... year. The Tide has lost many players that were the backbone of the team during last year's championship season. Replacing these gritty veterans is a handful of inexperienced youngsters, most of which came to Tuscaloosa with a lot of recruiting hype. Recruiting hype, however, doesn't always translate to success on the field. On defense, the heart and soul of the unit is gone with the loss of Rolando McClain to the NFL. It will be important to see if Don'ta Hightower can fill his shoes as leader of a defense that hasn't allowed a 100 yard rusher since 2007. The offensive unit manages to return most of its starters, including Heisman-winning RB Mark Ingram and highly talented backup Trent Richardson. The only gaps to fill are on the O-line, where a...

Read Complete Article at Bleacher Report - College Football