Talent in, talent out: Young, No. 1 Alabama still favorites
By JOHN ZENOR
AP Sports Writer
The bad news for Alabama: The Heisman Trophy-winning receiver and his quarterback are gone, along with the Crimson Tide’s productive tailback. The good news: It’s Alabama and there is always an abundance of talent to replace players. The defending national champion Crimson Tide lost the usual boatload of talent to the NFL after the second perfect season of coach Nick Saban’s career. They’re ranked preseason No. 1 for the fourth time in six years, led by new quarterback Bryce Young and a defense that appears capable of picking up any slack for an offense breaking in new playmakers.