Alabama hunting for 9 new offensive starters

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Alabama's offensive shopping list is long this spring: New starting quarterback. Some go-to receivers. A tailback or two, and several more blockers.

The Crimson Tide opened spring practice Friday seeking replacements for nine offensive starters, including All-America wide receiver Amari Cooper. It's a long list even for a team that brings in top recruiting hauls annually but center Ryan Kelly figures it will all come together.

"We're going to have the best talent every year," Kelly said. "It's just about developing them and the drive they have inside to be great."

Still, most of the firepower is gone from the most prolific offense in Alabama history. The Tide must replace its top three receivers, including Heisman Trophy runner-up Cooper, and tailback T.J. Yeldon, after losing to Ohio State in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs.

Also gone is quarterback Blake Sims after one season as starter.

"I think the quarterback position is the one place where we haven't had a guy that ever went on the field, but it's no different than we were last year," Tide coach Nick Saban said. "Hopefully, we'll be fortunate enough to have someone step up for us like we did a year ago. So these are all challenges, but they are all opportunities for other players on our team who have ability to go out now, and it's their time to do it and they've got to mature into it."

Kelly and left tackle Cam Robinson are the only offensive starters returning from the Ohio State game.

Jake Coker is the lone quarterback who's attempted a pass in college among the five on scholarship going through spring. The group includes highly regarded freshman Blake Barnett, a January enrollee.

Coker joined the team in preseason camp last year after transferring from Florida State and competed with Sims into the season. The very early reviews this spring have been positive.

"He certainly seemed a lot more confident out there and comfortable," Saban said. "Obviously, when he started last year it was a whole new offense to him, everyone was ahead of him and right now I feel like right now he's a lot more comfortable and confident with what we're doing.

"We've tried to make it a little easier with what we're doing at that position so that they don't have to burden as some of the guys in the past have had so that the inexperienced players can develop a little more quickly."

Coker is no longer the new guy in camp for Alabama, which has eight newcomers going through the spring. Besides having had more time to learn the offense, Kelly said Coker has also emerged as a team leader.

"I think he's done a great job of stepping into a leadership role," Kelly said. "Last year being his first year, it's just hard to step into a role like that when you don't really know a lot of guys. Now that he's had a little bit of time to meet everybody and kind of hang out and get the trust up, I think he's going to have a good year."

TIDE TALK: Cornerback Cyrus Jones (hip) and linebacker Denzel Duvall (foot) will both miss the spring with injuries dating back to last season, Saban said. ... Suspended running back Tyren Jones and offensive lineman Grant Hill missed practice. Jones was suspended indefinitely while Hill is on medical leave for unspecified reasons. ... Running back Kenyan Drake didn't appear to be limited in position drills after returning from a broken leg sustained in the fifth game. Saban said he was clocked at 4.4 in the 40 recently.