Alabama Football: 5 biggest questions facing Crimson Tide in spring 2018

Alabama football is facing an important spring with some questions to answer. What’re the five biggest questions facing the Crimson Tide?

I know this is shocking to hear, but the reigning national champs reside in Tuscaloosa once again. OK, it’s not that surprising to hear that Alabama has won yet another national title under Nick Saban, but the Crimson Tide did so in a year that everyone was writing them off.

In fact, it seemed like Georgia was the hottest team in the land, even winning the SEC title, but the Tide proved to be slightly better when it mattered, winning in overtime against the Bulldogs.

Everyone has been talking about the Tide repeating as national champs ever since Tua Tagovailoa’s miraculous throw in overtime to beat Georgia. There will be some questions for Alabama to answer this spring.

What’re the five biggest questions facing Alabama this spring?

5. Who’ll help the secondary reload?

When you bring in top recruits the way that Alabama does, you have to expect attrition after just about every season as most positions. Sometimes it’s guys transferring because of lack of playing time and other times it’s juniors and redshirt sophomores forgoing their final year(s) of eligibility to play in the NFL.

The secondary has taken a big hit following the 2017 season as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ronnie Harrison, Anthony Averett and Levi Wallace are all gone. That leaves holes just about everywhere in the defensive backfield.

So who will step up to replace these guys? Junior Trevon Diggs is a decent option at one corner after finishing with just six tackles and three pass deflections in 2017. Lightly-used junior Jared Mayden could also earn some valuable reps. Don’t sleep on an early enrollee like four-star Saivion Smith, either, or junior Shyheim Carter.

At safety, guys like Deionte Thompson and Xavier McKinney will get serious looks.