Alabama may already have its answer at quarterback with Keelon Russell, but the bigger storyline still sits in front of him. The Crimson Tide can talk about QB1 all they want; none of it matters much unless the offensive line turns into a reliable, physical unit.
That has been the mission since Adrian Klemm arrived. Physicality has been the selling point, and with that comes the most basic expectation of all: Alabama has to run the ball. Without a real ground game, the offense is asking too much of whoever lines up under center.
One lineman already sounds bought in. New center Cal Poly transfer Racin Delgatty didn’t dance around the assignment when he said, "We're gonna run the ball this year, I'll tell you that."
Delgatty is stepping into a major jump in competition, and he is far from the only one who still has something to prove. Michael Carroll looks locked in at right guard and is being talked about as a potential All-American.
Jackson Lloyd, the former 5-star at left tackle, has drawn plenty of confidence too, even if he remains unproven. The unsettled spots are on the left side and at right tackle, where Alabama still hasn’t settled on answers after two Fall Camp scrimmages.
If the season started this weekend, the projected line from left to right would be Lloyd, Mal Waldrep Jr. or William Sanders, Delgatty, Carroll, and Jayvin James or Nick Brooks. That group, along with a backup center, is the best current guess for the eight offensive line “winners” Klemm, Ryan Grubb, and Kalen DeBoer can trust.
Casey Poe looks like the leading candidate to be that eighth piece, backing up Delgatty at center. Alabama has 16 offensive linemen on the roster, and there is still depth beyond the likely top eight.
If the Tide need more help because of injuries or shaky play, the next names to watch are Tyrell Miller at tackle and Ethan Fields at guard. Poe can also slide over to guard.
Miller brings JUCO experience and the kind of size and length that could make him a better fit at left tackle against edge rushers. Fields, an Ole Miss transfer, has versatility at guard or tackle. He appeared in 19 games over three seasons in Oxford, though he never started.
The first real checkpoints for Alabama’s line are already on the calendar. Kentucky should be the kind of game where the Tide can run the ball; if that doesn’t happen, it will raise a loud warning sign. Florida State is a tougher test, South Carolina will be another step up, and Georgia is the one that will really show whether this group has come together.
In Other News...
Alabama Fans Will Have Strong Reactions To Keelon Russell's SEC Ranking
Bud Elliotts early look at the 2026 SEC quarterback race put Alabama fans in a familiar spot: plenty of hope, and probably a little debate. In his CBS Sports ranking, the college football analyst slotted Texas star Arch Manning at No. 1, then filled out the top five with Ole Misss Trinidad Chambliss, LSUs Sam Leavitt, Alabamas Keelon Russell and South Carolinas LaNorris Sellers.
For Alabama, the noteworthy part is not just Russell cracking the list, but where he landed in a conference that rarely leaves much room for error at quarterback. Elliott also weighed recent performance and future potential in making his selections, which only adds to the intrigue around Russell heading into next season. Crimson Tide fans have spent plenty of time waiting to see what the next quarterback era will look like, and this ranking is another reminder that the conversation around Russell is already starting to get serious. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Scrimmage Left One Big QB Question And Fresh Injury Concern
Alabamas second preseason scrimmage gave the staff a better look at where things stand across the roster, and it also offered a reminder that the most important battles in camp are still unresolved. The quarterback race between Keelon Russell and Austin Mack remains the headliner, with some around the program already viewing Russell as the favorite, while other young players such as wide receiver Derek Meadows and running back Traeshawn Brown helped themselves with encouraging work in the session.
There was also a more concerning note on the injury front, as true freshman EJ Crowell sat out while continuing to work back from an ankle issue. In a camp where every rep matters, Alabama is still sorting out both its top competition and its early health picture, and the final shape of the depth chart will depend on how those pieces come together over the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Former Alabama Player Just Won A Massive Case Tied To 2023 Shooting
A former Alabama basketball player has now won a major legal battle that reached far beyond the court. An Alabama jury ordered The New York Times to pay $9.25 million in damages to Kai Spears after finding the paper defamed him by wrongly reporting that he was at the scene of a fatal 2023 shooting, a claim Spears challenged in a lawsuit filed in 2023.
The nine-day trial ended with the jury siding with Spears, putting a sharp spotlight on how a mistaken report can follow an athlete long after his playing days. The Times had acknowledged the error in its original story and said it is reviewing its legal options after the verdict, leaving the case with another chapter still possible. [Read more 🡒]