Roll 'Bama Roll - The All-Saban Underappreciated TeamThe Champagne of 'Bama Blogshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49427/RBRlogo-fv.png2020-08-28T06:05:08-05:00http://www.rollbamaroll.com/rss/stream/210583382020-08-28T06:05:08-05:002020-08-28T06:05:08-05:00The All-Saban Underappreciated Roster — Handicap our squad!
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<img alt="College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl - Alabama v Oklahoma" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1Kua6V6V39djAii7XYCyOpmK3q8=/0x253:2011x1594/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67308320/1076914016.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>How would this team fare in 2020? How would it compete against Alabama’s greatest Saban team?</p> <p id="6LMlTo">Alright, folks. We’ve put together our best 22 plus the specialists and some bench depth. We’ve selected some underappreciated folks to coach ‘em up. </p>
<p id="O0teok">Here’s your underappreciated roster. </p>
<h2 id="qboujJ"><strong>Defense</strong></h2>
<p id="gWfPwX"><strong>Coach: </strong>Kevin Steele</p>
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<h2 id="FjqpJH"><strong>Offense</strong></h2>
<p id="HEoQSH"><strong>Coach:</strong> Doug Nussmeier </p>
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<h2 id="yq157W"><strong>Special Teams </strong></h2>
<p id="wGdx5Z"><strong>Coach: </strong>Bobby Williams</p>
<p id="jp88iI"><strong>P — </strong>PJ Fitzgerald<br><strong>K — </strong>Adam Griffith<br><strong>KR — </strong>Christion Jones<br><strong>PR — </strong>Marquis Maze<br><strong>Gunner </strong>— Ale Kaho</p>
<p id="a89ngC">—</p>
<p id="MIc8ng">Okay, here’s your assignment. </p>
<p id="ORlV6D">Study our roster of underappreciated contributors and stars from the Tide’s past, and then do two things for us. </p>
<ol>
<li id="zf6v2v">Take our poll — How many games would <em>this </em>roster win against Alabama’s 2020 schedule?</li>
<li id="bkLP8x">In the comments below, tell use how you thing <em>this </em>roster would fare against Alabama’s All-Saban team.<a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/5/30/21275294/the-rbr-all-saban-team-alabama-football-all-stars"> If you need a refresher of that roster, it’s here. </a>
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<p id="FbuEvD">Thanks for playing along with our offseason projects here. We’ll be hitting you with some unit previews very soon. Football Loki willing, we are just 29 days until the start of the 2020 season. </p>
<p id="zzPNYs">Roll Tide</p>
https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/8/28/21405261/the-all-saban-underappreciated-roster-handicap-our-squadErik Evans2020-08-27T08:45:33-05:002020-08-27T08:45:33-05:00The All-Saban Underappreciated Team: The Pass Rushers
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<img alt="NCAA FOOTBALL: JAN 01 College Football Playoff Semifinal - Allstate Sugar Bowl" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3VB7fjUDN-c2ZrNpVVNhmFgksE8=/0x54:2100x1454/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67303166/579841812.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Scott Donaldson/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Yes, Eryk Anders is on this list. And you knew he would be.</p> <p id="Lj7Af1">Last season was a bit of a struggle for new Alabama fans, accustomed as they may be to having a world-class pass rush and consistently ranking among the nation’s most feared units for men under center. In the previous five seasons, Alabama led the nation twice in sacks, was 5th, 8th, and 13th. Last year, Alabama had just 32 sacks and finished 46th in the country. Yuck.</p>
<p id="Pz0Btw">But, fear not. While those results were an aberration, generating sacks itself is a relatively new emphasis for the team. </p>
<p id="07POvY"><a href="https://www.annistonstar.com/sports/alabama-football-saban-says-tide-has-improved-in-affecting-the-passer/article_27c14dbe-3ecd-11e4-bbb2-c7b4e602ba93.html">Of much more importance to Nick Saban’s defensive philosophy is the concept of “disrupting the passer” </a>— getting pressures, forcing rushed throws, forcing quick decisions, putting bodies around the quarterback, throwing giant mitts into passing lanes, getting quarterback hits, borderline chippiness that gets in the QB’s head — everything that can and does affect the mechanics, decision-making, and consummation of a passing play once the ball is snapped. When the backs are tight, when the defense diagnoses the play properly, and when everyone is fulfilling their responsibility, it is a <em>remarkably </em>effective style of play — without even generating sacks. (It is also a punishing brand of defense uniquely <a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/09/nfl-defensive-schemes-pass-coverage">vulnerable to boom-or-bust plays </a>when Alabama is in Saban’s beloved Cover-1 — that is why you see more pattern-match Cover-3 and <a href="https://athletic.tv/play/263660">increasingly Cover-7</a> against talented quarterbacks. But that is a story for another article).</p>
<p id="vdzbf5">In 2009, for instance, Alabama only created 31 sacks (just 29th) — but finished 2nd in total defense, 2nd in rushing defense, 10th in passing defense, and 2nd in scoring defense. You may recall how that season played itself out. In 2011, another title year, it was much the same — Alabama and LSU alternated being either 1 or 2 in literally every defensive category of note that year...except sacks. LSU finished 11th in that category, and Alabama was just 29th, with just 30 sacks. That turned out alright for both teams, if I recall. </p>
<p id="kXrmWP">So, with that, we will now wrap up the very last of our positional units for <em>The All-Saban Underappreciated Team, </em>the pass-rushers. (In case you forgot, <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/7/27/21340051/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-front-seven-pass-defenders">we are breaking down the front seven</a> into pass-defenders, run-stuffers, and pass-rushers. That made more analytical sense than doing them by position, where the style of player has changed so much and in some cases where players have moved in and out of spots on the field.) </p>
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<img alt="SEC Championship - Alabama v Georgia" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/riMn6gA6_xnfZjrZGt8rrThMsxY=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/21822036/157276566.jpg.jpg">
<cite>Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</cite>
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<h2 id="I7ujxP">
<span><strong>Xzavier Dickson</strong></span><strong>, Jack / Weakside Defensive End</strong>
</h2>
<p id="fOzs7a">Dickson had everything you could want in the old Jack position — long, large, and athletic for his size. The 4-star (No. 4 weakside DE) from Griffin, GA chose the Tide while holding offers from Notre Dame, every Florida team of note, and most of the ACC and SEC. </p>
<p id="F4IHBT">He was not necessarily a player that was born, however. To become the productive player that he became, Dickson first had to be built. </p>
<p id="mgGGCx">He came to campus at 6’3” as a WDE, and a ‘tweener weight of 240. Unfortunately, that<a href="https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2013/08/alabama_jack_lb_denzel_devall.html"> ‘Tweener style of play and size</a> sort of dogged him most of his career. Despite bulking up and developing over his freshman season, Dickson nevertheless played immediately, seeing action in seven games in 2011. In 2012, he had improved enough to earn a starting spot in six games for the Tide. He made the most of that time too — he picked up 3.5 sacks, 5 TFL, 5 QBH/hurries, 1 PDF, and 33 tackles (including 19 solo). That year would also see his single greatest game when he picked up two solo sacks of Georgia’s <span>Aaron Murray</span> in the 2012 SECCG. </p>
<p id="4eReZX">In 2013, much was expected of Dickson as rising Junior on a team thin on elite pass-rushing talent. But, like many players on a squad that lacked leadership, Dickson underwhelmed. He played in every game, but created almost no plays of note — and regressed in just about every category imaginable. That forgettable campaign ended with a suspension for the team’s <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/sugar-bowl">Sugar Bowl</a> appearance. From the hype of his 2nd team All-SEC preseason selection to being a mere afterthought, it was a year he would probably want back. </p>
