Alabama’s week has already offered a little of everything: a question about a buried wideout, a little coach-to-coach gamesmanship, and a preseason honor for one of the Tide’s top returners.
Start with Noah Rogers, because his usage has become one of the more curious Alabama storylines. The NC State transfer arrived with the sense that he’d be a major piece of the offense, but a knee injury in spring practice nearly wiped out his season before it began. Rogers fought his way back and returned in Week 4 against South Carolina, yet the snaps haven’t really followed.
That became especially noticeable after Ryan Coleman-Williams went down in the fourth quarter against Georgia. Plenty of people expected that to create a bigger opening for Rogers, but the opposite happened.
Against Tennessee and Texas A&M, he barely saw the field while sophomore Derek Meadows handled most of the work. On Wednesday’s SEC coaches’ teleconference, Kalen DeBoer addressed the situation.
"We really think highly of Noah," DeBoer said. "He's a really good football player, and we want to find ways to incorporate him into the offense on a higher level with more opportunities, but that always means that you're taking someone else off the field, as well."
While Alabama sorts out that rotation, Lane Kiffin is already tossing a little fuel on the fire ahead of LSU’s trip to Baton Rouge. On the same teleconference, the Tigers coach painted a picture of Alabama as the most complete team LSU has seen so far.
"Getting ready for the most talented team we’ve played, as you really look at it," Kiffin said. "When you combine offense and defense, these guys really are loaded, look like the old Alabama teams.
Really long, fast receivers. Really special, unique defensive players.
So, this is gonna be a really big challenge for us to prepare really well and play really well.”
And then there’s Amari Allen, who picked up a preseason nod that says plenty about how the league views him. Alabama’s sophomore guard was named to the coaches’ preseason All-SEC first team this week.
Allen’s rise isn’t exactly a surprise after the way his first season played out. He had a strong freshman year, entered the NBA Draft, then backed out and returned to Tuscaloosa for another run. Alabama is hoping the second act looks a lot like the jump Labaron Philon made.
The early signs have been there. In Alabama’s three exhibition games, Allen looked sharp, putting up 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game while shooting 54/54/84.
In Other News...
Alabama Heads To LSU With DeBoer Taking A Very Different Approach
The Alabama-LSU matchup on Nov. 7 already carried plenty of weight, but Lane Kiffin helped sharpen the edge by calling out the SECs decision to put the game in an afternoon window and suggesting the schedule favors LSU. His comments added another layer to a rivalry that rarely needs much help getting attention, especially with both programs entering a stretch where every move feels magnified.
Kalen DeBoer, meanwhile, has taken a noticeably different tack in the buildup, keeping the focus on Alabama rather than joining the public back-and-forth. With LSU dealing with injuries and the stakes obvious for the Crimson Tide, the game sets up as one of those November tests that can reshape the conversation around Alabama almost immediately, depending on how it plays out. [Read more 🡒]
Kalen DeBoer Just Landed In An Alabama Scenario Fans Will Hate
Kalen DeBoer is already getting pulled into the kind of rumor mill Alabama fans never want to see around a coach who is still settling in. After signing a long-term deal with the Crimson Tide, DeBoer has nevertheless surfaced as a name to watch if USC ever decides to make a change with Lincoln Riley, whose tenure in Los Angeles has yet to produce a national championship or a College Football Playoff berth.
For Alabama, the concern is obvious: whenever a coach starts showing up on another blue-bloods wish list, the speculation follows. DeBoers contract was built to give the Tide stability, but the USC angle keeps his name in circulation for a job that would be hard for any coach to ignore, and it leaves Alabama fans waiting to see whether the noise fades or grows louder. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. Exit Raises A Bigger Accountability Issue
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr.'s exit has quickly become more than a roster note for Alabama, turning into a test of how the program handles off-field conduct when a player falls short of its standards. Kalen DeBoer confirmed the dismissal after Kirkpatrick was suspended and later arrested on doxing and harassing communication charges, a sequence that left the Crimson Tide dealing with another reminder that scholarship talent comes with expectations beyond the field.
Cam Newton weighed in publicly on the situation, using it as a moment to stress accountability and the responsibility that comes with being a scholarship athlete. For Alabama, the issue is no longer just about replacing a defensive back, but about reinforcing the line the program says it will hold when a player crosses it. [Read more 🡒]