It’s finally game week so that means hastily taken photos of printed depth charts and teams deciding who will start where.
Though some decisions were clarified with today’s release of Alabama’s 2014 depth chart — like true freshman Cam Robinson starting at left tackle — others, like the quarterback battle, were simply given a slash.
“We’re going to continue to rep both guys, we feel like both guys have been doing a good job,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said Monday during his first game-week press conference of the season. “Obviously someone has to start the game, so we’ll make that decision sometime this week.”
The full depth chart — complete with all of the slashes — has been set, but when it comes to the race to pick a quarterback, the fall camp hasn’t revealed much of anything.
Blake Sims has a solid grasp of the offense and good rapport with his teammates, while Jake Coker is talented, still learning the offense, and gaining confidence. No passing statistics have been given for any of the Crimson Tide’s scrimmages, and watching the quarterbacks throw in practice only shows so much.
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With Sims/Coker the official listing on the depth chart, Saban said he would announce the actual starter later in the week. But whoever gets the start against West Virginia this Saturday will most likely not play the entire game.
“Whatever pitcher starts the game isn’t necessarily going to pitch nine innings,” Saban said.
Instead of choosing an outright starter for the season, Alabama looks to be using this first game, as an audition, followed by games against Florida Atlantic and Southern Miss.
The goal is to find a starter who can successfully run the offense in time for Alabama’s Sept. 20 matchup against Florida.
The full depth chart can be viewed below (h/t Rivals).
Offense
6 Blake Sims/ 14 Jacob Coker
11 Alec Morris
18 Cooper Bateman
12 David Cornwell
RB
4 T.J. Yeldon
27 Derrick Henry
17 Kenyan Drake
20 Tyren Jones/28 Altee Tenpenny
WR (X)
9 Amari Cooper
13 ArDarius Stewart
80 Raheem Falkins/7 Cam Sims
WR (Z)
2 DeAndrew White
8 Robert Foster
WR (H)
22 Christion Jones
5 Chris Black
LT
74 Cam Robinson
76 Dominick Jackson
LG
77 Arie Kouandjio
71 Ross Pierschbacher
C
70 Ryan Kelly
75 Bradley Bozeman/67 Josh Casher
RG
50 Alphonse Taylor
72 Leon Brown
RT
79 Austin Shepherd
64 Grant Hill
TE
84 Brian Vogler/88 O.J. Howard
94 Dakota Ball
83 Ty Flournoy-Smith
85 Malcom Faciane
H-back
45 Jalston Fowler | 6-1, 250, SR
46 Michael Nysewander/41 Kurt Frietag/47 Corey McCarron
Defense
DE
94 Jonathan Allen/54 Dalvin Tomlinson
52 Dee Liner
DE
57 D.J. Pettway
9 Da’Shawn Hand/90 Jarran Reed
NG
86 A’Shawn Robinson
95 Darren Lake/99 Brandon Ivory
69 Joshua Frazier
SAM
30 Denzel Devall
25 Dillon Lee
32 Rashaan Evans/34 Christian Miller
JACK
47 Xzavier Dickson
7 Ryan Anderson
MLB
33 Trey DePriest/10 Reuben Foster
11 Shaun Dion Hamilton
WILL
18 Reggie Ragland/10 Reuben Foster
35 Walker Jones
CB
5 Cyrus Jones
2 Tony Brown/4 Eddie Jackson
CB
16 Bradley Sylve
21 Maurice Smith/29 Marlon Humphrey
S27 Nick Perry/24 Geno Smith
23 Jabriel Washington
SS
26 Landon Collins
20 Jarrick Williams
6 Hootie Jones
Special Teams
Punter
15 JK Scott
Kicker
99 Adam Griffith
KR
22 Christion Jones and 2 De’Andrew White
5 Cyrus Jones and 26 Landon Collins
PR
22 Christion Jones
5 Cyrus Jones
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