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By: CrimsNkentucky, 1standGoal and BeachBama

Alabama takes on Clemson this Saturday in Atlanta, and fans have something they are wanting to ask the Bama team. Are you ready for some football?!!!!!! There is no doubt fans are ready for the season to start, and oh what a start it is with ninth ranked Clemson first up for the Tide. Both teams will journey to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to face off in what is sure to be an exciting game. Clemson has been picked to make a run for the National Championship this year. Will this be their year, or will an Alabama team looking for redemption from last year's 7-6 record squash their dreams early? Infused with new talent from Saban's number one recruiting class last year and a new offensive coordinator who some might term an evil genius, can the Crimson Tide get an early jump out of the gate on an unexpecting Clemson team, or is it too early to expect such a feat? The answer to that question lies with the team and will be answered Saturday; so until then, I ask you, are you ready for some football?!!!!!!

Let's take a look at the match up and you decide.

Quarterbacks:

Alabama Passing
  CMP% YDS TD INT
J.P. Wilson 55.2 2846 18 12
G. McElroy 88.9 73 1 0
Clemson Passing
  CMP% YDS TD INT
C. Harper 65.1 2991 27 6
W. Korn 72.7 100 1 0

We all know John Parker struggled last year. Word coming out of fall camp is he has his confidence back and is making good throws and decisions. McElwain is known for his mastery of improving quarterbacks and I think we will see that with Wilson this year. Despite struggling last year, Wilson will most likely still become Alabama’s all-time leader in career passing attempts, completions, yards, TDs, total plays & total offense this year. Both Wilson and Clemson's Cullen Harper have been named to the 2008 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list, so neither are slouches. Harper was ranked 22nd in passing efficiency last year while Wilson was ranked 96th. Forget that stat. It's a new year, a new offensive coordinator and a new John Parker Wilson. The protection each of the quarterbacks get from their line will be the key to this battle and Clemson has the biggest question marks there.

CrimsN outlook: Wilson Rolls

Receiving:

Alabama Receiving
  REC YDS AVG TD
D. Hall 67 1005 15.0 6
M. Caddell 40 475 11.9 2
Clemson Receiving
  REC YDS AVG TD
A. Kelly 88 1081 12.3 11
T. Grisham 60 653 10.9 4

Hall and Caddell are gone. Mike McCoy, Will Oakley, Nikita Stover and Earl Alexander are the returning wide receivers for Alabama, but watch out for the new comers. True Freshman, Julio Jones has been hyped more than any Bama player in recent history and it appears the hype is justified. However, he's not the only new comer that appears poised to start or get a lot of playing time. True freshman BJ Scott, and redshirt freshmen Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks all will see plenty of playing time as well.

Center Antoine Caldwell recently said, "I feel like this might be the best team I've been around since I've been around here. Not taking anything away from DJ (Hall) and Keith (Brown) (but) we've got a lot of talented guys like Darius Hanks. We probably have some of the best hands I've seen since I've been here, a lot of guys just stepping up, competing for jobs, making the whole offense better."

While no official roster has been released, it appears Mike McCoy, Julio Jones, BJ Scott and Marquis Maze may be the players to run out onto the field Saturday when Alabama's offense takes the field for the first time. This could be one of the most electrifying group of receivers to ever be on the field for Alabama. Except sizzle. An official roster should be released Monday.

CrimsN Advantage goes to Alabama.

Rushing:

Alabama Rushing
  CAR YDS AVG TD
T. Grant 180 891 5.0 8
G. Coffee 129 545 4.2 4
Clemson Rushing
  CAR YDS AVG TD
J. Davis 214 1064 5.0 10
C. Spiller 145 768 5.3 3

A lot has been said about Clemson's great backs and it's well deserved, but Bama ain't bad. Terry Grant started off last year like he was wearing an "S" on his chest and a cape soaring behind him, but was hampered later with a sports hernia. In 2007 he set the Alabama Freshman Rushing Record with 891 yards and had an additional 176 receiving yards for a total of 1,067 all-purpose yards despite missing 2 games and playing injured in a few more. Last year Clemson's James Davis finished ranked 53rd in the nation while Grant was ranked 54th. Not bad for an injured guy. Also in the backfield will be Glen Coffee who has had a spectacular camp and may even start. True Freshman Mark Ingram may get a few snaps as well. Clemson's CJ Spiller is the real deal. He's fast, powerful and a game breaker. If Clemson's offensive line can move Mt. Cody (Cody Terrence) and Josh Chapman while opening holes for their two backs to run through it could be a very long day for Alabama, however, don't count on that happening. I think our defensive line, though young, is too much for Clemson to manage. They run a zone blocking scheme where the lineman must choose which player to pick up and which way to block. I think the offensive line of Clemson is their weak point and it will be exploited. Look for Davis and Spiller to be forced to run outside. Here's the question. Can our young linebackers come up and stop these two great backs?

