Alabama Football: Comparing the 2011 Stars to Their 2009 Counterparts

The Alabama Crimson Tide squad in 2011 bears some striking similarities to the championship team in 2009. They have a stifling veteran defense, a Heisman-hopeful running back and are breaking in a new quarterback.  

Do those similarities end there, or do the 2011 stars resemble their predecessors in 2009?

Michael Williams, Tight End

Succeeds: Colin Peek

In 2009, Colin Peek was the primary tight end and fourth on the team in receiving yards, with 313 on 26 catches. He also had a key touchdown reception against Florida in the SEC Championship game.  

Michael Williams seems to be the go-to tight end, though Brad Smelley is neck-and-neck with him in receiving.  

Williams has a particular quality that Colin Peek was lacking. While a good overall tight end, Peek was criticized for this lack of upper body strength. He got the job done, but Michael Williams is pretty much a sixth offensive lineman.  

Williams has become about as reliable as Colin Peek was, but a whole lot stronger.  

Marquis Maze, Wide Receiver

Succeeds: Julio Jones

Marquis Maze contributed heavily to the 2009 championship run.  He came out with 523 yards to Julio Jones' 596. But Julio was still "the guy."

Maze is now that guy and is the favorite target of A.J. McCarron. He leads the team with 22 receptions, double that of Trent Richardson's second place ranking, for 262 yards.  

He lacks Julio's size and strength, but his speed is just as good.  

He has yet to be the deep threat that he and Julio were in 2009, but he's dangerous with the ball.  

Maze is contributing in 2011 in ways that Julio never really did, but we'll get to that later.

Trent Richardson, Running Back

Succeeds: Mark Ingram

Of all the comparisons to the 2011 to the 2009 squad, Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram have the closest resemblance.  

As with Marquis Maze and Julio Jones, Richardson was backup to Ingram. The difference was that no one was ever asking "Who's better?" about Julio and Marquis.

Comparing Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram was, and still is, a lot of shades of grey.  

The only difference that can be pointed out is that Richardson is stronger, and Ingram was a little more elusive.  

Jesse Williams, Defensive End

Succeeds: Marcell Dareus

Lorenzo Washington may have been the starter, but his backup, Marcell Dareus, was the star.  

Marcell had a great season in 2009, making 33 tackles (9 for loss), 6.5 sacks, two pass break-ups and one interception.  

Jesse has not put up those kinds of numbers yet, but he has an eye for the ball. He routinely focuses on the quarterback, and if he can't get to him, he tries to swat the ball down, much like Dareus did.  

He hasn't quite gotten his technique down, and still has trouble shucking blockers, but I believe he'll get the hang of it for a very good reason.  

I daresay he is stronger than Marcell was in 2009.  

He's been fairly quiet, but I expect him to make a huge splash on a big stage some day soon, just like Marcell did in the BCS National Championship.  

Josh Chapman, Nose Guard

Succeeds: Terrance Cody

Terrance Cody was used as a run-stuffer in 2009 and spelled by Josh Chapman on passing downs. Chapman played about as much as Cody did.  

In 2011, the game plan is the same now that Chapman is the starting nose guard. He stuffs the run, and Nick Gentry comes out to rush the passer.

I would say that Chapman isn't as effective as Cody was, but the fact that Alabama is holding their opponents to less than 40-yards rushing per game for first in the nation suggests otherwise.

One thing is for certain: Josh Chapman has a much better motor than Terrance Cody, and he's a lot stronger.  

Cody had an uncanny knack for finding the ball, though. He was also an amazing goal-line full back for Mark Ingram.  

If Chapman saves the day with two blocked field goals, he'll get my vote as the better of the two.  

Dont'a Hightower, Linebacker

Succeeds: Rolando McClain

Dont'a Hightower was to be Rolando's wingman in 2009 and could have had many asking, "Who is better?" A torn ACL against Arkansas in Week 4 cut short that argument.  

After a "disappointing" 2010 campaign by Hightower, many would say that McClain was better.  

Hightower gets this comparison to McClain simply as the best linebacker on the squad.  

McClain was an outstanding coverage linebacker and is much more akin to currently-injured C.J. Moseley.  

Hightower is just as stout against the run as McClain was, but his pass-coverage skills leave a little to be desired.  

Now that Dont'a Hightower is healthy, he may have us again asking, "Is he better than McClain?"

Hightower still has a lot to prove to get a "Yes," however.  

Courtney Upshaw, Linebacker

Succeeds: Eryk Anders

Eryk Anders served as the JACK linebacker for the 2009 squad, and did pretty well for himself, racking up 5 sacks.  

He was a good pass-rushing linebacker, but that is where the similarities end between him and Courtney Upshaw.

Upshaw is bigger, faster, meaner and has put more quarterbacks on the bench than Anders had sacks.

