Enjoy it while You can...BAMA IS LOADED next year.

[Diego Roll Tide]

Bama doesn’t have a NFL DL? Or NFL offensive line? Or 3 NFL RB’s? 3-4 NFL WR’s? The Heisman runner up at QB? Probably the 1st TE that will be drafted in Irv Smith.

Bama fans need to take a step back, because they don’t even realize how much more talent they have they the rest of CFB. Only one or two teams are even close.

It is why I’ve said from the get go — Saban is a great coach, but much of what makes him great is the talent he can pull in at Bama. It is why it is funny to hear him talking about wanting a ‘level playing field’ when he plays with a stacked deck each and every year.

With Lawrence though — Clemson is going to be tough. That kid looks like the best QB to come around in quite some time and he is only 19

Again, argue but watch the draft. Clemson has loads of talent. Just like tOSU did in 14 and 15. These aren’t “little engines that could”.

 

[Whoa Nelly KJ]

True Freshman

 

[IrishBlooded]

That roster wasn’t loaded this year

I have it on good authority from @aladrew that this year had the greatest offense in the history of college football

 

[Deep Creek]

Stocking up with a bunch of 3 stars is what you don't want to see.

Isn't that what quite a few P5 schools end up with though? Stock up on 3*s. While a lot of 3*s can be "coached up" those schools still have to rely on them.

24/7 shows 379 4* and 5*s for the 2019 class. Using an estimate of 22 schollies/team times 65 P5 schools equals 1,430 schollies total. That leaves 1,051 spots that have to be filled by less than 4*s. For the 2019 rankings, only 24 schools had more than 5 4*or 5* kids. A lot are showing very few.

34th ranked Mizzou and 35th ranked Virginia are showing zero 5*s and one 4*.
36th ranked Baylor and 37th Minnesota are showing zero 5* and two 4*s.

The rest of those four have to stock up on 3*s.

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

Isn't that what quite a few P5 schools end up with though? Stock up on 3*s. While a lot of 3*s can be "coached up" those schools still have to rely on them.

24/7 shows 379 4* and 5*s for the 2019 class. Using an estimate of 22 schollies/team times 65 P5 schools equals 1,430 schollies total. That leaves 1,051 spots that have to be filled by less than 4*s. For the 2019 rankings, only 24 schools had more than 5 4*or 5* kids. A lot are showing very few.

34th ranked Mizzou and 35th ranked Virginia are showing zero 5*s and one 4*.
36th ranked Baylor and 37th Minnesota are showing zero 5* and two 4*s.

The rest of those four have to stock up on 3*s.

The cast majority do, just not Bama, CU, Clemson, UGA, OU, and a few others. There’s no doubt a handful of programs get the stacked rosters.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Again, argue but watch the draft. Clemson has loads of talent. Just like tOSU did in 14 and 15. These aren’t “little engines that could”.

Do they have talent — absolutely. Do they have as much talent as Bama? No. No one does.

In the past decade — Bama has TWICE the amount of first round picks than any other school.

So stop with the talk of Bama not being the most talented every single year. It isn’t even close.

 

[SignalBama]

Just to be clear for the ones making the argument that the talent gap was wide. 5* recruits per team the last 4 years.

Alabama 17
Clemson 11

Now going back to the 2015 class The following 5 star recruits from that class was no longer at Alabama this year due to either transfer or early exit to the NFL.

Calvin Ridley
Daron Payne
Blake Barnett
Kendall Sheffield
Minkah Fitzpatrick


That left Alabama with just 12 5* recruits this season. Clemson lost Deon Cain early which took them down to 10 for the year.

So as far as Top level talent Alabama had 12 and Clemson 10 heading into the year. I don't know what Clemson's injury situation was for the rest of the 5* on their roster. Another of those 12 for Alabama Ben Davis hasn't played much yet in his career.

Most of Alabama's 5 star guys who got playing time this year were Sophomores

Damien Harris Senior

Juniors

Mack Wilson
Jonah Williams

Sophomores

Tua
Najee
Moses
Jeudy
Ray
Leatherwood

and 1 Freshman

Patrick Surtain II

If I had to guess looking at the current recruiting class. Alabama is bringing back a big core of Offensive Juniors next year which should spell good things for the offense. The problems were on the defense this year though and where Alabama has missed the last couple of seasons in Top recruiting talent is the LB position. Ben Davis hasn't met his potential yet. Thankfully Mack hasn't declared for the NFL yet hopefully Davis comes into his own this year and helps solidify the linebackers.

 

[SignalBama]

Again, argue but watch the draft. Clemson has loads of talent. Just like tOSU did in 14 and 15. These aren’t “little engines that could”.

People don't realize the loss of talent Alabama has to the NFL (and to some degree transfers) compared to other programs early. They don't get their best players back after that 3rd year like most programs around the country. That makes the rate of losing talent higher at Alabama which great recruiting doesn't always cover.

