Go back two years and you'll find A'Shawn Robinson and Jarran Reed staring back intensely.

Reuben Foster, Jonathan Allen and Ryan Anderson were personalities that dominated the 2016 Alabama locker room.

It was clear who was in charge. They were Alabama football's alpha dogs and nobody questioned their influence. These were both teams flush with experience -- a glut of seniors was the heart of last season's generational defensive lineup.

In their wake, a different kind of Crimson Tide is finding its personality in a dissimilar model. It's younger and not quite as, let's say forceful, as their predecessors. It's not quantifiable on a stat sheet, but this underlying dynamic is one that shouldn't be overlooked.

"This team has kind of a quiet character about them," Nick Saban said on his radio show last week. "There's not a lot of real dominant, sort of alpha dog personalities that short of show out and affect everybody else but there's a lot of really good quality people that, in their own way, do the right things and sort of affect the temperature in the room."

To this point, 12 true freshmen have played the fall after losing 10 upperclassmen starters. That alone is significant when you consider that included voices like Cam Robinson and ArDarius Stewart on offense along with Eddie Jackson and Marlon Humphrey on defense. Recall Stewart became known for carrying an ax on the sideline -- perhaps as alpha as it gets.

Replacing that kind of presence was on Saban's mind preseason when he visited the ESPN studios.

"What I don't see is, I'm looking for some leadership on this team -- some alpha dog personalities that are going to take it over," Saban said in late July on College Football Live.

He recalled a speaker who met with the team and had them play the card game "B.S." It involves calling out a teammate when necessary, a trait Saban said that "is what leadership is all about."

That's the gist of what happened Saturday night after beating Colorado State. Senior linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton made his voice heard after allowing 391 yards and 23 points to the Rams.

"We've got to get back to the drawing board because that was just pathetic," Hamilton said while noting there would be a "come to Jesus" meeting Monday for the defense.

In terms of the vocal members of this team, Saban said defenders like Rashaan Evans and Anfernee Jennings -- both out since Week 1 -- were among the voices he hears. He also noted Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Harrison in the secondary.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts and Bo Scarbrough were among the offensive players who hold influence.

"I think Calvin Ridley, even though a quiet guy," Saban said, "is very much an example-setter and he cares about his teammates."

Tight end Hale Hentges was another name from slightly off the radar Saban mentioned later.

"When I talk about the quiet leaders that we have on our team that just do everything right, that you can't say enough good things about," Saban said, "he's certainly one of those guys."

Hurts, the sophomore starting quarterback, offered a thoughtful answer to how he leads this team.

"The biggest thing to being an effective leader is being able to affect others and kind of get the point across of how can I make them better, instead of how can I make them make me better," Hurts said. "I'm doing it for them, not me, and more so for the team. So, it's based on how do you want (leadership) to benefit them."

The tone of statements considering leadership rested on the other end of the spectrum two years ago. They fit the definition Saban mentioned on ESPN before the season.

Nobody messed around with Robinson and Reed on guard. Reed at the time said that mentality was missing the previous year when Alabama lost to Ohio State in the semifinals and they wouldn't let something like that stop a talent-rich team short of a title.

"A'Shawn will call you out on anything if he feels like it's not right," said linebacker Reggie Ragland, another strong voice in 2015. "That's the type of guy he is. He helps run the team and if he doesn't like something, he's going to let it be known. If guys aren't running to the ball, he's going to let it be known."

Robinson didn't disagree.

"I'd say me and Reed, we monitor everybody and make sure everything is up to par just like we all have to have our stuff up to par," Robinson said. "It's mainly us two controlling that."

It's more of a group effort right now.

"Who are the alpha dogs?" Evans said in August before the season. "Shoot, might as well say the whole defense."

Senior linebacker Keith Holcombe said Hamilton would be one of the alphas on the defense along with defensive lineman Da'Ron Payne and Evans.

"I'd say there's a couple but we're just trying to pride ourselves on being a collective unit together all in all," Holcombe said. "If one guy takes a step this way, the other one is going to be right behind him. That's the thing we need to keep building on. If we keep doing that, we'll be fine for the rest of the season."

That circles back to the point Saban made about the temperature of this team. It's not a matter of the right or wrong way to operate internally.

This one is just a little different.

"There's a difference between a thermometer and a thermostat," Saban said. "We have guys that are, without really showing it, are kind of like thermostats. They set the tempo for what's happening and how they do things and set a good example rather than just go with the flow and do what everybody else does. I think that has a real positive effect on the development of especially our young players."

How any of that translates to the field is the question without an answer as SEC play nears. Replacing someone like Ryan Anderson and Reuben Foster takes time.

One alpha? Two, three or a collective effort?

That identity is still forming in a process that'll show results before this season is resolved.

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande.