if that hard work pays off on the tougher plays and leads to more yards after contact for Hanks.
Eddie Lacy: Stepping Up to Be the Second Part of Alabama's One-Two Punch
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Alabama's offense works best with a solid one-two punch at running back. The Crimson Tide has been spoiled over the last two years with the combination of Mark Ingram and Richardson.
Now, the second part of that equation is Eddie Lacy, and he has big shoes to fill. Lacy will have to provide the yardage and fear factor that Richardson brought to the No. 2 role.
With Ingram now in the NFL and Richardson moving into the starting role, that leaves Lacy to fill in as the second running back.
He has shown signs of greatness, but the learning time is now over. It's time for Lacy to step up and fill a role as an integral part of the Alabama offense. If he can do that, the Tide will continue to roll, but without him, the Tide risks overloading Richardson and wearing him down before the brutal end of the schedule.
Cade Foster: Needs to Get a Leg Up on the Kicking Game This Year
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Cade Foster didn't come through last year as many had hoped. He couldn't nail down the starting role, and the Crimson Tide finished the year ranked as the 62nd-best kicking team in Division I football.
When it comes to the University of Alabama, there's no excuse for any part of this team to finish ranked in the lower half of any statistic.
Foster was supposed to have the leg to become one of the best kickers in the SEC. This is the year that it finally needs to happen.
In every championship season, there are times when games come down to a kick being made or missed. Alabama needs to have the kind of kicker that can make those kinds of kicks automatically.
If Foster can be that man, he can help the Tide finish on top.
Damion Square: Time to Be the Man at One of the Defensive End Slots
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Last year the big question mark on the team was the defensive backfield, and it turned into a problem that cost the Tide a few games last season.
This year, the big question mark is at the defensive end spot.
Despite going in the first round of the NFL Draft this spring, Marcell Dareus didn't put the kind of pressure on quarterbacks coaches had hoped for. Likewise, Luther Davis didn't put much pressure on quarterbacks on the other side either. That left the defensive backfield having to cover longer with no help from quarterback hurries.
Just how worried is the staff about the defensive end position?
So much so that they brought in four new defensive ends to go along with the four already on campus, and the coaches are even tinkering with the idea of moving the "Awesome Aussie" Jessie Williams from his nose guard spot to end at times to help with the pass-rush.
Square was a contributor in his redshirt freshman season until tearing an ACL, but he recovered enough to play in all 13 games last year, including six starts. Now back to 100 percent, this is his time to be the man at one of the two end spots.
His team and the coaching staff are counting on the 6'3", 285-pound junior to nail down one of the end spots and let the "magnificent middle" of the defensive line do their job.
Quinton Dial or Undra Billingsley: One Has to Nail Down the Other End
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Quinton Dial has the size, strength and ability to nail down the starting job at the other end, but Undra Billingsley has the edge when it comes to experience. Someone is going to be the eventual starter, but both of these men will see extensive action, and you can bet the bank that defensive coordinator Kirby Smart will rotate them in and out during the season.
Dial may be better in run support with his 6'6", 295-pound frame, and with his long reach, he could knock down a few passes while putting some pressure on the quarterback.
The Tide is full of young defensive ends with quick feet, speed and rushing ability. While they'll all see some playing time in passing situations, look for Dial to eventually be the main man on this end.
This is going to be a season of "baptism by fire" for Dial, and for the defense to live up to its potential, Dial, Billingsley or a combination of both are going to have get down and get quarterbacks dirty.
Dre Kirkpatrick: Time for This Junior to Live Up to His Potential
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Dre Kirkpatrick has been a good defensive back so far for the Crimson Tide, but that's simply not good enough, and it's bad news for Alabama.
He was supposed to be a superstar.
While Kirkpatrick has shown glimpses of greatness, he's also shown that he's still prone to making mistakes. For the Tide to shine this year, Kirkpatrick has got to finally come into his own, become a lock-down cornerback who strikes fear into an opposing quarterback and help to secure the defensive backfield from the silly mistakes that plagued them so much last year.
He could also improve his tackling skills.
There is no reason for Kirkpatrick, with this much experience and this much experienced help surrounding him, to be anything less than an All-American and a first-round NFL Draft pick. He has the athletic ability, the size and the speed to do it, but can he finally get his head in the game?
For the Tide to dominate, he had better.
DeMarcus Milliner: The "Demarcation Line" Must Be Drawn This Year
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Like Kirkpatrick on the other side, DeMacus "Dee" Milliner was supposed to be hottest thing coming to a college campus when he finished his high school career.
Indeed, he was a freshman All-American and played in all 13 games last season, starting 11 of them. For most, that would show that he lived up to the hype, but not to the coaches who grade the players week after week.
Like all freshmen, "Dee" made crucial mistakes at the worst of times last season. While the body of work as a whole looked good, when some of those mistakes cost you wins, they're hard to get past.
Saban's complicated zone coverages had the young man confused at critical times last year, but with a season under his belt, this could be the year he and Kirkpatrick both live up to their billing. The two cornerbacks have the ability to shut down receivers, and one of the nation's best safeties—Mark Barron—plays behind them. The other safety, Robert Lester, is among the SEC's leaders in interceptions and rounds out what has the potential to be one of the best secondaries in the nation.
If Milliner and Kirkpatrick both play up to their potential, they can give opposing quarterbacks nightmares.
Cody Mandell: No Time for a Sophomore Slump from This Punter
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Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant used to say that more wins and losses are decided by the kicking game than anything else. A good kicking game has always been considered a fundamental part of the Crimson Tide.
The sad truth is both the kicking and punting games simply stunk last year, at least by the standards that a team in national contention should have.
Mandell is capable of booming punts, but in his freshman campaign, he was far from consistent, and 'Bama had one of the poorer averages in the SEC.
Last season, he had nine punts of more than 50 yards, but ended the season averaging under 40 yards per punt. That meant far too many shanks were pulling down his average, and that's just the thing that Madell has to correct this year.
Mandell simply has to get things going and keep them going with every punt.
A.J. McCarron: A Man with Two Important Jobs to Accomplish
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It's tough enough when a first-year starting quarterback has to come in and take over a team from a successful quarterback, but McCarron also has to secure the job from a hard-charging Phillip Sims who wants the starting spot for himself.
Mine has been the staunchest opinion among professional college sportswriters, and I believe the job will eventually wind up in McCarron's hands. Talking to the players, he is the one they mention when they talk about future quarterback play being important. While the coaches play it closer to the vest, there has never been a statement from McCarron that implies he's even remotely considered the the possibility of not starting.
He can use that kind of confidence in other areas of his game this year.
Those who think there's little to worry about no matter who the starter is with Richardson and Lacy pounding the rock are wrong.
Teams have shown they can put nine in the box and stuff the running game. It's vital that Alabama has a quarterback other teams respect enough to keep defenders from cheating up on the line.
McCarron is going to have to do what few others have ever done. He's going to have to be just like McElroy in his first year as a starter and win right away. He'll have to play like a seasoned veteran,and learn to shake off mistakes with the confidence he's already displaying.
If he can do it, the Tide will roll (and roll big) in 2011.
And That's It for Bama's Dirty Dozen That Have to Come Through...
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Thank you so much for following the Crimson Tide this year, and we look forward to a great season.
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