The biggest jump in learning and production for any athlete – college or professional – is from freshman (rookie) and sophomore (second year) season.
With at least two years of academic material under the belt and one season of field action, sophomores are expected to know more and be able to contribute more at a high level.
For the University of Alabama, head coach Nick Saban looks for the football program to return to the College Football Playoff stage and win a national championship. To do this, he will need a few second-year players to prove to the coaching staff that they are ready to lead.