This season could be quite different for the Tide, or could it?
That’s the question on everyone’s mind, as well as my own this week.
This past week, we saw the first scrimmage for Alabama and the many new faces it could be featuring in this seasons lineup.
Perhaps one of the most talked about players, Quinnen Williams, could be the key.
“He’s the guy you need to know,” said Johnathan Allen, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.
“He’s going to be a baller. He’s going to be a beast.”
Williams, has improved since that point in 2016.
Williams is starting this season and Saban has nothing but good things to say about him.
“He’s mature, a smart player, has grown defensively, and is one of our most productive guys up front,” Saban said.
The question that Alabama also has to answer at this point, is who will be the starting quarterback?
The battle between Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa right now has heated up and coming down to the wire.
Both players have great playmaker ability.
Many think that Tagovailoa will beat out Hurts for the position.
As for myself, it’s going to come down to who can perform the best.
We will see both guys playing this season, but Hurts has the experience.
He has seen action and is seasoned a little more than Tagovailoa.
The answer to the QB question will be answered on the first matchup against Louisville.
That game will decide who will be the better man for the job.
5-star linebacker, Ale Kaho, has also added to the mix late in the training phase.
Kaho was originally signed with Washington, but for academic reasons, outside of the NCAA, was not allowed to enter the school.
Kaho was recruited by the Tide and has been improving but has a lot of catching up to do.
“I wish I could take a magic wand and tell you how Kaho will catch up. But I can’t. This is not the ‘Wizard of OZ’. It’s going to be up to him,” Saban said.
Can he catch up and benefit the team?
We all shall find out together.
Can the Tide roll into another championship?
Only time will tell.
Joshua Frye is a reporter with The Brewton Standard. He can be reached at joshua.frye@thebrewtonstandard.com