Alabama Football: Did the Depth Chart Have Surprises? You Bet!

Larry Burton (Syndicated Writer)

While the majority of the roles on the depth chart were pretty much known by those who follow the Tide closely, there were some that did raise an eyebrow or two.

First, there was a surprise to many that didn't surprise the ones in the know.

For all those willing to bet the house that Phillip Sims would start this fall, I hope that tent is comfortable. Sims has done a wonderful job this fall in closing the gap between he and McCarron, but he just couldn't prove that he was better. Still, Sims' learning curve is showing it may be a race that continues for years.

Secondly, with little risk involved in playing Kent State, I was shocked that Cyrus Kouandjio wasn't given the nod to see how well that left tackle spot fit. While we still may see as much of him as Jones in that spot, the fact he didn't already nail it down was surprising.

On defense, Quinton Dial seemed to be the man to beat, but apparently Jesse Williams did just that and for now has beaten out Dial for that starting defensive end job. You may see Williams playing other positions as the game goes on, in fact count on it.

Earlier in the year, I predicted that Dee Milliner would beat out DeQuan Menzie for the other cornerback spot and it went the other way around. That should tell you just how close that battle was and how safe this team will be when Menzie comes on the field as a backup or a nickle back.

Lastly, the punt return team of Marquis Maze and DeAndrew White makes great sense, but the kickoff return team of Maze and Dee Milliner did raise an eyebrow.

Is Milliner really that good of an open field runner? If so, that is one of the best kept secrets to be sprung on us.

For a look at the entire depth chart released by Alabama yesterday afternoon, see below.

Offense

QB 

AJ McCarron, 6-4, 205, So./Phillip Sims, 6'2", 217, Fr.; Phillip Ely, 6'1", 187, Fr. 

RB

Trent Richardson, 5'11", 224, Jr.; Eddie Lacy, 6'0", 220, So.; Jalston Fowler, 6'1", 246, So.

WR 

Marquis Maze, 5'10", 180, Sr.; Brandon Gibson, 6'2", 194, Sr.; Kevin Norwood, 6'2", 193, So. 

WR 

DeAndrew White, 6'0", 181, Fr.; Kenny Bell, 6'1", 175, So.; Michael Bowman, 6'4", 225, So. 

TE

Michael Williams, 6'6", 269, Jr.; Chris Underwood, 6'4", 243, Sr.; Brian Vogler, 6'7", 252, Fr.

TE 

Brad Smelley, 6'3", 229, Sr.; Harrison Jones, 6'4", 248, Fr. 

LT 

Barrett Jones, 6'5", 311, Jr./Cyrus Kouandjio, 6'6", 322, Fr.; Tyler Love, 6'6", 307, Jr.

LG 

Chance Warmack, 6'3", 320, Jr./Barrett Jones, 6'5, 311; Alfred McCullough, 6'2", 311, Sr.

C 

William Vlachos, 6'1", 294, Sr.; Kellen Williams, 6'3", 305, So. 

RG 

Anthony Steen, 6'3", 303, So.; John Michael Boswell, 6'5", 300, Sr. 

RT

D.J. Fluker, 6'6", 335, So.; Austin Shepherd, 6'5", 321, Fr. 

Defense

DE

Damion Square, 6'3", 285, Jr.; Ed Stinson, 6'4", 279, So.

DE

Jesse Williams, 6'4", 319, Jr.; Quinton Dial, 6'6", 294, Jr.; Undra Billingsley, 6'2", 288, Jr. 

NG 

Josh Chapman, 6'1", 310, Sr.; Nick Gentry, 6'1", 284, Sr./Jesse Williams, 6'4", 319, Jr. 

JLB 

Courtney Upshaw, 6'2", 265, Sr.; Adrian Hubbard, 6'6", 237, Fr./Xzavier Dickson, 6'3", 240, Fr.

SLB 

Jerrell Harris, 6'3", 242, Sr.; Alex Watkins, 6'3", 240, Sr./Jonathan Atchison, 6'3", 240, So.

WLB

Nico Johnson, 6'3", 245, Jr./C.J. Mosley, 6'2", 234, So.; Tana Patrick, 6'3", 236, So.

MLB

Dont'a Hightower, 6'4", 260, Jr.; Chris Jordan, 6'3", 240, Sr./Trey Depriest, 6'2", 242, Fr.

CB 

Dre Kirkpatrick, 6'3", 192, Jr.; Phelon Jones, 5'11", 194, Sr. 

CB 

DeQuan Menzie, 6'0", 198, Sr.; Dee Milliner, 6'1", 196, So.; John Fulton, 6'0", 187, So.

SS

Robert Lester, 6'2", 210, Jr.; Jarrick Williams, 6'1", 210, So.; Vinnie Sunseri, 6'0", 217, Fr.

FS 

Mark Barron, 6'2", 218, Sr.; Will Lowery, 5'10", 180, Jr./Nick Perry, 6'1", 205, So.; Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, 6'1", 203, Fr.

Special teams

PK

Jeremy Shelley, 5'10", 165, Jr./Cade Foster, 6'1", 216, So.

KO

Cade Foster, 6'1", 216, So.; Jeremy Shelley, 5'10", 165, Jr.

HOLD

AJ McCarron, 6'4", 205, So.; Hardie Buck, 5'9", 190, Jr.

P

Cody Mandell, 6'4", 202, So.; Jay Williams, 6'3", 221, Fr.

SNAP 

Carson Tinker, 6'1", 220, So.; Kelly Johnson, 6'3", 230, Sr. 

Punt Returners

Marquis Maze, 5'10", 180, Sr.; DeAndrew White, 6'0", 181, Fr.

Kickoff Returners

Marquis Maze, 5'10", 180, Sr.; Dee Milliner, 6'1", 196, So.