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1) We made it to game week. There were a lot of times most of us thought we wouldn't, but the next Saturday on the calendar now features SEC football. It doesn't seem like football season yet because the team we follow hasn't played. But it will now. We'll do actual game previews and talk about an opponent and watch a football game on Saturday (we're almost positive of that, more in a minute). We've said all summer there are two goals: First, start the season. Second, finish the season. We're about to hit that first benchmark. Then the attention will turn to hitting the second one.
2) So, we're pretty sure Missouri is going to play Alabama...but there is some concern. Eli Drinkwitz told us last week that at least 12 Missouri players were out for the game due to COVID protocols (that doesn't include two opt outs and we aren't sure if it includes players who are just injured traditionally). We don't know who the players are and we almost certainly won't find out before the team takes the field for warmups and Mitchell looks at who isn't there (this will be a weekly exercise in games we are actually in attendance). I believe the bigger issue than the total number of players out is the position protocols. You have to have a quarterback, you have to have four defensive linemen and you have to have seven offensive linemen. I think that's a bigger question mark than if they can put 53 players out there on Saturday. What I don't know is if you could do something like call Brendan Scales an offensive lineman for a week. Obviously it's not ideal...but you'd rather have a tight end as your seventh offensive lineman than have to skip a game I would think.
3) The most interesting COVID related theme throughout the season will be the different approaches taken by different coaches. Drinkwitz told us about the 12 players who were out in his opening statement. We didn't even ask (I'm sure we would have, but we didn't even have to). Meanwhile, Nick Saban said on the same day (I think it was last Tuesday) that he didn't know of anyone who for sure had been ruled out and wouldn't be providing updates. I wouldn't take that to mean nobody is out for Alabama. I would just take it as Saban saying he's not going to let anyone know. You'll find out who's not playing when the other team finds out who's not playing. I'd like to see a league mandate on how you handle it. You don't have to name the players, but you have to give a number. Or you don't. Whatever. But I wish it was a little more uniform. Because every coach is going to be asked about it every single week. And they're all going to answer it differently.
4) This isn't going to be a good week to judge Missouri. It doesn't matter who is out, really. In the last four recruiting classes, Alabama has signed 17 five-star players and 70 four-star players. Obviously not all of them are still there, but just from a numbers standpoint, you get 85 scholarships. In the last four years, Alabama has signed MORE THAN A FULL ROSTER of four and five-star players. The backups are four-stars. The third-stringers are four-stars. Many of the FOURTH-STRINGERS are four stars. Depth is going to matter and nobody has more depth than Alabama. For comparison's sake, in the last four years, Missouri has signed four four-stars and no five-stars. So regardless of which players suit up, the talent disparity isn't going to change much. Add in the fact that Nick Saban has been at Alabama for a decade-and-a-half and Eli Drinkwitz has had 25 practices at Missouri and, well, you get the point. There will be no judgment from me this weekend. They can lose 57-3 and I won't judge. If you're assessing the chances of an upset on a scale of 1-10, this would be a solid 1. Be happy your team is playing football. Be ecstatic if they can make it more interesting than most believe they can. Do not get angry and frustrated and make emotional judgments if the game is over at halftime.
5) Let's look at Missouri's roster in a little different way. We'll call this the confidence factor rating. I'm going to look at every position and rate my confidence that they can perform at a level to get Missouri to .500 this season (which I think everyone should view as one hell of a season if it happens).
Quarterback: 4. There's a chance. There is probably some potential there. Neither Shawn Robinson or Connor Bazelak has done it at the level they'll need to do it in college at this point.
Running Back: 9. This is Missouri's best position. I don't know if they have the line to succeed, but just talking about the backs, they've got the ability.
Tight End: 3. I like Daniel Parker. He's never going to be a 1,000 yard receiver, but he is better there than he gets credit for and he's a hell of a blocker. After that? No idea. Bunch of guys that haven't done it yet. And we aren't sure on Parker's health.
Wide Receiver: 4. That might be a little high. I've heard enough about Keke Chism I think he's a good number one. Jalen Knox is capable of being a good number two, but we need to see it. Is Damon Hazelton a factor? This position could take a jump if a couple of freshmen (the guys you hear the most about are JJ Hester and Kris Abrams-Draine) become solid contributors early on.
Offensive Line: 2. It wasn't good last year. It lost the its best players. It's been ravaged by injury.
Defensive Line: 5. I don't think it's great, but I think it's good enough for a .500 season. Kobie Whiteside is a really good player. I'm looking for a bounceback from Akial Byers. I need to see something, anything, out of someone, anyone, at defensive end.
Linebacker: 7.5. Nick Bolton is a star. Devin Nicholson gets a lot of praise. There are enough guys they can fill out the depth.
Cornerback: 5. If Jarvis Ware can control his emotions he's an NFL player. Adam Sparks is solid. We've heard really good things about Jaylon Carlies and I like Chris Shearin.
Safety: 6.5. I can't put it at the level of the linebackers, but the position is strong. Josh Bledsoe and Tyree Gillespie are entrenched. Stacy Brown and Martez Manuel will split the third spot. If you're looking at things to feel good about this has to be near the top of the list.
Special Teams: Can't even guess. I would guess Grant McKinniss is the punter and Harrison Mevis is the kicker. I have no idea what to expect out of either one, or the return game.
