FYI: Ten Reasons Alabama Will Win the 2009 MNC

[DKW 86 8,235]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/109535-...ampionship#poll

Ten Reasons Alabama Will Win the 2009 National Championship

Here are the top 10 reasons why I think Alabama will win the National Championship in 2009:

10. No More John Parker Wilson I'm getting sick and tired of everywhere I read an article on next year's team, someone's always talking about how bad the loss is of JPW and how will he be replaced. No disrespect to JPW (he's a good guy), but he's just not that good of a quarterback.

Typical Tide fan, throwing every player that didnt live up to his fantasies under the bus...All JPW did was quarterback a 12 win team this year. If you think replacing a three year starter with a guy with no starts isnt bad news.....you just crazy.

The only thing that saved him this year was the OL and the running game. He misses too many deep throws and his short passes have a lot of hangtime. Alabama will be better at this position next year with Greg McElroy or Star Jackson (who I think will take over quarterbacking duties).

9. Lessons Learned from Year Two

I don't think Nick Saban will give his players a lot of off time before games anymore. He did not have Alabama ready for Utah and I think he learned his lesson.

CNS, and to be truthful almost all coaches, has a history of these games throughout his career. UAB, LAMO, Utah. etc Why didnt he learn from them?

8. Year Three Under Nick Saban

Finally, all the players who haven't bought in are now gone.

7. The Freshmen from 2008

All the freshmen now have a year under their belts and under Nick Saban. The best class from 2008 will showcase their talents.

Recriting doesnt always pan out just exactly like you think sometimes. Ask and others. By rankings, and Miami should have been in the hunt this year.

6. Javier Arenas

He was the best return specialist in the country last year, I don't care what Florida fans say about Brandon James. He is back for his senior season. I think he'll run back at least 6 next year. Anyone else notice how good of a tackler he is? I think he was one of the best on the team and I saw him make a lot of open field tackles and he's also a pretty good CB.

Great Shula recruit.

5. Wide Receivers

Julio Jones will lead a pack of hungry receivers next year. They're hungry because they barely got the ball with JPW. There will be a more accurate QB at the helm next year and a revamped OL and that means more passes thrown. I expect Julio to double his stats from last year.

Funny, Scout is reporting that CNS is out looking hard for someone to actually play with JJ.

4. Nick Saban

One of the best coaches in the country will have more of his style players next year. The recruiting class looks to be one of the best again this year. He will be even more focused next year after being so close last year.

3. Running Backs

Glenn Coffee going pro, no problem. Terry Grant wants to transfer,Terry who? Mark Ingram will more than likely be the starter. He's more of a power back and that's why Roy Upchurch will compliment him with his speed.

Afterall, "Bama rolls five deep at rb..."

Roy hits gaps at blazing speeds and he's into the secondary in just a couple of seconds. If Trent Richardson signs then I think he may a contender for a starting role since he has the same build and ability of Ingram.

2. The Schedule

Virginia Tech is the only real team that scares me, but I think the outcome will be the same as last year's Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic. Ole miss and LSU and the only teams from the SEC who I think have a shot at beating Alabama. The rest of the schedule looks like a cakewalk, for now.

I actually basically agree with the writer here. Although I think we will be substantially better than last season. A one year implosion is not a total fall. We started last season ranked 8th in the Nation.

1. Defense

I know Kevin Steele is gone to Clemson, but I say good riddence. Alabama will return nine starters on defense and even thought Rashad Johnson and Bobby Greenwood will be miss, they will have good replacements.

Rolando McClain will lead one of the best LB core in the country and with Hightower, Reamer, Aykers, Harris, Fanney, Hall, and incoming Nico Johnson. The DL looks to be even better with Terrance Cody coming back and he'll be more dangerous and more athletic than last year. The CBs will be solid and with a shutdown corner like Dre Kirkpatrick coming in, I think he will start from game one.

Most bama fans I know do not have this view of McClain.

There probably are a few more reasons I could list or some that I just haven't thought about. So, do think there are any more reasons?

I know it is just a fan talking. But the koolaid is gonna run wide open real soon here in Alabama. Off the field problems could also surface. You just never set the expectations this high. recent Bama history will tell you that after a 10+ win season that they tend to drop significantly the next year. This is why preseason stuff is just so much fluff.

[Mikey 16,781]

It's not only UAT's history, but $aban's history as well, to follow a big year with a 4 to 5 loss season. Factor in QB, OL, RB losses and so forth. 8-4 may be a little optimistic for the '09 bammers.

