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TUSCALOOSA _ When it comes to the University of Alabama quarterback situation, about the only thing for certain is that junior lineman Barrett Jones won’t line up behind center when the Crimson Tide makes its first snap of the season Saturday against Kent State.
Both Phillip Sims, left, and A.J. McCarron are expected to play against Kent State.
As expected, Coach Nick Saban didn’t announce a starter between sophomore A.J. McCarron and redshirt freshman Phillip Sims when the official depth chart was released Monday. Alabama’s version of slash, redshirt freshman quarterback/running back Blake Sims, could be an option as well.
“One of them has to go out there first,” Saban said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s the starter. I think both guys will play in the game.
“It’s out of fairness to them that both guys get an opportunity in this game.”
The quarterbacks have been sharing time through the spring and summer months, without one having clearly emerged over the other. There’s no indication that someone might be named the starter before next week’s game at Penn State, either.
“In some circles I think the perception is that there’s definitely a guy and we’re kind of keeping it to ourselves,” Jones said. “The truth is that both guys have done a great job this offseason and both have made great plays.
“I think it’s going to come down to who performs better in the games. That’s going to be the ultimate test of whether one does step up and take that role or if we keep going with both.”
Here’s a look at some key changes on the depth chart:
Offensive line: Saban announced that Jones will start at left tackle Saturday, but also play some guard, apparently on the left side.
Freshman Cyrus Kouandijo is closing in on the starting job at left tackle.
Jones and true freshman Cyrus Kouandijo were named co-left tackles, with Jones and junior Chance Warmack at left guard. Sophomore Anthony Steen was named the starter at right guard, although his former position remains an option for Jones as well.
“I’m not one of those guys who likes to make multiple moves when you lose somebody, but we feel like we have a little more depth in the offensive line,” Saban said. “We also feel that there are advantages and disadvantages to both Barrett playing left tackle and Barrett playing guard. We’re to give him an opportunity and see how Cyrus plays in this game.”
Jones said he won’t feel fully comfortable at left tackle until he plays in a game, but one of the obvious advantages to his lining up at left guard would be to help Kounadijo.
“I think he’s a gamer,” said Jones said about Kouandijo, adding that he came into camp hungry to earn the spot. “I don’t know that yet because we haven’t had any games, but when the lights come on he’s going to do some special things, so I’m excited for him and I know he’s excited.”
As for Jones, he joked that he was relieved to be only listed at two positions on the depth chart.
“Honestly, I really don’t care where I play, I just want to win,” Jones said.
Defensive line: Junior-college transfer Jesse Williams will start at defensive end, but will slide over to nose tackle in certain situation. Regardless, the Crimson Tide will go with at least a two-deep rotation.
“He’s learning pretty fast,” senior nose tackle Josh Chapman said about Williams. “I think he’s going to help us.”
Senior DeQuan Menzie was named the starting right cornerback Monday.
Junior-college transfer Quinton Dial and sophomore Ed Stinson were listed second on the depth chart.
“Lots of competition on the defensive line,” said Saban, who added that a true freshman might earn playing time too and mentioned Jeoffrey Pagan specifically “if he continues to develop.”
Defensive backs: Senior DeQuan Menzie was listed as the starting right cornerback, with junior Dre Kirkpatrick the other starter and senior Phelon Jones and Dee Milliner the top reserves.
Saban indicated last week that he felt as if Alabama had four worthy starting cornerbacks. Milliner started last season with Menzie the nickel back, and the two will likely remain in those roles during passing situations.
Wide receiver: With senior Darius Hanks having to sit for two games due to mistakenly appearing in a game during the medical-redshirt 2007 season, redshirt freshman DeAndrew White is expected to make his first career start Saturday.
“I’ve seen him improve over camp,” junior safety Robert Lester said. “It was expected that he was going to go out, work hard and play good.”
