With the loss of three offensive linemen, let’s assume the running game may not be as potent, nonetheless extremely talented. But a returning two-time national championship quarterback and a deep and talented cast of receivers almost sets up too perfectly for another championship run.

We know how dominant the running game can be; we know how much AJ McCarron means to this club with his experience and continuously improving and developing game. But for the first time in the last couple of seasons, the Tide will open the season with an envious receiving corps. The passing game, which may have been once considered a liability, is now an even bigger strength.

DeAndrew White was the star of Saturday’s scrimmage. And that’s great news, because he’s returning from knee surgery. White caught seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

But White is just one of the robust returning pass catchers. He joins freshman All-American Amari Cooper, Kevin Norwood, Kenny Bell, Christion Jones and Cyrus Jones.

Amari Cooper returns to be the key cog in the corps, headlined largely by his big-play threat. Coop caught a team-high 59 catches for 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. His emergence down the stretch in White and Bell’s absence was one of the biggest keys of the season.

Beyond Cooper, the Tide didn’t have another receiver even nab 30 catches. Kevin Norwood caught 29 for 461 yards and four touchdowns and finished second behind Cooper.

All total, the six receivers return 144 catches for 2,416 yards and 24 touchdowns, giving the Tide 66 percent of their receptions back, along with 79 percent of their receiving yards and 77 percent of their touchdowns. That’s nasty.

We aren’t even factoring in freshmen Chris Black, Raheem Falkins, Robert Foster, ArDarius Stewart or even tight end OJ Howard. Black was injured for the entirety of 2012, and Rivals ranked him slightly lower than Cooper exiting high school. Falkins, Foster, Stewart and Howard will all be true freshmen in ‘13, with Howard playing a key role in the receiving game as a tight end, receiver or H-back.

Combine big play receiving threats with a more than experienced and proven quarterback like AJ McCarron, and the Tide have the opportunity to be one of the better passing teams in the country.

The Tide finished just 8th in the SEC in passing offense in ‘12, but it’s largely due to their offensive game plan and overall strategy. However, McCarron and the receivers should play a bigger role than last season, because of a – projected – less dominant running game and a talented receiving corps overall.

Photo Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

SDS will be taking an early look at each SEC Championship contenders and their chances of winning it in Atlanta by listing three reasons why they will win and three reasons why they will not.

Alabama Crimson Tide

It was an odd year for the SEC and Alabama last year. The Tide obviously didn’t win the SEC West or the SEC Championship but got the much-controversial rematch with the Tigers, eventually dominating the rematch and winning the national championship. We know how it all played out.

This year, the Tide hope to repeat as national champions, by winning their conference first.

Three Reasons Why

1. Nick Saban: If you can choose a coach in America to be the lead facilitator and head coach over your team, you choose Nick Saban. It’s possible you may never get along with Saban on or off the field, but as long as he keeps winning championships, that will become an afterthought. He’s intimidating; he’s straightforward. Saban is regarded as the best defensive mind in the college game, and he quickly became the most popular head coach in the country and cemented himself in Crimson Tide history and legacy. Saban is the best in the business, not only at recruiting the best prospects in the country, but also at developing the players into All-Americans once they get there as well. His players prepare very well and respond to him on the field, and that’s obviously a big part of his success. Saban has a .821 winning percentage and has won three BCS National Championships at two different SEC schools. Saban is the obvious No. 1 reason.

2. Veteran Leadership: Even though the Tide lost a slew of NFL draft picks, they return 12 starters overall. Most notably on offense, quarterback AJ McCarron returns, along with the bulk of his offensive line in Barrett Jones, DJ Fluker, Chance Warmack and Anthony Steen. These are the core players and leaders who go to battle each and every week and lead the younger players. Even running backs Eddie Lacy and Jalston Fowler return with experience. Defensively, Alabama returns several veterans along the line and two veterans at linebacker in CJ Moseley and Nico Johnson. This is a veteran group that is hungry for another championship, and veteran leaders who have been there before will have a big impact on how the younger, inexperienced players respond.

