Is the Alabama Crimson Tide ready to reload in 2016?

The 2016 University of Alabama football squad gives me every reason for high expectations. This first analysis of the season will include a bit more than my normal game comparisons, as there is so much to talk about with this team. I believe this defense has talent rarely seen on one team and is the most balanced from the D-line to linebackers to secondary since the National Champion 1992 team, despite the need to replace several NFL-caliber players. And the offense has the talent to provide true balance and do their part.

While the front seven may not be a deep as last year, they are every bit as talented through the first four or five and return perhaps the best defensive lineman in the nation in All-SEC Jonathan Allen. While Allen may be technically the lone returning starter, it doesn’t feel that way when you look at the play of returners that include freshman All-American Da’Ron Payne (who actually started three games near the season end), Dalvin Tomlinson and Da’Shawn Robinson.  Tomlinson was the first sub in the rotation and Robinson played in all 15 games.

Combining Allen’s pass rush skills with Tim Williams coming off the corner creates a huge challenge for opponent O-lines and blocking backs. Teams without a mobile QB with a quick release will find their passing stats plummeting against this group with lock-down corners Marlon Humphrey (the nation’s #1 CB in high school) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (the nation’s #2 CB in high school) causing QB hesitation in the face of a monstrous pass rush. And these two are no longer freshmen. (Fun question:  How many teams in America could win a NC against DeShaun Watson with two freshmen corners?)

While I hesitate to ever take anything for granted, I think it is safe to say Bama will again have a very good running game. Stopping it will require seven in the box, perhaps eight,  but that causes enormous problems for the defensive coordinator to figure out because this group of Bama receivers is scary talented. If Bateman or Barnett can build the confidence to deliver the ball to them this could be a record year for explosive plays from the offense. Barnett was ranked as the nation’s #1 pocket passer by ESPN, and Bateman has a bit of experience after arriving at Alabama in 2013 ranked by various ranking services inside the top five nationally, so I have high hopes.

BTW, early prediction: David Cornwell will not be on the team next year as he is squeezed between these two and perhaps the most talented of the bunch, freshman Jalen Hurts. Too bad, as he is very, very talented and could start many places. Think about Luke Del Rio, who left two years ago upon seeing this talent coming to Bama and now will start at Florida.

Perhaps my greatest confidence is in a group of receiver weapons that will be helped by the RB Bo Scarborough (think Henry strength with more wiggle) and backed up by the nation’s top-ranked RB Damien Harris, who in turn is backed up by the next year’s top-ranked RB BJ Emmons. Calvin Ridley came out of high school ranked by three services as the nation’s top receiver—but was NOT the starter last year until Robert Foster went down at Ole Miss in game three after already chalking up ten catches for over 100 yards. Foster, himself also ranked as the nation’s top receiver in his class by 247Sports, is healthy and back. I suspect he will be hungry after seeing what his replacement achieved. Ridley’s great freshman season produced the most yards in FBS history by a true freshman despite not starting the first three games. He will be unstoppable again.

Add to those ArDarius Stewart, our number 2 receiver back from the 2016 NC team with 63 catches—half of which went for either a TD or a first down. He was no slouch out of high school either, ranked as the number 3 “athlete” by Rivals. And despite the incredible year we enjoyed by Ridley, Stewart was named as one of the Offensive Players of the Week by coaches four times last year. Those three greats are backed up by Cam Sims, a wild card at 6’5” and 203 pounds. He too was a top 10 receiver out of high school, with a #8 ranking by ESPN.

And who will fill the shoes of Richard Mullaney, perhaps my favorite player from last year, who quietly went about giving us 400 yards on 38 catches, along with 5 TDs? The answer could be another transfer, Gehrig Dieter from Bowling Green. Dieter caught 94 passes for 1038 yards and 10 TDs, after coming out of high school as a Parade All American receiver.

And top that off with OJ Howard. I’ll remember his MVP performance against Clemson for the rest of my life. ‘Nuff said. Bottom line for the offense, as odd as it seems, is that it could be improved this year if things click with the O-Line and QB.

There are other important cogs in this wheel that at least need a mention. Left tackle Cam Robinson, for example, has started all 29 games since he arrived two years ago. He earned freshman All-America honors and is on the consideration list for both the Outland and Lombardi awards. PK Griffith returns his perfect 62 for 62 extra point kicks from last year and punter JK Scott returns as perhaps the best in Bama history, averaging 46 yards per punt and earning first team All America status. He’s likely to win the Ray Guy award this year if he continues this performance, helped of course by a four-year starter in long snapper Cole Mazza. He’s a defensive weapon every bit as important as Allen or Humphrey or Williams or Foster.

All in all, if Bama can survive tough road trips against good teams at Ole Miss, Tennessee, Arkansas, and LSU, this could be a special season.