In a position group log jammed with talent, ranging for big and strong to big, fast and strong, defensive lineman Jonathan Allen stands out from the crowd.

His statistics don't jump off the page at you, but football isn't played on paper. Allen's earned his reputation on the field, where he's one of the more productive University of Alabama defensive linemen.

He played in 12 of 13 games as a freshman, and as sophomore is beginning to tap into the talent that made him a five-star prep player from Virginia in the class of 2013.

Allen, 6-foot-3, 272 pounds, is second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and second in sacks with 3.5. He's also registered 26 tackles, one pass defended, one pass break up and four quarterback hurries.

"He played a lot last year as a freshman. He's a starter in nickel, which we may more nickel than we play anything else just about. He's been very productive, he's very instinctive, really good person, really bright guy. Has a lot of pride in how he goes about what he does whether it's personally, academically or athletically so."

He's also one of the team's spokesmen, one of the chosen players allowed to speak with reporters. That's a privilege earned not given at Alabama.

It's the overall body of work from Allen that impresses Saban. The type of player striving to excel in all areas on his life, not just football.

"When you have good players that have the kind of character that he has that's what makes it really fun to coach," Saban said. "I would give him an A in all areas: personal, academic and athletically."

It's been a point of emphasis that the chemistry of the 2014 team perhaps exceeded its predecessor with Saban going as far as to describe the group as "pleasurable" to coach.

Players say the same thing, and all say it stems with the senior leaders on the team that set the bar for the younger players.

"Everybody is comfortable with each other," senior wide receiver Christion Jones said. "From the seniors to the freshmen, everybody has a good vibe. We haven't had any problems on the team with dislike or any outcasts. Everybody gets along well."

Jones is one of those seniors, that set the example and helps make the 2014 season such a tight-knit group.

The team is void of what Saban labels "energy vampires," players that require a lot of attention for various reasons. What he likes most about this season's group is that the players genuinely like each other.

"I think the best thing about this team, the best thing about our seniors is they're all really well liked by their teammates and that really starts with the fact that they care, and they care about other people on the team and are willing to spend time to help the other people on the team - which is really, other than setting a good example, is one of the most important parts about leadership, and I think that's made the team chemistry on this team rally good," Saban said.

"Some of the guys who are doing a really, really good job of that, without me mentioning any names, are actually guys who struggled maybe early on being able to do those types of things. When it was their turn to take a leadership role, regardless of what their role was on the team, they really did it in a first-class way. That's been very helpful to the team chemistry."

When you're eight years into a job and you've won three national championships and two SEC titles, such as Saban has at Alabama, it can be difficult for organizations to recognize the coaching job you've done.

It's easier for other coaches to get attention for turning around a program or leading a team to championships for the first time.

But Saban is still making the cut after all these years.

Saban was one of 20 head football coaches to be named semifinalists for the Maxwell Football Club for National Coach of the Year on Wednesday.

Other coaches includeTroy Calhoun, Air Force; Rich Rodriguez, Arizona; Todd Graham, Arizona State; Art Briles, Baylor; Jim McElwain, Colorado State; David Cutcliffe, Duke; Jimbo Fisher, Florida State; Mark Richt, Georgia; Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech; Bill Snyder, Kansas State; Doc Holliday, Marshall; Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss; Dan Mullen, Mississippi State; Urban Meyer, Ohio State; Mark Helfrich, Oregon; Gary Patterson, TCU; Kyle Whittingham, Utah; P.J. Fleck, Western Michigan; Gary Anderson, Wisconsin.

Reach Aaron Suttles at aaron@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0229.