Likely Starting Lineups – Starting with Offense
By: Larry Burton
This is the offense that’s supposed to shine and carry the defense early on. For some, with the holes to be filled, it seems like a tall order. But coaches on the staff and students of the game think that not only will this offense be at least as good as last year’s edition, but be better.
The likely starting lineup will have some familiar faces on it however, starting with center. Ryan Kelly will be a second year starter and he remembers all too well the communication problems that plagued the offensive line early last season. He has gone to great lengths to see that this doesn’t happen again in the 2014 campaign. Fortunately for Kelly, the main pieces were all in place and he’s had spring ball forward to make sure that everyone’s on the same page.
So even though I’m predicting that a true freshman will start at left tackle, five star Cam Robinson the 325 pound 6’6” tackle was here for spring ball and got a leg up on the competition. This will be the first true freshman at this important spot since Andre Smith started for the Tide in 2006 en route to an NFL first found draft pick contract.
Next to him, playing in his senior year, is Arie Kouandijo at left guard. Last season, Arie, playing beside his brother who left early for the NFL, only allowed two sacks and proved to be a devastating run blocker. So while you can expect some rookie mistakes from left tackle, the upside is there to be better as Cyrus Kouandijo missed several assignments last season and didn’t have the season many have hoped for. The left side of the line should be at least as good as last season.
Crazy to say that an incoming freshman will be as good as an NFL early second round pick? Not when you consider Kouandijo had had major knee surgery and was a step slower than this incoming freshman is. Time will tell, but I think you can expect this to bear out.
Now for the right side. Austin Shepherd starts his senior year healthy and smarter than ever and he will anchor the right tackle spot without a doubt. He graded out extremely well last season and only allowed one sack the entire year. This is a great way to start building a solid right side.
Beside him at guard, look for Leon Brown, a 6’6”, 320 pound senior to have the only real battle on the offensive line. With all the incoming talent coming in and Brown only having started for an injured Anthony Steen in the Sugar Bowl, the nation’s number one Jr. college recruit may have something to say about who nails down the starting job. That man is 6’7” 322 pound Dominick Jackson, he is a beast, very fast on his feet and athletically talented enough to push for more than just valuable playing time. That is the fall battle to watch when it comes to the offensive line.
At quarterback, forget the so called quarterback battle, Jacob Coker has the spot nailed down. You’ll see Sims get some shots at it, but he’ll be the backup and at the very most a situational player with limited snaps and mop up duty.
Running back is also cemented. Kenyan Drake had a solid shot at second string, but he keeps finding dog poop to step in that keeps him on Saban’s dog house list. Derrick Henry looks to have nailed that spot now. But you can count on this, Drake will have his opportunities in the Kiffin offense and he will make the most of them and Alabama will be a multi-headed monster at running back.
The only thing that may surprise Alabama fans in the running game is how Saban lets new offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin utilize an H back. Jalston Fowler is perfect for this role and incoming freshman Bo Scarboro may even give it a try just to get a few plays in here and there. The days of a fullback are finally back at Bama and if the previous versions of the Tide running game weren’t deadly enough, this one will be.
In very limited use last season, Fowler averaged almost 4.5 yards a carry and had five TD receptions. He has always had “great hands” and that too will come into play more this season than ever before. Now someone will have to account for a fullback coming through the line with or without the ball because Fowler becomes a pass threat once he clears the line and unlike most big fullbacks, he has running back speed and good moves in the open field.
Fowler will leave Alabama as the star he always was, but just never got enough opportunities to show it. This season will solve that and make him catch the eye of the NFL. That is something that may not have happened had Kiffin not come along.
That only leaves the receiving corps and what a group that is. The premier pass snagger is of course Amari Cooper. Cooper didn’t exactly play up to his hype last season and with Saban perhaps holding the reigns a little tight on a first year quarterback, he may be hard pressed to showcase all he can do early on. But as Saban gains confidence in Coker, expect to see numbers increase for Cooper and the entire receiving team.
So with Cooper as number one and so many seniors gone, such as the sure handed Kevin Norwood and the speedster Kenny Bell gone, that leaves Christion Jones and DeAndrew White as the second most play makers with experience to fill the other side. For slot, look for the one who isn’t on the end, Jones or White, or perhaps Chris Black, who is past due to show Alabama fans just how much speed and talent he has. Then there are a bevy of talented young receivers who will no doubt get opportunities here and there to showcase themselves.
Lastly there is tight end and what a year O.J. Howard is expected to have. Howard may have the best season of any tight end in many years as it is common knowledge that Kiffin loves to utilize his tight end and that they generally put up big numbers.
So here is your starting lineup:
Left Tackle Left Guard Center Rt. Guard Rt. Tackle Tight End
Dominick Jackson – Arie Kouandijo – Ryan Kelly – Leon Brown – Austin Shepherd – O.J. Howard
Amari Cooper – Receiver Jacob Coker – QB DeAndrew White – Receiver
T.J. Yeldon – RB Jalston Fowler – HB or Christion Jones – Slot
Larry is an award winning writer whose work has appeared in almost every college football venue. Now he primarily writes for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LBSportswriter
