JessN: 2024 Fall Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide

[JessN]

Our fall previews are on the way, and leading off ... who else? The Alabama Crimson Tide:

2024 Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide
by Jess Nicholas, TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief

Overview: The time has finally come for Alabama to leave the nest of Nick Saban’s coaching and begin to branch out to new things. It probably wasn’t expected to happen this soon, but given the changes in the college landscape just over the last 24 months, it also probably wasn’t that much of a surprise. Kalen DeBoer is now the man in charge, and with him comes entirely new offensive and defensive schemes.

Alabama has one of the three most-talented rosters in the SEC, but the SEC is bigger than it used to be and most teams that go through this depth of transition sometimes find it hard to maintain their prior level of competency. Given that it’s Nick Saban that DeBoer is replacing, maintaining Bama’s current posture will be even more difficult.

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2024 Preview: Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama is embarking on a new era with Kalen DeBoer taking over from Nick Saban. The team faces significant changes in both offensive and defensive schemes. The 2024 roster remains one of the SEC’s…

news.tidefans.com

 

[Ledsteplin]

Nice write-up, Jess! I think we're in good shape. I'm more excited about this season more than I have been in quite a while. It's going to be fun watching these young men. I think we see some surprises and players rising to the top.

 

[rjtide]

Whew…..devastating losses in the secondary once Coach Saban retired. Maybe we’ll have a a couple of surprises in the defensive backfield along with the steadiness of Malachi Moore

 

[JessN]

Also, we're having formatting issues with this article ... I've reached out to Brett for help. If you're having to squint, my apologies.

 

[Krymsonman]

Thanks Jess, we sound like we're in good shape but I want to see how it plays out on the field. I think we made a great hire, but it's going to be strange not seeing CNS on the sideline. Hopefully, a lot of wins will make that scenario not so strange.

 

[Con]

Also, we're having formatting issues with this article ... I've reached out to Brett for help. If you're having to squint, my apologies.

I thought it was just my readers weren’t strong enough.

 

[gtgilbert]

Couple of guys have been practicing at spots different from what's described.

Russaw has been next in line behind Robinson and Koht at "wolf" instead of Bandit. Guess he could land at either, but would think he needs a lot of mass to play bandit, just when compared to the other guys in that group.

Renaud has been with the Bandit group instead of inside with the DTs. Interestingly, they have the Bandits do a lot of the individual drills in the same group with the DTs versus being over with the wolf guys who are also edge players.

Moore has been back at true S more than down in the box, with D Smith as the 'husky' or box S.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I found this a very interesting nugget in the quarterback section. I'm assuming these two have made dramatic strides since the spring? Also, I wish there was a little more information about Ty Simpson and if he's gotten better, worse or just stayed the same from the spring.

 

[BhamToTexas]

Regarding CKD typically giving carries to one RB instead of spreading it around, I wonder if that is an intentional philosophy, or a result of talent at his disposal. This RB room is way different.

 

[Windsortide]

Oline comes together, the DLine will exceed expectations and the DB’s develop some consistency and depth the sky is the limit for this team. We will score more points than last year.

 

[Windsortide]

Great read ,thanks Jess.

 

[colbysullivan]

I’m a bit surprised that Jess said Jihaad Campbell doesn’t have much playing experience. That’s totally incorrect.

 

[gtgilbert]

I’m a bit surprised that Jess said Jihaad Campbell doesn’t have much playing experience. That’s totally incorrect.

Agree that the way it's worded isn't really right. Closer to the point is that Campbell hasn't really had a full year of starting experience. Due to injuries or whatever, Campbell, Lawson and Marshall split up the starts and the reps through the season - none of them even played in every game, much less started every game. As a FR, Campbell only got special teams duty with almost no mop-up time even and before that was an edge guy in HS so doesn't really have that many reps as an off-ball backer. It was pretty clear that last year he was still learning the ropes a bit.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The biggest weakness I see is DBs. Talent certainly isn't a question, but experience and working together as a coordinated unit is. We do have non-conference games against directional schools the first two weeks of the season, so that'll help but the problem won't really be fixed until later in the schedule.

