Before we know it, new Alabama head football coach Kalen DeBoer will hit the practice field with his Crimson Tide players for the first time when spring practice gets underway in March.
With the retirement of the legendary Nick Saban, there have not been this many question marks surrounding the football program since 2007 when Saban took over.
Contrary to popular belief, Alabama still has one of the most talented rosters in the country and should be right in the thick of the college football playoff conversation.
Roll Tide Wire will preview each position group as the anticipation builds leading up to spring practice. We will wrap our series up with the Crimson Tide defensive backs.
Who’s gone?
Alabama lost a lot of really good talent this offseason both to the NFL draft and the transfer portal. Replacing both corners in McKinstry and Arnold will not be easy and losing Downs to the portal is also a tough pill to swallow.
Who’s coming back?
The list of returning Tide players in the secondary is pretty short and relatively inexperienced. The fact that Malachi Moore is coming back has to make the Alabama coaching staff happy. Moore is a talented player who has made a lot of starts for the Crimson Tide. DeVonta Smith is also an interesting returning name to watch this spring.
New faces
The defensive back group was a position that the coaching staff focused on this offseason and they were able to bring in a good bit of talent. Landing Keon Sabb from the transfer portal may prove to be the most impactful, but Domani Jackson and others will also have an opportunity to make an early impact.
Projected depth chart entering spring
Cornerback:
Huskey:
-
Malachi Moore
-
Tony Mitchell
Rover:
Free Safety:
One great attribute of the 4-2-5 defense is the versatility it allows you to have in the backend of the defense. I imagine this spring will be more of an experiment for the coaching staff than anything just to see which guy fits each role the best.
Overall thoughts
Experience is certainly an issue heading into the 2024 season for the Alabama defensive backs but the Tide is not short on talent. Moore and Smith will provide great leadership, but some new and young players are going to have to step up quickly for Alabama to feel more comfortable about the backend. It will be interesting to see how the coaching staff uses the talent they have at their disposal this spring.
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