3. AJ McCarron: This is AJ McCarron’s year. He returns with the SEC’s third most passing yards, behind Tyler Wilson and Aaron Murray. And undoubtedly, McCarron returns as the centerpiece of this offense. Yes, he was a game manager in 2011, but he had the best running back in America on his team to chew up yards and only needed to make a plays here and there to help last year’s team win. He’ll need to do more this year. McCarron looks to take his game to the next level and really escape the game manager label. Nick Saban really praised McCarron during the spring, and he should really develop under new offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier this fall.

Three Reasons Why Not

1. Too Many Personnel Losses: Alabama lost their leading rusher, leading receiver, leading tackler and leading sacker to the NFL. It doesn’t matter how much talent you have on campus or how well you’ve recruited, that’s a big step for teams to just reload having lost that much talent and experience. Alabama will be replacing two linebackers, two corners and a safety on defense, along with impact players on offense like Trent Richardson and Marquis Maze. I’m not saying Alabama will not overcome the losses, but teams normally don’t reload with enough talent to make a run at a conference championship or repeat for a national championship. It will take the younger, inexperienced players a few games to get into the groove and for things to slow down for them.

2. Wide Receivers: While Alabama has the chance to be more explosive than years past at receiver, they will also be much more inexperienced. The slated starters entering fall camp are sophomores DeAndrew White, Christion Jones and juniors Kevin Norwood and Kenny Bell. This spring we saw some depth emerge with freshmen Amari Cooper and Chris Black showing some flashes. The top four receivers in receptions and receiving yards from 2011 are now gone, and a new group will have to step up and provide some sparks because they cannot just rely on the running game the entire season. If Duron Carter eventually finds his way into a uniform, he will add a whole new weapon in the receiving game. But this group is simply not proven, yet.

3. Special Teams: Leading punt returner Marquis Maze is gone, and he provided such a spark in the return game by the field position he created every time he touched the ball. Replacing Maze will be more difficult than most think. Everyone wants to know how the field goal kickers are doing. By all indications, returners Cade Foster and Jeremy Shelley had good springs, after an up and down season last year…and by down, we mean the LSU regular season game when the Tide missed four field goals. We will simply not know their physical or mental improvement until they run out under the lights in game one against Michigan. Incoming freshman Adam Griffith could develop into the everyday place kicker if this unit gets off to a rocky start.

Additionally, Alabama plays the second toughest schedule in the SEC, playing four of the top 25 teams in the early SI poll. It will be tough getting through the gauntlet to win the West and get back to the national championship, but I’m not counting the Tide out.

SDS is going to be starting a series for every program in the SEC on what they need to do to improve in the off-season. Some are very obvious, while others might not be so obvious.

First up, Alabama.

Alabama: Wide Receivers

Coming off their 14th claimed National Title, Alabama fans are riding high. And they should be, no doubt. The Tide ripped through their schedule, ran into a speed bump in Tuscaloosa against LSU, and totally redeemed themselves in New Orleans for the big one.

It is well documented that the Tide are losing several on the defensive side of the football, a whole lot more than on offense. However, I think the biggest need of improvement will not be replacing the guys who left on the defensive side of the football; rather, it will be at wide receiver.

Alabama has to have some guys step up here at receiver.

The offensive line will protect the veteran quarterback AJ McCarron; the Tide will run the football; I’m just not sure who’s going to step up at wide receiver to make those big catches.

Leading receiver Marquis Maze is gone. The second, third and fourth leading receivers – tight end Brad Smelley, running back Trent Richardson and Darius Hanks – are gone as well.

Who will step up?

The players who are returning for the Tide at receiver – Kenny Bell, DeAndrew White and Kevin Norwood – caught only 42 passes in 2011. All three combined for 596 yards and four touchdowns on the year as well. Norwood, however, looked rather impressive in the National Championship game against LSU.

Along with Bell, White and Norwood, Alabama will get 6’4″ JUCO transfer Duron Carter, who had to sit out due to one class a year ago, and three freshmen to work with in Eddie Williams, Chris Black and Amari Cooper. This is a talented group that could take them to the next level at receiver. However, there is a lot of work to do in this department during the off-season.

Carter looks to be the real deal, and a guy who can step in and play immediately. He has great genes coming from who will be NFL Hall-of-Famer Cris Carter.

However, the true talent of those four above is Eddie Williams. Williams is 6’4, and he could either play receiver or safety. Williams, however, should get his shot to play receiver, and I think he will be dynamic. But can we really expect him to step up and play like Sammy Watkins from a year ago at Clemson? It’s certainly too early to tell, but he has all the physical tools.

