considering alabama has recruited 5 or 6 straight #1 classes in a row up to this year, and the lowest class they've had in, what, the last 10, is #3?
to get that kind of depth, where it is really just a rotation of stud after stud, and every running back looks like Derrick Henry....
i'm not sure it's realistic to expect that level of depth.
what bama has done/is doing shouldn't be doable in today's day and age. it's an outlier.
to get to the point where we can realistically compete at that level...i think 3 years of top 5-10 recruiting is what it will take to get thru a season and be able to finish.
we've been kind of doing it backward with butch too, don't forget.
we tend to think about depth in terms of having to replace injured players that simply go away as a result of that injury. and the 2nd and 3rd level guys have not been able to measure up.
the difference in what Bama, GA, Auburn, LSU etc...do vs. what we've done is developing the depth thru out the season........they rotate and get guys meaningful reps...regularly. butch did not.
i think that will change, and by year 3 we should have a roster that should be capable of competing for an entire season.