SEC Snapshot: Alabama Crimson Tide

We are in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer. SEC Media Days is right around the corner. Before we get into preseason mode, let’s get our minds right for the upcoming college football season by taking a 10,000-foot view of every SEC football team.

Kalen DeBoer‘s first season at Alabama was defined by upsets. Losses at Vanderbilt and Oklahoma put the Crimson Tide out of the CFP, which the SEC turned into an indictment of the selection committee’s process. Will we need strength of schedule resumes to see Alabama compete for a National Championship? Let’s dive into what DeBoer is working with in year two.

SEC Snapshot: Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Auburn, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, LSU, Texas A&M

Preseason Rankings

SP+: 2
Returning Production: 35
Andy Staples: 7
ESPN: 9

Sign up for the KSR Newsletter to get breaking news and daily headlines delivered directly to your inbox.

Who’s the Quarterback?

The Jalen Milroe Experience was a roller coaster ride. He could break ankles to create long runs, or chuck a beautiful deep ball down the field, all while failing to correctly take a snap. The degree of variance had to make it difficult for his play-caller.

Ty Simpson is expected to bring more consistency to the quarterback position. DeBoer brought in Washington transfer Austin Mack to accompany five-star phenom Keelon Russell, but the head coach said at the conclusion of spring practice that if the Tide had to play a game next week, Simpson would be the starter.

Simpson has spent three seasons in Tuscaloosa, appearing in a dozen games as the backup quarterback. He’s always been in the mix in the quarterback competition, and maybe a favorite for some fans, but never stole the job. Even though he was the second-ranked quarterback in the 2022 recruiting class, there’s still plenty of mystery surrounding the new starter.

Main Storyline: Ryan Grubb Rejoins DeBoer

DeBoer received credit for the high-flying offenses he oversaw at Fresno State and Washington, but it was Ryan Grubb who was calling all of the plays. Grubb initially planned on following DeBoer to Tuscaloosa. Those plans were scrapped at the eleventh hour as he took a job calling plays for the Seattle Seahawks.

After one season in the NFL, Grubb is once again bringing the shake to DeBoer’s bake. Even though he’s breaking in a first-time starting quarterback, there are a lot of weapons at his disposal. Ryan Williams was the best freshman receiver in the country not-named Jeremiah Smith. He’s only scratched the surface of his big-playmaking potential. The Tide added Isaiah Horton from the transfer portal, who caught 56 passes last year at Miami. If Grubb can figure out what makes Simpson tick, the pieces are there to create powerful offensive production.

Biggest Question: Is the Alabama Defense Good Enough in the Trenches?

Nick Saban built a dynasty on dominant trench play. Last year, the Crimson Tide ranked 11th in the SEC in rush defense, allowing 137.8 yards per game. They also ranked ninth in tackles for loss (71) and 13th in sacks (25). LT Overton is an exceptional talent on the defensive line, but the Crimson Tide need more consistency from their front line to ensure Alabama does not have a porous defense.

Alabama Football Schedule

Date	Opponent	Location
Aug 30 (Sat)	at Florida State	Tallahassee, FL
Sep 6 (Sat)	ULM	Tuscaloosa, AL
Sep 13 (Sat)	Wisconsin	Tuscaloosa, AL
Sep 20 (Sat)	Bye Week	—
Sep 27 (Sat)	at Georgia	Athens, GA
Oct 4 (Sat)	Vanderbilt	Tuscaloosa, AL
Oct 11 (Sat)	at Missouri	Columbia, MO
Oct 18 (Sat)	Tennessee	Tuscaloosa, AL
Oct 25 (Sat)	at South Carolina	Columbia, SC
Nov 1 (Sat)	Bye Week	—
Nov 8 (Sat)	LSU	Tuscaloosa, AL
Nov 15 (Sat)	Oklahoma	Tuscaloosa, AL
Nov 22 (Sat)	Eastern Illinois	Tuscaloosa, AL
Nov 29 (Sat)	at Auburn	Auburn, AL