<p id="EydCCb">His senior season, however, we finally saw what a healthy, focused, and disciplined Dickson could do. That year he racked up 9 sacks, had 10 QBH. broke up 2 passes, accounted for 42 tackles (32 solo), and notched 12.5 TFL. They say to strike while the iron is hot, and Dickson did, coming up big for the pros just when he needed to. Dickson was eventually drafted in the 7th round, but his lack of elite measurables coupled with rumors of attitude issues and wasting an entire season hurt his stock considerably. </p>
<p id="oDY81f">Still, this is what is meant by a player developing — from a skinny freshman with a high motor to a steady contributor to leading the team in sacks — some guys are made, not born. </p>
<p id="xVhN6q">—</p>
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<h2 id="sDDX5R">
<span><strong>Eryk Anders</strong></span><strong>, Will OLB</strong>
</h2>
<p id="wo65bl">Anders was, like Dickson on this list, another player that had to grow into greatness and become a prodigious pass rusher. Some players affect the quarterback with hurries and hits. Some players are strip-artists. Some put their man in the dirt — Anders did all three. </p>
<p id="XXE7Er">And few would have liked his odds in the 2005 NSD class that he entered.</p>
<p id="p207Do">Ya’ Boy was <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2011/1/24/1892998/the-2005-recruiting-class-in-review">an absolute steal out of San Antonio, Texas</a>. He played small-division ball in the Lone Star State. How small? At 6’2” 200 pounds <em>he was the team’s defensive tackle, </em>slated to try and walk on with Ed Orgeron’s historically bad Ole Miss group. And not even a preferred spot. At that size, with that positional experience, he obviously received no D1 offers <em>except </em>for an Alabama team in the NCAA Doghouse. </p>
<p id="Y6UqTv">But, when he landed in the SEC, he found himself getting some playing time early — likely out of self-defense for the battered Tide. His first few years as a reserve were unremarkable. Playing mop-up in 17 games, Anders only had 8 total tackles through two campaigns — no pressures, no sacks, no fumbles, no picks. </p>
<p id="tIKYGq">In 2008, however, he had finally started to put it together. Though not a starter, he was the first OLB off the bench for that Tide team and played in all 14 contests. He started to flash signs of what he could do off the edge with another year ahead of him. Anders recorded 34 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 4.5 TFL, and forced 2 fumbles as a junior. </p>
<p id="1z54EG">It would be 2009 when Eryk finally lived up to a lot of the latent, raw potential very few had seen in him. Coming off the edge, he was a pure terror for the National Champs. That year he led the team with 6.5 sacks, added another 12.5 tackles for loss, forced 3 more fumbles, defended three passes, batted down two more, and had an interception. When he was not putting opponents into the grass, he was hitting and hurrying them. He <em>also </em>led the Tide in QBH, with 17 hurries on the season. </p>
<p id="mLywuM">And he saved his absolute best for last. That night in Pasadena Anders made seven solo tackles, broke up a pass, registered three QB hurries, and had the biggest sack-fumble in recent Alabama history. </p>
<p id="DP3NHL"><em>Remember the </em><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/rose-bowl"><em>Rose Bowl</em></a><em>, we’ll win then</em>...</p>
<p id="sOCqvH">—</p>
<h2 id="z4LTQi">
<span><strong>Adrian Hubbard</strong></span><strong>, Jack OLB</strong>
</h2>
<p id="GaMZ03"><strong>Quick.</strong> </p>
<p id="MJPlqN">Name an Alabama player that led the team in sacks one year, finished second in sacks another year, and that you almost never recall when you think of critical Crimson Tide defenders. </p>
<p id="nKaz3E">Ladies, Gentlemen and others of less obvious description, I give you the curious case of Adrian Hubbard. Because, yes, he did exactly that.</p>
<p id="w1sHZ5">The 6’6, 254 beast out of Lawrenceville, Georgia was a prize of the 2010 NSD Class. Hubbard was a 4-star (No. 9 WDE), who spurred offers from the Dawgs, FSU, Clemson, Auburn and others to come to the Capstone. When he arrived, however, it was clear that at just 227 pounds, he was simply way too light to play the position and needed significant seasoning to take the weekly beatings he would receive in the SEC. </p>
<p id="Ji6nXN">But, bulk up Hubbard did. By the time his career was over, he would play his Jack position at a stout 266 pounds of muscle and anger. </p>
<p id="XS64Lj">Adrian did not play as a Freshman (see that note above about 6’6” WDE/Jacks and the SEC). But, he did start to see action in 2011, where he played 9 games as a reserve. His motor was apparent even then. Though he did not register a sack, he notched 1.5 TFL, 9 tackles, and more importantly 3 QBH in very limited action. It was apparent to anyone with eyes, that there would be significant playing time for Hubbard in the future. </p>
<p id="1tygeH">In the 2012 season, that playing time came. Starting all 14 games for the Tide, Hubbard recorded 41 tackles, 11 TFL, had 4 QBH, forced 3 fumbles, and <em>led the team </em>in sacks with 7.0, The following year, on a much thinner defense, Hubbard’s production dropped off in some respects, even as he became a more complete player. He finished second on the team in sacks (5.5), had 5.5 TFL, 33 tackles, and forced another 3 fumbles. While his sack numbers were down, his QBH/hits were up, and he led the team with 7. He also defended 3 passes and deflected another 3. </p>
<p id="M9PvVt">Not too bad to have <span>Deion Belue, Bradley Sylve,</span>and <span>John Fulton</span> in the secondary, eh? </p>
<p id="GGGFAC">#TooSoon</p>
<p id="ta2RAe">—</p>
<p id="KEcmHi">Next Monday we’ll name our defensive coaching staff, and then on Thursday we’ll put a bow on this series. If you missed any particular unit, you can find them on the<a href="http://rollbamaroll.com"> landing page</a> or peruse the <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/6/17/21294297/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team"><strong>Underappreciated Team hub</strong></a> right here.</p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/8/27/21403778/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-pass-rushersErik Evans2020-08-05T06:58:34-05:002020-08-05T06:58:34-05:00The Saban All-Underappreciated Team: The Front-Seven Run Stuffers
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<img alt="Alabama v Penn State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HGRi5R0YPRnSeCp4AVx0ZF2OO04=/0x621:2586x2345/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67158435/125120207.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The game is still won by he who runs the ball and stops the run</p> <p id="m6e4oe"><a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/7/27/21340051/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-front-seven-pass-defenders">As we wrote last week</a>, given the changes in Alabama’s defense over the years and a distinctly different era of football, trying to take a shot at the moving target of position-by-position comparisons is a folly.</p>
<p id="9ztmP7"> So, instead we’re breaking down the front seven into three categories:</p>
<ul>
<li id="SddOO1">Pass Rushers</li>
<li id="k1bXdF">Pass Defenders</li>
<li id="Wmd61G">Run Defenders</li>
</ul>
<p id="nnm3oq">Last week, we covered a few players who were not fully appreciated for their <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/7/27/21340051/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-front-seven-pass-defenders">ability to affect the passing game from the front seven</a>. Today, we’re going to look at a trio of players who were dominant run defenders, if not quite ever earning the recognition they deserved. </p>
<h2 id="L0cKyg">
<span><strong>Terrence Cody</strong></span><strong>, Nose Tackle</strong>
</h2>
<p id="VhajN4">How do you underappreciate a two-time All-American? Call it a strength of the DT position, but <em>Roll ‘Bama Roll </em>readers chose Da’Ron Payne and <span>Quinnen Williams</span> instead of Mount Cody to anchor the middle. They’re better all-around players, for sure. But, this works out quite well for our underappreciated, since you could not find a more purpose-built, pivot man in the standard 3-4 than Cody. </p>
<p id="NB5hUe"><span>Terrence Cody</span> was a giant of a man, entering Alabama from Gulf Coast CC nearing 400 pounds. That weight would always limit his effectiveness and his snaps on the field. He struggled with it throughout college, being listed at 335 pound (but likely much closer to 360+). But, if you are a defensive coordinator facing a for-sure running play on fourth-and-one, there’s probably not been a better man for the job than Cody. </p>
