The start of fall camp is almost here for Alabama, and with it comes a pile of real decisions for Kalen DeBoer’s staff. The Crimson Tide head into his third season in Tuscaloosa with a little less spotlight than usual, which is a strange place for Alabama to be after spending so much time in the center of the SEC and College Football Playoff conversation.
That changed a bit at SEC Media Days, where the media picked Alabama to finish sixth in the league. If nothing else, that gives this group a clear chip on its shoulder as camp opens next week.
And once practice gets rolling, the staff will have plenty to sort through.
The quarterback battle is the one everyone is watching first, and for good reason. Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are the two names at the center of it.
Mack had the early edge because of his experience and because he was the quarterback who came off the bench in the Rose Bowl after Ty Simpson was injured. But Russell turned heads in spring, and his A-Day performance only strengthened the case for him in the public eye.
DeBoer, though, has kept that competition close to the vest. He hasn’t tipped his hand, and as camp approaches, it still looks like a true open fight. Alabama fans have made their preference clear for Russell, and so has Nick Saban, but the coaching staff doesn’t seem ready to settle anything yet.
At running back, Daniel Hill looks set to open the season as the starter. The real intrigue is behind him.
Kevin Riley and AK Dear are back from last season, while freshmen EJ Crowell and Trae'shawn Brown are in the mix as well. App State transfer Khalifa Keith is there for depth.
The expectation is that Crowell will eventually force his way into a bigger role, though it may take some time once the season starts.
Wide receiver has its own moving pieces. Ryan Coleman Williams and Lotzeir Brooks are expected to be starters, but the No. 3 spot is unsettled, especially with Noah Rogers dealing with the injury he suffered in the A-Day scrimmage. DeBoer said Rogers is ahead of schedule, but he’s still expected to miss the start of the season.
That opens the door for others. Rico Scott has the most experience among the group, but Derek Meadows and Cederian Morgan have generated more buzz.
Both are big-bodied receivers, and both look like they’ll have a role. For now, that WR3 battle feels like it comes down to Meadows or Morgan while Rogers recovers.
The offensive line may be the most important set of battles in camp, even more than quarterback. On the surface, a few spots seem close to settled.
Michael Carroll looks locked in at either right guard or right tackle. Jackson Lloyd appears set at left tackle.
Cal Poly transfer Racin Delgatty has been the obvious choice at center. And junior Will Sanders, who was submitted for preseason All-SEC consideration at SEC Media Days, is clearly well regarded by the staff.
That leaves the right side as the main battleground. Mississippi State transfer Jayvin James is the favorite at right tackle, but if that doesn’t hold, Alabama could move Carroll back outside and slide either Ole Miss transfer Ethan Fields or Texas transfer Nick Brooks into the starting right guard spot. Rising sophomore Mal Waldrep is another name to keep in mind there, since the staff likes him a lot.
Up front on defense, the exact starting lineup matters less than the rotation. Alabama should have plenty of snaps to distribute, and the depth looks stronger than it has in several years, at least on paper.
The Tide added experienced transfers Devan Thompkins from USC, Terrance Green from Oregon, and Kedrick Bingley-Jones from Mississippi State. London Simmons is back after breaking out as a freshman, and Jeremiah Beaman returns after missing all of last season with an ACL tear.
Add in Edric Hill, Steve Bolo Mboumoua, Fatutoa Henry, and Isaia Faga, and there are already a lot of bodies fighting for time. The freshman class adds even more, with Nolan Wilson and Jamarion Matthews in the mix.
Linebacker has one spot that looks settled and another that is wide open. Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson has one starting job locked down.
The other is up for grabs, with rising junior QB Reese looking like the favorite. Reese has drawn praise this offseason from teammates and from Reuben Foster.
Cayden Jones and Luke Metz are also competing, and five-star freshman Xavier Griffin could factor in as he splits time on and off-ball. There’s even a chance Bray Hubbard slides down to linebacker in certain packages to get sophomore Ivan Taylor on the field in the secondary.
Special teams will get their share of attention, too, because Alabama needs to be better there in 2026. Kicker and punter are both open competitions heading into camp.
Senior Conor Talty is back after an uneven season as the starter, and Marshall transfer Lorcan Quinn was brought in to push him. At punter, sophomore Alex Asparuhov is trying to hold off North Alabama transfer Adam Watford after Alabama finished among the worst in the SEC in NET punting average last season.
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