Defense: Starting Eleven

The Crimson Tide defense, after losing several starters from a year ago, is a bit unsettled going into 2007 as to whom the starters will be. Moreover, that is all compounded by the fact that there is a new regime in town, with a completely different defensive philosophy.

So exactly which players seem to comprise the starting eleven for the upcoming season?

It's hard to tell, to say the least. However, Spring practice and the A-Day game does give us a very good indicator of who is seemingly starting this Fall. Judging by that, the starting eleven seems to be:

DE: Wallace Gilberry
DT: Bryan Motley
DE: Bobby Greenwood

OLB: Zeke Knight
ILB: Darren Mustin
ILB: Prince Hall
Jack: Keith Saunders

CB: Simeon Castille
S: Marcus Carter
S: Rashad Johnson
CB: Kareem Jackson

That was the first-string defense at the A-Day game, and being quite honest, there's no reason to expect that won't be the first-string defense this Fall, barring a couple of possible exceptions.

Going deeper, expounding upon the rough outline of the likely starting eleven:

Wallace Gilberry is a fifth-year senior, and this will be his third year as a starter. He has started twenty-four consecutive games for the Crimson Tide, and he is one of the better players we have on the defensive of the ball. He was a great pass rusher in 2004, but foundered the past couple of years with Kines going to a more conservative pass rushing scheme. Hopefully we'll see the pass rusher we saw as a freshman. He's solid against the run, and he'll be a key cog. As long as Gilberry can stay remotely healthy, he'll be a starter, no question about it.

Bryan Motley is likely to anchor the center of the line. He has some talent but he's also young (redshirt freshman), still needs to put on some weight, and has no Division 1-A experience at nose tackle. It is not that anyone should expect that Motley will set the world on fire, but at the moment no one is going to beat him out. Probably the only incoming freshman who could have done so is Kerry Murphy, and he is not going to qualify academically, it seems. As for the other nose tackles, Motley quickly shot past all of them when he was moved to nose tackle this Spring.

Bobby Greenwood had a good Spring, and started at defensive end opposite Gilberry in the Tide's three scrimmages. All told, he's one of the most talented guys we have on the defensive side of the ball. He was a huge signee coming out of Prattville, as the 6-A lineman of the year with over 100 tackles and 19 sacks in his senior season, and he had a great year as a true freshman in 2005. Just being honest, Greenwood is a rising third-year player with good size, good talent, and lots of potential. Despite a frustrating 2006 season in which he butted heads with his position coach, his tangibles alone means he will start if he stays healthy.

Zeke Knight is, apparently, going to start at outside linebacker. Though he did get some reps at the Jack position this Spring behind Keith Saunders, he played a good bit during the A-Day game as the first-string outside linebacker and had a great showing (three tackles and a quarterback pressure). Much like with Greenwood, Knight is an extremely talented player. He has great size and is incredibly athletic; he was yet another huge recruit coming out of high school, and he is now finally at the position that fits his physical skill set best: linebacker. Much like Greenwood, Knight simply has so much size, speed, athleticism, and overall talent that it will be very hard for anyone to beat him out, assuming he can stay healthy. Moreover, his athleticism will allow Saban to use him as a weapon in a variety of zone blitz packages, which is a major part of Saban's defense.

Darren Mustin, at the moment, is the first-team inside linebacker alongside Prince Hall. Mustin is a 23-year old player, a senior who transferred from Middle Tennessee State. He's pretty big, and that fits pretty well for an inside linebacker in the 3-4. The question with Mustin will be how long he can hold off super recruit Rolando McClain, but until McClain overtakes him, Mustin is the presumed starter.

Prince Hall will be, arguably, the key to the defense, and there's no question of him starting. As long as he's healthy, he will start.

Keith Saunders is without a doubt the front runner for the Jack position, the hybrid end / linebacker in the 3-4. Much like Hall and Gilberry, given his outstanding Spring performance, if he's healthy, he will start.

Simeon Castille will be the team's number one cornerback. He's physically gifted, has a ton of experience, and his natural aggressive style makes him a perfect fit for Saban's aggressive cover schemes. Just like Gilberry, Hall, and Saunders, as long as Castille is healthy, he will be starting.

Kareem Jackson, oddly enough, seems to be the favorite to start opposite of Simeon Castille. Saban and company raved all through Spring practice about Jackson's standout play, and any time someone as critical as Saban is handing out praise, people should take notice. Jackson spent last year in military school, and he seemingly has a very big upside. While more experienced players such as Eric Gray, Marquis Johnson or another player was expected to step up and nab the starting corner job opposite Simeon, Jackson seems to be the front runner. He played with the first-string during the A-Day game, and he is seemingly set to solidify his hold on the starting job. Apparently Saban is very big on him, which only increases his chances of starting.

Rashad Johnson, the former walk-on, surprised everyone last year when he beat out Marcus Carter for most of the year. Honestly, Carter was only able to regain his starting job when Johnson went down with a severe ankle sprain. This Spring, Johnson did well again, seemingly getting a good hold on a starting job this Fall. He's a very athletic guy, and he has a good bit of experience (he played 406 snaps last year, despite missing two games due to the ankle injury, and 196 snaps as a freshman), so he is probably going to hold on to that job.

Marcus Carter, at the moment, is likely to be the starter opposite Johnson. That said, though, he didn't have a very good year in 2006 (go back and watch Keiland Williams' touchdown run in the first quarter of the LSU game for verification), and at the moment it seems that he is only in line for the starting job because of a lack of proven depth behind him. Moreover, Carter tends to play timid and reserved, neither of which are qualities that Saban looks for in a defensive back. And, despite playing with the first-string in the A-Day game, Carter did give up a long touchdown pass to Nikita Stover when he bit entirely too much on the playaction fake. Much like with Darren Mustin, the thing to keep your eye on will be how long Carter can hold off Justin Woodall, and -- if he qualifies -- Michael Ricks. Both of those guys are seemingly more talented, and have more upside, but until they can take over, Carter is the presumed starter.

As for now, that seems to be the likely starters on the defensive side of the ball in 2007.