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<p id="pLhTLo">His stats won’t wow you. He had just <sup>1</sup>⁄<sub>2</sub> a sack in college — his very first play. He forced one fumble and recovered another. He only registered 19 solo tackles (52 total). But he did what few people have been able to do at the position in the modern game. He routinely defeated double-and-triple teams, standing up his man for the linebackers to clean up the play. He pushed entire interior lines two-yards back, and made the Alabama front seven a terrifying force absolutely incapable of being ran upon — the Crimson Tide did not surrender a 100-yard-rusher in the two years he started. </p>
<p id="hutvix">Cody <em>also </em>added two blocked kicks to his college resume. Both came in the same game, as you may recall. </p>
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<p id="we4qoj">Call it being a product of the wrong era, but had Terrence been picked in the 1980 draft instead of the 2010 draft, his career was apt to have been much longer. He was the best pure nose tackle Alabama turned out in decades.</p>
<p id="uuGH8y">—</p>
<h2 id="RyhmAf">
<span><strong>Jesse Williams</strong></span><strong>, Defensive Tackle</strong>
</h2>
<p id="K4fKNb">Alabama was truly blessed along the defensive line. </p>
<p id="0tGuUm">After the affable Cody departed, we were immediately treated to the high-intensity, absolute cad that was Aussie <span>Jesse Williams</span>, “Tha Monstar.”</p>
<p id="E8wrs4">Another squat fireplug at 6’3”, 330 pounds, Williams was renowned for being the strongest man on the team, and perhaps its most intense. Unlike Cody, Williams was extremely athletic in his own right. He had more speed, the mobility to flex outside, and readily got his hands up in the passing game. </p>
<p id="pREhjm">Though a better all-around player than Cody, Williams represented a transition from the era of pure nose tackles to those defensive tackles with the ability to play inside-out, as we would next see with A’Shawn Robinson. But, Jesse still did all of those things that you demand of a pure nose: he had the strength to eliminate blocks and stand up defenders for the linebackers, often commanding double teams. He just happened to <em>also </em>add an improved pass rush and greater awareness in the passing game.</p>
<p id="O25PYp">Over his two year career, Williams recorded 61 tackles (17 solo), 6.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, and 3 PBUs. He also gave Tide fans immense pleasure. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/sports/ncaafootball/alabamas-jesse-williams-takes-improbable-path-to-stardom.html">His joy was infectious on and off the field</a>. </p>
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<p id="ZFEBci">Jesse looked to be a steal in the 5th round for the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seattle Seahawks</a> before life began giving him the stinkeye. Less than three months after signing his rookie deal, Williams blew out a knee that would cost him the entire 2013 season on the IR. The next August, almost a year to the day, Williams was <em>again </em>placed on the IR and lost <em>another </em>season for <em>another </em>knee injury. </p>
<p id="uDs0Jh">When 2015 rolled around, things seemed to be looking up for Williams, who was finally healthy — when the unkindest cut of all was dealt: Jesse was diagnosed with cancer. He fought through that battle, and is now healthy, but Williams was out of football. </p>
<p id="FUVUed">But, the Monstar has a new career, and a new lease on life. First he was brought in at the Capstone, where he was an assistant under Scott Cochran. <a href="https://www.crossfittorian.com/post/welcome-to-the-team-jesse-williams">And now, Tha Monstar</a> is coaching Olympic powerlifters. <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1274487-alabama-football-nose-tackle-jesse-williams-benches-600-lbs-critics-abound">Fitting for a man that can bench 600 pounds.</a></p>
<p id="meAJQ3">Get ‘em, Jesse.</p>
<p id="wA0qQE">—</p>
<h2 id="tMrsgp">
<span><strong>Nico Johnson</strong></span><strong>, Weakside Inside Linebacker</strong>
</h2>
<p id="TVy6hW">Nico Johnson is the guy we tend to forget. He didn’t play the sexy inside position — Johnson was the off-ball, weak ILB, the Will. Playing alongside <span>C.J. Mosley</span>, <span>Rolando McClain</span>, and Dont’a Hightower didn’t leave much room for glory on the inside. But Johnson was an astonishingly productive player during his four years on campus. </p>
<p id="Jn4YbR">Hailing from Andalusia (AL), Johnson was the No. 2 ILB (No. 3 overall LB), and No. 17 player in nation in the class of 2009. He arrived on campus and earned immediate playing time on the 2009 National Championship Crimson Tide team. Following Hightower’s injury, Johnson would be pressed into starting duty, playing alongside <span>Rolando McClain</span>. Overall, Nico played in 12 games that season, and immediately showed flashes of the productivity we’d see throughout his career. As a freshman, he notched 28 tackles (17 solo), 4.5 TFL, a sack, a forced fumble, and batted down two passes. </p>
<p id="4zKn59">The next season,<a href="https://dothaneagle.com/sports/alabamas-nico-johnson-being-flexible-at-linebacker/article_8ba1d6fc-2f8a-561c-a495-771b26e143ff.html"> he and Hightower frequently swapped positions on the inside</a>, primarily because of Johnson’s playmaking ability. And in 2011 and 2012, he would stake out his claim to the Will spot and stay there all the way to, and through, his NFL career. </p>
<p id="6eZV8M">Over four years, with three of them starting, Johnson gained a well-earned reputation for sniffing out running plays early, getting penetration, and finishing backs off with crisp tackling. During his career, Nico racked up 163 tackles (87 solo) and 16.5 TFL. To that impressive resume, he added 2 INT, 2 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR, and defensed 6 passes. </p>
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<p id="i2TWbF">Johnson earned just one Freshman All-SEC award during his career. But, man, he was such a good, solid player — the kind that wins titles. And Nico was a winner. He was drafted in the fourth round by the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Kansas City Chiefs</a> toting around two SEC title and three BCS Championship rings. </p>
<p id="9vfbUr"><a href="https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/Where-Are-They-Now-Former-Alabama-Football-LB-Nico-Johnson-148928679/#148928679_10">Johnson is doing quite well for himself post-NFL.</a> Saban protege Billy Napier has hired Johnson for his staff with the ULL Ragin’ Cajuns.</p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/8/5/21351712/the-saban-all-underappreciated-team-the-front-seven-run-stuffersErik Evans2020-07-27T09:17:30-05:002020-07-27T09:17:30-05:00The All-Saban Underappreciated Team: The Front Seven Pass Defenders
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<img alt="SEC Championship - Alabama v Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6RKhdM42Hk2q9_tjeU4Dl_6E6G4=/0x0:2370x1580/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67113425/460062408.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Big men can cover passes too.</p> <p id="TWvGql">We are down to the front seven on defense in our underappreciated team. </p>
<p id="3jgPH0">I struggled with how to do this, frankly. Alabama’s defense has been so flexible of late, while in earlier years it was a base 3-4 that operated increasingly out of the nickel as the game became more passing-oriented. With the game’s evolution we have seen a tremendous change in what the front seven is being asked to do. </p>
<p id="jMr4ct">So, I propose a modest suggestion: we’ll break this down into three separate groups:</p>
<p id="Y0XGfZ"> 1. The pass-rushers — which can constitute any position along the front seven, edge rushers to gobbling up quarterbacks from the defensive tackle spot.</p>
<p id="OoNMAn">2. Run-stuffers — primarily inside linebackers and defensive tackles, although Alabama has had some great players on the edge that devour running games. </p>
<p id="MIs4XH">3. Pass defenders — There are players that, even along the lines, can affect the passing game: getting interceptions, having the ability to cover down the field, and in breaking up passes. </p>
<p id="DGh8Zb">But, I’ll still limit these to seven total position players, so that we can keep a functional starting 11. With that in mind, let’s get to the pass defenders that weren’t quite appreciated for how good they were. </p>
<h2 id="2ok3q6">
<span><strong>Jarran Reed</strong></span><strong>, Defensive Lineman</strong>
</h2>
