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College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Storylines to Watch in Alabama’s First Spring Scrimmage

To be a contender again, the Tide must improve in several key areas

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By Kevin Mahoney

Entering Year 2 of his tenure, Kalen DeBoer is looking to build a culture of his own at Alabama. Deboer reunited with long-time associate Ryan Grubb when the latter was hired as Alabama’s offensive coordinator this offseason. The pair will look to improve on Alabama’s offensive consistency from a year ago, while defensive coordinator Kane Wommack looks to continue improving his defensive system. 

Alabama is in its third week of spring practice and will hold its first scrimmage on Thursday, March 27. Alabama needs improvement in multiple spots from a year ago to return to championship form. Below we’ll look at the most important storylines to watch in Alabama’s first scrimmage of the spring. 

Quarterback Battle

The Alabama quarterback battle has been the most intriguing thing to watch this spring and we might get some insight into who is leading the way after Thursday’s scrimmage. 

Ty Simpson has been with the Crimson Tide the longest and was the backup to Jalen Milroe for the last two seasons, but has yet to cement himself as the starter. Simpson is not nearly as athletic as Milroe, but is a more consistent passer and can use his feet when needed. Simpson looks to be a good fit for DeBoer and Grubb’s system, but his inability to see more playing time – especially during Milroe’s struggles last season – has some questioning if he’s the man for the job.

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Austin Mack followed DeBoer from Washington presumably to start at Alabama sooner rather than later. Mack saw limited playing time last season, but looked good in the opportunities he got. Mack is the largest of the three quarterbacks standing 6-6 and weighing 235 lbs. Mack has the prototypical build of a pro-style quarterback and DeBeor brought him along from Washington for a reason. This might give Mack the edge in the battle but play on the field will be the ultimate deciding factor. 

Keelon Russell joined the Alabama program in January as an early enrollee. Russell was a five-star recruit and the top prospect in the country. Russell is a dual-threat with a ton of upside, but being an inexperienced freshman puts him at a disadvantage in this battle. If he is the starter in Week 1, it says more about his fellow quarterbacks than it does about him. That being said, Russell is an exceptional talent and will eventually be a starter at Alabama. 

Wide Receiver Transfer Isaiah Horton 

While Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard will most likely be the Tide’s No. 1 and 2 receivers, transfer Isaiah Horton from Miami is a player to keep an eye on. Horton is a large receiver who towers over most cornerbacks at 6-4, 209 lbs. Horton caught 56 passes for 616 yards and five touchdowns for Miami last season and will look to improve on those numbers at Alabama. 

Offensive Line 

Alabama’s offensive line struggled to open up running lanes last year and that needs to change if the Tide is going to have a successful season. With a new starting quarterback, establishing the run game will be imperative for the Tide and that starts with the offensive line. Alabama returns all OL starters minus left guard Tyler Booker who entered the draft and was their best lineman last season. While Parker Brailsford and Kadyn Proctor have locked down the starting positions at center and left tackle, respectively, there are competitions at the remaining OL positions. The guards will be a competition between Geno VanDeMark, Jaeden Roberts, Texas A&M transfer Kam Dewberry and highly touted freshman Michael Carroll. Wilkin Formby returns at right tackle, but his starting position is far from safe considering his struggles last year.  Those battles will be ones to keep an eye on.

Defensive Backs

With secondary veterans like Domani Jackson and Keon Sabb out for Spring due to injury, it’s time to see what the young talent has to offer. Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. and Dijon Lee are reportedly turning heads in spring practice. Kirkpatrick is a legacy whose father played for Nick Saban and Lee is a 6-4, 5-star freshman that looks ready to play in the SEC. These two DBs could be major contributors in 2025 and help return Alabama’s secondary to dominant form. 

While we all wait for college football to return, all we can do is speculate. Will Alabama return to championship form or will they falter further? Only time will tell, but Alabama’s first spring scrimmage will give us a little insight into how the season will unfold. 

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