 

[tnapucco]

No different than any other year.

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

Do they have talent — absolutely. Do they have as much talent as Bama? No. No one does.

In the past decade — Bama has TWICE the amount of first round picks than any other school.

So stop with the talk of Bama not being the most talented every single year. It isn’t even close.

Clemson sucks. tOSU sucks. We should fire Saban for ever losing a game. Frankly, I’m surprised the rest of CFB hasn’t quit and gone into counseling.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Clemson sucks. tOSU sucks. We should fire Saban for ever losing a game. Frankly, I’m surprised the rest of CFB hasn’t quit and gone into counseling.

Didn’t realize FACTS would trigger you?!? I’m guessing you haven’t listened to your own advice and ‘watched the draft’

OR, you are trying to come up with any excuse why Bama was beat by Clemson like that. The fact is — it was coaching.

 

[SignalBama]

Do they have talent — absolutely. Do they have as much talent as Bama? No. No one does.

In the past decade — Bama has TWICE the amount of first round picks than any other school.

So stop with the talk of Bama not being the most talented every single year. It isn’t even close.

Yes Alabama does have a lot of first round picks. The majority of them Juniors not Seniors. If you can't look at the picks and see that I have nothing else to say here.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

Not worried. Hunter Renfrow is returning

I never knew players had 10 years of eligibility.

 

[Bandwagonbo2]

Is that true? I would swear that would be his 10th year of eligibility

Damn, didnt see your post before I made mine. We thought alike on this one. Guys been there for what seems like forever. Hasnt he gotten a degree yet and used up his eligibility?

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

Didn’t realize FACTS would trigger you?!? I’m guessing you haven’t listened to your own advice and ‘watched the draft’

OR, you are trying to come up with any excuse why Bama was beat by Clemson like that. The fact is — it was coaching.

Some of you won’t be satisfied no matter what anyone says. If we say coaching sucked, it was an “excuse”. If we say CU is talented, it’s an “excuse”.

I already said we got our asses kicked. If that isn’t enough for someone, I’m not going to delve for ways to assuage his concerns.

And FWIW, opinions aren’t “fact”.

 

[Diego Roll Tide]

Yes Alabama does have a lot of first round picks. The majority of them Juniors not Seniors. If you can't look at the picks and see that I have nothing else to say here.

I’m not sure it’s of any use to say anything. They aren’t listening, and don’t care.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

Did you see the story that one of the Clemson coaches spoke off the record and said that they only spent one week of prep on Notre Dame and spent the rest of their prep time on Alabama.

I think we would have done the same if Notre Dame had dropped to the four spot.

That’s simply not true lol.

 

[DeafOranguntan]

Bama has had the #1 recruiting class, what, 9 out of the last 10 years?

The talent, as a whole, isn’t even close. Some are closer to Bama than others, but, no team can touch the depth of talent that Bama has.

Case in point — they will lose Damien Harris and Jacobs, only to replace them with 5 star #1 RB and #2 recruit nationally Najee Harris who has been waiting his turn and have 5 star #1 RB and #5 recruit nationally Trey Sanders coming in to back him up.

Clemson wasn’t more talented than Bama — they just severely outcoached them in the NC game.

What is talent? It's not a bunch of random media jackasses choosing the "best players" when the kids are 14. It's how players end up playing when they actually enroll in college.

While Clemson has plenty of 5 stars, their starting lineup is absolutely filled with 3 and 4 stars (I believe Clemson only had one 5 star on defense on Monday, but dominated Bama's offense most of the night). Coaches can often see players that have a ton of potential, and develop them into better players than their 5 star counterparts. Dabo is better than that than anyone. Clelin Ferrell was a 4 star, as was Justyn Ross and Travis Etienne (and many others). They were pretty clearly more talented than Bama's 5 stars this year. Clemson has played Alabama for 4 years. 2015, they played completely even (many experts thought Clemson played better), but Dabo was in his first big game and was outcoached by St. Nick. 2016, Clemson outplayed Bama, and Dabo was even in coaching. 2017, both offenses were trash, but Clemson (through Kelly Bryant, the worst QB matchup against a team like Bama) gave Alabama 2 touchdowns through a pick six and a pick on the 20. This year, Clemson was clearly better than Bama. There is no way you can argue that over the last 4 years, Bama has had a more talented team than Clemson. More projected talent sure. But that ain't everything. 5 stars can flop and lower rated players can be better than anyone.

Also, by ratings, Ohio State is the most talented football team in the country. USC should be 4 and Florida State 5. Pretty sure none of that is true.

2018 College Football Team Talent Composite

 

[poewelch84]

Wrong. Trevon Diggs was our best CB and got hurt 5 games in. He is big and plays the ball real nice in the air. Would have been very useful against Clemson

The best ability is your availability.

 

[poewelch84]

They won 14 games .

Needed 15 wins