If I were Wisconsin, I'd attack the DBs and make them prove they can stop the pass. I think they might not be a finished product at that point in the season, but they won't be the near-dumpster fire that many pundits think.

 

[gtgilbert]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The biggest weakness I see is DBs. Talent certainly isn't a question, but experience and working together as a coordinated unit is. We do have non-conference games against directional schools the first two weeks of the season, so that'll help but the problem won't really be fixed until later in the schedule.

If I were Wisconsin, I'd attack the DBs and make them prove they can stop the pass. I think they might not be a finished product at that point in the season, but they won't be the near-dumpster fire that many pundits think.

100% agree - only two guys with any real playing experience and one of those was with mixed reviews. Lots of talent and potential but it's yet to be proven.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The biggest weakness I see is DBs. Talent certainly isn't a question, but experience and working together as a coordinated unit is. We do have non-conference games against directional schools the first two weeks of the season, so that'll help but the problem won't really be fixed until later in the schedule.

If I were Wisconsin, I'd attack the DBs and make them prove they can stop the pass. I think they might not be a finished product at that point in the season, but they won't be the near-dumpster fire that many pundits think.

That's why what we do in the front seven is going to be so important. It would be a great benefit if the front seven can protect the back four until they get some games under their belts.

 

[gtgilbert]

That's why what we do in the front seven is going to be so important. It would be a great benefit if the front seven can protect the back four until they get some games under their belts.

so pet peeve: We're a front 6 team, and have been for ages.

We haven't had a front 7 for the last 10+ years. Starting as early as 2011 we ran nickel more than 75% of the time, with dime another 15-20%+. We had a 'front 7' way less than 5% of the time and in a majority of games in the last 7-8 years almost never ran a front seven other than short yardage situations.

It certainly seems like we're going to continue that trend with the new staff. Candidly I'm pretty happy about it since so many folks kept saying we were a 3-4 team when we really were not. We were a multiple nickel with the ability to run either even fronts or odd fronts. A lot of that will stay the same as far as the groupings we put onto the field even though they have different names and some of the roles have changed just a bit.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

so pet peeve: We're a front 6 team, and have been for ages.

We haven't had a front 7 for the last 10+ years. Starting as early as 2011 we ran nickel more than 75% of the time, with dime another 15-20%+. We had a 'front 7' way less than 5% of the time and in a majority of games in the last 7-8 years almost never ran a front seven other than short yardage situations.

It certainly seems like we're going to continue that trend with the new staff. Candidly I'm pretty happy about it since so many folks kept saying we were a 3-4 team when we really were not. We were a multiple nickel with the ability to run either even fronts or odd fronts. A lot of that will stay the same as far as the groupings we put onto the field even though they have different names and some of the roles have changed just a bit.

Semantics, I just meant the DL and LB's, regardless if it's seven, four, five or six. The front "whatever" needs to do our secondary a solid and help them out until they get experience under their helmets.

 

[BamaMoon]

I found this a very interesting nugget in the quarterback section. I'm assuming these two have made dramatic strides since the spring? Also, I wish there was a little more information about Ty Simpson and if he's gotten better, worse or just stayed the same from the spring.


View attachment 44639

I noticed that tid-bit too and it raised my eyebrows.

I also think it is of interest that AM has apparently been lining up as the #3. Apparently, his development is coming along especially considering how so many are so high on Lonergan.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I noticed that tid-bit too and it raised my eyebrows.

I also think it is of interest that AM has apparently been lining up as the #3. Apparently, his development is coming along especially considering how so many are so high on Lonergan.

In one of the recent post-practice press conferences, CKD DID SAY AM already knowing the offense has benefited him a lot.