Well, it’s that time again! Football season is here!!! Last
year we won it all and we predicted it. If you don’t believe me, go check the
earlier blog posts and you will see. Yeah, I never take off my Crimson Colored
Glasses, but I don’t feel like I have to. Things look the same without them on.
As long as Coach Saban is here, I don’t see us falling from the top tier of
colleges in the NCAA.
But last year is over and now the players must prove that they have what it takes again. I’m sure you all have been hearing about how good the new
freshman look in practice and who has emerged over the summer to make a
contribution to this year’s team. We always get super excited about the
incoming class of talent, and we should. We are consistently bringing in top
talent year in and year out. This year’s class brought in guys like Deon Belue,
Landon Collins, Amari Cooper, Eddie Williams, Adam Griffith…..etc. These guys
are extremely talented and some of them will make a contribution early. If you
play early at Alabama in this era, you are a very special athlete that will
probably go on to the next stage of footaball. We have so much talent on our
team, if a player doesn’t see the field in his first two years on campus he
should not be discouraged. In fact, he should take advantage of that time to
get bigger and stronger while learning Nick Saban’s system. If he does so, by
his junior or senior year, he could be considered one of the best players at
his position. Look at guys like Robert Lester, Ed Stinson, and Kenny Bell.
These guys didn’t make a big splash in their first couple of years but now are
the core of our team.
Yet, there are a few
new comers that are special and will
make a contribution in their first year on campus. Guys like TJ Yeldon, Landon Collins, Deon
Belue, and Amari Cooper will be called upon early to help this team get back to
the Championship game. TJ Yeldon is an
amazing talent. The guy knows how to run the ball. I think he and Fowler will
make sure that there isn’t a drop off when Lacy isn’t in the game. No
disrespect to all of the other receivers that have came before Cooper, but I
think he has the potential to be the best wide receiver in Alabama history. He
may not have all of the stats that Julio Jones had, but that is only a result
of the depth that we have at the wide receiver position. This guy is electric.
He knows how to get open and has the speed to beat defensive backs deep. Landon
Collins will make his first appearance on special teams. You’ll see him knock
ball carriers off their feet on kick off if Cade Foster doesn’t put the ball in
the end zone. Lastly, Deon Belue appears to be the best cover corner back that
we have had since Fernando Bryant. He proved that he was special early when he
intercepted AJ Mccaron in a scrimmage, returning it for 90 plus yards for a
score. And by the way, he did it again in the next scrimmage.
Teams will go at our secondary early in the season. After a
few interceptions, they will stop. We may not statistically be as good as last
year’s defense, but we will be in the top 5 defenses at the end of the season.
I predict that we will go to the National Championship game
again this year where we will beat either Florida State or USC. Our offense is
more explosive and our defense is good enough to stop any team in the country. Now put on your Crimson Colored Glasses and Roll Tide!!!!!
