Alabama Football: 3 position battles to watch before 2020 season

After missing the CFP for the first time, Alabama football is in a time of transition. These are the most important position battles for the Tide in 2020.

Since the beginning of the College Football Playoff, Nick Saban and Alabama had been a staple of the four-team field. However, after key injuries at pivotal points of the season, and a bad date with the hottest team of 2019 in LSU, the Tide missed out on the four-team field for the first time.

Now, Tua Tagovailoa is gone to the NFL, and he’s not alone. Linebackers Terrell Lewis and Anfernee Jennings have gone pro, along with star receivers Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy and defensive backs Xavier McKinney and Trevon Diggs.

Even the top offensive lineman, Jedrick Wills, has left Tuscaloosa.

Heading into 2020, it’s a time of change in Tuscaloosa. Saban hasn’t left, but many of the coaches around him have. The biggest name in that group is long-time strength coach Scott Cochran, who is now at Georgia with former Tide defensive play-caller Kirby Smart.

As the Tide move forward, there are key positions to be filled, and contested, all over the roster. That is especially true at some key leadership spots, as well as positions that can have a massive impact on the outcome of the game.

Here are the most vital of those position battles.