The Jumbo Package │07.08.14

2014 over/under win totals: picking the SEC West - CBSSports.com

The Tide seem as vulnerable as they've been in years: an unknown quantity at quarterback in Jacob Coker, no consensus preseason All-Americans on the offensive live, Lane Kiffin. But the defense remains the Alabama defense -- with better corners than the past two seasons, it's likely actually improved -- and the schedule remains forgiving, with four gimmes on the nonconference slate (sorry, West Virginia) and only two games where the Tide won't be a decided favorite: at LSU and home to Auburn. Assuming the Tide don't stub their toe vs. Florida or at Ole Miss, even a split against their Tigers rivals would get them to 11 wins. It's not the slam dunk it would have been any of the past three seasons, but ...

10-11 wins sounds about right. I could see us losing either the LSU or Auburn game (but I could also see us easily winning both). MSU will be tougher than most think. Ole Miss will be motivated to avenge the shutout from last year and if UF can find an offense, they may be a difficult out. The rest are sure wins.

Here's the thing, IF Coker lives up to the hype, IF the offensive line plays well and IF the corners improve dramatically from 2013, we could be looking at another 11-12 win season, but that's a lot of if's and I don't want to think of the possibilities of those if's don't become reality.

Should Kenyan Drake's arrest be final straw for him at Alabama? | AL.com

I know what many of you were probably thinking, because I thought it myself. When news of Alabama running back Kenyan Drake's arrest broke over the weekend, my first instinct was: "He might be gone."

I mean, yeah, Drake has had his issues in the past (Iron Bowl meltdown, suspension in 2012, not making the trip to the Va Tech game in '13) but none of those seem to be overly serious issues, at least ones bad enough to warrant him "being gone". At the very least, this puts him at #3 or lower on the depth chart positional groupings once practice begins next month.

Eight Alabama players named to football watch lists

Senior receiver Christion Jones was named to the watch list for the Paul Hornung Award for the most versatile player on the nation. Jones is coming of productive season as a receiver, punt returner and kickoff returner. He caught 36 passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Jones retuned 23 punts for a 14-yard average and two touchdowns and returned 22 kickoffs for a 28.7-yard average and a touchdown.

I like Jones as a returner, but outside of the Va Tech game he really didn't do all that much. And is it just me or does he seem tentative when returning kick-offs? You can be a bit timid on punt returns waiting for your blocks to be set up but you have to be aggressive on kick off returns or risk being runt over.

Explaining Nike's The Opening 2014 and Elite 11 (and how to watch live) - SBNation.com

Colleges and representatives are not permitted to attend, per NCAA rule. The event is really more about a celebration of the players and a chance to prove they are the best at their respective positions.

Yep, that's what this is really about...the players being "celebrated". Tell me, when will we start hearing the same O'Bannon/Northwestern "Unfair, abused"  rhetoric applied to high school players? Soon? Or is it already happening?

FWIW...

Blake Barnett among top quarterbacks at Elite 11, puts 'Roll Tide' in campers' ears | AL.com

Barnett, who measured in at taller than 6-foot-4 and showed a pro-style build, has been mostly praised since the competition started in Beaverton, Ore., on Sunday. The event is in conjunction with The Opening, as several top recruits around the country will join the 18 quarterbacks for skills testing and 7-on-7 competitions beginning Tuesday.

Guess who they said was the standout among QB's? Ricky Town.

Doesn't matter...He's overrated and not a good fit for the Bama system anyhow... Right, gumps?