Special teams: Although Trent Richardson isn’t listed on the depth chart at kick returner, he might get some chances there later in the season.
Instead, senior wide receiver Marquis Maze will likely handle kick- and punt-returns against Kent State.
“It’s something that I wanted to do,” Maze said. “It’s something that I can do.”
DEPTH CHART
Offense
WR: DeAndrew White, Kenny Bell, Michael Bowman
TE: Michael Williams, Chris Underwood, Brian Vogler
LT: Barrett Jones/Cyrus Kouandijo; Tyler Love
LG: Chance Warmack/Barrett Jones; Alfred McCullough
C: William Vlachos; Kellen Williams; Chad Lindsay
RG: Anthony Steen; John Michael Boswell
RT: D.J. Fluker; Austin Shepherd
TE: Brad Smelley; Harrison Jones
WR: Marquis Maze; Brandon Gibson; Kevin Norwood
QB: A.J. McCarron/Phillip Sims; Phillip Ely
RB: Trent Richardson; Eddie Lacy; Jalston Fowler; Blake Sims
Defense
DE: Jesse Williams; Quinton Dial/Undra Billingsley
DE: Damion Square; Ed Stinson
NG: Josh Chapman; Nick Gentry/Jesse Williams
JACK: Courtney Upshaw; Adrian Hubbard/Xzavier Dickson
SLB: Jerrell Harris; Alex Watkins/Adrian Hubbard
MLB: Nico Johnson; C.J. Mosley; Tana Patrick
WLB: Dont'a Hightower; Chris Jordan; Trey DePriest
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick; Phelon Jones
CB: DeQuan Menzie; DeMarcus Milliner; John Fulton
S: Mark Barron; Will Lowery; Hasean Clinton-Dix
S: Robert Lester; Jarrick Williams, Vinnie Sunseri
Special teams
K: Cade Foster/Jeremy Shelley
P: Cody Mandell; Jay Williams
LS: Carson Tinker
PR: Marquis Maze; DeAndrew White
KR: Marquis Maze; Dee Milliner
HLD: A.J. McCarron, Hardie Buck
Both Phillip Sims, left, and A.J. McCarron are expected to play against Kent State.
As expected, Coach Nick Saban didn’t announce a starter between sophomore A.J. McCarron and redshirt freshman Phillip Sims when the official depth chart was released Monday. Alabama’s version of slash, redshirt freshman quarterback/running back Blake Sims, could be an option as well.
“One of them has to go out there first,” Saban said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s the starter. I think both guys will play in the game.
“It’s out of fairness to them that both guys get an opportunity in this game.”
The quarterbacks have been sharing time through the spring and summer months, without one having clearly emerged over the other. There’s no indication that someone might be named the starter before next week’s game at Penn State, either.
“In some circles I think the perception is that there’s definitely a guy and we’re kind of keeping it to ourselves,” Jones said. “The truth is that both guys have done a great job this offseason and both have made great plays.
“I think it’s going to come down to who performs better in the games. That’s going to be the ultimate test of whether one does step up and take that role or if we keep going with both.”
Here’s a look at some key changes on the depth chart:
Offensive line: Saban announced that Jones will start at left tackle Saturday, but also play some guard, apparently on the left side.
Freshman Cyrus Kouandijo is closing in on the starting job at left tackle.
Jones and true freshman Cyrus Kouandijo were named co-left tackles, with Jones and junior Chance Warmack at left guard. Sophomore Anthony Steen was named the starter at right guard, although his former position remains an option for Jones as well.
“I’m not one of those guys who likes to make multiple moves when you lose somebody, but we feel like we have a little more depth in the offensive line,” Saban said. “We also feel that there are advantages and disadvantages to both Barrett playing left tackle and Barrett playing guard. We’re to give him an opportunity and see how Cyrus plays in this game.”
Jones said he won’t feel fully comfortable at left tackle until he plays in a game, but one of the obvious advantages to his lining up at left guard would be to help Kounadijo.