<p id="QuwNeC">The 6’4”, 315-pound <span>Reed</span> was a stud coming out of Goldsboro, NC. The four-star held offers from every team in the Deep South and along the Atlantic Coast. He was the No. 13 overall player and the No. 2 defensive tackle in his class, behind Gerald Willis. But, alas, he was also a qualifier casualty, and spent the first two seasons at Hargrave and East Mississippi CC. Reed committed to Alabama out of JUCO, and came to campus in the fall of 2014, where he was a Day One Starter. </p>
<p id="OUF8pz">Playing in 13 games that season alongside <span>A’Shawn Robinson</span> and <span>Jonathan Williams</span>, Reed was an all-around monster, showing the ability to move inside and outside. He recorded 54 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss. Reed registered 8 QB pressures and picked up a sack. The next season was similarly productive: 57 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 7 QB pressures, and another sack. </p>
<p id="qfJ19G">But, where he quietly stood out was in his ability to defend the pass. Reed’s awareness was off the charts — playing on the defensive line, he batted down 9 passes in two seasons. And, flexing outside to cover backs and tight ends, he had the speed and skill to record 7 PBU/PDs. </p>
<p id="iotZSE">When he was selected in the second round by the <a href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seahawks</a>, the only knock on his game was his ability to seal the deal and register sacks. But during his rookie year, he recorded more sacks than he did in his college career. And last season he was a hoss, picking up 10.5 more and earning himself a splashy, big time contract. </p>
<p id="ExUWQ0">We sometimes forget just how versatile and fleet Jarran was for a defensive tackle. His 40 times won’t wow anyone (5.31), but his 10-yard split is insane (1.08), and at that position, the ability to defend passes inside 10 yards is a skill that pays handsomely (two-years, $23 million, going into this season). It is also testament to how talented that defensive line was that Reed never even earned so much as an All-SEC nod. </p>
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<h2 id="5UacpS">
<span><strong>Reggie Ragland</strong></span><strong>, Inside Linebacker</strong>
</h2>
<p id="irD8RV"><span>Reggie Ragland</span> is the prototypical, old school downhill run-stuffer. The knock on his game was that he wasn’t fast enough to go sideline to sideline, or that he’s too big to cover backs and tight ends. That conventional wisdom would hold true <em>if </em>you had not actually watched him play. </p>
<p id="mAdH3w">Reggie is a <em>big dude</em>, perhaps the last of the monstrous thumpers that we’ll see in the middle for a while: 6’2”, 252 pounds. The nation’s No. 1 ILB coming out of Madison (AL), his Tide commitment was so steadfast so early, few schools even offered. And unlike a lot of Freshman linebackers, Reggie’s mental acuity was also so good that he was able to see significant playing time early. By the time Ragland earned a starting job as a Junior in 2014, he had already played in 15 games, recorded 25 tackles, shared in a sack, and forced a fumble. </p>
<p id="f1c4ti">When he finally got on the field full-time, we saw what a remarkably talented, all-purpose player Ragland was in fulfilling those traditional Mike duties: he got the defenses called, he diagnosed running plays outstandingly, he had the strength to defeat lead blockers, he was more than fast enough to shoot gaps and blow up plays, and he showed a surprising amount of lateral quickness for his size. </p>
<p id="XVQCG4">Productive doesn’t fully cover the next two seasons. As a Jr. and Sr., Ragland recorded 195 tackles (89 solo), he missed just <em>one </em>tackle in his collegiate career, he forced 3 fumbles and recovered 4 more. He also had 4 more sacks. </p>
<p id="Wx9R8s">But we <em>also </em>discovered that the sure-tackling big man could not be picked on in the passing game<em>. </em>In his junior and senior seasons, Ragland became a force to be reckoned with in pass defense as well. He had 10 PBUs at the inside linebacker position, registered an interception, and took another one to the house. Run-stuffing middle linebackers simply should not be that good in pass defense, even less should ones that weight north of 250 pounds be able to do all the things Ragland could. </p>
<p id="5z0B1v">Deservedly, he was a Bronco Nagurski finalist in 2015, was a first-team back-to-back All-SEC linebacker. He was a Consensus All-<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> in 2015 and was the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year. </p>
<p id="ItewV6">Not having the human missile speed or anger of <span>Rashaan Evans</span> or <span>Reuben Foster</span>, nor the all-cerebral production of Demeco Ryans, nor possessing an inner DB hidden inside a linebacker’s frame like <span>C.J. Mosley</span>, Ragland just did <em>everything </em>so well that you ask of a middle linebacker, that we forget how good he actually was covering the pass. </p>
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<p id="ihPmJQ">An injury and coaching change in Buffalo got Ragland’s career off to a slower start than he’d like. Then, he was traded to KC, where Andy Reid and the <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a> never quite figured out where to put him or how to use him — he played three positions in three seasons. This offseason, he signed with the <a href="https://www.prideofdetroit.com/">Detroit Lions</a>, a team badly in need of run defense and sporting a nice defensive line for the purpose, so he may have finally found a home in the pros. </p>
<p id="LUUeWl"><em><strong>Up next: </strong></em><em>The Run Stuffers</em></p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/7/27/21340051/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-front-seven-pass-defendersErik Evans2020-07-20T09:56:01-05:002020-07-20T09:56:01-05:00The All-Saban Underappreciated Team: The Safeties
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<img alt="Texas A&amp;M v Alabama" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0fFmmRQ74Iy-F_iD0DTfzSB88G4=/0x0:2306x1537/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67081211/156904179.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Saban’s best unit?</p> <p id="qZcxbU">It’s hard to argue that of all the positions where Nick Saban has had an impact, none have loomed as large than those players at safety. Since 2007, every year a Nick Saban safety has been either an All-SEC pick, an All-<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> pick, or both. </p>
<p id="jO7nHa">It’s a group that has given you <span>Mark Barron</span>, <span>Ha Ha Clinton-Dix</span>, <span>Landon Collins</span>, <span>Xavier McKinney</span>, <span>Eddie Jackson</span>, and <span>Minkah Fitzpatrick</span> just to name a few. But what about those guys who were <em>outstanding </em>in their own right and would be legendary — or at least fan favorites — at any other program in any other era? </p>
<p id="wKqDDb">These are our picks. </p>
<h2 id="UAOgWk">
<span><strong>Robert Lester</strong></span><strong>, Strong Safety</strong>
</h2>
<p id="k7obBT">Before there was <span>Eddie Jackson</span>, there was Robert Lester — the original all-motor athlete that just seemed to always be near the play...or making them. </p>
<p id="7jr0S5">The 6’2”, 200-pound Lester was just a 3-star out of Foley. Most of his offers came from coastal programs, mid-majors, and down-on-their luck P5 teams. However, three schools came sniffing around Foley that really elevated his stock in the eyes of recruiting services: Oklahoma, Clemson, and Alabama. There was no serious question as to where Lester would land, however. And, as a true freshman, Lester played in 8 games for UA in both the defensive backfield and special teams, including the BCS National Championship game. </p>
<p id="MvRy9r">In 2010, his first year as a starter, Alabama fans had to be wondering why this guy wasn’t starting alongside <span>Mark Barron</span> earlier. That season, Lester racked up 52 tackles (3.5 TFL), a sack, recovered a fumble, and was second in the nation with a jaw-dropping 8 interceptions. That tied Harry Gilmer for second-most in Alabama history. Despite that production, he did not sniff an All-American team, and only earned a second-team All-SEC nod.</p>
<p id="x31Tyz">The following season, Lester again was a producer and started all 13 games. He broke up 3 passes, picked off another two, blocked a field goal, had 39 tackles (1.5 TFL), and forced a fumble. Again, Lester took home no hardware. </p>
<p id="Lvaqqi">In 2012, as a senior playing in all 14 games, Lester was <em>again </em>a monster. He recorded another 48 tackles (1.5 TFL), broke up four passes, and picked off four <em>more </em>passes. <em>Once again,</em> Lester was overlooked. He earned no AA nods, and just like 2010 was just a second-team All-SEC pick. </p>
