Getty Bama Hammer's Ronald Evans revealed a "red flag" for Alabama ahead of the 2023 season
A “red flag” Alabama currently has ahead of the 2023 season, according to Bama Hammer’s Ronald Evans, is the lack of returning established starters for the Crimson Tide after an NFL draft cycle that took most of the top performers from the 2022 season. Evans called that fact “stunning.”
“As stunning as it may seem, Alabama Football will go into the 2023 season on the bottom for SEC teams in returning starters,” Evans wrote. “Even with the Transfer Portal creating quick roster transitions for many teams, too many new starters remain a red flag for any program.”
As Evans pointed out, Alabama is not just last, but “dead last.”
“If the experience calculation is based on returning production, rather than counting starters, Alabama is also No. 14 in the SEC,” Evans wrote. “Based on data from ESPN’s Bill Connelly, the Alabama Crimson Tide is No. 125 among all FBS teams in returning production. Alabama is not just last in the SEC, but dead last.”
Georgia “Reloading” More Than Alabama in 2023
13 players from Georgia, the back-t0-back defending College Football Playoff National Championship winners, will be leaving the Bulldogs for the NFL draft. By comparison, Alabama will be losing (at least) seven players to the NFL draft, and 12 more defections to the transfer portal.
Evans pointed out that Georgia will be looking reloading — which is referred to as rebuilding for the rest of the SEC teams that don’t win consecutive championships — more than Alabama will be in 2023.
“Teams with the most returning production, the best 2022 and 2023 signing classes and the most success in adding impact players through transfer should perform best,” Evans wrote. “The two top football factories are in Tuscaloosa and Athens. As such, every season is a reload rather than a rebuild. Uncharacteristically, that is more true for Georgia this season than it is for the Crimson Tide.”
Alabama Has Deep Talent Pool to Offset Experience Concerns
Ultimately, Evans came to the conclusion that Alabama fans need not concern themselves with the Crimson Tide’s lack of experience considering Nick Saban’s resume of developing top-tier talent in Tuscaloosa.
“Should Alabama football fans be concerned?” Evans asked before responding, “First, there is no reason to think Nick Saban and his rebuilt staff will not develop a new group of productive players. The Crimson Tide talent pool is deep.”
The most vulnerable stretch for Alabama in 2023 will be at the beginning of the season, Evans writes.
“To the extent there might be a problem, the most vulnerable period will be in the Crimson Tide’s first 4-6 games,” he wrote. “That schedule includes two basically practice games in Middle Tennessee and South Florida. It also includes Texas, Ole Miss, at Mississippi State and at Texas A&M.”
Alabama’s rebuilt defense under new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, according to Evans, will have its ultimate test against Texas in Week 2 on September 9.
“Game two with the Longhorns in Tuscaloosa will be telling for the rebuilt Alabama football defense,” Evans wrote.” Steve Sarkisian returns Quinn Ewers at QB, the three top receivers from last season, along with four starting offensive linemen. Except for Kool-Aid, an untested Alabama secondary could be vulnerable.”