Alabama’s offensive line has already had to prove it can handle a little chaos, and through the first two road trips it has answered the bell.
The Crimson Tide were missing at least one starter in each of those games. Right guard Michael Carroll was out in the win at Kentucky, and right tackle Jayvin James was unavailable Saturday at Mississippi State.
Even so, Alabama’s front kept functioning like a unit, not a patchwork. The Tide still topped 40 points in both hostile environments.
"They've done great, and even just in spot duty within a football game where we had to move pieces, really impressed with the guys' ability to continue communication being high," offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said.
That steadiness looks a lot different from a year ago, when Alabama spent much of the season juggling combinations because of injuries and uneven play. This fall, the starting five - Jackson Lloyd, William Sanders, Racin Delgatty, Carroll and James - has been more established. And when the Tide has dipped into the depth chart, the backups have been ready.
A lot of that credit, Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday, goes to new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm.
"I think Coach Klemm has done a really good job of getting their minds to that spot in the offseason, having everyone ready," DeBoer said. "He's built up competition within that group.
He's built up expectations. It doesn't matter if you're a starter or a backup.
And again, kind of that be ready, not get ready mentality that we talk about as a team as well."
Two of the most important fill-ins have been Mal Waldrep Jr. and Tyrell Miller. Waldrep Jr. has stepped in for Carroll and Sanders at different points and started at Kentucky. Miller, a JUCO transfer, took James’ place Saturday.
"Mal brings a physicality," DeBoer said. "Even though he's younger, he brings a physicality that I think has helped our team.
He's got a kind of a no-nonsense approach. He's what you want in an offensive lineman.
And it's great to see Tyrell get out there. Tyrell is crazy athletic, has a lot of skill.
And for him to get out there and get his feet underneath of him, I thought he did a nice job for his first, really, start, really from a volume standpoint, his most meaningful full reps. There's a high ceiling for him, for sure, and you can see that.
He's worked a couple of different positions, because throughout the year, throughout camp, we knew that he had that in him. But you're also trying to get him just settled in on one position and be really good at one spot.
But got out there and did a nice job, and I thought both of them were integral to our success.”
Miller’s path makes the story even more striking. At 6-5, 312 pounds, he didn’t begin playing football until about three years ago. He first entered late in the South Carolina game before making his first FBS start against Mississippi State, and the Alabama players marked the occasion with him Friday night before the game.
Grubb said there were learning moments in that outing, including a sack allowed when Miller didn’t get his footwork cleaned up against edge pressure, but he also pointed to the positives.
"Just seeing his ascension and the type of player he's already become, but a lot of learning you know moments for him as well," Grubb said of Miller. "He gave up a sack.
He saw the pressure coming off the edge. You know, just didn't use clean enough footwork and end up giving up one there, and I know those are lessons that for Tyrell, they're expensive in the moment, but for him down the road, I know he'll utilize all that, realize the speed of the game, how much quicker it's going.
But he played well. He had some really critical blocks."
James should be back for Alabama’s top-10 showdown with No. 2 Georgia at Bryant-Denny Stadium this weekend, DeBoer said Monday morning. If he isn’t, the Tide says it feels good about Miller stepping in again.
Either way, Alabama’s line has already shown it can take hits, shuffle pieces and keep moving. Through five weeks, that group has looked improved in the run game and has done a solid job protecting sophomore quarterback Keelon Russell.
Grubb called Georgia’s defense a "huge test" for the Alabama offense. The line has been tested plenty already, and now it gets another big one.
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What makes the scheduling note even more interesting is the jersey arrangement attached to the 2026 and 2027 games, a wrinkle fans will have plenty of time to circle. For now, though, Alabamas attention is on the present, with Georgia coming to Tuscaloosa for a home game that is expected to draw plenty of notable attendees, even as the future date with Tennessee starts to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]