AggieYell.com's preview of Texas A&M's 2020 opponents continues with a look at No. 2 Alabama (11-2 in 2019), who looks to take back the top of the SEC West.
Key returning players
RB Najee Harris (209 carries, 1,224 yards, 13 TD in 13 starts in 2019); QB Mac Jones (97-141, 1,503 yards, 14 TD, 3 INT in 12 games, 4 starts); WR Devonta Smith (68 catches, 1,256 yards, 14 TD); WR Jaylen Waddle (33 catches, 560 yards, 6 TD); LT Alex Leatherwood; C Landon Dickerson; LB Dylan Moses (DNP in 2019); CB Patrick Surtain II (42 tackles, 1 TFL, 8 passes broken up, 3 INT, 3 forced fumbles)
Major losses
QB Tua Tagovailoa (1st round pick, Miami); WR Jerry Jeudy (1st round pick, Denver); WR Henry Ruggs (1st round pick, Las Vegas); OL Jedrick Willis (1st round draft pick, Cleveland); S Xavier McKinney (2nd round pick, New York Giants); DT Raekwon Davis (2nd round pick, Miami); CB Trevon Diggs (2nd round pick, Dallas); LB Terrell Lewis (3rd round pick, Los Angeles Rams); LB Anfernee Jennings (3rd round pick, New England)
Important new additions
QB Bryce Young; DE William Anderson; LB Demouy Kennedy; RB Jace McClellan
2019 stats
Rushing offense: 168.5 YPG (56th nationally, 6th SEC)
Passing offense: 342.2 YPG (3rd nationally, 2nd SEC)
Total offense: 510.8 YPG (6th nationally, 2nd SEC)
Scoring offense: 47.2 PPG (2nd nationally, 2nd SEC)
Rushing defense: 137.2 YPG (37th nationally, 7th SEC)
Passing defense: 187.2 YPG (11th nationally, 3rd SEC)
Total defense: 324.4 YPG (20th nationally, 4th SEC)
Scoring defense: 18.6 PPG (13th nationally, 3 SEC)
Turnovers forced: 28 (4th nationally, 1st SEC)
Turnovers allowed: 10 (4th nationally, 1st SEC)
Projected starters (returning starters in bold)
QB: Redshirt junior Mac Jones (6-3, 214)
RB: Senior Najee Harris (6-2, 230)
TE: Redshirt junior Miller Forristall (15 catches, 167 yards, 4 TD in 9 games)
WR-H: Junior Jaylen Waddle (5-10, 182)
WR-Z: Sophomore John Metchie (6, 195; 4 catches, 23 yards)
WR-X: Senior DeVonta Smith (6-1, 176)
LT: Senior Alex Leatherwood (6-6, 312)
LG: Redshirt sophmore Emil Ekiyor (6-3, 324)
C: Redshirt senior Landon Dickerson (6-6, 325)
RG: Redshirt senior Deonte Brown (6-4, 350)
RT: Sophomore Evan Neal (6-7, 360; Freshman All-American at left guard)
DE: Redshirt junior LaBryan Ray (6-5, 295; 9 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack in 3 games -- all starts -- before season-ending injury)
DT: Sophomore DJ Dale (6-3, 307; 17 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack in 10 games, all starts)
DE: Redshirt sophomore Christian Barmore (6-5, 310; 26 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 sacks; Freshman All-SEC)
JACK: Redshirt junior Christopher Allen (6-4, 250; 11 tackles, 4.5 TFL, .5 sacks)
SLB: Redshirt senior Ben Davis (6-4, 250; 4 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack)
MLB: Sophomore Shane Lee (6, 240; 86 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery)
WLB: Redshirt junior Dylan Moses (6-3, 240)
CB: Junior Josh Jobe (6-1, 190; 28 tackles, 1 INT)
FS: Redshirt junior Daniel Wright (6-1, 195; 8 tackles)
SS: Sophomore Jordan Battle (6-1, 210; 30 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT)
CB: Junior Patrick Surtain II (6-2, 202)
For many years, Alabama wanted to pound on opponents with their running game and strangle them with their defense. This season, as they did in 2018 and 2019, they seem better built to shoot it out with opponents than win games 13-3.
The offense may have lost Tua Tagovailoa, Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy, but it's still formidable. Mac Jones was impressive in relief of Tua last year and seems to have easily held off talented 5-star Bryce Young to keep the quarterback job. Najee Harris is a monster and the Tide can go four deep at running back and lose little, especially with redshirt freshman Trey Sanders back from an injury that cost him all of 2019.
Wideout is a bit of a question depth-wise, but with Jaylen Waddle and DeVonta Smith, their top-end guys are elite. The offensive line could well be the nation's best, returning four players who received significant starting time last year. A lot of people forget this because Tua is gone and LSU was so dominant offensively, but Alabama was still second in the nation in scoring last year -- and they get more back than the Tigers do.
Defensively may be where Alabama has some issues. Getting back Dylan Moses and LaBryan Ray will definitely help the front seven, but they are much thinner than usual talent-wise behind the starters. Phidarian Mathis is the only reserve with any significant playing experience up front.
At linebacker, Moses and Lee are establish qualities, but the other two positions are uncertain and inexperienced. The biggest concern appears to be the secondary, were potential All-American Surtain handles one corner (and could rotate as the STAR), but again, there's a lot of inexperience.
It seems like the year after year after year experience of seeing tons of underclassmen go to the NFL early may be catching up with Alabama. They're not as deep as they have been and while there's a lot of upperclassmen in the depth chart, there's not a lot of playing time to go with them. But the offense may be potent enough that it doesn't even matter.
2020 schedule
Sept. 26: @Missouri
Oct. 3: Texas A&M
Oct. 10: @Ole Miss
Oct. 17: Georgia
Oct. 24: @Tennessee
Oct. 31: Mississippi State
Nov. 14: @LSU
Nov. 21: Kentucky
Nov. 28: Auburn
Dec. 5: @Arkansas