<p id="feMRIj">Lester was remarkably healthy, and played in all but four-games in a four-year career. He was even more productive, finishing his career with 7.5 TFL, 147 total tackles, had 7 PBUs, a FF, a FR, a sack, a blocked field goal, and had 14 total interceptions. Those 14 picks place him 5th in Alabama history, tied with Kermit Kendrick and George Teague. </p>
<p id="jbiioc">What a beast.</p>
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<p id="eXsQjK"><strong>Runner Up: </strong><span><strong>Vinnie Sunseri</strong></span></p>
<p id="D9JboL">So, you say you like in-the-box big hitters with a nose for the ball, ones who take glee in punishing ball carriers? Then friends, look no further than the Honky Badger, Vinnie Sunseri. Though his career was derailed by injuries that made him leap to the NFL before he was ready, during his two years as a starter Sunseri was a terror both in the defensive backfield and on special teams. He recorded 105 tackles, picked off four passes, notched 7 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 5 PBUs, recovered a fumble, and took two ducks to the house. </p>
<p id="ivWLxV">What a fun player. </p>
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<h2 id="NaGzyx">
<span><strong>Rashad Johnson</strong></span><strong>, Free Safety</strong>
</h2>
<p id="XKdQFm">See what we said above about Robert Lester? Well, before there was even a Robert Lester, there was a Rashad Johnson. </p>
<p id="Bmf4Vq">The 5’11, 180-pound kid out of Sulligent is the definition of a diamond in the rough. Only two teams had interest in him, Tennessee and Alabama....and only one offered, that probation-saddled, sad Crimson Tide team. Fortunately, his lack of options, coupled with elite coaching, would work out well for everyone. </p>
<p id="sjGLVW">Rashad Johnson became <em>the </em>model as to what every Alabama free safety thereafter would look like: a player with cornerback skills, an instinctive knack for the ball, strong tackling ability, and very good skills with the ball in the air. A three-year starter, Johnson played in all 38 games for the Crimson Tide. As a true freshman in 2006, he showed some flashes of his outstanding tackling ability — and even platooned at kick returner, but was largely a non-entity at safety. </p>
<p id="butpPt">However, when Nick Saban arrived in 2007, Johnson thrived. Given free reign to roam the defense, Johnson was a one-man wrecking crew on a very weak defense. That season he recorded 94 tackles, 5.5 TFL, picked up a sack, and notched 6 interceptions. He was Alabama’s leading tackler <em>and </em>led the Tide in interceptions. The following year, with a little more support, he was just as productive — picking up 89 tackles, 2 more sacks, and another 5 interceptions. For his career, Johnson returned two interceptions for scores. </p>
<p id="7yjDlm">His defining moment came in Alabama’s first Game of The Century, on the road against No. 8 LSU for the Crimson Tide in 2008. On a day where the defenses would play outstanding and the ball security be sloppy, Johnson was a one-man wrecking crew. He picked off <span>Jarrett Lee</span> <em>three times. </em>The first set up Alabama inside the LSU 15 yards, for Alabama’s first touchdown. The second was a pick six. And the last one sealed the game, intercepting Lee in the endzone in overtime. 27-21, Good Guys and an all-but certain date with destiny in the SEC Championship, Alabama’s first in almost a decade.</p>
<p id="YaZxKp">But, Johnson was much more than just that game. In three years (and, really, mainly over two seasons) he had 216 tackles, 12 TFL, 2 scores, 2 sacks, and an obscene 11 picks — and all of those 11 picks came in two seasons, but were still enough to tie him for 10th on Alabama’s all-time list. </p>
<p id="gC9uCQ">Johnson never made an All-American team, though his play warranted it certainly. He did take home back-to-back First-Team All-SEC honors though.</p>
<p id="qXsYJE"><strong>Runner-Up, </strong><span><strong>Justin Woodall</strong></span></p>
<p id="22OxtE">The physically dominant 6’2”, 205-pounder from Oxford had the world at his feet. He could have played MLB out out of high school, but instead he chose to ply his skills on the gridiron. </p>
<p id="4NwU4I">Playing mostly reserves and special teams in 2006 and 2007, Woodall was facing suspension for rumored PEDs and/or illegal drugs in 2009, an accusation that eventually evaporated. And, when he got the starting job in 2008, he became a quality starter in his own right. As a first-year starter, he had 47 tackles, 1.5 TFL, a sack, broke up eight passes and picked off another four, including a 74-yard TD return. The next year, he was just as productive: adding another 43 tackles, another three interceptions, and 2.5 more TFL. </p>
<p id="phLabO">Woodall’s ball skills and recovery speed were outstanding, and he was both a perfect fit and a joy to watch in <a href="https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/sports/20080815/justin-woodall-no-longer-just-a-work-in-progress">Alabama’s “Right Safety and Left Safety”-scheme</a> of the 2008 and 2009 seasons. Unfortunately, the rumored issues with drugs that dogged Woodall all through college did eventually come back to bite him in MiLB, when he was suspended 50 games for PEDs and methamphetamines. </p>
<p id="UnIU2I">Though never an All-SEC or All-American player, Woodall was crucial to the Tide’s early success. He was simply a beautiful, poetic weapon of violence once given kinetic impetus...and easily one of my favorite players to watch on those emergent dynasty teams. </p>
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<h2 id="5m5Moo">
<span><strong>Shyheim Carter</strong></span><strong>, Money/6th DB</strong>
</h2>
<p id="U169Lj">Just as there was no serious question that <span>Tony Brown</span> would be our All-Underappreciated nickelback, nor is there any question that Shyheim is our 6th DB/dimeback. </p>
<p id="G6Wrdf">Carter was an all-everything DB out of Louisiana, with offers from every major program. He was also easily <a href="https://www.nola.com/sports/high_schools/article_5dcbb868-50aa-5072-81ff-97d90d574bdc.html">the most athletic DB of the 2015 class</a>, though perhaps not a SPARQ legend. But, for whatever reason, Shyheim was never quite able to make the jump to elite outside corner. However, what Carter did excel at would be the things that made him a steady contributor over the next four seasons. He is a very good tackler with an eye on the backfield. He is physical for his frame. And he has very good balls skills and length, if not overwhelmingly so. Over four years, Carter amassed 100 tackles, 6 TFL, 3 INTs, broke up <em>17 passes, </em>picked off three more, forced two fumbles, and scored twice. </p>
<p id="cMfvzn">You’re not getting that much production out of most starting corners, much less a 5th/6th DB, and one who could start for just about any team in the country.</p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/7/20/21331050/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-safetiesErik Evans2020-07-13T10:20:06-05:002020-07-13T10:20:06-05:00All-Saban Underappreciated Team: Cornerbacks
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<p>Some names you probably forgot and performances you probably shouldn’t</p> <p id="pzCUgD">The defensive side of the ball has consistently seen Alabama players earn accolades and eventual pro careers. It’s not a new phenomenon, of course. For a century, the Crimson Tide’s identity <em>has </em>been a punishing ground game and an equally ferocious defense. But, Saban’s reputation for attracting talent and developing them in a complex defensive scheme — indeed the position unit for which he is synonymous, has been particularly apparent in the secondary. No matter who coaches the DBs or calls the defensive Xs and Os at the Capstone, it is <em>his </em>defense...and they are especially <em>his </em>DBs. </p>
<p id="OwiTEg">Today, we kick off our look at the standout underappreciated defenders with a look at those cornerbacks. </p>
<h2 id="cE9yUf">
<span><strong>Simeon Castille</strong></span><strong>, Cornerback</strong>
</h2>
<p id="fLfvAl">The Castilles, like the Goodes, are dynastic Alabama royalty. Simeon’s dad, Jeremiah, was one of the last truly great Bryant players, and indeed was a pallbearer at Bryant’s funeral. His brother, Tim, was a multi-year starter for the Tide. His<em> other </em>brother, Caleb, was a walk-on with the Crimson Tide. And of them all, it may be Simeon who had one of the better collegiate careers that we never remember. </p>
<p id="Q4Nzk9">Initially a safety, the three-star out of Briarwood Christian, came to an Alabama team that was saddled with recruiting sanctions and bereft of much high-end talent. A bit light for a conference that was still run-first, he did have the length (6’1”) to move to the outside. Once he landed at corner, he found himself thrown into the fire early, where he played in all 11 games as a true freshman in 2004. The next three years, he would start every game.</p>
