In the last two decades, Alabama football and head coach Nick Saban have set the highest of high standards, and this is when someone knows the expectations have reached a point where it's beyond insane.

Imagine having a season where a team goes 11-2, losing those two games by a total of four points. Said team finishes fifth in the final College Football Playoff rankings, just missing a chance to win the school's seventh national title since Saban became the coach before the 2007 season. The year is capped off with a decisive Sugar Bowl victory over Big 12 champion Kansas State, and even after all of that, there are still fans who look at that season as a disappointment.

Such is life for Alabama football these days, and with Georgia winning the last two national championships (among other challenges in the ultra-competitive SEC), it's becoming harder by the day to stay at an elite level.

The good thing is the Crimson Tide is at the point where they never have to rebuild, it's all about reloading, and the talent pool is as rich as ever. Even with so much talent coming through Tuscaloosa, there are those players that can be hard to replace.

As Alabama prepares for spring practice, there's no better time than now to look at a few battles that may start to materialize between now and the game April 22.

Quarterback

Normally, I'm not one to begin with the obvious position, but seeing how everything starts and ends with the quarterback, it's only fitting this would be the place to start. Considering the winner of this job will replace a former Heisman-trophy winner in Bryce Young adds to the reason why this is where the spotlight shines.

This is probably a battle that won't have a winner until it's time to play games that count, but here are the contestants. The favorite appears to be Jalen Milroe, who Young's backup in 2022. Milroe played in two games last season, filling in when Young was nursing an injured shoulder. He showed tons of athleticism and natural talent, giving opposing defenses issues with his running ability. At the same time, he struggled with turnovers and reading coverages.

Ty Simpson, who will be a redshirt freshman, played in garbage time at the end of blowout wins. Simpson was a five-star quarterback coming out of high school, per 247Sports, and could be the biggest challenge to Milroe as spring practice gets in motion. Simpson is probably the better thrower of the ball, but isn't as athletic as the apparent favorite.

This probably goes without saying, but Saban won't deal with someone who turns the ball over. This means if Milroe is the favorite, that's something he wants to get fixed before too long, or we could be seeing Simpson as the starter come the opening weekend.

Cornerback

This battle is interesting for a couple of reasons. Not only is there a fight for the spots, but the players who win them will have a huge task to restore the quality of play we're accustomed to seeing from the Crimson Tide secondary. Last season, the defensive backfield was uncharacteristically bad, giving up bunches of penalties and big plays from busted coverages.

One of the bright spots for the secondary was Kool-Aid McKinstry, and he's back to solidify one of the corner spots. McKinstry provides experience and stability, but the question is who will be on the opposite side.

Could it be Terrion Arnold again, who had some ups and downs last season? Maybe it's Earl Little II, a sophomore with lots of potential, but is inexperienced at best. At the very least, it might be trial by fire for the corner who is playing on the other side of McKinstry, and in the SEC, the fire comes fast.

Linebacker

Take your pick with this position, because Alabama lost a lot from both the middle and outside linebackers. Will Anderson Jr., one of the more disruptive forces in college football who can play both outside and defensive end, is moving on to be one of the top picks in the NFL Draft. Henry To'oTo'o and Jaylen Moody are also gone, leaving holes to fill in the middle of the core.

Deontae Lawson, who saw time there last season, seems to be the person in-line to replace Moody, and the options are plenty to build depth because of the transfer portal. Alabama added Trezmen Marshall and Justin Jefferson via the portal. Marshall comes in from Georgia, and Jefferson was in junior college.

Even with the challenges to fill voids, the Crimson Tide will have no shortage of options.