As fall camp is set to open soon, here is a list of the five things to watch out for through the month of August leading into the season opener against Virginia Tech.

1. Backup Quarterback
AJ McCarron will have the starting position locked down for 2013, but now is the time to start thinking about next season. Although Nick Saban brought in 3 new quarterbacks this spring and Blake Sims got the majority of backup snaps last year, keep an eye on redshirt freshman Alex Morris

2. Who is Number 2?
As in who is the number 2 running back behind TJ Yeldon. Kenyan Drake showed plenty of flashes in 2012, but in comes four talented freshman in Derrick Henry, Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara and Altee Tenpenny. Also make sure you don’t forget about Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart, both of whom are returning from injury.

3. Defensive Line Development
Alabama lost two thirds of its starters on the defensive line last season, which in a 3-4 defense is absolutely huge. The good news is that Jeffery Pagan has all the talent in the world and Brandon Ivory has been more than serviceable in his shared duty. Ed Stinson will be the lone returning starter.

4. How Will Offensive Line Hold?
Last year’s offensive line was one of the best in the country, but has since sent three of that crew to the National Football League. Alabama’s offense is expected to be one of the best in the country, but at the end of the day they will only go as far as the line holds up.

5. The Next One Up
Alabama has been a team noted for its depth and just as it is important every fall-it will be key to get incoming class acclimated as soon as possible. Nick Saban has traditionally achieved this by separating returners from freshman at the beginning of fall camp, then bringing them together before the end.

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