CrimsN take: Slight Running advantage goes to Clemson

Offense:

What will Bama's new offense look like? We'll find out soon enough. Typically, McElwain likes to throw screen passes, short passes and intermediate passes and keep the chains moving. He’ll call for deep passes when the time is right, but he believes in a steady passing attack that makes use of the backs and tight ends to keep the chains moving and keeps the QB’s confidence high. Yes, I did say use of the tight ends, and yes I mean actually catching the ball. He'll have players shifting and going in motion, and he'll probably run a couple of trick plays. The bottom line is McElwain is no newbie at calling plays and Clemson doesn't know what to expect.

Clemson on the other hand runs a spread offense similar to Florida. However, Clemson uses the quarterback run option much less than the gators. There just aren't too many quarterbacks with Tim Tebow's abilities or toughness. Harper is a dual threat and can burn teams with his running ability when needed, but don't look for him to get that call often. They usually send three or four wide receivers out. Clemson loves to run the ball using their "Thunder and Lighting" combo of Davis and Spiller, but Harper, if given time, can rip a defense apart with his arm. He is very accurate and makes wise decisions. If Bama can get pressure on Harper look for Clemson's coming out party to end before it ever gets started.

Cheerleaders:

It's not even close. I love to hear Alabama's cheer much more than I do Clemson's.

 

I'll give my defensive take later in the week. If you are going to the game, get together with other members of our site. Click here for details.

Let's take a look at 1standGoal and BeachBama's takes on the game for now.

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1standGoal's Game Breakdown:

Alabama v. Clemson

- Maturity: Usually, young players who crack the two deep have a lollipop game at the beginning of the season in order to get their feet wet. That won't be the case this season. Several freshmen are slated to get playing time against the Tigers, and although mistakes will definitely be made, it's imperative that the youngsters learn from them quickly, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Clemson is expected to have one of the top offenses in the ACC in 2008, and with so many freshmen getting time on the defensive side of the ball for Alabama, how they play will ultimately determine the overall play of the defense. One missed assignment could mean 6 points with the play makers on offense for Clemson. Limits those mistakes, and not only does the defense play better, but the confidence goes through the roof for a very young but talented defense. That's a factor that's very important.
And you know I can't make it through this article without mentioning Julio Jones. He and McCoy make a pretty dangerous pair opposite each other in practice, and if they can translate that into a game, things could be very easy for not only John Parker, but it could open up the running game as well.

- Clemson has major question marks on the offensive line. With backs like Spiller and Davis running at them, it will be imperative that the Alabama defense find ways to penetrate the line, and stop the backs momentum. If the line can get pressure and force Clemson to throw the ball, I like our chances. If Spiller are Davis find big holes, it could be a long night.

- John Parker Wilson is finally a senior, and it's time that he shows not only the leadership factor, but also the maturity to make good decisions for an entire game. He doesn't have to be spectacular for Alabama to win. He just has to manage the offense and not turn the ball over. If he can throw for between 200 and 250 yards with a couple of scores, and limit his turnovers, he'll put Alabama in great shape.

- This goes back to the last point, but the play of Alabama's offensive line will be key. Games are won in the trenches, and the line will need to not only protect the quarterback, but also attempt to put some life into a running game that was stagnant in the home stretch of last season. A major concern is right tackle, where Drew Davis will likely be the starter, and in his first game, he'll have to block the likes of Ricky Sapp and Dequan Bowers. Not an easy task for even the most veteran linemen. How Davis performs will be crucial to the overall success of the Alabama line. Terry Grant will look to return to his early 2007 form, where he torched defenses with his speed. He and Glen Coffee are bigger, faster, and more experienced this year, and hopefully that will translate to bigger numbers in the stat column.

