Alabama Coach Nick Saban met with the media Monday for his first pre-game press briefing and said that he suspected the reporters would be giggling in glee because he was issuing a depth chart. But, he cautioned, it was good for today only. Players will continue to compete for jobs.
There were no major surprises. Even the absences of wide receiver Keith Brown and linebacker Prince Hall, who have been suspended for the opener, would not have been big news.
There were a few things to catch the eye, but most were either anticipated or at least considered real possibilities.
Those minor surprises included:
At tight end, Nick Walker being listed number one and returning starter Travis McCall being second team. Saban, however, has said he considers them both first team.
Placekicker Jamie Christensen has been hobbled with a muscle pull, and Saban said Monday he is doubtful for Saturday's season-opener against Western Carolina. But even before Monday, it was believed that Leigh Tiffin had a hold on the first team position. Tiffin is listed number one both as field goal/extra point kicker and kickoff man.
Earlier there had been talk of Jimmy Johns moving from tailback to fullback, but on the depth chart Johns is the second tailback (behind Terry Grant) and the fullback position shows Baron Huber first team and true freshman Jeramie Griffin second team.
At wide receiver, D.J. Hall is listed as starter at one spot (it would have been shocking news only if he had not been) and Mike McCoy is number one at the other wide receiver spot. Matt Caddell and Earl Alexander are behind Hall and Nikita Stover and Will Oakley behind McCoy.
It was no surprise that returning starting right tackle Chris Capps was listed as a back-up left tackle to Andre Smith. Mike Johnson is listed as the number one right tackle with B.J. Stabler behind him.
Two true freshmen were on the two-deep on the offensive line. William Vlachos is listed as back-up center to Antoine Caldwell and Patrick Crump is number two right guard behind Marlon Davis.
Evan Cardwell, usually considered to be the number two center, is listed as the back-up left guard to Justin Britt.
The depth chart lists all three scholarshipped quarterbacks in the expected order -- John Parker Wilson, Greg McElroy, Nick Fanuzzi.
On defense, with Prince Hall out, Rolando McClain is first at middle linebacker with Demarcus Waldrop the back-up at that position.
Brian Motley missed some work at nose guard because of a hand injury, but he's listed number one at the position, ahead of Lorenzo Washington. There are some positions with three players listed, but this is not one of them. Josh Chapman, a true freshman from Hoover whose eligibility has been questioned because of a high school grade change, is not on the depth chart.
It was probably a minor surprise that neither Sam Burnthall nor Justin Woodall was among the five safeties on the depth chart. At strong safety, returning starter Marcus Carter is ahead of Ali Sharrief and Chris Rogers. At free safety, Rashad Johnson is ahead of Javier Arenas.
Wallace Gilberry is ahead of Milton Talbert at one defensive end spot. Bobby Greenwood is number one on the other side, and he's backed by Brandon Deaderick and Luther Davis.
The inside linebacker spot next to McClain, weakside linebacker, is manned by Darren Mustin with Marcel Stamps behind him. At strongside linebacker is Ezekial Knight, backed by Zach Schreiber.
The new jack linebacker is Keith Saunders with Brandon Fanney his relief man.
Simeon Castille is number one at left cornerback, followed by Marquis Johnson and Eric Gray. Right cornerback is Lionel Mitchell, backed by Kareem Jackson.
P.J. Fitzgerald, the returning punter, is ahead of Adam Hill. Fitzgerald is also the holder. Arenas is the punt return man and Arenas and D.J. Hall are listed as kickoff return men.