Spring Preview: With Stellar Linebacking Corps, Alabama D Could Have Outstanding Front Seven
• Returning: Chris Braswell, Drew Sanders, Demouy Kennedy, Quandarrius Robinson, Shane Lee, Will Anderson Jr., Jarez Parks, Christopher Allen, Christian Harris, King Mwikuta, Jackson Bratton, Jaylen Moody
• Early Enrollee: ILB Deontae Lawson, Keanu Koht, Ian Jackson, Prattville, Ala., 2021
• Departed: Dylan Moses, Joshua McMillon, Ale Kaho
• Incoming: ILB Kendrick Blackshire, Kevin Harris II
It's a little reminiscent of how Alabama got the elephant mascot.
For those who don't know, here's the story, which goes back to sports writer Everett Strupper of the Atlanta Journal after Alabama's win over Ole Miss (everyone else can skep ahead four paragraphs).
"That Alabama team of 1930 is a typical [Wallace] Wade machine, powerful, big, tough, fast, aggressive, well-schooled in fundamentals, and the best blocking team for this early in the season that I have ever seen. When those big brutes hit you I mean you go down and stay down, often for an additional two minutes.
"Coach Wade started his second team that was plenty big and they went right to their knitting scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against one of the best fighting small lines that I have seen. For Ole Miss was truly battling the big boys for every inch of ground.
"At the end of the quarter, the earth started to tremble, there was a distant rumble that continued to grow. Some excited fan in the stands bellowed, 'Hold your horses, the elephants are coming,' and out stamped this Alabama varsity.
"It was the first time that I had seen it and the size of the entire eleven nearly knocked me cold, men that I had seen play last year looking like they had nearly doubled in size."
Minus the whole idea of starting reserves and then pulling in starters, that's sort of like what the Alabama linebacking corps will be like this season.
Alabama knows it has a strong group. A really strong group.
But have you seen what's coming?
Even though Alabama lost the services of Dylan Moses, who is finally off to the NFL, it returns three starters.
In the middle, Christian Harris is expected to take over the leadership responsibilities, which might had overwhelmed him last year. He was second in team tackles with 79, including seven for a loss, while being named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award.
"He’s more of a communicator," defensive lineman D.J. Dale said about Harris' growth over the last two years.
"That’s the biggest thing.”
Meanwhile, Will Anderson Jr. was named the Shaun Alexander-FWAA Freshman of the Year, while being named second-team All-SEC during his rookie season. He finished third in the SEC in sacks with seven while also ranking third in tackles for loss at 10.5, and was third in the team in overall tackles with 52.
“He made a tremendous impact, being a freshman stepping in in big-time games, and making plays, it goes to show you that the future's bright for him," former cornerback Patrick Surtain II said in December. "You know he's still raw, you know, even though that sounds crazy right now but you know he's still going through his game but right now, you know he's beast right now.”
At the other outside linebacker spot, Christopher Allen was also named second-team All-SEC honoree (by the coaches, Anderson was by the media), after leading the SEC in tackles for loss with 13. He also had 41 tackles, six sacks, five quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
"Chris is a guy that people don’t even really talk about as much as they probably should," former quarterback Mac Jones said. "He’s a great leader on our team because he just lines up and does what he’s supposed to do."
That leaves Jaylen Moody and Shane Lee vying for the open interior spot, with King Mwikuta and Jarez Parks the veteran options on the outside, plus numerous young players looking to get on the field.
They include some of the stellar additions from last year who are leading the next wave, including Chris Braswell, Drew Sanders, Demouy Kennedy, and Quandarrius Robinson.
Sanders developed a role in the rotation while seeing consistent minutes on special team along with Kennedy last season.
Plus, early enrollee Deontae Lawson might be good enough to push for playing time immediately.
It should make for an extremely interesting spring for position coach Sal Sunseri and defensive coordinator Pete Golding.
Alabama Athletics
2021 Crimson Tide Spring Practices
This is the seventh story in a series previewing Alabama’s spring football practices, which get under way March 19.
Wide receivers/Tight ends
