"Sometimes they get a little frustrated with the fact that maybe their reputation and the expectation is not necessarily what's happening for them, and that creates a little bit of frustration," Saban said. ...
Past the midpoint in the season, the only true freshmen locked into starting jobs are left tackle Cam Robinson and punter JK Scott. A total of 10 have yet to see the field and remain eligible for redshirts including five-star cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
The frustration is common. Running back Derrick Henry came to Alabama last fall as the national high school career rushing-yards king, but played sparingly most of the season. He later admitted it bothered him, but by the Sugar Bowl, the former star recruit was one of the lone bright spots in the Oklahoma loss.
Defensive end Jonathan Allen also had somewhat of a limited role as a freshman last fall. Like most star athletes, it was the first time he'd been something other than the starter. With that experience, he knows what to tell the young guys in that spot this time.
"You've just got to try to explain to them that we've all been there," said Allen, a starter now who's a big part of the defensive line's renaissance. "Even sometimes last year, I wasn't getting the amount of playing reps that I wanted, but it's all about time. You've got to go out there and you've got to keep working hard, day in and day out, to improve your craft and get better." ...
Good to save the redshirts, and the frustration is understandable. Surprised that Marlon Humphrey hasn't seen the field.