- Coaching: Few doubt Saban's coaching ability when compared to others from around the country, but it won't be the head coach that people have their eyes on in this game. Coach Jim McElwain was brought to Alabama to revive a troubled offense, and inject some life into the play calling duties. Although Saban has made mention that the offense will be similar to last years, I can't help but think that it's just a smoke screen for the opener in Atlanta. I think we see a lot of changes in formations and personnel, and if McElwain is as good as advertised, we should see results on the scoreboard.

- Special Teams: Clemson is a top 10 team. If you want to beat teams like this, every aspect of your game needs to be top notch. Two names that Bama fans need to remember. PJ Fitzgerald and of course, Javier Arenas. These two specialists will ultimately be who controls field position, and hopefully the two that give the Tide an edge. Fitzgerald's knock has been inconsistency. If he ready to put that behind him and give the Tide a reliable punting option? If he and Javy can handle business, it will alleviate some pressure on Alabama's young defense.

- I'm going to throw this into the mix too. Nick Saban is hungry for a signature win on a national scene, and it looks like he's finally got a team of players who are 100% committed to his system. It took some attrition to get this far, but the product that he puts onto the field August 30th will be 100% Sabanized. If Alabama can pull out a victory, the amount of momentum that will be carried into the start of the SEC schedule will be unbelievable. Alabama will enter as the underdog, so all of the pressure should be on Clemson to perform and finally live up to their lofty expectations. Lose, and not only do you start the season 0-1, but you have to rebuild the confidence that ran so high throughout the spring and summer. Either way, it will be a learning experience, and the team will get better....but a win would certainly quench the thirst of Bama fans who have longed for an upset win over one of the nations elite -- to signal a return to prominence in college football.

You guys that have seen pieces like this from me before know it's a little out of character for my keys to victory to be so long, but the implications of this game are going to be bigger than most realize. Clemson is a great football team from top to bottom. Sure, there are some depth issues on their offensive line, but you can't overlook the talent they have at the skill positions. Will Alabama be ready for the challenge, and send Clemson back to Carolina in tears...or will it be the Tigers who ruin the debut of the nations top recruiting class, and send Saban and Company back to Tuscaloosa unsatisfied?

Key match up: Drew Davis vs. Clemson DE's

Prediction: Alabama 31, Clemson 27

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BeachBama's Game Breakdown:

1.The first is the most obvious and we'll get it out of the way... Score more points.

Well duh... Both teams have offenses capable of scoring on any drive and while no coach wants to see a track meet, and I don't think that will be the case in a first game where offensive miscues are most common, Alabama will have to score at least 27 points in my honest opinion to win. With Clemson's defense sporting one of the best defensive back groups we're likely to see this season, I don't see a lot of breakdowns in that group that will allow a lot of long scoring plays from scrimmage but a lot of ground out short plays strung together to either score TD's or get in Tiffin's range.

2. Stop them from scoring more than us.

Clemson's attack is balanced with 2 great running backs, a talented Sr. QB and a deadly wide receiver that can burn a secondary. With two of our biggest and strongest players dividing time in the middle at nose guard, fatigue shouldn't be a factor as running up the middle shouldn't be either. I believe Saban and Steele are going to play to stop the run first and take their chances with good coverage from a good backfield of our own and gambling that the young quick ends and linebackers could exploit a novice offensive line for a few sacks and hurries.

3. Take advantage of match ups in your favor...
Kick Returns - In Bama's case the biggest match up in our favor is the exciting returns of Javier against a team that usually just plain sucks against kick returns. One TD by the Bama special teams here COULD be the difference.
Bama's offensive line vs Clemson's defensive front... Pound them hard for 3 quarters even though the fans may be screaming "Please throw at least some down field"... in my opinion will have them totally worn out by the 4th quarter where the constant pounding by a bevy of Bama backs will finally gain the yardage they need.
Tiffin vs Mark Buchholz - seems close on paper. Bucholz ranked 12th in the nation in field goals per game when he had 22, just two short of the school record, but he's been missing early and often in preseason this year and as close as this game is, it could be a huge factor, especially when you consider Tiffin is hitting from everywhere but the parking lot so far.

4. Limit turnovers. Burned in my mind are the silly miscues last year that cost us too many close games. Everyone says JPW is SOOOOO much relaxed and sharp this year, I sure hope so.

5. Stay focused. I believe each team will have periods during the game where they stumble and disappoint, (Who doesn't in their first game of the year) but the one who stays focused, believes in what their game plan and their team mates and FINISHES with pride will win this game. Once again, it's all the common sense stuff...Posted image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.