The Alabama Crimson Tide gathered last Friday to begin its spring practice season, taking the field for the first time since a Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State ended its 2014 season.

However, the Tide held just one practice before dispersing for UA’s spring break this week. Alabama will resume its spring practice schedule next week when students return to campus.

When Alabama does finally get back to work, here are the five biggest questions it will face as it progresses through the spring:

1. Did a year of watching do Jacob Coker any good? Coker was a touted quarterback prospect who transferred to Alabama before last season to avoid sitting behind then-reigning Heisman winner Jameis Winston at Florida State for another year. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to grasp Lane Kiffin’s offense fast enough, losing the preseason quarterback competition to rising senior and former defensive back Blake Sims. Coker has since had a year to watch Sims lead the Alabama offense to 484 yards and 37 points per game during an SEC championship season. Did that year of watching Sims, with some garbage time snaps sprinkled in, benefit Coker? Is he finally ready to live up to the hype and take command of the Alabama offense? We’ll find out this spring.

2. Who will step up as Coker’s No. 1 target in the passing game? In addition to losing Sims, Alabama bid farewell to its top three wideouts from last season in Heisman finalist Amari Cooper and seniors DeAndrew White and Christion Jones. This begs the question, who will be Coker’s go-to guy come the fall? Alabama will benefit from its usual deep stable of tailbacks, but in Kiffin’s pass-prone offense there must be at least one commanding pass-catcher to open up the aerial attack for the Tide. Chris Black, Cam Sims and Robert Foster are all candidates, as is tight end O.J. Howard, who disappointed with just 17 catches a year ago. Their play this spring will go a long way to determining who gets a role within the starting offense.

3. How healthy will Kenyan Drake be this season? In just five games last season, Drake averaged better than five yards per carry and rushed for four touchdowns in addition to amassing 159 receiving yards and two more scores. He suffered a gruesome season-ending leg injury in Alabama’s lone regular season loss to Ole Miss in early October, but with T.J. Yeldon on his way to the NFL and a slew of new receivers joining a new quarterback in the starting lineup, Drake could be a significant difference-maker when the season arrives. He and Derrick Henry will likely carry the load in the run game, and Drake could immediately become one of Alabama’s most dangerous pass-catchers out of the backfield. He won’t be at full-strength this spring, but he did participate in that first Tide spring practice, and this spring could give Alabama the answers it needs regarding the long-term durability and explosiveness of its star tailback.

4. How impactful can Alabama’s new defensive backs be in 2015? If you watched last year’s Iron Bowl loss to Auburn or Sugar Bowl loss to OSU, you saw both Tide opponents amass more mileage through the air than a commercial airline. The Tide has since lost its best defensive back in Thorpe Award finalist Landon Collins, and it’s said its goodbyes to fellow starting safety Nick Perry as well. Geno Smith is poised to take on a greater role in the secondary upon the departure of those two safeties, and young corners like rising sophomore Tony Brown and redshirt freshman Marlon Humphrey will add depth at cornerback behind returning starters Cyrus Jones and Eddie Jackson. However, players like Brown and Humphrey lack live SEC experience, meaning it’s vital Alabama’s coaching staff get both players as up to speed as possible before Week 1 arrives in September. Will the fresh faces and improved depth pay dividends for the Alabama defense? Or will the unit remain front seven-dependent another year?

5. Can the Tide maintain stability along the offensive line after losing three starters? Alabama has lost guards Arie Kouandjio and Leon Brown as well as tackle Austin Shepherd from last year’s team, and Kouandjio and Shepherd are both touted NFL offensive line prospects. Without those three manning the offensive line, Alabama must find worthy replacements and fast in order to keep Coker upright and keep Henry and Drake productive. The Tide brought in two four-star early enrollees at the guard position in Dallas Warmack (younger brother of former ‘Bama star Chance) and Brandon Kennedy, and both players could earn starting jobs if they have productive spring seasons. Returning reserves like Isaac Luatua, Alphonse Taylor and Dominick Jackson could also earn starting nods with strong showings this spring.