Pete Golding breaks down Alabama's ongoing competition at cornerback

One of the biggest questions for Alabama heading into the 2022 season is who will play cornerback for the Crimson Tide this fall. It is not for a lack of options, though. With multiple potential names for the Tide, it’s up to DC Pete Golding to find which two will start in the Alabama secondary.

Golding broke down the corner competition during the Tide’s Media Day. He says fall camp is the perfect opportunity for every candidate to make their case for the job.

“Obviously from a game experience standpoint Khyree (Jackson) comes back with game experience from last year. Kool-Aid McKinstry had game experience from last year. You bring in a guy that had SEC game experience in Eli Ricks. But then we’ve got some younger guys that have been here at least a year,” said Golding. “I think Terrion Arnold has really flashed. I think every day those guys have got to come in and compete. That’s what this camp is about. We’re gonna get through this camp and we’re gonna find the best two corners.”

Jackson, McKinstry, and Ricks combined for 44 tackles, a sack, two interceptions and four pass deflections in 2021. While Jackson and McKinstry have snap experience in Tuscaloosa, that won’t guarantee either a starting spot this fall. Golding says he is rotating each player at both spots every day at camp as they determine starters and snaps for this season.

“We’re moving that around daily. We’re giving them all an opportunity to compete against the best guys and see who can cover versus our ones,” Golding said. “I think every day that is a battle that we’re moving around to see who comes out on top. I think there’s five guys right now that are pushing as who’s the best. Then we find a way to rotate the others.”

With several other positions on the Alabama defense set, this remains one of their final unknowns heading into the season. If Pete Golding and company get this right, it’ll be just another positive position group for their defense to utilize. As if their opposition didn’t have enough to worry about, they may have a stout Tide secondary to concern themselves with starting September 3rd.