Tide getting strong start to 2013 recruiting class

TUSCALOOSA – While most programs spent the weekend trying to finish harvesting their recruiting class before Wednesday’s National Signing Day, Alabama planted the seeds for a bumper crop in 2013 with its first Junior Day on Saturday.

The results were startling.

Alabama earned three verbal commitments from players who will be seniors in high school this fall, including coveted running back Altee Tenpenny of North Little Rock, Ark.

Later, wide receiver Raheem Falkins of New Orleans announced he would go to school in Tuscaloosa.

Most of the visitors this weekend were touted out-of-state prospects. However, all-purpose athlete ArDarius Stewart of Fultondale – one of the top-ranked juniors in the state of Alabama – also verbally committed on Saturday.

According to Scout.com, that gives Alabama seven verbal commitments to the 2013 class – joining five-star outside linebacker Reuben Foster of LaGrange, Ga., Artie Burns, a cornerback from Miami, Fla., Autauga Academy tight end O.J. Howard, and tackle Bradley Bozeman of Roanoke.

Several other scholarship offers were extended by Alabama, according to recruiting source TiderInsider.com. Pass rushing specialist Tim Williams of Baton Rouge, La., earned his second collegiate offer from Alabama. LSU has also offered him.

Last fall, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Williams received 2A All-State honors in Louisiana after making 111 tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 13 sacks.

Offensive lineman Kyle Bosch from Illinois reportedly got an offer, according to TiderInsider.com, which brings his total to nine, including some of the top programs in the Midwest.

Linebacker Walker Jones from suburban Memphis, Tenn., also earned an offer from Alabama, TI reported. Of course, that’s just in his blood. Jones, a 6-3, 227-pound linebacker, is the younger brother of Barrett Jones and Harrison Jones – and the son of former Crimson Tide basketball player Rex Jones.

Jack linebacker prospect Carl Lawson of Alpharetta, Ga., also earned a scholarship offer from Alabama. Lawson, quoted by TiderInsider.com, said he saw other Peach State standouts Josh Outlaw, David Johnson and the already-committed Foster on campus this weekend.

John Diarse, a multiple-purpose athlete, is another standout from Louisiana who was on campus and earned a scholarship offer. The rising senior from Monroe recorded more than 2,000 total yards of offense and 26 touchdowns last season.

Of those who committed this weekend, Tenpenny, a 5-11, 200-pounder who missed all of his junior season due to an ankle injury, is the most celebrated. He rushed for over 1,100 yards and scored 15 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Last fall, Falkins, the 6-4, 192-pound receiver from Louisiana, had 51 catches for 890 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Stewart, at 6-1, 195, is another multi-position athlete who played quarterback last season. He put up more than 3,000 yards of offense with 30 rushing and 20 passing touchdowns. He also had three interceptions on defense.

NOTES

Lifting begins: While the attention has been on potential future Crimson Tide members the last couple weeks, currently Alabama players are getting back to work in advance of the grueling fourth-quarter conditioning program, to be followed by spring practice.

Linebacker Nico Johnson of Andalusia, who will be a senior next season, said after the championship celebration that weight lifting resumed last week. The fourth-quarter program begins around signing day, he said.

Johnson said it’s a bit of a surreal feeling to understand the team won a national championship.

“It’s pretty much like ‘09,” Johnson said. “It didn’t really hit us until I think before spring ball. We looked back on how hard we had worked and that’s when it really hit us that, you know, we won a national championship. That’s about the time it’ll really hit us.

“Right now, we’re just riding that wave. Once the fourth quarter and spring ball hits, we’ll be back at it again.”

He also knows challenges are coming. Asked about the three-loss season in 2010, Johnson said enough players will be on this team who remember that and won’t allow a repeat.

“I’d say by going through what we did two years ago losing to South Carolina, LSU and, I can’t remember who else, oh, Auburn,” he said, laughing at his, uh, selective memory. “Going through that and having players that played on that team coming back, we have better leadership than we did that year.

“Just going through that, myself being a leader next year, I’m gonna try to mold into everybody else that, you know, we’ve got to stay on our stuff, week in and week out – no matter what. Stay level-headed. If we do that, then we’ll be all right.”