Kalen DeBoer assesses specialists as Alabama has to replace 3 senior starters

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama’s special teams will look a lot different in 2025.

The Crimson Tide has to replace its starting kicker, punter and longer snapper from last year’s team, and some of those responsibilities will be handled by new additions this offseason.

However, Alabama did bring back Conor Talty, who handled kickoffs a season ago. He’s the top candidate to replace Graham Nicholson as the Tide’s placekicker as he enters Year 3.

After redshirting in 2023, Talty played in 12 games last fall and handled most of the Crimson Tide’s kickoffs. He was on the field for 76 of Alabama’s 81 kickoffs during the 2024 campaign and averaged 63.46 yards per kick and 41 touchbacks (53.95%). Talty also kicked three extra points but no field goals, as Nicholson handled the placekicking duties.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer spoke highly of the redshirt sophomore after Tuesday’s practice.

“I’ve been pleased so far,” DeBoer said. “Last fall, you could kind of see him continue to gain confidence. I think it was great that he got out there, whether it was just to kick off. That was an important role, and he did a really good job, I thought, most of the time, got better as the season went along. 

“And I think that’s just carried over into being consistent, more consistent than I remember seeing, for sure, last spring, but also more consistent from last fall. He’s doing a good job of getting the ball up quick on the field goals, and I think just really in control. 

“I really haven’t seen him have a bad kick. You’re not gonna be 100 percent, but it’s not like there’s just ones where, ‘Where’d that come from?’ So he’s doing a really good job there.”

Alabama also has to replace James Burnip at punter and Kneeland Hibbett at long snapper. The Tide welcomed back Jay Williams, who played in two games and made the travel roster as the backup to Hibbett, and brought in Cal transfer David Bird, who will miss spring camp due to an injury. The latter gives Alabama an experienced snapper option when healthy.

At punter, the Tide signed Alex Asparuhov, the nation’s No. 3-ranked punter, but he is out this spring because of injury, too. Colorado School of Mines transfer Blake Doud also committed to Alabama. But whoever takes over as the starting punter will have big shoes to fill, as Burnip finished fourth in the SEC with an average of 45.37 yards per punt last year.

“There’s a number of guys working in with the long snapping,” DeBoer said. “And then with Alex being hurt, we don’t have our full group of punters, but I like what I see there. 

“Burnip’s gonna be really tough to replace. I don’t know if there’s another Burnip right now just because he’s different. He’s the best I’ve ever been around when it comes to punters. We were towards the top in the country for a reason. There’s schematic things, but there’s also just the guys kicking the football. 

“So we’ve gotta continue to do a good job with our punting but also do a good job with just our coverage units and just execution there.”

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