Alabama football’s depth chart for the Middle Tennessee State season opener is finally out. Nick Saban opted to not put one out the Monday of game week, as had been his custom for the first 16 years of his tenure with the Crimson Tide.

Saban blamed the decision on his players negatively responding to seeing their place in the pecking order published.

“it creates a lot of distractions on our team,” Saban said. “It creates a lot of guys thinking that, ‘Well, this guy won the job now and I’m not going to play,’ or whatever. And quite frankly, we don’t need that. I want all of our players to continue to compete, to continue to compete for playing time, to try to play at the highest level. And I don’t want anybody on our team to think that they’re a backup player or whatever. The depth chart kind of does that.”

Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide did release a game day depth chart in the Bryant-Denny Stadium press box. Before Alabama and MTSU kick off at 6:300 p.m. on the SEC Network, here’s a look at what the Tide put out.

Offense

QB: Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson or Tyler Buchner or Dylan Lonergan

RB: Jase McClellan, Roydell Williams orJam Miller, Justice Hayes or Richard Youngr

LT: Kadyn Proctor, Elijah Pritchett

LG: Tyler Booker, Terrerence Ferguson II

C: Seth McLaughlin, James Brocekrmeyer

RG: Darrian Dalcourt, Jaeden Roberts

RT: JC Latham, Miles McVay or Wilkin Formby

TE: CJ DJpiire or Danny Lewis Jr., Amari Niblack or Robby Ouzts

WR (Z): Jermain Burton, Kendrick Law, Shazz Preston

WR (X): Malik Benson or Ja’Corey Brooks, Jalen Hale

WR (H: Isaiah Bond, Kobe Prenteice, Cole Adams

Defense

DE: Jaheim Oatis, Tim Smith, James Smith or Monkell Goodwine

NG: Tim Keenan III, Damon Payne Jr., Anquin Barnes Jr.

DE: Justin Eboigbe, Jah-Marian Latham, Jordan Renaud

SAM: Dallas Turner, Quandarrius Robinson

MIKE: Trezman Marshall, Kendrick Blackshire, Shawn Murphy

WILL: Deontate Lawson, Jihaad Campbell, Shawn Murphy

JACK: Chris Braswell, Keanu Koht or Jeremiah Alexander

CB: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Antonio Kite

CB: Terrion Arnold, Trey Amos

FS: Jaylen Key, Kristian Story or DeVonta Smith

SS: Caleb Downs, Tony Mitchell or Jake Pope

STAR: Malachi Moore, Earl Little II

Special Teams

K: Will Reichard, Conor Talty

HOLD: James Burnip

P: James Burnip, Will Reichard

SN: Kneeland Hibbett

PR: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Isaiah Bond, Cole Adams

KR: Kendrick Lawn and Ja’Corey Brooks, Terrion Arnold and Cole Adams