Kalen DeBoer optimistic about Alabama center position, Parker Brailsford's return
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama’s center position has seen quite a few departures this offseason, with four players who have taken snaps leaving the Crimson Tide. The latest defection was James Brockermeyer, who ended the spring with the first offensive line.
But despite the center role being light on experience, and numbers, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is still optimistic about the middle of the Tide line for the 2024 season.
“Every player’s got their reasons for wanting to kind of test the waters and check things out,” said DeBoer before the Regions Tradition Pro-Am. “So I appreciate talking more about our guys on our team, but we always will have nothing but respect for him and the efforts he’s put into our program, just like every other player who poured all they have into it.
“I think we’ll have some guys within our team that can bridge that gap that is left, and I think we’ll be just fine.”
Brockermeyer, a redshirt junior, capped Alabama’s spring season working at center with the first-team offense. After playing in all 14 games last season as a reserve, Brockermeyer was set to compete for the starting job with Washington transfer Parker Brailsford, who missed time this spring due to non-football-related things. Now, Brockermeyer is on the move.
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His departure leaves the Tide thin at the center position. Adding Brailsford shortly after DeBoer took over as the head coach helps, but beyond that, the Tide doesn’t have any experience at the offensive line’s anchor position after Seth McLaughlin transferred.
Roq Montgomery, Joseph Ionata and William Sanders all saw reps there this spring, but they have played in a combined two games. With that in mind, center could be a spot Alabama looks to fill via the transfer portal. The Tide is interested in Michigan State transfer Geno VanDeMark, who started eight career games at right guard for the Spartans before leaving.
VanDeMark would be the third transfer offensive lineman to join Alabama, along with Brailsford and Kadyn Proctor, who will push to reclaim his spot at left tackle. Brailsford missed the second half of his first spring in Tuscaloosa due to personal reasons, but DeBoer has stayed positive about his future with the team, including when asked on Wednesday.
“Yeah, absolutely,” said DeBoer when asked if Brailsford will be back. “No question.”
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