Comparisons don’t bother Bama’s Carpenter

TUSCALOOSA | James Carpenter is well aware that he is replacing an Outland Trophy winner in former University of Alabama All-American Andre Smith, and that — fair or not — his play this season may draw comparisons to his predecessor.

The Crimson Tide’s starting left tackle doesn’t care.

He’s playing in the Southeastern Conference, something he’s wanted since his days as a pulling guard at Hephzibah (Ga.) High, but never thought he would achieve. And that alone is enough to keep a smile on the 6-foot-5, 305-pounder’s face no matter who played his position a year ago. He’s got his own game to worry about.

“That’s what I came for, so I can get as good as I can,” Carpenter said.

The only current starter from the 2009 signing class, Carpenter joined the UA program last December for bowl practices, but did not begin competing until spring drills. He began working with the first group from the beginning of spring and has been there ever since. As No. 4 Alabama prepares to face North Texas in the third of four non-conference games this season, Carpenter finds himself with the crucial role of protecting quarterback Greg McElroy’s blind side in pass protection.

“His signing this year was as big as any by far. I think he’s a great player, I really do,” said McElroy. “I think he picked up the system relatively fast. I think he started to click more in the fall than he did in the spring. And I know we’re really pleased to have him.”

Carpenter had only one Division I-A offer out of high school, extended by then-Iowa State coach Gene Chizik, now at Auburn. He instead attended Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College for two years, where he made the switch to left tackle immediately. But according to Coffeyville offensive line coach Jared Powers, Carpenter didn’t get extensive experience with pass blocking until 2008, when a new coaching staff placed a greater emphasis on passing.

For Carpenter, life -- and the competition -- was much different. He estimated crowds at about 500 for his games at Coffeyville, and the level of play at Alabama has been an adjustment as well.

“It’s way faster, but coach (Joe) Pendry and (left guard) Mike (Johnson) and (right tackle) Drew Davis have helped me out a lot,” Carpenter said.

From knowing who to block to conditioning to technique, Carpenter said, Johnson has been an especially strong presence in his improvement. Apparently, the help made a difference, because Carpenter was named among three offensive players of the week by the UA coaching staff after a 40-14 win over Florida International.

UA coach Nick Saban said he prefers signing junior college players like Carpenter when a role for them can be planned.

“It’s best for them if you have a role for them that they can fit into. Now, of course it’s their responsibility to be able to execute to the level that you need them to to take advantage of the opportunity they have,” Saban said. “But I think it works better for them if they have a role and they can come in and play because they only have two years -- they don’t have time to develop.

“In James Carpenter’s case, we anticipated that Smitty would go out for the draft and we felt like it would help us, even though we had some good young players developing, if we had a little older, more mature guy to play left tackle for us.”

Carpenter, for his part, said he never viewed the left tackle job as a wide-open door.

“I knew there were some good players here coming back, like Tyler Love, but I wanted the challenge,” he said.

In practice, Carpenter presents a challenge of his own.

“I don’t actually go against Carpenter as much, but when I do, you’ve got to be a little careful with him because he’s one of those guys who wants you to go up-field because he’s got these long arms and he can just push you past the quarterback,” said UA linebacker Don’ta Hightower. “You’ve got to set him up every now and then, give him a couple of stunts just to make him work. But he’s a great athlete and I think he’s doing a real good job.”

JONES, UPCHURCH QUESTIONABLE - Saban said wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Roy Upchurch are questionable for Saturday’s game against North Texas on his weekly radio program Thursday night.

“Both guys tried to practice a little bit today. They probably weren’t 100 percent no doubt. I would say that both guys are still probably questionable for this game,” Saban said.

Jones (knee bruise) and Upchurch (ankle sprain) were both injured in the first quarter of a 40-14 home win over Florida International.

“I don’t think either guy is sort of out of the realm of being able to play, and will be back fairly soon if they can’t play in this game,” Saban added.

Reach Chase Goodbread at 205-722-0196 or at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com