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Scout's Notebook

09/11/10 - vs. Penn State - It’s easy for the Crimson Tide’s offensive line to get overlooked, but they performed as well as any unit did for Alabama in their win over Penn State. Tackles James Carpenter (senior) and D.J. Fluker (freshman) kept McElroy upright for most of the game and opened up holes for Richardson. When Alabama went to the wildcat formation they shifted Fluker to left tackle, with Carpenter lined up as the tight end, adding to Carpenter’s versatility in short yardage-jumbo type packages. "It's different,” tight end Preston Dial said of the formation. “I know that whoever is lined up in front of them is probably a little worried, because that is a big tight end over there, whether Fluker is playing tight end or Carpenter. It is just another formation that we have in our offense that is something else the defense has to look at. You can see the linemen look back at their linebackers like something is the matter. Coach (Jim) McElwain is a very innovative OC (offensive coordinator), so we don't ask questions when he tells people to go here and points in different directions." Fluker displayed good footwork and did a good job of finding a linebacker to block from his left tackle position on a wildcat play, and did so rather easily. He kicks out very well in pass protection to handle the defender coming wide off the edge; the red-shirt freshman absorbs his man and keeps the defender away from the quarterback. He spent most of the night pushing defensive ends up-field. On one play his responsibility was to pick up the blitzing linebacker, and while he was beaten initially, Fluker recovered enough to bring his man down. Like Carpenter, he can move very well for a big man; he’s blessed with nimble feet. The highly-touted Fluker has a chance to be a big-time player. Expect him to take over at left tackle a year from now. At 6’6” and 330 pounds, Fluker has even more upside than Carpenter. - Scout's Notebook: Penn State @ Alabama