A-Day in Tuscaloosa concluded with a 7-3 defensive battle, and we learned a lot about the team coming off yet another national championship.

It was the perfect opportunity for the Alabama coaching staff to evaluate how the players would perform in front of a live crowd and with each other. It was also a great opportunity to determine what the Tide needs to work on over the summer.

As expected, the defense was top notch. Also as expected, the offense has a ways to go.

So what will the Tide need to maintain — or improve — in order to finish 2016 on top? Here’s a look at where the team stands:

STRENGTHS

  • Secondary: Alabama has the best secondary in the SEC and, arguably, the best in the country. The Tide is returning CB Minkah Fitzpatrick, CB Marlon Humphrey and S Eddie Jackson this fall. Last season, Fitzpatrick, Humphrey and Jackson combined for 136 tackles and 11 interceptions, four of which were returned for touchdowns. But these guys didn’t just have a monster season in 2015. They also had a monster spring. Their spring performances earned them each a spot on the list of top 10 Alabama players as we head into summer workouts.
  • Linebackers: Losing Reggie Ragland to the NFL hurts, but the sting will soon subside. Reuben Foster was moved over to the No. 1 middle linebacker position to replace Ragland. Shaun Dion Hamilton will be filling Foster’s shoes in the second middle linebacker spot. Ryan Anderson and spring game superstar Tim Williams will be holding down the fort in the outside linebacker positions. Foster, Anderson and Williams also made the list of Top 10 Alabama players after the spring. And head coach Nick Saban was concerned Williams was ruining the spring game with such a dominant performance in the first half. Let’s not forget that even the second-string linebackers are on point. Rashaan Evans highlighted the spring game with 17 tackles and a sack.
  • Okay, the entire Tide defense: It might be too early to tell how much the Tide will miss former defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, but for now, it looks like Alabama will be just fine. New defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt has the track record to suggest he can keep this unit on top after losing some starters to the NFL Draft. The defense is definitely in a healthier place than the offense. But maybe the reason the offense seems to be struggling so much is because the defense was so dominant this spring. If you ask Saban, he’d tell you it’s all relative to the other side of the ball. “In the spring game when you don’t score a lot of points, everybody says you’re really bad on offense,” Saban said. “Well, how about you’re maybe pretty good on defense.”

WEAKNESSES

  • Running back depth: There’s no question that Bo Scarborough and Damien Harris have huge talent and potential. But they’re not quite what we’re accustomed to seeing in the Tide backfield. Worse, if Scarborough and Harris struggle, there’s very little depth to back them up. Ronnie Clark was next in line until he suffered his second — yes, second since 2014 — season-ending Achilles injury. B.J. Emmons and Joshua Jacobs are among the incoming freshmen who will be on the field in the fall, but without seeing them work with the offense this spring, there’s no telling whether or not they’ll be of use for the Tide. This could be a huge issue if the Tide doesn’t find a reliable quarterback, but then again, some thought running back depth was a concern for the Tide after the 2015 spring game as well.
  • Quarterback questions: If you said you know who will start behind center for the Tide, you’d be lying. Might you guess correctly? Yes. But if the coaches don’t know whom they plan to put out there for the first play of the season, we certainly don’t know. Cooper Bateman is the most experienced of the bunch, but Jalen Hurts really showcased his skills in the spring game. Blake Barnett might as well be a celebrity, and David Cornwell has been lying in wait for his opportunity. Based on Saban’s comments, Bateman is the best bet, but only time will tell. Until then, each quarterback will get equal practice, which is great for leveling the playing field, but it also means no single quarterback will get to really focus on developing with his first-string offense.
  • Offensive line: There are some potential stars on this relatively young offensive line, but overall, the line has questions with the rock of the group in LT Cam Robinson facing legal issues. In the spring game, these guys gave up 14 sacks. Yes, to a darn good defense, but the Tide will face other good defenses this fall, and the quarterback will have to be protected. Alabama has to replace C Ryan Kelly and RT Dominick Jackson. Ross Pierschbacher is looking pretty good as Kelly’s replacement, and he could easily have a breakout season in 2016, but he’s not quite there yet. JUCO transfer Charles Baldwin was expected to replace Jackson, but not only was his spring performance lackluster, he was dismissed from the Crimson Tide a few days ago for violating team rules.