Making a Case for Alabama at SEC Media Days 

Alabama and their fascinating pack of autograph seekers are here today at the College Football Hall of Fame. The Crimson Tide is the overwhelming favorite to win the SEC title in 2022. I apologize, where are my manners. Hello again from Atlanta for Day-2 of SEC Media Days. I’ve had a great deal of coffee this morning so please be patient. Thanks to our good friends at Morgan & Morgan, I’ll be breaking down pre-selected teams based on the format of: Case For, Case Against, and Verdict. In doing so, I hope to paint an accurate picture of the preseason hype and how certain squads project for the 2022 season. Hope we can have some fun and also enlighten you on the conference landscape. Now, let’s talk Nick Saban and his football team.  

Case For

Come on, It’s Bama. Fourteen starters return to join a group of strategic Portal additions.  

Coach Nick Saban is the GOAT. That’s not up for debate. Saban’s “Process” was a couple of receiver injuries away from winning a national title last season. His squad is reloaded, rebuilt, and engineered to make another deep championship run in 2022. The offseason has been somewhat out of character for the head coach with the talking season dustup with Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher. I’d say that Saban has the October 8 home game against the Aggies circled on his calendar to say the least. Oddly enough, Saban received zero questions regarding the matter in this morning’s Q&A session. 

Edge defender Will Anderson returns after leading the SEC with 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss. He was the best player in college football in 2021. The 6’4, 245-pound junior wasn’t invited to the Heisman Trophy presentation, which was all kinds of wrong. College football’s most coveted award instead went to his teammate Bryce Young. The quarterback finished the season with 4,872 passing yards and 47 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions. Anderson and Young are joined by fellow All-American Jordan Battle to form a roster that is packed with stars. 

“The rich get richer” is a phrase that can best describe the Crimson Tide’s Portal acquisitions. Georgia receiver Jermaine Burton jumped ship to Tuscaloosa after winning a title to go along with Georgia Tech RB Jahmyr Gibbs who is receiving preseason Heisman Trophy talk. They’re joined by Louisville speedy receiver Tyler Harrell and Vanderbilt’s highly coveted offensive tackle Tyler Steen. LSU cornerback Eli Ricks followed suit and gives Saban another lockdown corner. However, Ricks will have to earn a spot in the starting lineup and faces stiff competition. 

The Alabama defense returns seven starters from a unit that gave up just 20-points and 304-yards per game in 2021. Will Anderson, DJ Dale, and Byron Young make up one of the most dominating fronts in college football. All-SEC LB Henry To’o To’o and rising star Dallas Turner clean up the second level. Safeties Jordan Battle, Malachi Moore, and DeMarcus Hellams patrol the deep third. I think it goes without saying that Saban has recruited well to that side of the football.

Case Against

If this Alabama team has a perceived weakness it is on the offensive line. 6’3, 305-pound Emil Ekiyor Jr. and 6’4, 305-pound Javion Cohen are the returning starters at guard but there are questions marks in the front five. This is especially applicable at tackle following the departure of Evan Neal. Saban didn’t have the services of three starters during spring practice. Their absence was observable. 

Quarterback Bryce Young will also have to become familiar with a new receiving corps after losing Jameson Williams and John Metchie III to the NFL. TE Cameron Latu’s influence should increase in number of targets in 2022. Second-year coordinator Bill O’Brien will have to mesh a new collection of skilled pass catchers into the call sheet. 6’2, 196-pound sophomore receiver Ja’Corey Brooks is a name to watch for in 2022. 

Verdict 

Alabama was two injured receivers away from potentially winning the 2021 national championship. Nick Saban is the best to ever do it and appears to really like his team. This year’s version features the nation’s best defensive player (Will Anderson) and reigning Heisman winner (Bryce Young). 

The Crimson Tide’s schedule is controllable. A week-two road game to Texas will be interesting but shouldn’t be all that challenging. At Arkansas on October 1 and at Tennessee on October 15 are likely Bama’s most difficult matchups. Its SEC East crossover game is at home vs. Vanderbilt. I can see Saban once again running the regular season table. 

Bold call alert, I’m taking Alabama to win the national championship. I know that’s going way out on a limb here, but hey, it is what it is. Additionally, if Will Anderson performs at the same level he did in 2021, I’d hope the outside linebacker wins the Heisman Trophy. 

An Alabama source tells KSR

“The offensive line looked terrible in the spring game. Of course, there is Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, and a bunch of Dudes over there on defense. The OL could be the Achilles heel and cost Bama in the big game with comparable talent. But, if it is fixed, this team could go down as one of the most dominant ever, and that’s saying something.” 

What Does All This Mean for Kentucky?

Not on the schedule. If UK can somehow win the East, Alabama would likely be their opponent in Atlanta.

Head Coach’s Best Quote

When asked about having arguably the best offensive (Byrce Young) and defensive (Will Anderson) players in the country Saban said: “Well, I don’t like to compare players, but to have two players that make such a significant impact on our team as those two guys, I don’t recall ever having a circumstance like that. We’ve had some great impact players, but never one on offense, one on defense, of the caliber that these guys have been able to play on a consistent basis. 

“But I think probably bigger than that is the impact that they have on the players around them. These guys set a great example. They’re players that other people on our team can emulate in a positive way because of the example that they set. These guys are very serving to their teammates in terms of they really do care about helping other people for their benefit. So these guys have not only been great players, they’ve contributed from a leadership standpoint probably as significantly as any leaders that we’ve had – and we’ve had some really good leaders in our program and organization. 

“Really excited about having these guys on our team. You couldn’t ask for two better people. I’ve always said that when the best players on your team are really good people with great attitude and great mindset, it’s really helpful to developing the type of team chemistry you need to have a successful team.”

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