<p id="2oReha">Over his entire career, the overlooked Castille was a producer. He recorded a pair of interceptions and scored his only touchdown as a true freshman. The next season, he played a much more active role in the defense, and was an edge-rush terror from the defensive backfield. Over the next three seasons, the sure-tackling Castille notched 4.5 sacks, 14 TFL, and recorder 162 total tackes (103 solo). </p>
<p id="ScUZV7">It took quite an individual effort to be recognized on some bad Alabama teams, but he did garner that love following the 2006 season, when he was a First-Team All-SEC performer. And he was a First-Team Preseason All-SEC in Nick Saban’s first season. </p>
<p id="TWO4RS">While his production dipped in his senior season in a new scheme, his play became fundamentally much more solid — he went from an instinctive player and draft afterthought to at least being invited to the Combine, just one of three ‘Bama players to do so. And with a coach that was serious about performance, Castille gained 14 pounds and shaved .17 of a second off his 40 time in just a year, while beginning to learn modern defensive schemes. Combined with his knack for being around the ball, those skills and conditioning greatly aided Castille when he signed as an UDFA in 2008. He played semi-pro and professional football for almost a decade thereafter, including four seasons in the NFL. </p>
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<h2 id="iHDeZw">
<span><strong>Cyrus Jones</strong></span><strong>, Cornerback</strong>
</h2>
<p id="8G1QMT">Hard to believe Cy has been out of college almost half a decade, isn’t it? </p>
<p id="E7W4iz">When we think of <em>great </em>Alabama corners of the last dozen years, the diminutive Jones is hardly ever one of the first we mention. And that’s an absolute crime. Following the weak corners of the 2012 class and the disastrous ones of the 2013 Tide, the 2014-2015 secondaries were young and thin, but featured a <em>lot </em>of critical starters who had Alabama in the national title hunt for years to come. Some, like <span>Eddie Jackson</span>, were even playing out of position.</p>
<p id="inJ2VQ">And it was ultimately that 2014 defensive backfield that saw a new group of playmakers arrive: <span>Tony Brown</span>, <span>Marlon Humphrey</span>, <span>Anthony Averett</span>, and <span>Eddie Jackson</span> just to name a few. But, do you recall the <em>other </em>corner? The dependable one...that would be <span>Cyrus Jones</span>. </p>
<p id="WcqKSm">If there is one word to describe Jones, it is precisely that: dependable. </p>
<p id="XzIb5X">Coming to campus in 2012 at just 5’10”, 200 pounds, Jones should not have turned into the all-around playmaker that he was. Jones wasn’t going to get on the field at wideout...though the Staff spent an entire year slotting him there. He didn’t make much of an impact, hauling in just 51 yards on 4 catches in seven games. </p>
<p id="yB1GaI">But, when he was moved to the defensive backfield in 2013 — a season he spent learning corner, star and money — we began to see the real flashes of what the speedy Jones could deliver. Playing in 9 games, he tallied his first and only collegiate sack, added another 1.5 TFL, and picked up a pair of interceptions, to go with his 25 tackles and 5 PBU. The next season, he would lock down a starting spot on the outside and see a career marked by play well above what his height should allow. The next two years as a full-time starter, Jones forced 4 fumbles, recovered 3 fumbles, picked off 5 passes, had 6 TFL, 81 total tackles — and of those, 65 were unassisted. </p>
<p id="GbujKy">Cyrus also made his mark on the punt return team, adding a dynamic dimension to an Alabama offense that had been struggling in the PR game in the years following <span>Marquis Maze</span>’s departure. In his 2015 senior season, Jones was outstanding. He hauled in 42 punts for 530 yards and scored four touchdowns. </p>
<p id="c3jES6">Jones was drafted in the second round of the 2016 <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL draft</a>, and is presently with the <a href="https://www.milehighreport.com/">Denver Broncos</a>. His main contributions have come as a punt returner. But the athletic, fleet, technically-sound and surprisingly-physical Jones may have finally found a home in the Mile High City, a team desperate for more help in a division that includes the air raid-friendly <a href="https://www.arrowheadpride.com/">Chiefs</a>. </p>
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<h3 id="ROu7i9"><strong>Also Considered: </strong></h3>
<p id="ri1unB"><span><strong>DeQuan Menzie</strong></span><strong> </strong>— We remember how incredibly bad-ass that 2011 defense was, but we largely forget the corners, the weakest link on that team. The exception was DeQuan Menzie. There are few players who grew as much from one year to the next as Menzie did from 2010 to 2011. While he only recorded one INT, that as a senior, he <em>tripled </em>his PBUs that year, became an even more active tackler, forced a fumble, and scored a touchdown. Most people don’t even recall this, but Menzie was a First-Team All-<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> in 2011. It may have been a one-year flash in the pan, but it was a <em>great </em>year. Menzie signed as a 5th round selection in 2012, and bounced around for a few years on NFL practice squads. </p>
<p id="kMTIow"><strong>See also Marquis Johnson</strong>. Just about all of the things about Menzie hold true for Johnson. However, his development was a longer and slower one. But, eventually, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquis_Johnson">he rounded out</a> into a very good, productive corner his senior season. Like Menzie, Johnson signed with the NFL and spent a few years playing pro ball. He did, however, see some meaningful time over his three seasons under the Shield.</p>
<h2 id="HvqlMV">
<span><strong>Tony Brown</strong></span><strong>, Star</strong>
</h2>
<p id="DJ5exQ">It’s hard to pick a pure Star in Alabama’s defenses who have not also gone on to be stars in their own right. Typically, we see the next generation of great corners playing there as they learn the scheme. Or, we find that next generation of All-American safeties roaming near the line: DeQuan Menzie, <span>Javier Arenas</span>, and <span>Minkah Fitzpatrick</span> were all at the Star at some point in their career. And the position requires a lot of the players, frankly. It requires an instinctive knack for being around the play, good ball skills, sure tackling ability, and enough speed to cover the slot. </p>
<p id="EvxDkI">Call it recency bias..<a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2019/5/20/18626834/96-things-to-love-about-alabama-tony-browns-sugar-bowl-interview">.or even my outright bias </a>in favor of this lovable cad, but I’m giving the nod to Crazy Tony. </p>
<p id="1vWc86"><span>Brown</span>’s larger-than-life personality, willingness to move outside in the face of injuries, and coming up big in some bigger moments, make Tony a pretty good choice here. His notorious smack-talking and loose cannon personality, we recall. Sure. But Crazy Tony was <em>highly </em>productive too playing out of such a niche position. <span>Brown</span> played all four years at Alabama, racking up 56 tackles, 4.5 TFL, a sack, a FF, 5 PBU, and three interceptions. And perhaps <em>none </em>were as critical as the one he made in the 2018 CFP Championship game where (again) out of necessity he had been moved to the outside. An underthrown ball by Fromm physically wrestled away by Tony would eventually be one of the plays that proved to be the difference in the game —<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Otk7u1ChPQ"> that was a wide-open touchdown otherwise.</a></p>
<p id="cjtoZZ"><span>Brown</span> was signed by the <a href="https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/">Chargers</a> in 2018, where he was on the practice squad. However, the Bolts released him to Green Bay, where he played for the two years. This offseason, he signed with the <a href="https://www.cincyjungle.com/">Bengals</a>, a team getting long in the tooth at DB. </p>
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<p id="2XXsRZ"><strong>Also Considered: </strong><span><strong>Nick Perry</strong></span></p>
