Alabama Closing in Filling Biggest Need on 2020 Crimson Tide

One of the failings of modern football thinking is the popular notion that 'traditional' defenses have four starters in the secondary.

It's just not true any more, even in the Southeastern Conference.

Due to the evolution of the game, in part due to innovators like the new Mississippi coaches, Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach, most teams spend much more time in their nickel and/or dime packages than what's commonly referred to as the base formation.

It's simple math. The defenses have to match up in terms of personnel and a linebacker on a wide receiver is a huge mismatch.

With that in mind, Alabama's biggest hole to fill in the lineup for the 2020 season wasn't just in the secondary, where three of the four base starters moved on to the NFL, but at the nickel position.

Called “star” in Nick Saban’s scheme, the defender plays over the receiver in the slot, and usually replaces the strong-side linebacker (S for S, and in the dime the "money" comes in for the middle linebacker, M for M).

Ideally it's someone with a lot of experience, who can hit like a safety but cover like a cornerback. Factor in that it often takes players a year to get Saban's schemes down, both on offense and defense, and one can see why Alabama has used players like Eddie Jackson and Minkah Fitzpatrick in that role.

But the coaches have decided not to go that route with cornerbacks Patrick Surtain II or Josh Jobe.

“The big thing in this conference and within this defense, we need to have two corners that can lock it down and I think that’s something that Patrick and Josh should be able to do for us,” defensive coordinator Pete Golding said.

Consequently, junior-college transfer Ronald Williams Jr. was initially thought to be in the running to play over the slot, but the cancelation of the spring practices likely nullified and advantage the 6-2 cornerback out of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College had in learning the system.

Instead, true freshman Brian Branch has really stepped up, along with Malachi Moore. Both seem to have benefitted from the extra film study and off-field instruction coaches were able to do over the summer.

"They’re both young players and they both have shown the potential to play the position and to play winning football at the position," Saban said.

That's a huge compliment from the coach, who has shown in the past that he issn't afraid to start a true freshman in a key spot.

"It’s certainly a position of need for us," he continued. "We talked before about losing four starters out of five guys last year and a lot of experience and Patrick Surtain could obviously play star but he’s so valuable at corner you hate to move him in there. Marcus Banks and Josh Jobe have both made significant progress at corner but those two guys have shown promise and hopefully they’re going to be able to help us this year.”

When Saban says something like that it would be a big surprise for the Crimson Tide to go in a different direction when the depth chart is officially announced in three weeks, or opens the regular season at Missouri on Sept. 26.

More Freshmen in Key Roles

Another comment from Saban's post-scrimmage press conference, in terms of the potential depth chart, turned our head.

When asked about the outside linebackers, he first mentioned Chris Allen and Ben Davis, who are being given every chance to pin down the starting jobs due to their veteran status. They've earned the opportunity and seem to be off to a good start.

However, Saban then singled out two true freshmen.

"We have several freshmen — Drew Sanders and Will Anderson both have shown some promise," he said. "They’re still working through understanding exactly what to do and how to do it, but they’re both guys that I think can probably contribute to the team. I think we have some other guys at linebacker in general who might be able to develop and help us this year, as well.”

There's serious buzz about both, especially Anderson, who came in ready to go and has impressed.

For the coach to mention them both so early in the process spoke volumes about their progress.

Regardless, with Alabama needing to develop as much depth as quickly as possible, just in case with the coronavirus contact-tracing protocols, look for Saban to easily use 12-plus players from the Class of 2020 this season regardless of the SEC-only schedule.

Talk About Going in Full Circles

We've had fun here speculating on what might have happened had Nick Saban never coached the Crimson Tide.

Andrew Doughty of Sports Illustrated wonders what if Urban Meyer didn’t retain Kyle Whittingham as Utah defensive coordinator after arriving in Salt Lake City in 2002? It might’ve affected dozens of college football programs and coaches including the Crimson Tide.

Meyer was “ready” to hire his own coordinator after arriving from Bowling Green, he said recently. If he did, it might have unraveled the potential effects of Meyer’s decision 18 years later:

"First, maybe Utah’s defense isn’t as dominant in 2003 and 2004. Maybe the Utes don’t hold 20 of their 24 opponents under 30 points, maybe they don’t win 22 of 24 games, and maybe Meyer doesn’t become one of the most sought-after head coaches in college football history.

"Instead of hiring Meyer in December 2004, Florida hires Cal head coach Jeff Tedford, whom the Gators were reportedly highly interested in, along with Bobby Petrino, Bob Stoops, Kirk Ferentz and Butch Davis, though the latter three reportedly declined interest."

His breakdown is here.

Alabama fans only need to know this: If Meyer doesn't end up at Florida, neither does quarterback Tim Tebow, who likely instead says yes to Mike Shula at Alabama. That brings us full circle as Mal Moore probably doesn't fire Shula or lure Saban away from the Miami Dolphins.

But who knows?

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• Inside the 48 hours that brought back the NBA playoffs

• The NCAA may eliminate “bowl eligibility” for the 2020 season

In Remembrance ...

• Condolences to everyone in Tucson on the passing of former Arizona basketball coach/legend Lute Olson. Having worked for the Tucson Citizen back in 1998-2000, the one thing that stood out the most during my time there was how in terms of sports Olson was Tucson, and absolutely beloved. He will be greatly missed.

• Cliff Robinson, whom I also covered when he was with the Phoenix Suns, also passed away at 53 years old from lymphoma. Amazingly, "Uncle Cliffy" played 18 years in the NBA.

• “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” — Jackie Robinson

RIP Chadwick Boseman 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/6BPRTreR5Y
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) August 29, 2020

Christopher Walsh's notes column All Things CW appears twice a week on BamaCentral+, which will soon be a premium page on BamaCentral.com.