The talent levels at Auburn and Tennessee are at least as high as what's available in Tuskaloser, not to mention what's at LSU, VT and OM.

[CircleDrill 180]

I am glad to see this. I want it to continue and increase 10-fold before the first game. I want every single fan, player, coach, and Saint Sabban himself to believe they are destined for the MNC next year. I want every redneck in this state to invest their child's college money in BCS Championship Game tickets. Then I want VT to put the beatdown of a lifetime on them, and watch it all fall apart.

My question is who will they blame next year? Shula again? Players again? Whose fault will it be this time?

[mcgufcm 4,109]

10) I think the first reason is the best way to show that Bama is going to fall off. A LOT, and I would possibly say a majority, of Auburn fans had the exact same sentiment about Brandon Cox. They said he'd never lived up to his second year. They said he couldn't throw the deep ball. They said he did this and he did that and blah, blah, blah. But in the end, if Brandon Cox was our starter this year? We would've won AT LEAST 8 games. The drop off from marginally talented but experienced to more talented without an ounce of experience is much much much sharper than anyone acknowledges. Bama's QB will almost single-handedly lose 2 games next year.

9) There was no lesson learned. The defense showed up flat, and the Oline got dominated without its best player. Period. That happens. Other than that you just got beat by a better team in Atlanta.

8) Yeah, b/c it looked like the players this year "didn't buy in." FINALLY gonna get those quiters out right?

7) Freshmen, no matter how talented, don't win you national titles. This may be the year where you start to build toward a title, but you won't win it based on playing a bunch of RS Freshmen and Sophomores.

6) He is great. Saying he'll run back 6 kicks is just throwing a dart at a board, but he's great. Most teams won't kick to him (which means they'll concede field position most of the time) so I'm betting his numbers go down, ala Jeremy Macklin this year compared to last year. He's a surprisingly good corner.

5) Outside of Jones, Bama doesn't have a single receiver that scares you even a little.

4) $aban is a great coach. No argument there. Not the best in the SEC but great nonetheless.

3) Let me just say that no Bama running back that played this year can be accurately judged. None of them. No one has any idea how good or bad Mark Ingram is. The line completely distorted all evaluations. They ran behind arguably the best line in America, and unquestionably the best single lineman in the country. That changes everything. It makes average players look great. So I'm taking the wait and see approach with the running game. I don't expect them to be NEARLY as productive/efficient next year.

2) Bama should go into the season favored in most of its games. LSU definitely has the talent to win the West. Auburn has the talent if not the coaching. That's up in the air. No one has any clue who or what we are next year. Va Tech could beat you. Ole Miss could beat you. I don't know who Bama plays from the East (I assume the Gators aren't on the schedule).

1) Should be good. They lost the leader of the D (Johnson). That can hurt but won't be a killer. $aban is much like Tuberville in the respect that it doesn't matter who runs his defense, the defense will be good. Both of them make sure of that. So yeah the defense will be good. I don't expect Cody to be a lot better than this year though. He's a one-trick pony, and he's dominant at that one thing. He's not going to become a 340 pound pass rusher. He's not going to all the sudden start sucking either. He'll be the anchor in the middle against the run just like this year.

REASON BAMA WON'T WIN THE NATIONAL TITLE

Florida – They were better than you this year. They lose less. They bring back Superman. Give me one reason other than complacency to expect Bama to pass UF next year? From a neutral observer, I'd rather have UF's QB, RBs, and Oline. I'd rather have their Dline and secondary. What changes from this year to next? They beat you this year without Harvin so that's not a change that matters.

UF didn't start a single senior on defense (although I think Spikes and possibly Cunningham may go pro). They lose less offensive linemen. They bring back Tebow, Demps, Rainey, Moody, and James out of the best running game in America. UF should be the prohibitive favorites to win the national title. The only way an SEC team passes them is Tebow getting hurt.

[SouthLink02 8]

I am surprised fat boy didn't write that article

[TigerOne 1,523]

Virginia Tech will beat bammer and blow up uat's fantasy

[TidePride50 3]

Virginia Tech will beat bammer and blow up uat's fantasy

Just like Clemson did, right?

Seriously, no way we go undefeated. The SEC is going to be a dog fight. My prediction is 8-10 wins. VT is going to be very good too.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Wait..David, you're saying most fans you know don't think highly of McClain? Are you saying that with a straight face?

If they actually don't think that he's very good...it probably explains a lot in terms of your "most of my Bama friends..." comments that are always followed up with some anectdote that by proxy associates all Bama fans with the crazy behavior.