<p id="iJ6l3B">Before he was a starting safety, the oft-injured <span>Perry</span> bounced around a whole lot in the defensive backfield, playing at nearly every position. In fact, it was the 2012 season playing at Star where <span>Perry</span> made his greatest impact. During that year, he notched 38 tackles, a sack, 2 PBUs, and forced a fumble. Following a catastrophic injury in 2013, <span>Perry</span> moved to safety — a trajectory that we would see two years later following a catastrophic knee injury to the NFL’s highest paid safety, <span>Eddie Jackson</span>. </p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/7/13/21322531/all-saban-underappreciated-team-cornerbacksErik Evans2020-06-16T09:12:09-05:002020-06-16T09:12:09-05:00The All-Saban Underappreciated Team: The Kickers
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<img alt="NCAA FOOTBALL: DEC 06 SEC Championship Game - Alabama v Missouri" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eGVEPea487ucXfXxzD03RWtC7CY=/0x0:2558x1705/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66940708/579671014.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>#CollegeKickers...are allowed to miss kicks and grow from that failure.</p> <p id="YBDDYh">Today we finish with the special teams unit’s most criticized group — those kickers. <a href="https://www.theringer.com/2018/9/14/17860824/alabama-crimson-tide-kicking-problems-nick-saban">Saban and kickers, amirite</a>? By this point, it has become a trope. </p>
<p id="14hYf4">Despite some well-publicized whiffs (of which we do not and shall not speak), Alabama’s kicking game under Nick Saban hasn’t been abysmal, and it’s certainly nothing that would require trotting out the media’s favorite dog-eared phrase “kicking woes.” In fact, in most years, Alabama’s placekicking actually resides somewhere between average-to-pretty good. </p>
<p id="Gq0zKH">It is the comparisons that are damning the kickers here — When every other unit on the field is stacked with blue chips consistently performing the impossible, it is the merely “good” play that gets overlooked...and heavily criticized.</p>
<p id="h6DcSZ">Today, we pay homage to some of Alabama’s best (and usually wrongly critized) over the last decade. </p>
<h2 id="AT2pKQ">
<strong>LOS, </strong><span><strong>Cole Mazza</strong></span>
</h2>
<p id="aVs9wn">The No. 1 long-snapping recruit out of California didn’t have long to wait to see the field following the graduation of Carson Tinker. From Day One, <span>Mazza</span> was penciled in as a starter and never even thought about relinquishing that role.</p>
<p id="F3iBJW">For his career, snapping on <em>every </em>Alabama kick, Mazza didn’t so much as bobble or misplay one of them in his 583 opportunities. After going undrafted, and then wandering around a bit in the minors, Mazza finally got his shot with the <s>whatever they call themselves now </s>Chargers last fall. <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/5/25/21269309/vote-for-the-rbr-all-saban-team-special-teams-alabama-football-adam-griffith-jaylen-waddle-jk-scott">He proceeded to win the starting job</a>, resigned with the Bolts, and is now almost $2 million dollars richer for his efforts.</p>
<p id="Wn80Y1">Never earned an All-<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> bid; never got selected All-SEC; didn’t even get drafted. Life is hard out here for a long snapper.</p>
<p id="XEk60n">—</p>
<h2 id="TPq1f9"><strong>Punter, PJ Fitzgerald</strong></h2>
<p id="YWMNbY">It is impossible not to love the physical, do-it-all punter from South Florida. Fitgerald was involved in a little bit of everything: Play-fakes, leveling return men, holding PATs, being a gym rat, and of course, winning the field position war with an above-average leg. Whereas <span>J.K. Scott</span> is a nearly-flawless, emotionless punting machine and nothing-but, Fitzgerald’s fire was one couldn’t be contained. There aren’t many chest-pumping, helmet-slapping, high-fiving, form-tackling, smack-talking hype-men in the kicking game. But it just so happens PJ was one of those rarities.</p>
<p id="XN7alp">Following a redshirt year in 2007, PJ averaged over 41 yards a kick under Nick Saban in ‘08 and ‘09. However, as we wrote here frequently last year, YPA is the least useful statistic in all of punting. Net yards are good — and the Tide strives for 38.0 YPA net, but getting a directional kick that assists the coverage team, and pinning opponents inside the 20, <a href="https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Catching-up-with-PJ-Fitzgerald-35569408/">are far more important in Alabama’s special teams scheme</a>.</p>
<p id="hAFxf8">PJ never made an All-SEC team and didn’t even dream of sniffing an All-American team, but Alabama coaching staff thought highly enough of him to give him seven separate Special Teams POTW honors, because in ways small and memorable, he was a lot of fun to watch. And that’s high praise for a punter, indeed. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">So I can tackle him on our way to winning the 2009 SEC Championship & Natty <a href="https://t.co/DkBJTLHjef">https://t.co/DkBJTLHjef</a> <a href="https://t.co/d4OaMW3m2l">pic.twitter.com/d4OaMW3m2l</a></p>— P.J. Fitzgerald (@PJ_Fitzgerald) <a href="https://twitter.com/PJ_Fitzgerald/status/1241790403424202756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2020</a>
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<p id="YxqyNS">And he <em>still </em>roasts guys. </p>
<h2 id="BWCaxa">
<span><strong>Adam Griffith</strong></span><strong>, Placekicker</strong>
</h2>
<p id="WW47j6">Poor Adam. </p>
<p id="4FlcL5"><a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2017/7/10/15946510/adam-griffith-55-yards">We’ve written about this guy on <em>several </em>occasions</a> — defending him, usually. But, <span>Adam Griffith</span> was more than the highs and lows of two divergent Iron Bowl outcomes.</p>
<p id="9fmZMB">He began his career as a goat, grew into an effective placekicker, and then graduated as a <em>very</em> good one. And, aside from <span>Tua Tagovailoa</span>, you’d be hard-pressed to find any Alabama freshman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQC15dPArAc">who was put under more pressure</a> in an almost impossible moment. </p>
<p id="DlXSLi">Griffith’s story is the kind that we love around here —<a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2016/5/27/11796854/99-days-til-kickoff-redemption"> it’s a redemption story</a>. And you should know by now,<a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2017/7/22/16013674/42-days-til-alabama-football-the-biggest-day-of-a-regular-guys-career"> I’m a sucker for those regular guys doing irregular things</a>; the forgotten faces; the people that had the gumption to <a href="https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/2/19/21143648/a-salute-to-the-2019-alabama-seniors-the-versatile-matt-womack-will-be-missed">get off the mat and try again</a>. As a freshman, Adam did not rise to the occasion — the moment was too big, his leg not quite big enough. But, over the coming years, and especially as a senior, that soft alloy that was Adam Griffith would become tempered through adversity and emerge well-honed from the experience. </p>
<p id="NzlK6m">That’s the beauty of college sports. That’s what it means to watch these kids grow. And, I think that’s what will always draws me to Adam Griffith’s career arc. </p>
<p id="TCqU8A">For his career, Griffith was a ten-time coach’s POTW, a two-time SEC POTW, and eventually graduated as a hard-earned and well-deserved second-team All-SEC selection. And that redemption story began on a night when Alabama needed him desperately; and it began with another improbable kick attempt. </p>
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<p id="WhiGZO">Simply an awesome moment. Thanks, Adam.</p>
<p id="bWRlAq">—</p>
<p id="IuLzsN"><em><strong>Ed. Note</strong></em><em>: I have a couple of shorts and features to finish up over the next week or so. The hope is to get defense begun early next week sometime. But, it may not be until Thursday. So, I’ll go ahead and create a hub for all of these offensive and special team selections, and then I’ll pin that on the front page. In the meanwhile, enjoy. </em></p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/6/16/21291500/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-kickersErik Evans2020-06-15T09:34:07-05:002020-06-15T09:34:07-05:00The All-Saban Underappreciated Team: The Specialists
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<img alt="Vrbo Citrus Bowl - Michigan v Alabama" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JEA3UdeVGCT9sv0K8u4_b9DSi-I=/0x120:2292x1648/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/66935691/1198324604.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Beamer Ball? Nah, Bammer Ball.</p> <p id="I5kF4A">Special teams, as the old saw goes, is one third of the game. In terms of snaps, that is not true of course, but how many times have we seen the momentum of a game quickly reverse course off a quick score, after blocking a kick, or blowing up a return-man?</p>
