TUSCALOOSA | A quick glance over the position chart for the University of Alabama football team produces two glaring characteristics about the defense: youth and inexperience.

Only five players return as starters to the position they occupied a year ago with Wallace Gilberry and Bobby Greenwood at defensive end, Prince Hall at middle linebacker, Simeon Castille at cornerback and Marcus Carter at strong safety.

Keith Saunders has 30 games of experience, but along with Ezekial Knight is playing a new position, which has brought new challenges.

Greenwood, safety Rashad Johnson, and cornerbacks Eric Gray and Lionel Mitchell all have some experience at their respective positions, but none has been a regular starter for an entire season.

Here’s a look at the position chart based on what the media has been allowed to observe over the first 11 practices:

Defensive end

Gilberry, a junior, appears to be leading the charge at one end with Greenwood opposite him. Gilberry has amassed 33.5 tackles for a loss in his three-year career, including 11.5 sacks.

Greenwood replaced Saunders as the starter for the final three games of last season. For the year, he posted 27 tackles, including five for a loss, and 2½ sacks.

Behind them, experience at the end position plummets. Freshman Brandon Deaderick played a total of 56 snaps during the 2006 season, and Milton Talbert redshirted.

Defensive tackle

Even more so than the defensive end positions, defensive tackle is scattered with young and inexperienced players.

With a strong first scrimmage (according to the statistics) and the praise garnered from Saban, converted center Brian Motley appears to be the frontrunner at nose tackle.

Depth development has been hampered by injuries. Two candidates for the position, Lorenzo Washington (pectoral muscle) and Byron Walton (hand), have been limited for the duration of the spring. The duo has participated in individual drills, but they have donned the black “non-contact" jerseys.

Joshua Curry and Layne Rinks have also been practicing on the defensive line, along with Matt Collins, who started four games last season at middle linebacker.

Outside linebacker

The strong-side spot appears to be occupied by Knight, originally a wide receiver who moved to defensive end last year, who also has the ability to rush the passer.

During individual drills, freshman Zach Schreiber has lined up behind Knight, followed by sophomore Cory Reamer.

The “Jack" spot (essentially a hybrid end/linebacker position) has been occupied by Saunders, who started 10 games at defensive end last season. Brandon Fanney, also a converted end, has been working behind Saunders during individual drills.

Inside linebacker

Hall, a returning starter and Freshman All-American, appears to have one of the two spots locked down. He established his presence as a ballhawk last season ranking as the team’s third-leading tackler with 77 stops, including a team-leading 10.5 for a loss.

Junior linebacker Marcel Stamps has been working behind Hall during individual drills.

At the other inside linebacker position, junior Darren Mustin is leading the way. A transfer from Middle Tennessee State, Mustin logged 73 snaps for the Tide in 2006 and recorded eight tackles.

Junior linebacker DeMarcus Waldrop was out of his black jersey Friday and practicing behind Mustin. Eryk Anders and Charlie Higgenbotham are also in the mix.

Cornerback

Castille, a first-team All-SEC selection, racked up 71 tackles last season to go with a team-leading six interceptions.

With Gray hampered by a hamstring injury, Mitchell, who started three games last season, has been working opposite Castille, but both figure to get plenty of playing time. Mitchell picked off four passes last season and returned them for 131 yards, including a touchdown.

Freshman Marquis Johnson, who made an impact last season on special teams, appears to be working behind Mitchell, while Kareem Jackson leads the lineup behind Castille.

Safety

Johnson, a Sulligent native, appears to be the leader at the free safety position. He logged eight tackles during the first scrimmage, and recorded 33 stops last season. Johnson started four games in 2006.

Carter, who started the majority of the 2006 season, appears to be the leader at strong safety.

Freshmen Chris Rogers and Sam Burnthall have been working behind Johnson during individual drills, while Justin Woodall and Tyrone King, Jr. have been practicing behind Carter.