So how young is the 2019 Alabama football team? Very young is the short answer. The detail is 49 of the Crimson Tide’s scholarship players are first or second year players. There are 27 true freshmen; 11 redshirt freshman and 11 sophomores.
Freshmen arrive at college campuses more ready to play than ever before – but even those physically ready to play, still have a tough learning curve. Young players for a perennial championship contender most often have to wait their turn. That waiting period may cover two or three seasons on campus.
So when we highlight five true freshmen as potential difference-makers in 2019 – it means each one has so much talent they can break through a roster logjam.