[TitanTiger 22,262]

Six reasons they won't even win the SEC West:

1. They are replacing Antoine Caldwell, Marlon Davis and Andre Smith, plus both TEs off of the offensive line (and they had at least one TE in the game on most downs). You saw what happened when Andre and his backup went out forcing a shuffle of the line. Spring practice and an A-Day game aren't going to make everything all better. At least not immediately.

2. You're replacing a senior QB who actually played quite well this year. Hell, the guy holds Alabama records for passing. And you're replacing him with either a redshirt freshman that hasn't played a down or a sparsely used backup that scares no one.

3. Ingram made a splash early but seemed to fade down the stretch. Coffee was the best back Bama had and he's gone. With Grant gone you lose some experienced depth. Not saying they are depleted at RB, but they aren't exactly as strong as they were last year.

4. LSU went through their down year with the QB situation what it was. Chavis will improve the defense and Jefferson appears to be a legit star at QB. They won't be 7-5 next year.

5. Ole Miss is returning virtually everyone of consequence and will be even tougher than this year. And they play them at Oxford.

6. Arkansas will be better. Auburn will be too and the Iron Bowl is at Auburn. Even Mississippi State upgraded in the coaching department.

The key reasons are #1 and #2, but combine those with the rest and I see 3-4 losses and no trip to ATL other than the opener vs VT.

[DKW 86 8,235]

Wait..David, you're saying most fans you know don't think highly of McClain? Are you saying that with a straight face?

If they actually don't think that he's very good...it probably explains a lot in terms of your "most of my Bama friends..." comments that are always followed up with some anectdote that by proxy associates all Bama fans with the crazy behavior.

Actually you and others were the ones that told me he wouldnt take a hit.

[BamaGrad03 0]

Rolo McClain? You're on crack. I'm probably on the other end of the spectrum in terms of how high I am on that kid.

[TidePride50 3]

RoMac is one of the best LBs to come through Bama in quite sometime. I'll admit living in MS I don't come across as many Bama fans as most of you, but I have NEVER heard any Bama doing anything but praise RoMac.

[DKW 86 8,235]

I had several folks compare him to Franco Harris in that he would not take a hit. His tackles were glancers, etc.

Hey guys, the article above publicly trashes a 12 win bama qb. You guys are seldom happy with any player living upto your fantasies.

[WarTiger 4,120]

Let's not forget they are in training as we speak to defend their 2008 Fulmer Cup. Here's to a successful defense. At least uat can be #1 in something....

[TidePride50 3]

I had several folks compare him to Franco Harris in that he would not take a hit. His tackles were glancers, etc.

Hey guys, the article above publicly trashes a 12 win bama qb. You guys are seldom happy with any player living up to your fantasies.

You don't know enough about me to make that assumption.

And as far as JPW goes, that is one guy and I wouldnt exactly call that trashing.

[SouthLink02 8]

Let's not forget they have the are in training as we speak to defend their 2008 Fulmer Cup. Here's to a successful defense. At least uat can be #1 in something....

We will give them a run for their money

[BamaGrad03 0]

I had several folks compare him to Franco Harris in that he would not take a hit. His tackles were glancers, etc.

Hey guys, the article above publicly trashes a 12 win bama qb. You guys are seldom happy with any player living upto your fantasies.

Then they know not of what they speak. Tell them to watch the Ole Miss game from this year.

[OldNewby 27]

Two reasons Alabama will NOT win the 2009 MNC (if they survive the West):

1. Tim Tebow running.

2. Tim Tebow passing.

[BamaFanOnBeach 4]

Bama won't win the West, the SEC, and especially not the MNC - because of the points already mentioned here.... Bama's defense has the potential to be better next year only losing 2 players, but the offense will be going through a major overhaul - especially on the O-line (ask Georgia fans about that). McElroy is Bama's only real hope for a QB next year and he has been prone to interceptions (in practice) since he has been at Bama. Bama will be better at WR, but getting a new OL line to gel and a new QB to WR's to all come together in a single offseason is A LOT to expect. Bama has the schedule and talent to squeek out a winning season, but it won't be a 10 win (regular) season.

I actually think every team but MSU has a legit shot at winning the west, with LSU being the team to beat.

[BamaGrad03 0]

McElroy is Bama's only real hope for a QB next year and he has been prone to interceptions (in practice) since he has been at Bama.

Interesting considering they don't release practice reports...and practices are closed to the public/media.

[Roll Tide Rev 63]

Our best chance to win the MNC was this past year given that some of the sec teams were down this year and we were more experienced at QB and the OL. I do think we will contend again in the next few years, but I don't think so next year.