This year's starting offensive line may be set for Saturday's season opener against West Virginia -- and even that's not a given -- but there are two big reasons why it could be considered a work in progress throughout the first month of the season.
After working with the first team at right guard through all of the spring, senior Leon Brown missed the start of camp with a foot injury and didn't participate in either of the scrimmages. Junior-college transfer Dominick Jackson had his camp sliced in half when he went down with an ankle injury at the Crimson Tide's first scrimmage.
Both are healthy enough to practice now, but their respective absences eliminated some potential competition, especially when it applies to right guard. That spot has been occupied by third-year sophomore Alphonse Taylor, who converted to offensive line shortly after enrolling at Alabama in 2012 and gained experience as a backup last season.
When Alabama coach Nick Saban talked about Brown and Jackson after Thursday's practice, he used the past tense to describe their hopes of starting -- "would have been a starter" ... "we thought could certainly challenge for a starting position" -- but emphasized their importance heading into the season.
"How those guys develop," Saban said, "will determine to a degree the kind of depth we have on the offensive line." ...
Barring further injuries, this O-line could be a strength of this team. That'd help solidify the QB, whoever he is!
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