2013 record: 11-2 overall, 7-1 in SEC (T-1st in SEC West)
2013 postseason: Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma (45-31 loss)
2013 final AP/coaches’ ranking: No. 7/No. 8
Head coach: Nick Saban (165-57 overall; 78-16 in seven years at Alabama)
Offensive coordinator: Lane Kiffin (first season)
2013 offensive rankings: 25th rushing offense (205.6 ypg); 49th passing offense (248.5 ypg); 33rd total offense (454.1 ypg); 17th scoring offense (38.2 ppg)
Returning offensive starters: Eight
Defensive coordinator: Kirby Smart (seventh season)
2013 defensive rankings: 7th rushing defense (106.2 ypg); 11th passing defense (180.3 ypg); 5th total defense (286.5 ypg); fourth scoring defense (13.9 ppg)
Returning defensive starters: Four
Location: Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Stadium: Bryant-Denny Stadium (101,821; Grass)
Last conference title: 2012
THE GOOD
Replacing a three-year starter at quarterback? Pffft, no problem for a Tide squad that boasts two Top-Five SEC running backs in T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry… and the SEC’s best wide receiver-tight end combination in Amari Cooper and O.J. Howard… and at least three returning starters along the offensive line… and a defense that, despite the return of just four starters, is littered with four- and five-star recruits throughout the depth chart and will, again, be one of the most stout in the conference… and, hands-down, the best coach in college football in Nick Saban. In other words, and as they have been for the past few years, the Tide will enter a season as one of the handful of favorites to end the year No. 1.
THE BAD
I wouldn’t necessarily call this “bad,” but still. Yes, Saban reloads his defense with four- and five-star talent, but the Tide still must replace a whopping seven starters from last year’s Top-10 squad on that side of the ball. Not only that, three of those starters, all along the defensive line, have had their issues throughout the offseason and on into camp: two with suspensions, one with injury. There are also experience issues in the secondary, with three starters needing replaced. Fortunately for what will be a youthful Tide defense, their first three opponents (West Virginia, FAU, Southern Miss) won a total of 11 games last season, with all three finishing 78th or worse in scoring offense nationally. In other words, the defense will have plenty of time to sort themselves out and gel before facing their first real test in Tuscaloosa against... four-win Florida, which finished T-112th in scoring. The first real test against a team with more than a Pop Warner offense comes, after a bye, against Ole Miss Oct. 4. Plenty of time, but still some concern over the inexperience.
THE UNKNOWN
We may have pffft’d replacing AJ McCarron, but it’s easily the biggest unknown heading into the 2014 season. With less than week left before the start of the regular season, Saban, first-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin and the rest of the staff have not yet, at least publicly, settled on Jacob Coker, the Florida State transfer viewed as the presumptive front-runner, or Blake Sims, McCarron’s backup last season, as the starting quarterback. Most believe that Coker will ultimately prevail, but there’s a possibility the Tide could go a game or two -- or three of four -- giving each an opportunity to grab the bull by the horns. Saban said earlier this year that “consistency in performance” would be the key in settling on a starter; throughout the first three weeks or so of summer camp, neither Coker nor Sims has shown the type of consistency Saban has craved during his time in Tuscaloosa. Back in July, Saban downplayed the Tide’s chances at a College Football Playoff title because of the inexperience at the position -- Coker has attempted 41 passes in his career, Sims 39. Saban’s downplaying comes with an asterisk, however, as the last two times he had a first-time full-time starter at the position -- AJ McCarron in 2011, Greg McElroy in 2009 -- the Tide won a BCS title.
MAKE-OR-BREAK GAME: Nov. 29 vs. Auburn
It took less than a half a second to work my way through the Tide’s 12 games and settle on this one. Certainly, the Nov. 8 road trip will be rife with implications both conference-wise and nationally, but this one... this one’s easily the “It” game for both sides this year. The annual Iron Bowl grudge/hate match would get consideration year-in and year-out regardless of the most recent one played. After last year? This one comes in head, shoulders and half a torso above the other 11 games for the Tide. Of course, the “last year” I referenced was the most memorable play of the 2013 season, “The Kick-Six” at Jordan-Hare that stunned the Tide and propelled the Tigers into the SEC championship game and, ultimately, the BCS title game. While the coach and his team would never express it publicly, revenge will certainly be on their collective minds as the Tigers make their trek to Tuscaloosa in late November. This year’s version may not match the drama of last year’s, but it’s still compelling, must-see TV -- and could very well determine which team comes out of the SEC West and claims that division’s spot in the SEC championship game, with a spot in the College Football Playoff (likely) riding on all of it.
HEISMAN HOPEFUL: running back T.J. Yeldon
After rushing for 1,235 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, this bruising back has it all: speed, power, change of direction and surprisingly soft hands (20-183) for a man his size. He is everything Nick Saban wants in a running back. What he doesn’t have? Sole ownership of the Tide’s running game load, the kind of ownership that would allow him to put up eye-catching numbers, because of the presence of Derrick Henry. The reality is Henry is too good of a back and too much of a weapon to not utilize, which means Yeldon could still be one of the most Heisman-worthy players in the country and not have the stats to show it. Such is life on Saban’s Five-Star Island.
(Click HERE for the CFT 2014 Preseason Preview Repository)