While the National Football League holds left tackle in high esteem, college football knows it’s he who snaps the ball to the quarterback that claims the most respect. Alabama head coach Nick Saban has had nothing short of good fortune when it comes to recruiting. Nine of his 10 signing class were ranked in the top five (since 2008), including obtaining seven top-ranked groups.
He’s mentored two Heisman-winning running backs, a litter of talented wide receivers and pure monsters on defense, however, Saban’s greatest achievement is the men he’s groomed along the offensive line.
His first four offensive captains—Antoine Caldwell, Williams Vlachos, Barrett Jones and Ryan Kelly—set the tone for four national championships (2009, 2011-12, 2015) and four Southeastern Conference titles (2009, 2012, 2014-15) in their time communicating with quarterbacks and knocking down defenders.
Vlachos and Kelly both cleared the way for Mark Ingram (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015) during their Heisman-winning years, while Caldwell and Jones aided three 1,000-yard rushers as starters.
It would be tough on Saban to find his fifth control man and despite rotating guys in the spring, redshirt junior Bradley Bozeman emerged as the winner. He beat out sophomore Ross Pierschbacher during the final week of fall practice and has been solid all season. Rating recruits gives media personnel excitement for click bait, yet it is on-field play and off-field character that determines the quality of a player. Regardless of being a three-star prospect from Handley High School (Roanoke, Ala.), Bozeman has grown into a stud navigating the offense.
He is the first center of the Saban era to block for 40-plus points a game.
Behind Bozeman, the Crimson Tide ranks first in the SEC in total offense (471.3 ypg) and scoring offense (40.5 ppg). Like Kelly, Bozeman led a front that was one of three finalists for the Joe Moore Award (nation’s top offensive line). Though Alabama did not win, the 6-foot-5, 319-pounder has his eyes on a much bigger prize.
He’s blocked for 10 100-yard rushers, including four games each for quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Damien Harris. Bozeman earned offensive player of the week honors from the coaching staff seven times, following his performances against eight SEC schools. He did not allow a sack in nine games this season, which helped him turn grades of 91 percent against Mississippi State and a team-high 90 percent against Kentucky on assignments. Bozeman will lead the Tide’s offense against No. 4-seed Washington in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31, with all hopes leaning on the group’s desire to repeat as national champions.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
