Hello everyone. The college basketball season wraps up tonight with the national championship in Indianapolis. So, welcome to my first “2021-2022 cbhsports College Football Preview”. Again, we will be doing SEC previews every Monday and Wednesday from here on out (until I finish them the week of May 17) and a non conference school on Fridays (I will do 16 non conference teams that y’all have voted on). After the SEC previews finish up, I will just be posting non conference previews on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday through the week of June 7. Anyway, let’s get into the 2021-2022 Alabama preview.
Projected Starting Lineup
**=Returning Starter
Offense
QB: Bryce Young, Sophomore
RB: Brian Robinson Jr., Senior
WR1:*John Metchie III, Junior*
WR2: Javon Baker, Sophomore
WR3: Slade Bolden, RS Junior
TE: *Jahleel Billingsley, Junior*
LT: *Evan Neal, Junior*
LG: Tommy Brown, RS Junior
C: Chris Owens, RS Senior
RG: *Emil Ekiyor Jr., RS Junior*
RT: Kendall Randolph, RS Senior
Defense
DE: *Justin Eboigbe, Junior*
NT: *DJ Dale, Junior,*
DE: Byron Young, Junior
LB: *Christopher Allen, RS Senior*
LB: Christian Harris, Junior
LB: Jaylen Moody, Senior
LB: *Will Anderson Jr., Sophomore*
CB: Jalyn Armour-Davis, RS Junior
CB: Josh Jobe, Senior
SS: Jordan Battle, Junior
FS: Daniel Wright, RS Senior
Special Teams
K: *Will Reichard, Junior*
P: *Charlie Scott, Senior*
KR: Brian Robinson Jr., Senior
PR: *Slade Bolden, RS Junior*
Returning Production:
John Metchie III is the lone returning starting receiver for new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. The offensive line returns Evan Neal and Emil Ekiyor who lead one of the best offensive lines in the country. The defense returns most of the front seven but yet again Alabama’s talented defensive backfield has to be replaced. During the front half of the 2010’s and into 2017 Alabama clearly replaced their cornerbacks and safeties well every year. But the defense has looked “worse” despite it finishing as one of the best in the country. Still, it has not been up to Nick Saban’s standard in the last two seasons.
New Starters:
There is a new starting backfield for Saban, with former five-star QB Bryce Young and veteran RB Brian Robinson both expected to be main contributors for the Crimson Tide offense. Tight End Jahleel Billingsley and Wide Receivers Javon Baker and Slade Bolden will try to replace the production of Heisman winner DeVonta Smith and fellow wideout Jaylen Waddle.
Schedule Preview:
vs.Miami (Atlanta) (9/4)
Alabama did not get its Texas kickoff game versus USC a year ago, but gets Miami instead in Atlanta. This will be a good test but the tide roll here. Projected Score: Alabama 49, Miami 24
Mercer (9/11)
I don’t expect any of the starters to play beyond the first half, let alone the first quarter. Alabama big in this one. Projected Score: Alabama 52, Mercer 10
at.Florida (9/18)
In a rematch of the 2020 SEC Championship game, I expect the same result, just a bigger margin. New Florida starting QB Emory Jones will still be getting used to things as the starter in Gainesville and Alabama’s young defense should have a pretty easy time against a young Florida offense. Projected Score: Alabama 38, Florida 21
Southern Miss (9/25)
I expect this game to be more of a contest than the Tide’s game against Mercer, but the result should be similar. Projected Score: Alabama 42, Southern Miss 24
Ole Miss (10/2)
Ole Miss and Alabama played in a shootout in Oxford in 2020. Expect much of the same in 2021 with the final score potentially being closer than just 15 points. But, I expect Alabama to go pretty hard in this game just because of the small margin of victory a year ago. Projected Score: Alabama 56, Ole Miss 42
at.Texas A&M (10/9)
Texas A&M will be Alabama’s biggest test in the SEC West in 2021. LSU could return to form, Auburn could get some mojo with Bryan Harsin as their new head coach, but Jimbo Fisher’s Aggies seem like the best bet after their win in the Orange Bowl on January 2. Anyway, Haynes King should replace Kellen Mond at QB for A&M but it can’t just be King stepping up for Fisher’s team if they want to beat the reigning national champions. Projected Score: Alabama 45, Texas A&M 35
at.Mississippi State (10/16)
Mississippi State showed signs of improvement under Mike Leach at the beginning and the end of their 2020 campaign. But not enough improvement to tell me their going to beat the Crimson Tide. Projected Score: Alabama 38, Mississippi State 13
Tennessee (10/23)
Alabama gets two rivalries in a span of three weeks, beginning with Tennessee. Former Alabama assistant Jeremy Pruitt was replaced by former Central Florida head coach Josh Heupel. If Heupel can get his offense going, Alabama may be on upset alert. Projected Score: Alabama 35, Tennessee 17
LSU (11/6)
LSU beat Alabama in 2019 en route to their national championship in January of 2020, but fell off and had a mediocre season in 2020. Ed Orgeron’s bunch should be excited to play this one, and another potential upset comes to Tuscaloosa. Projected Score: Alabama 45, LSU 20
New Mexico State (11/13)
Alabama should roll here. Projected Score: Alabama 49, New Mexico State 7
Arkansas (11/20)
Sam Pittman’s team showed a lot of improvement in 2020. But similar to Mississippi State, not enough for me to see them beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa. So, the Tide roll on here. Projected Score: Alabama 42, Arkansas 27
at.Auburn (11/27)
Bryan Harsin and Gus Malzahn are two completely different coaches. Malzahn, despite being fired in January by Auburn, knew how to beat Alabama. And he did on multiple occasions. But, until we see if Harsin can beat the Tide, we’ll have to see if he can actually do it. Projected Score: Alabama 27, Auburn 14
Projected Record: 12-0 (8-0) SEC
Incoming 2021 Recruits (per 247sports)
2.Evan Neal, OT, Bradenton,FL IMG Academy
5.Tommy Brockermeyer, OT, Fort Worth,TX All Saints Episcopal
8.Dallas Turner, DE, Fort Lauderdale,FL Saint Thomas Aquinas
17.Ga’Quincy McKinstry, CB, Pinson,AL Pinson Valley
23.Damon Payne, DT, Belleville,MI Belleville
26.Jacorey Brooks, WR, Bradenton,FL IMG Academy
33.Camar Wheaton, RB, Garland,TX Lakeview Centennial
44.Agiye Hall, WR, Valrico,FL Bloomingdale
46.JoJo Earle, WR, Aledo,TX Aledo
50.Terrion Arnold, S, Tallahassee,FL John Paul II Catholic
51.Deontae Lawson, ILB, Mobile,AL Mobile Christian School
57.Terrence Ferguson, OG, Fort Valley,GA Peach County
58.Keanu Koht, DE, Vero Beach,FL Vero Beach
74.Christian Leary, WR, Orlando,FL Edgewater
81.Jalen Milroe, QB-DUAL, Katy,TX Tompkins
91.Monkell Goodwine, DE, Upper Marlboro, MD Rock Creek Christian Academy
135.Kadarius Calloway, ATH, Philadelphia,MS Philadelphia
166.Kendrick Blackshire, ILB, Duncanville,TX Duncanville
175.Kaine Williams, S, Marrero, LA John Ehret
189.James Brockermeyer, OC, Fort Worth,TX All Saints Episcopal
236.Ian Jackson, OLB, Prattville,AL Prattville
