By: Larry Burton
If most schools lost two of their valued middle linebackers before the first fall practice ever started, panic would ensue. But as you saw last season, “Next man up” at Alabama means something different than at most schools. With four and five stars sitting on the bench waiting their turn for playing time, the coaching staff isn’t in panic mode, they’re in prep mode knowing they’ll have to spend more time than they planned with younger players and getting them “coached up” to take the stage and shoulder more load than they thought they may have just one month ago.