We know Alabama will field a good defense because they have recruited very well there and have a head coach who can coach ‘em up; we know the offensive line will be fine, along with quarterback and running back. However, in my mind, I think Alabama’s biggest question mark is at receiver with so many pass-catchers gone.

Most of the players we watch every Saturday in the fall come from our own backyards.  And since most of the talent in the SEC is homegrown, we’re taking an early look at the top 100 southeastern prospects in the 2012 class.  We’ve already taken a look at the guys from Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia, so go check those out if you missed them.

To finish up this early look at the 2012 crop, we’ll focus on Florida, the state that routinely produces the most elite football talent in the southeast.

Nobody really knows which position Nelson Agholor will play at the next level, but everybody thinks he’ll be great at it.  Agholor showed that he can do great things with the ball in his hands by accounting for around 1,400 yards last year, but he can also get it done on the defensive side of the ball.

Chris Black is smaller than the typical wide receiver, but he’s quick enough to more than make up for the difference.  His offers from schools like Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, and Miami really confirm his abilities.

After a season that saw him notch over 100 tackles to go with his four interceptions, Travis Blanks has become one of the most highly regarded prospects in Florida.  He’s a big guy that can lay the wood in a big way.  Florida State offered the home-town kid while he was in 8^th grade, so there’s a good chance he ends up there.

Do yourself a favor and watch a highlight video of Marvin Bracy.  The guy is lightening in a bottle, and that’s pretty easy to see.  He returned four kicks for touchdowns last season, and he has the special kind of speed to take it to the house from anywhere.

Deon Bush is a big defensive back prospect from Miami.  He picked off three passes as a junior, and it seems like every school he’d think about attending have taken notice of his crazy skills.

Tyler Cameron only played what amounted to half of a season last year due to injury, but at least seven schools saw enough to offer him a scholarship.  With a nice 2011 campaign, the 6-3/210lb signal caller should see his stock really start to rise.

Even after being suspended for a good part of his junior season due to some off-the-field issues, Bennie Coney is one of the top quarterback prospects in the state.  The 6-2/205lb passer is leaning to Florida State at this point, but things like that can often change in a hurry.

With over 15 scholarship offers at this point, Ty Darlington has the makings of a great offensive lineman.  He comes from Apopka High School, a program that has provided a decent amount of football talent over the years.

Jessamen Dunker is a 6-6/315lb offensive lineman with offers from most of the big boys in college football.  He’ll probably stay in the SEC to play his college ball, so the Gators might be in the best position to land the big guy.

Try to find a defensive lineman with a better stat line than that of Daunte Fowler: 107 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, and 20 sacks.  And he did it going against some of the best talent in the country.  The 6-3/240lb stud has been committed to Florida State for a while, and he could make a real difference for the Seminoles early on.

With offers from Florida’s big 3 to go along with others from around the country, Jelani Hamilton is one of the best defensive end prospects in the southeast.  He comes from St. Thomas Aquinas High School, so there’s no doubt about the kid’s ability.

After accounting for four interceptions as a sophomore, ball hawk Tracey Howard’s recruitment has really taken off.  The 6-0/170lb defensive back has offers from all the Florida schools to go with his already impressive offer list.

When Angelo Jean-Louis gets the ball in his hands, he usually makes the most of it.  He might be one of the most explosive players in the state, and schools like Florida State, Clemson, Miami, and Ohio State have taken notice.

Being the brother of former LSU stud Patrick Peterson, it was an easy choice for Avery Johnson to commit to the Bayou Bengals.  But lately, Johnson has said that his recruitment isn’t over.  He’s caught nearly 100 passes in each of the last two seasons, and he’s probably one of the top receivers in the state.

Randy Johnson (not that one) has already committed to the Hurricanes, and Miami is getting a good one with him.  The kid isn’t very big, but he has speed to burn, and that should make him a great fit for Al Golden’s offense.

This is just my opinion, but if I have to pick one running back to build my team around, I’m picking Matt Jones.  He’s a big back, but don’t let his great size fool you.  He also has pretty good speed and can stop on a dime.  He’s committed to the Gators, and he’ll be a great fit for Will Muschamp’s pro-style offense.

