Alabama’s fall camp has already started to sort out the good problems from the bad ones, and a few projected starters are finding out the hard way that nothing is guaranteed.
Two weeks in, with two scrimmages down and the 2026 season creeping closer, the Tide are getting a sharper read on who’s holding ground and who’s slipping. In a camp that has been competitive and, in some cases, costly, younger players are making enough noise to force real questions about roles that once looked settled.
Here are four Alabama veterans who need to keep looking over their shoulders.
Conor Talty entered camp as the incumbent kicker, but Alabama didn’t leave special teams alone this offseason. Kalen DeBoer went out and added Marshall transfer Lorcan Quinn, and the two have been splitting reps throughout camp.
Quinn appears to have the bigger leg and is the likelier option on kickoffs and longer field goals, but the real separator may be who proves steadier from shorter range. Both kickers had their issues there last season, with each missing two kicks from under 30 yards.
That’s the kind of detail that can decide the job, especially when consistency inside 40 yards matters more than raw power. If Talty doesn’t clean that up before his senior season gets rolling, Quinn could take the role outright.
Keon Sabb’s spot feels safer on paper than most, since he’s one half of one of college football’s top safety pairings alongside Bray Hubbard. But Alabama has a young challenger pushing hard in Ivan Taylor.
The rising sophomore has been making a real case for himself, and observers at Thursday’s scrimmage noted the reps opposite Hubbard were split about evenly between Sabb and Taylor. That could simply be Alabama getting Taylor the live work he needs, but it also looks like more than a token audition.
Taylor is going to play this season one way or another, whether that’s in sub-packages or in the base defense, and that push could end with Sabb watching more than he expected. Sabb is solid.
Taylor, though, has the kind of upside that changes the conversation.
Daniel Hill is also feeling the pressure in a backfield that needs more production in 2026. The biggest jolt came Thursday, when AK Dear was injured during the scrimmage after standing out as the most impressive running back on the day.
That alone would have turned up the heat on Hill. Add in freshman Trae’shawn Brown, who drew strong praise and is starting to look like a real factor, and the picture gets even tighter.
On3’s Chris Low singled Brown out after Dear’s injury diagnosis, writing: "Trae’shawn Brown time. He’s been terrific and gives Alabama the explosive element it will need on offense."
Brown has been turning heads all offseason. Then there’s five-star freshman EJ Crowell, who can’t be ignored even though injuries have limited him in both the spring and the fall.
The talent is obvious. The availability has not been.
The biggest shift may be at linebacker, where QB Reese was expected all offseason to win the Stinger job. He’s the only player here who isn’t already a returning starter, but the role still looked like his to lose.
That’s no longer the case. Sophomore Luke Metz appears to have jumped him, and he earned praise this week from both Kane Wommack and Kalen DeBoer.
During Thursday’s scrimmage, Metz spent most of the snaps with the first team next to Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson. At this point, it looks like Metz’s job to lose with three weeks left before Alabama opens against East Carolina.
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The timing may matter even more now because the competition at running back has taken on a different look heading toward the season. Alabama is dealing with injuries and missed practice time in the room, including AK Dear being out and EJ Crowell spending significant time away from practice, which opens the door for Brown to make a quicker push than many expected. What started as a late recruiting adjustment is starting to feel like a real roster development to watch once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]