Young defensive backs critical to Tide this year

With the loss of Javier Arenas (Kansas City Chiefs), Kareem Jackson (Houston Texans), Marquis Johnson (St. Louis Rams) and Justin Woodall, the Tide is in a rebuilding mode, but I’d call it more of a reload. Potential All-American Mark Barron (6’2″, 210, Jr.) is the unquestioned leader in the secondary. I have interviewed Barron before. He’s a solid guy, smart and a terrific football player as last season attests to. There is unproven but very talented young guys who will be joining Barron. Here are their Rivals’ rankings, their signing year, their size and their year on the team: Five-star B.J. Scott (2008, 5’11”, 193, rshirt Soph.), five-star Dre Kirkpatrick (2009, 6’3″, 190, Soph.), four-star Kendall Kelly (2009 6’3″, 214 R-shirt frosh, who has played wr, too, so not sure where he’ll be), five-star DeMarcus Milliner (2010, 6’1″, 182, frosh), four-star DeQuan Menzie (2010, 6’0″, 195, jr. college), four-star Blake Sims (2010, 6’0″, 195, frosh), four-star Nick Perry (2010, 6’1″, 193, frosh), four-star Robert Lester (2010, 6’2″, 208, frosh) four-star Jarrick Williams (2010, 6’1″, 203, frosh) and four-star John Fulton (2010, 6’0″ 179, frosh). LSU transfer Phelon Jones (2010, Jr, 5’11, 199)  is on the team, but I think has to sit out a year. He could really help in 2011.
As you can see by their rankings, these guys are highly talented. All of the four-star players were very close to being five-star players and when you’re that highly ranked, you can play on Sundays. If you watched Training Days on ESPNU, you saw how well these guys are coached up by Nick Saban. He does an amazing job with the dbs and loves doing it.

Barron will start at free safety and Kirkpatrick and Scott may be the corners. The strong safety position seems open right now. I know Sims has been working there.  Saban doesn’t put out a depth chart until right before the season, so it’s unclear who the two-deep will be  at those positions.

The first three games are San Jose State, Penn State and Duke. The dbs might be tested some against Penn State though the Nittany Lions will have a new quarterback, and will be tested somewhat at Duke. Certainly can’t overlook any of those opponents. If they can get through those three  games with experience and three wins, it’ll get real interesting after that.

At Arkansas and Ryan Mallett and his talented wrs on Sept 25. This group should be somewhat battle-tested by then, but there will be a major challenge at Fayetteville. The following week, John Brantley and Florida come to Tuscaloosa. All I’ve heard and read about Brantley is that he is a very good passer and Florida always has the wide receivers led this year by speedsters Deonte Thompson and Andre DeBose. I’ve heard Thompson has been on fire at camp, so Kirkpatrick and Scott will be tested.

Then it’s at South Carolina (Stephen Garcia if he’s still playing by then), Ole Miss (could be Masoli)  at home, at UT (a Simms, one of Phil Simms’ sons), week off, at LSU (Jordan Jefferson possibly and some talent at wideout) and Miss. State  (improving passing game with Chris Relf at qb unless he falters) at home before Georgia State and Auburn (could be tough, untested qb but great wrs) come to town.

It’s a difficult schedule and there are some good and one very good  qb this Tide secondary will face. Of course, the pass rush will have to help. It will help a lot if Marcell Dareus is eligible. Dont’a Hightower will be a big factor, too, on blitzes and in coverage along with Courtney Upshaw, Nico Johnson, Jerrell Harris, Tana Patrick  and other lbs. The front three is not that experienced, so there’ll need to be leadership from a guy like noseguard Josh Chapman.

The secondary will be tested early and often. They’ve got the talent to handle the challenge; it’s just a matter of how soon they’ll be ready. Guys like Milliner, Menzie and Sims, who have been hurt,  need to be healthy and be out there ready for game one.

(Young guys like Dre Kirkpatrick, pictured above, need to step up in Tide secondary)