If you ask coaches, they’ll tell you over and over again that winning takes offense, defense and special teams. (Forget kickers at your own risk.)

But that’s painting with too broad of strokes, because every season inevitably comes down one facet of the game, whether it’s a weakness that’s exploited or a potential question mark that becomes a strength.

Alabama doesn’t reach last season’s playoff without Blake Sims emerging at quarterback. Auburn, a year earlier, doesn’t make it to the title game without its offensive line. On the flip side, imagine how much better Florida would have been with a capable QB last year. What about Ole Miss with a stronger running game or South Carolina with better a defensive line?

So what will it be for each team this year? What’s the one position group that’s most important to each program’s success?

All week we’ll be attempting to answer that question. Today we start with Alabama.

Alabama’s most important position group: safety

We could have said all of the secondary and not been wrong here.

Given the way Alabama’s cornerbacks struggled down the stretch last season against Auburn, Missouri and Ohio State, it’s safe to say that they’re under the gun.

But Cyrus Jones is back for his senior season, Tony Brown should be more comfortable after playing in all 13 games as a freshman last year, and former five-star signee Marlon Humphrey is no longer encumbered by a redshirt.

Who will help them over the top, however, is another story.

The familiar faces at safety are gone, whether it’s a star like Landon Collins or a veteran presence such as Nick Perry or Jarrick Williams. Just one of those players returning would have been a reason for optimism this season.

But instead Alabama is faced with a series of questions: Is true sophomore Hootie Jones ready for the spotlight? Three years later, can Geno Smith fulfill the promise he showed as a freshman? Setting aside the hype, what can we really expect from Ronnie Harrison as a rookie? How will Eddie Jackson do after making the transition from corner to safety this offseason? For that matter, do we believe he’ll have the same athleticism he showed pre-knee surgery?

Now it’s important to note that Alabama doesn’t need every one of those questions answered in a positive manner. Three out of five would be a win. But nonetheless, that’s a lot for coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart to work on.

Alabama’s front seven should be able to cover up many of the cornerbacks’ mistakes by getting pressure on the quarterback. Their D-line could be the best in the SEC, if not the country. But the safeties will have to hold up their end of the bargain.

You’re only as strong as your last line of defense, and without them, Alabama’s playbook is shot.

With them, Saban and Smart's defense could be special once again.