3 biggest questions Alabama must address in spring practice
By John Buhler
The Alabama football program must answer these three questions heading into spring practice.
Though the Alabama football team is probably the early favorite to win the 2023 College Football Playoff, the Crimson Tide have some things to address in spring practice.
Alabama is fortunate to have the defending Heisman Trophy winner back under center in Bryce Young, as well as the best returning player in college football in pass rusher Will Anderson. While the Crimson Tide have crushed it in recruitment and now in the transfer portal, there are a handful of uncertainties surrounding the team heading into spring practice. What needs to be addressed?
Here are the three biggest questions surrounding the Crimson Tide heading into spring practice.
Alabama football: 3 biggest questions to be addressed in spring practice
3. Will inexperience be an issue at cornerback in the Crimson Tide’s defense?
Though the defensive backfield is the position group that Nick Saban knows how to coach up best, Alabama could be a tad inexperienced outside the numbers at cornerback. With elder statesman Josh Jobe entering the 2022 NFL Draft, that makes Kool-Aid McKinstry’s growth as a player even more important. It also puts a lot of pressure for LSU transfer Eli Ricks to hit the ground running.
The good news is Alabama has depth in the secondary and has veteran leadership at safety in Jordan Battle and DeMarcco Hellams. While there is time for the cornerbacks to grow and flourish this offseason and into the early part of this fall, it is imperative for the safeties to be the focal point of the Alabama secondary to not put too much pressure on newcomers and sophomores.
Ultimately, Alabama should be utterly fantastic in the front-seven. While the defensive line is not chock full of big-time names, the linebacking corps might be one of the best and most experienced in the country. Overall, Alabama should be loaded defensively this year, but keep in mind that they could be a tad vulnerable outside the numbers at corner, as well as in nickel and dime packages.
Even with uncertainty at cornerback to some degree, Alabama should be a tad better defensively.