Courtney Upshaw could possibly be the next best pass-rusher the Alabama linebacker corps has ever seen.   

Dre Kirkpatrick, Cornerback.

Succeeds: Javier Arenas

Though Dre Kirkpatrick was technically a backup to Kareem Jackson in 2009, I draw this comparison to Javier Arenas as the best overall cornerback on the team. 

Jackson may have been drafted before Javier, but most 'Bama fans would give Javier Arenas the vote for the best corner on the 2009 squad.  

The first, and most obvious, difference between Kirkpatrick and Arenas is stature. Dre Kirkpatrick, at 6'3", has a good six inches on Javier, though Arenas had more weight on him than KP has right now.  

Dre Kirkpatrick is a phenomenal cornerback, and even though he whiffs once in a while, many pundits have him as the best cornerback in the upcoming 2012 NFL Draft.  

Javier Arenas, however, was a lot more dynamic. Kirby Smart often had Arenas run cornerback blitzes. He was second on the team with five sacks and third with 11 tackles-for-loss.  

Mark Barron, Free Safety

Succeeds: Himself

Mark Barron in 2011 looks a lot like Barron in 2009, with a few differences.

He may not out-do himself and his seven interceptions in 2009, but Barron is a much more capable tackler.  

He has developed his technique, and in an interview, he said he favors going for sure-tackles rather than go for the big hit, even though he might want to "take their head off." 

Mark was the Ol' Reliable in the Tide's secondary in 2009 and remains just that in 2011.  

According to Nick Saban, Barron has always played as the free safety, even though he was listed for over two years as a strong safety. Go figure.  

Robert Lester, Strong Safety

Succeeds: Justin Woodall

Justin Woodall was a great safety and instrumental to the Tide's championship run, so there will be no criticism here.

Robert Lester, however, is just plain better.  

Lester is much more of a ball-hawk, picking off quarterbacks eight times in 2010 compared to Woodall's 3 in 2009.  

Robert has not had the same luck thus far in 2011, but he has come very close a few times.  

Many NFL Draft pundits have Robert Lester pegged as the better safety in the Tide's secondary, but the season is still relatively young.  

Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster, Place Kicker, Kickoff

Succeed: Leigh Tiffin

Leigh Tiffin is the best kicker in the history of the Crimson Tide, better than his father even.  

Jeremy Shelley and Cade Foster just don't compare to him well at all.  

Shelley doesn't have the leg that Tiffin did, and it seems apparent that Foster doesn't, either.  

In 2009, Tiffin averaged one touchback per game. Foster has one in five games in 2011.  

Jeremy Shelley has a better extra point percentage, going 24-for-24, compared to Tiffin's 42-for-46.  

Tiffin's field goal percentage, however, blows them out of the water at 85 percent.

A lot of talent left after the 2009 squad won the Coach's Trophy, but Leigh Tiffin left a hole that Nick Saban just couldn't "plug and play." 

Barrett Jones, Left Tackle

Succeeds: James Carpenter

James Carpenter transferred from junior college to Alabama and immediately won the starting job at left tackle in 2009.  

In both his years with the Tide, he reliably protected Greg McElroy's blind side. Even though McElroy was sacked 32 times last year, they all pretty much came from the middle or the right side of the line.  

Barrett Jones seems to be filling in perfectly.  Though he is sorely missed at right guard, guarding young A.J. McCarron from outside blitzes is just more important.  

Marquis Maze: Punt, Kick Returner

Succeeds: Javier Arenas

There's only one way to put this: Javier Arenas is the best return man the Crimson Tide has ever fielded. So far.  

2011 is Marquis Maze's first and last year as a full-time returner and will not beat Arenas' returns for touchdowns. But boy, has he looked good.  

At his current pace, he's set to out-do Javier on punt return yardage. His average is around the same, just over 15 yards-per-return. What may land him more yards is the fact that the 2011 squad is forcing a lot of 3-and-outs, even against teams with great offenses (Florida and Arkansas).  

Maze also has a better kick return average, with 36.4 to Arenas' 29, though he's only returned five kickoff returns this year. It looks as if he wont get a whole lot more if the Tide defense continues to hold opponents nearly scoreless.  

Maze has a bit of a hidden advantage, though. Javier had to return those punts and kickoffs immediately after playing almost every previous down on defense. Maze will have fresher legs for each return, as he will field the ball before he goes into action.    

If we were to compare a full career of returns by Maze to Javier, the stats may tell a surprising story.

Nevertheless, Marquis Maze is a stellar return man, reliably giving the Crimson Tide good field position (and a return for a touchdown!).  

Nick Saban, President of the State of Alabama

In 2009, Nick Saban was the best coach in college football.

In 2011, Nick Saban is the best coach in college football. 

'Nuff said.