Alabama updated their football roster on rolltide.com a few weeks ago, flipping from 2018 to 2019. This week saw another revision with the new freshmen catalogued along with heights and weights. This move would give the appearance that this is a current roster heading towards spring practice. However, there are a few oddities:

A FIFTH YEAR?

First off, there is the inclusion of punter Mike Berner. He had alwasy been identified as a “Senior” last season and everyone rightfully assumed that meant 2018-19 was his final season. Erik Evans even wrote an eloquent “Senior Salute” about him. However, it appears his Alabama career may not be over just yet. Bernier is listed on the 2019 roster as “ Redshirt Senior”.

Bernier transferred from Eastern Illinois. Their website listed him as a true freshman in 2015. He is not on their 2016 roster. Alabama lists him on the 2017 roster but having not played during the campaign. Eligibility of walk-ons has always had some nebulous rules. Regardless, this all adds up to only four years since high school graduation and who knows how many seasons of football have been counted. Did he get a hardship waiver? Is Alabama required to give him a scholarship for the coming season? We reached out to the Alabama SID and to Bernier himself but got no responses. It could be all this is pending but it appears that the Tide will have their starting punter back for another season.

THREE SUSPENDED

You may recall that starting guard Deonte Brown was suspended prior to the Orange Bowl and missed the Championship game as well. Also suspended were reserve OL Elliot Baker and reserve TE Kedrick James. All three are believed to have been given a six game ban that rolls over into the coming season’s first four games. Brown and James are both on the 2019 roster while fourth year player Baker is not. It was very unlikely that he was going to break into the two-deep. He will most likely not be back.

TRANSFER PORTAL

Two Crimson Tide players recently entered the transfer portal: back-up DB Kyriq McDonald and back-up long snapper Scott Meyer. Meyer is listed, McDonald is not.

The announcement of the McDonald transfer came as a bit of a surprise as many believed he would be a big part of the secondary rotation, as well as special teams, moving forward. Walk-on Meyer was the starting long snapper on field goals and extra points in 2017, while scholarship freshman Thomas Fletcher handled snapping on punts. This past season, Fletcher took over all snapping duties.

It is pure speculation on my part but perhaps the door is still open for Meyer to return but not for McDonald. Read into that what you want.

FRESHMAN NUMBERS

(Early Enrollees only)

3 John Metchie WR

5 Taulia Tagovailoa QB

11 Jeffrey “Scooby” Carter DB

15 Paul Tyson QB

16 Will Reichard PK

35 Shane Lee LB

44 Kevin Harris II LB

51 Tanner Bowles OL

56 Antonio Alfano DL

71 Darrian Dalcourt OL

72 Pierce Quick OL

73 Evan Neal OL

78 Amari Kight OL

92 Justin Ebiogbe DL

94 DJ Dale DL

OTHER NUGGETS