Alabama football is about to begin its first set of spring practices with Kalen DeBoer as head coach.
It’s the first big step in DeBoer putting his team together and working toward getting ready for the 2024 season. There are a few returners, but the staff is largely different and the roster will have plenty of new faces, too.
Practices start Monday and run through April 13, the day the A-Day game will be held. The Crimson Tide is scheduled to hold 15 practices total, including the spring game.
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With a new era of football in Tuscaloosa, plenty of questions remain about this team, this coaching staff and this season. Here are five we have heading into spring practices.
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What will secondary look like?
Alabama lost not one, not two, not three but four starters from the secondary a season ago. Also, Trey Amos, the top backup cornerback, departed via the transfer portal. That means five key defensive backs are gone. Who will fill their places? And how good will they be? Perhaps Malachi Moore will once again be the nickelback. Or, does he get moved to safety? As for corner, Domani Jackson, the USC transfer, figures to get one spot. Who gets the other? Alabama has several talented youngsters, but many are true freshmen. Maybe after the spring, once the coaching staff sees first hand what it has, Alabama decides it is in good shape at cornerback. Or maybe Alabama goes to the portal to get more experienced options. No matter what, this is the defensive position group most worth watching because of the turnover resulting from departures to the NFL Draft and the transfer portal.
Who starts at offensive tackle?
Alabama has an argument for the best interior group of any offensive line with Tyler Booker, Parker Brailsford and Jaeden Roberts. That’s an experienced and capable trio. The question is who starts next to them? Left tackle Kadyn Proctor transferred back home to Iowa and right tackle JC Latham aims to be a first round pick in April in the draft. Alabama has some returning options for the tackle spots such as Elijah Pritchett, Miles McVay and others. There’s also the Texas A&M transfer Naquil Betrand. The battle here will be worth following as the spring progresses.
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Who emerges at wide receiver?
Alabama also had some shakeup at receiver, but it has plenty of good pieces there with which to work. The question centers on how Alabama will use them and whom Alabama will use. A couple of the top contenders for playing time include Washington transfer Germie Bernard, junior Kendrick Law, junior Kobe Prentice and sophomore Jalen Hale. The freshman name to watch of course is Ryan Williams. He is a five-star phenom, but he also is only supposed to be a senior in high school this next fall. Can he make an immediate impact? Chances are good that yes he can, but nothing is guaranteed. He won’t be enrolling at Alabama until summer, so the spring won’t reveal just yet what the Crimson Tide has in him.
How does defensive transition go?
Alabama has a new defensive coordinator in Kane Wommack, and it remains to be seen how different the defensive system he brings will be. Even though Nick Saban had different defensive coordinators, it was always his defense. Will it take a while for Alabama players to pick up on the new defense? And how well will the players on the roster be suited for the defense Wommack wants to run? The uncertainty makes the defense intriguing to follow through the spring and into the season.
Which transfer has biggest impact?
Alabama added several via the portal before and after Saban retired. Before, the Crimson Tide landed Texas A&M defensive end LT Overton, Betrand and Jackson. Then after DeBoer was hired, Alabama added mainly Washington players in quarterback Austin Mack, Brailsford, Bernard and tight end Josh Cuevas; Michigan defensive back Keon Sabb was also brought into the fold. There are plenty of new names here, but who has the greatest and quickest impact remains to be seen.