<p id="dNTw27">Special teams can be what decides championships. </p>
<p id="5JgcX7">From national titles...</p>
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<p id="2qSCJ5">To divisional crowns...</p>
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<p id="0OXKef">If you watch football to see the improbable unfold before your eyes, the real fireworks are on the special teams.</p>
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<p id="61I5BP">It is no secret that Alabama was one of the forerunners of not throwing scrubs on the special teams units; <a href="https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/20594729">its best players are usually on the field </a>during these most important plays. </p>
<p id="9qw0MH">So, for all the #CollegeKicker jokes you want to uncork, Alabama special teams have usually been outstanding in more than one phase. Here’s who we’re honoring and why. Thurday’s installment will cover the kickers.</p>
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<h2 id="VoKLZa">
<span><strong>Christion Jones</strong></span><strong>, All-Around Specialist</strong>
</h2>
<p id="aGGFAG">Every time No. 22 fielded the ball, we all held our breath...but it wasn’t always for the right reason.</p>
<p id="dbALVZ">That is a true testament to the explosion that he was capable of unleashing, with the speed and open-field moves to take any kick 100 yards before fans could even process the Tide’s last possession. Utterly fearless, Jones always kept his eyes at the opposing end zone and made quick decisions of where he was going before the ball even arrived. Then, with no hesitation, he turned upfield and accelerated. </p>
<p id="Bskc0v">It was a beautiful thing to behold.</p>
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<p id="SF6NGj">But, the problem with explosions is that they sometimes do as much damage to you as to your opponent. And, like <span>T.J. Yeldon</span>, it would be disingenuous to discuss Jones’ skills with also discussing those unforced errors. Jones did have three career punt muffs and lost four career fumbles on special teams — the worst game coming against Ole Miss in 2015 that helped lead to 14 cheap points for the Rebels. Still, at a position that requires fearlessness and quick decisions, return play is often feast-or-famine. And, Jones contributed far more than he was a liability. </p>
<p id="YutUCS">For his career, Jones scored five total touchdowns on special teams: Three kick-return scores (long 94-yards vs. Ole Miss) and two punt return scores (long 76 vs. West Virginia). He averaged almost 11 yards per punt reception and almost 26 per kickoff return. Alongside Cyrus Jones, he is the only Saban returner to score two return touchdowns in a game. </p>
<p id="5IcEGJ">Christion wasn’t a one-trick pony either. </p>
<p id="1Vb20L">See, Jones makes this list for two separate reasons, as he was one the best, if not fully-appreciated, all-around special teamers we’ve seen over the last dozen years. Jones was<em> also </em>the gunner on the Tide’s special teams units. Over four years of play on special teams — three as a starter, he recorded 17 solo tackles and added another four assisted tackles. He even forced a fumble on a kick return and blocked an extra point. For that, he is our second-team underappreciated coverage returner.</p>
<p id="o2DSnC">Some people just love to show off.</p>
<p id="HInCkM">Jones has <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/meet-the-roughriders-christion-jones-1.4765885">carved out a very nice career</a> for himself as a return specialist in the CFL — he was <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/6468829/edmonton-eskimos-christion-jones/">the third-leading return man in the league this season</a>. And, following a knee injury in October, Jones re-signed this winter with the defending Grey Cup-champion Edmonton Eskimos. </p>
<p id="U1opKB"><strong>Runner-Up Return Specialist:</strong> Marquise Maze. Marquis never finished lower than 3rd in the SEC in punt return yards, per-return average, or total punt returns. He even finished 2nd in the NCAA in YPA average in 2011. That same year, he finally netted his sole return score. Maze finished second all-time in Alabama history with 12.7 YPA, behind only the incomparable <span>Javier Arenas</span>. </p>
<p id="h2XlF8">—</p>
<h2 id="0H69Xc">
<strong>Coverage Man, </strong><span><strong>Ale Kaho</strong></span><strong> </strong>
</h2>
<p id="Jh91pa">There are a lot of gunners and headhunters and kick-blocking beasts you could put here over the years. Special teams has sort of become Alabama’s thing, in ways large and small, good and ill. And usually the players who are grinding hard every day in practice to crack the starting 22 are the ones who are also difference-makers on special teams. Perhaps no one embodies that quite like Ale Kaho.</p>
<p id="KNJtCx">The entering Jr. linebacker/H-back has been simply astonishing on Alabama’s special teams units. While he doesn’t have the gaudy tackling numbers of a guy like <span>Shane Lee</span> or Christion Jones, when Kaho steps on the field, he is a 100%, shot-out-of-the-cannon playmaker. </p>
<p id="Apq5QR">Last season, Kaho was named the Tide’s Special Team player of the week on four separate occasions in 2019. He had <em>three </em>blocked punts — and not against scrubs either: two came in SEC play and one was against Michigan. Two of his blocks came in back-to-back weeks. As a freshman he forced one fumble, recovered another, and was named an <a href="https://rolltide.com/sports/football/roster/ale-kaho/6337">Alabama Special Team POTW on two more occasions</a>. </p>
<p id="q9KiOj">More frighteningly for Alabama opponents, many of <a href="https://www.al.com/alabamafootball/2019/10/sophomore-lb-has-become-headhunter-for-alabama-on-special-teams.html">Kaho’s blocks aren’t even arising out of called pressure</a> — it’s just his solo hustle:</p>
<blockquote>
<p id="KKJ4HZRFOZDXFK7MSQ75YKHF4M">“Craziest thing is some of his blocks don’t even be (bonsai block calls) or when we’re trying to blitz,” Mayden said. “It’s just, he just kind of goes and blows up the shield and it works for him. That’s just crazy to me. The shield will be like a 275-pound O-line or D-lineman. Kaho’s like 215. That goes back to what I was saying. He’s giving 110 percent effort.”</p>
<p id="JW7Y3PA2H5AWFPUUHQXSZGEFXE">...And it added to that reputation as a headhunter on those Crimson Tide special teams units.</p>
<p id="US3RM5FO7ZBY7CYPH3NPV5HRYQ">“When he hits somebody, you’re going to know,” Mayden said. “You’re going to hear it. The other dude’s going to feel it. And he’s going to put energy through the whole team.”</p>
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<p id="1J5Dj7">Wherever Kaho goes, he goes quickly; he goes violently; and, he goes all out....And we get to keep him for two more years. #Blessed.</p>
<p id="y1t6UV"><strong>Runner Up Coverage Man</strong>: Christion Jones, see above.</p>
<p id="F289gz">—</p>
<h2 id="YBDDYh">
<strong>Special Teams Coach, </strong><span><strong>Bobby Williams</strong></span>
</h2>
<p id="7B2rw1">For the better part of two decades, Bobby Williams and Nick Saban were joined at the hip at four separate stops. Where Saban went, Williams followed. And, after a disastrous tenure leading the <a href="https://www.theonlycolors.com/">Michigan State Spartans</a>, Saban again invited Williams back into the fold. </p>
<p id="Y0YIhT">During his time at Alabama, Williams coached wideouts, tight ends, and special teams. Though his work with the tight ends is probably the most notable, during his decade-long stay in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide had two Ray Guy Award finalists, a Lou Groza Award finalist, four All-<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a> kickers, punters, and return men who earned a total of six All-American awards. </p>
<p id="NglBgK">His Alabama units blocked 33 kicks, finished no lower than 7th in KR yards allowed, no lower than 11th in PR yards allowed, led the nation in KR yards allowed on 6 occasions; led the nation in PR yards allowed on 4 occasions; and led the nation in special teams touchdowns in 2016. Of his 10 teams, 7 finished in the Top 20 in PR yards gained — four times Alabama was inside the Top 10, and of his 10 teams, 4 finished in the Top 20 in KR yards gained. </p>
<p id="ZdJm5q">For all the woes fans gave this guy about missed kicks, Williams plainly didn’t stink at his job.</p>
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https://www.rollbamaroll.com/2020/6/15/21289636/the-all-saban-underappreciated-team-the-specialistsErik Evans