Mr. CFB No. 2: Alabama

Author:
Tony Barnhart
Publish date:
Aug 26, 2021 8:48 AM EDT

This is just one man’s opinion, but here goes: There is absolutely no way—NO WAY—that Alabama can be as good this season as it was last season.

Consider what the Crimson Tide must replace as the Sept. 4 opener with Miami (in Atlanta) draws near:

**--10 NFL Draft choices (6 in the first round).

**--A Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver (DeVonta Smith), the 10th pick in the draft.

**--Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who missed most of last season with an injury and was still the No. 6 pick in the draft.

**--A first-round running back, Najee Harris, who is the leading rusher in Alabama history.

**--A first-round quarterback, Mac Jones, who was the No. 15 overall pick.

**--The Joe Moore Award goes to the best offensive in college football. Alabama won the award last. Tackle Alex Leatherwood and center Landon Dickerson were drafted.

**--Defensive back Patrick Surtain II, the No. 9 pick in the draft.

So my point is you just can’t lose that kind of talent and think you’re going to be as good.

But having said all that……

Alabama is STILL good enough to win every game it plays this season.

First things first: Quarterback Bryce Young, who played behind Jones last season, is an enormous talent and should fare well under the tutelage of new OC Bill O’Brien.

John Metchie III steps up to the role as Young’s go-to receiver after catching 55 passes for 916 yards last season.

Senior Brian Robinson will emerge as the lead dog when it comes to running the football, something Alabama will do while Young gets comfortable at quarterback.

In the early going look for Coach Nick Saban to go back to his roots and lean on a defense that returns eight starters. Alabama led the SEC in scoring defense last season (19.4 ppg) in winning the national championship. By contrast, Saban’s 2011 national championship team led the nation in scoring defense, giving up 8.2 points per game. That shows you how much the game has changed.

A couple of games jump off the schedule: Alabama goes to Florida on Sept. 18 and goes to Texas A&M on Oct. 9. If the Tide it going to stumble at all during the regular season, it will be in one of those games.

Note: The photo above is of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien during practice. The photo is credited to Gary Crosby, Jr., of IMAGN Content Services.