Amos Leggett is a pretty confusing guy.  He was committed to Miami for a while, but then decided he’d rather play his college ball at Florida State.  But now he’s decided that he’s committed to Miami again.  If he can confuse quarterbacks as well as he’s confused me, then he has a great future ahead of him.

Ricardo Louis is a big-bodied receiver from Miami Beach, Florida with offers from Florida’s big three.  With his big body, he can really overmatch smaller defensive backs

At only 5-9/155lb, Donaldven Manning is probably going to be one of the smallest kids on the playing field.  But the Virginia Tech commitment makes up for his size deficiencies with his ability to make plays on the ball.

He’s going to need to add some weight before making his appearance on a college football defensive line, but Tyriq McCord has done nothing but make plays in high school.  Last year, he had nearly 20 sacks while leading his team to a state championship.

Patrick Miller isn’t all that highly coveted right now, but that could change in a hurry.  The 6-7/260lb offensive lineman has performed well in a few camps, so he could be a rising star in the Sunshine State.

Heterosexually speaking, Dvario Montgomery is a great-looking receiver.  He has a big body, and well over 20 schools have offered the 6-3/210lb kid a chance to play at the next level.

Mario Pender is already a commitment to the Seminoles, and they really got a good one. He rushed for nearly 2,300 yards and 32 touchdowns as a junior.  He’s in the running for the top high school running back in the state.

Already committed to the Gators, Dante Phillips has a double-digit offer list.  The Venice, Florida product is just a very solid lineman.

Omari Phillips is another Gator commitment.  He’s a 6-6/270lb offensive tackle prospect with offers from most of the top schools in the southeast.

Florida commitment Latroy Pittman is a great looking receiver with a lot of talent. He was one of the top performers at the recent Army All American Junior Combine.

He’ll be a tight end at the next level, but Kelvin Rainey was a running back, quarterback, tight end, and wide receiver for his Yulee, Florida team.  The 6-3/203lb athlete is expecting to graduate early and enroll in college in time for the spring semester.  That’ll give him a huge head start in seeing the field early.

Dalvon Stuckey is a big defensive tackle from De Funiak Springs, FL.  He’s been committed to Florida State since last September, but he had offers from Auburn and South Carolina among others.

Kent Taylor, the son of former NFL offensive lineman Rob Taylor, has emerged as one of the most coveted prospects in Florida.  The 6-5/220lb tight end from Land O’Lakes, Florida averaged over 16 yards per catch and caught nine touchdown passes as a junior.

John Theus is going to wind up as one of the best offensive linemen in this class.  The Jacksonville, FL product grew up following the Seminoles, but is reportedly leaning towards the Georgia Bulldogs.

Alabama is the team to beat for massive offensive lineman Colby Watson.  The 6-5/330lb prospect is also interested in Florida and Florida State, so his recruitment is going to be interesting.  One thing to note is the fact that his former teammate and close friend, Louchiez Purifoy, signed with the Gators.  Could that be enough to sway him to Gainesville?

Eddie Williams was a very early commitment to Alabama, and the Crimson Tide got a good one.  The jumbo athlete has proven himself on both sides of the ball, so he’ll most likely have his choice of positions at the next level.

P.J. Williams is the kind of hard-hitting defensive back that wide receivers dread.  He committed to Florida State way back in July and pretty much shut down his recruitment.

Big offensive lineman Avery Young took a trip down to the Nike camp in Miami and really impressed a lot of people.  Unfortunately for SEC fans, the 6-6/273lb athlete grew up following Oklahoma.  The Sooners have offered, so Young might be making the move to the Big 12 to play his college football.

It’s pretty easy to see that the talent in Florida is a lot deeper than any other school in the southeast.  For whatever reason, these kids can really get it done on the football field. And like pretty much every year in recent memory, the state of Florida will provide a ton of talent for SEC football teams.  Over the next few years, we’re going to grow to love watching these kids give it their all every Saturday down here in the south.

Previous 2012 Recruiting Articles:

• Top 100 Down South: Georgia
• Top 100 Down South: Alabama & Louisiana
• Top 100 Down South: Mississippi & South Carolina
• Top 100 Down South: Arkansas, Kentucky & Tennessee