“I think he’s a gamer,” said Jones said about Kouandijo, adding that he came into camp hungry to earn the spot. “I don’t know that yet because we haven’t had any games, but when the lights come on he’s going to do some special things, so I’m excited for him and I know he’s excited.”
As for Jones, he joked that he was relieved to be only listed at two positions on the depth chart.
“Honestly, I really don’t care where I play, I just want to win,” Jones said.
Defensive line: Junior-college transfer Jesse Williams will start at defensive end, but will slide over to nose tackle in certain situation. Regardless, the Crimson Tide will go with at least a two-deep rotation.
“He’s learning pretty fast,” senior nose tackle Josh Chapman said about Williams. “I think he’s going to help us.”
Senior DeQuan Menzie was named the starting right cornerback Monday.
Junior-college transfer Quinton Dial and sophomore Ed Stinson were listed second on the depth chart.
“Lots of competition on the defensive line,” said Saban, who added that a true freshman might earn playing time too and mentioned Jeoffrey Pagan specifically “if he continues to develop.”
Defensive backs: Senior DeQuan Menzie was listed as the starting right cornerback, with junior Dre Kirkpatrick the other starter and senior Phelon Jones and Dee Milliner the top reserves.
Saban indicated last week that he felt as if Alabama had four worthy starting cornerbacks. Milliner started last season with Menzie the nickel back, and the two will likely remain in those roles during passing situations.
Wide receiver: With senior Darius Hanks having to sit for two games due to mistakenly appearing in a game during the medical-redshirt 2007 season, redshirt freshman DeAndrew White is expected to make his first career start Saturday.
“I’ve seen him improve over camp,” junior safety Robert Lester said. “It was expected that he was going to go out, work hard and play good.”
Special teams: Although Trent Richardson isn’t listed on the depth chart at kick returner, he might get some chances there later in the season.
Instead, senior wide receiver Marquis Maze will likely handle kick- and punt-returns against Kent State.
“It’s something that I wanted to do,” Maze said. “It’s something that I can do.”
DEPTH CHART
Offense
WR: DeAndrew White, Kenny Bell, Michael Bowman
TE: Michael Williams, Chris Underwood, Brian Vogler
LT: Barrett Jones/Cyrus Kouandijo; Tyler Love
LG: Chance Warmack/Barrett Jones; Alfred McCullough
C: William Vlachos; Kellen Williams; Chad Lindsay
RG: Anthony Steen; John Michael Boswell
RT: D.J. Fluker; Austin Shepherd
TE: Brad Smelley; Harrison Jones
WR: Marquis Maze; Brandon Gibson; Kevin Norwood
QB: A.J. McCarron/Phillip Sims; Phillip Ely
RB: Trent Richardson; Eddie Lacy; Jalston Fowler; Blake Sims
Defense
DE: Jesse Williams; Quinton Dial/Undra Billingsley
DE: Damion Square; Ed Stinson
NG: Josh Chapman; Nick Gentry/Jesse Williams
JACK: Courtney Upshaw; Adrian Hubbard/Xzavier Dickson
SLB: Jerrell Harris; Alex Watkins/Adrian Hubbard
MLB: Nico Johnson; C.J. Mosley; Tana Patrick
WLB: Dont'a Hightower; Chris Jordan; Trey DePriest
CB: Dre Kirkpatrick; Phelon Jones
CB: DeQuan Menzie; DeMarcus Milliner; John Fulton
S: Mark Barron; Will Lowery; Hasean Clinton-Dix
S: Robert Lester; Jarrick Williams, Vinnie Sunseri
Special teams
K: Cade Foster/Jeremy Shelley
P: Cody Mandell; Jay Williams
LS: Carson Tinker
PR: Marquis Maze; DeAndrew White
KR: Marquis Maze; Dee Milliner
HLD: A.J. McCarron, Hardie Buck
