Alabama football came up two wins short of a College Football Playoff championship last season, but we've got a sneaking suspicion that the talent collection in Tuscaloosa this year will win the SEC and get another crack at playoff glory when the calendar turns to 2016. Here's 4 Reasons Why Alabama Is Guaranteed To Win The SEC This Year.
1) A Reloaded Offense
Alabama's cache of #1 recruiting classes is taking center stage in 2015.The onus falls on quarterback Jacob Coker to become the superstar his talent level says he can be, but there's plenty of blue chip talent both in the aerial game (Chris Black, Robert Foster, Calvin Ridley) to ease him along in that process. Add in the lethal backfield tandem of Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake, and you have the recipe for the most potential offensive attack in the SEC and perhaps the nation.
2) Did we mention Derrick Henry?
Henry averaged 5.8 yards per carry while running for 990 yards with 11 touchdowns in 2014, and he's already putting together a huge 2015 campaing with T.J. Yeldon and Amari Cooper playing on Sundays. Pro scouts are intrigued by his elite combination of size (6'3", 241 lbs.), power, and speed, all of which will keep opposing defensive coordinators up at night. Expect Alabama's offense to continue to feature a heavy dose of Derrick Henry this season.
3) Front Seven Fireworks
The Tide's defensive line is big, deep and extremely talented with returning starters A’Shawn Robinson, Jarran Reed and Jonathan Allen leading the charge. In the linebacking corps, Reggie Ragland turned down a sure ticket to the NFL to come back and lead a unit that also features one of the biggest hitters Tuscaloosa has ever seen, top recruit Reuben Foster. This front seven is prime time through and through, and that'll be huge as the secondary continues to figure itself outin the wake of the departures of starting safeties Landon Collins and Nick Perry.
4) The Nick Saban Effect
Critics of Nick Saban usually miss the point. His sometimes gruff exterior in media sessions is a calcuated facade which belies the respect he both commands and gives to his players in private one-on-ones. Yes he's a taskmaster sometimes, but he's one of the most successful taskmasters to ever step on a college football sideline. Results don't lie, and Saban's seven-straight double-digit win seasons and three national championships are reason enough to at least pencil the Tide for a berth in the College Football Playoff. Once he gets there, however...don't underestimate Saban's "eff you" motivation after last year's semifinal loss.
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