Alabama’s fall camp is starting to sort out a few battles, and two sophomores are making sure they’re part of the conversation.
Thursday’s first scrimmage will be a key checkpoint, especially with the quarterback race and the other open jobs still in play. But through the early practices the media has been able to watch, sophomore guard Mal Waldrep has been the name showing up first at left guard.
He’s competing with junior Will Sanders, and what looked like Sanders’ spot to lose has become much more fluid after Sanders missed the spring and part of the summer while recovering from an injury. Waldrep has been described as “ahead of schedule” and appears to have a real chance to grab one of the starting spots up front.
The other sophomore drawing attention is running back AK Dear. There was optimism he could help right away as a freshman, but he needed time to adjust to the college game last season.
Now, he seems positioned for a much bigger role in year two. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said Monday that Dear has “come a long way.”
Daniel Hill looks set at RB1, but Dear has put himself in position for the RB2 role right now.
On the defensive side, sophomore linebacker Luke Metz is also working toward a larger role. He’s competing with junior QB Reese for the “Stinger” spot in Alabama’s defense, and Reese has been taking the first-team reps in drills.
Still, the job isn’t settled, and Kane Wommack has often used three off-ball linebackers for meaningful snaps anyway. Wommack had high praise for Metz on Tuesday, pointing to his passion, energy, and physicality.
Wommack also talked about how flexible Alabama can be on defense, especially up front. The Tide have several players who can move around and fill multiple spots, including Yhonzae Pierre, who can play Wolf LB and Bandit DE, and Devan Thompkins, who can line up at Bandit and slide inside to the 3-technique DT position. That kind of mix gives Wommack room to get creative with his play-calling.
The good news for Alabama isn’t limited to camp. Kalen DeBoer’s staff is also off to a strong start in the 2028 recruiting cycle, where Alabama holds the No. 1-ranked class in the composite rankings. That’s still a long way from being finished, with the early signing period not arriving until next December, but it’s an early sign of how important that class is for DeBoer and his staff.
The Tide picked up another boost earlier this week when 5-star defensive lineman Tyzon Swann, a Top 10 overall player in the 2028 class, told Blake Byler of Bama OnLine that Alabama had the lead in his recruitment. Swann is coming off a huge sophomore season with 50 tackles for loss and 16 sacks, and he would be the highest-ranked defensive lineman DeBoer has signed if Alabama can finish the job.
There was also news on the facilities front. Greg Byrne announced that Alabama has started work on upgrading the center-hung videoboard and sound system in Coleman Coliseum.
Byrne said the changes are meant to improve the team and fan experience for the new season and also offer flexibility for the future. Based on his comments, the videoboard appears to be something that could be moved to a potential new arena later on, whenever that may happen.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Know Coleman Coliseum Still Has One Homecourt Problem
Alabama is making visible strides inside Coleman Coliseum, with athletic director Greg Byrne announcing upgrades to the video board and sound system as part of a broader push to improve the basketball programs facilities. The planned new arena is still on hold after rising costs shifted attention toward the new practice facility that opened recently, leaving the Tide to keep sharpening the building they already have instead of starting over from scratch.
Even with those improvements, the biggest question around Coleman is less about hardware than atmosphere. The building can be upgraded, but the homecourt feel still depends on how Alabama shapes the student section and the rest of the crowd experience, and that is where some of the most interesting ideas are starting to surface. For now, the facility plans are moving forward, but the larger challenge of making Coleman feel like a tougher place for visiting teams remains very much in play. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Metz Is Forcing Alabama Fans To Rethink This Linebacker Battle
Alabama brought in Caleb Woodson from Virginia Tech to stabilize a linebacker group that needed reinforcements after losing key contributors, but the bigger internal question in fall camp has quickly become who lines up next to him. Sophomore Luke Metz and junior Reese are both in the mix for that starting spot, and Metz has been one of the more noticeable risers as camp has unfolded, showing the kind of physicality that can change a competition in a hurry.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has liked what he has seen from Metzs development, and Alabama appears to have more than one workable answer at the position heading toward the 2026 season. Even if the Tide dont need to settle the battle immediately, the way Metz has pushed himself into the conversation gives this one a different feel than the usual depth-chart placeholder, especially with Woodson already expected to anchor that group. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Running Back Battle Just Got More Crowded Behind EJ Crowell
The race behind Alabamas top back has started to take shape, and it already looks crowded. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb pointed to EJ Crowell as a freshman with promising physical traits and upside, while also noting that Daniel Hill is expected to lead the group. Behind them, Kevin Riley, AK Dear and Trae'shawn Brown are all in the mix, giving the Crimson Tide a room full of options as the staff sorts out roles.
What stands out for Alabama is how much of this battle is still about the details, not just raw talent. Grubb has been pleased with the progress and maturity of Dear and Brown, especially as the group works through the finer points of the position, including learning the offense and handling blocking responsibilities consistently. With so many backs competing for snaps, the next step may come down to who can make the biggest strides in the parts of the game that keep trust in the huddle. [Read more 🡒]