Alabama
Crimson Tide
Preview 2007
By
Pete Fiutak
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2007 Bama Offense Preview
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2007 Bama Defense Preview
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2007 Bama Depth Chart
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2006 CFN Alabama
Preview
Playtime is over at Alabama.
Oh sure, it’s been fun to poke the bear, the legend of the Bear, and
the Tide program for the last few seasons, given the coaching
fiascos of Dennis Franchione bolting to Texas A&M and the bizarre
issues with Mike DuBose and Mike Price. Now things have gotten
serious with the hiring of Nick Saban, and for Tide fans who think
their program is among the elite of the elite, it’s time to start
winning SEC titles again.
Head coach: Nick Saban
1st year at Alabama
12th year overall: 91-42-1
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 20, Def. 24, ST 3
Lettermen Lost: 17 |
Ten
Best Alabama Players
1.
OT Andre
Smith, Soph.
2. CB Simeon Castille, Sr.
3. WR D.J. Hall, Sr.
4. LB Prince Hall, Soph.
5. QB John Parker Wilson, Jr.
6. WR Keith Brown, Sr.
7. OG Justin Britt, Sr.
8. DE Wallace Gilberry, Sr.
9. DE Bobby Greenwood, Jr.
10. C Antoine Caldwell, Jr.
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2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 7-5 |
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Sept. 1 |
Western Carolina |
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Sept. 8 |
at Vanderbilt |
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Sept. 15 |
Arkansas |
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Sept. 22 |
Georgia |
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Sept. 29 |
Florida
St
(in Jackson.) |
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Oct.
6 |
Houston |
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Oct.
13 |
at
Ole Miss |
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Oct.
20 |
Tennessee |
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Nov.
3 |
LSU |
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Nov.
10 |
at Mississippi St |
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Nov.
17 |
UL Monroe |
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Nov.
24 |
at
Auburn |
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2006
Schedule
CFN
Prediction:
7-5
2005 Record:
6-6
Preview
2005 predicted
wins
|
| 9/2 |
Hawaii
W 25-17 |
| 9/9 |
Vanderbilt
W 13-10 |
| 9/16 |
UL Monroe
W 41-7 |
| 9/23 |
at Ark. L 24-23 2OT |
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9/30 |
at Florida L 28-13 |
| 10/7 |
Duke
W 30-14 |
| 10/14 |
Ole Miss
26-23 OT |
| 10/21 |
at Tennessee L 16-13 |
| 10/28 |
FIU
W 38-3 |
| 11/4 |
Miss State
L 26-14 |
| 11/11 |
at LSU L 28-14 |
| 11/18 |
Auburn L 22-15 |
| 12/28 |
Independence Bowl
Oklahoma State L 34-31 |
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It’s not
like Alabama was bad under Mike Shula, but there was a sense that things
were slipping a bit, even if some rebuilding was needed after
going 10-2 in 2005 and winning the Cotton Bowl. In 2006, Florida won the
national title, LSU firmly entrenched itself as a superpower, and
Arkansas (freakin’ Arkansas!) won the SEC West. All that might have been
forgivable…if the Tide hadn’t lost to Auburn for a fifth straight
season.
So how fast can Saban turn things around? While the team will be far
better, thanks to a more experienced offense, a better line and a Saban-type
defense that should quickly become one of the SEC’s nastiest, it’s not
like the rest of the league got worse. Florida, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee,
and yes, even Auburn are all as good, if not better, and as South
Carolina has shown over the last two seasons, just having a superior
coach doesn’t mean the best conference in America is going to start
quaking.
Instead of seeing Saban as an instant savior, consider him the spark
that might set off the explosion. Even the most impatient of Bama fans
know it might take a year to get the Tide rolling again. Come 2008, when
the offense will be full of seniors, the defense will have had a year
under Saban, and a shockingly good, brought-together-at-the-last-second
recruiting class will have had time to get its feet wet, Alabama might
actually beat Auburn again.
What to watch for on offense: Air Tide. Hurt by a young line that
didn’t provide any room for the running game to move, Alabama ended up
going to the passing attack more often than anyone might have liked. For
all the rocky times and inconsistencies, last year allowed John Parker
Wilson to get a good first look at what life as an SEC starter is like.
With D.J. Hall and Keith Brown (two of the SEC’s most unappreciated
receivers) as targets, Bama should be able to bomb away with anyone in
the conference.
What to watch for on defense: Aggressiveness to the nth degree.
Every defense likes to attack, and last year’s Tide defense was no
different, but it didn’t get the play from the line it needed to be
effective. There was no pass rush, and little consistent push into the
backfield. That won’t happen under Saban, who was a master at bringing
out the best in the front fours at LSU, and should get Tide rushers
behind the line early and often. Which is why …
The team will be far better if … it sacks somebody. Thirteen
sacks and 55 tackles for loss. That’s not exactly the type of defensive
play the Tide was looking for from the defensive front last year, so job
one for Saban and defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will be to make
sure those numbers double, if not triple. A move from a 4-3 to a 3-4
will try to make that happen.
The Schedule:
If the Tide
can roll at home, it’ll be a great season. The three SEC road games
before the season finale at Auburn are as easy as can be, against
Vanderbilt, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. There’s a neutral site date
with Florida State in Jacksonville to save the non-conference slate from
being considered a total joke. The real excitement is over the home
slate, which features Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU in SEC play.
Best Offensive Player:
Sophomore OT
Andre Smith.
At 6-4 and 348 pounds, he's a huge body at left tackle, and he's living
up to every bit of the hype. Considered by some to be the number one
recruit in America last year, he stepped in and was a rock from day one.
Several NFL teams would love to have him right now.
Best Defensive Player:
Senior CB
Simeon Castille. The centerpiece of the Tide defense, Castille will
erase one side of the field and be the first player most quarterbacks
look for when they step up to the line. He’s big, has a nose for the
ball, and is good at getting into the backfield when needed.
Key players to a
successful season:
Senior DEs Wallace
Gilberry and junior Bobby Greenwood. Steady pressure into the backfield
has to start coming from the ends, so the coaching staff doesn’t have to
get cute and send in the linebackers. The ends have the size and
quickness to get into the backfield, but now they have to do a better
job of closing. They also have to figure out what they’re doing. The new
defense isn’t rocket science, but it’ll take time to figure out the
overall roles.
The season will be a
success if
... The Tide wins nine games. It’s not going to be easy considering all
the tough games, but almost all are at home. If they can pull out a win
over Florida State, they’ll have four wins alone from the non-conference
schedule. Anything less than 5-3 in SEC play will be considered a major
disappointment.
Key game:
Nov. 24 at Auburn. It’s
easy to point to the rivalry game with Tennessee, the Saban showdown
with LSU, or even the interesting battle against Florida State as
showcase games, but after losing five straight to that “cow college,”
Saban has to turn the tide in the Iron Bowl series to show that things
really have changed under the new regime.
2006 Fun Stats:
- Alabama points allowed by quarter: 1st 44, 2nd
102, 3rd 46, 4th 48
- Penalties: Opponents 90 for 732 yards; Alabama 78 for 557 yards
- Sacks: Opponents 28 for 204 yards; Alabama 13 for 100 yards