LSU 2024 Opponent Preview: Alabama

Nick Saban has retired and Alabama is forced to start a new tenure in Tuscaloosa in 2024, making them one of the more fascinating programs in the country this season. Kalen DeBoer from Washington brings a winning culture as expectations are as high as ever. How do the Tide look heading into the fall?

Here’s an in-depth look at the Tide’s offseason and the new roster on hand.

Previous opponent previews: USC, South Carolina, UCLA, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M

Head coach: Kalen DeBoer (1st season)

Offensive coordinator: Nick Sheridan (1st season)

Defensive coordinator: Kane Womack (1st season)

Last year

Early in the year, it seemed Alabama was reeling as the quarterback position, and therefore the entire offense, was a mess. A shocking 34-24 loss at home to Texas in Week 2 created real chaos amongst fans as the Tide approached uncharted territory. How did they respond? Just by going 8-0 in SEC play and winning the SEC Championship game to make the CFB Playoffs. Once Alabama got in, the Rose Bowl game against Michigan was an instant classic, going to overtime before the Tide lost 27-20. Ultimately, the season will be remembered as Nick Saban’s final year as he retired afterwards and shook the college football landscape. The Tide hired Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer and now look to the post-Saban era in Tuscaloosa.

Offense

Once Jalen Milroe found his footing, this was an offense that quickly became one of the better units in the SEC. Despite another year with sub-par wide receiver talent and an even more dire situation at running back, an awesome offensive line and the dual-threat ability of Monroe was enough to beat most teams. The rushing attack ended the year 84th in the country in EPA, while the passing attack finished a respectable 25th, but it still was not up to Bama’s standard which ultimately cost them another championship.

Defense

To no one’s surprise, freshman safety Caleb Downs exploded onto the scene, leading Alabama in tackles with 107 to go with two interceptions and a forced fumble. Dallas Turner, Chris Braswell, Terrion Arnold, Kool-Aid mcKinstry, and others rounded out another year where Alabama had five-stars and future NFL draft picks flying around the field. They ended the year No. 21 in defensive EPA and 16th in opponent points per game and held Tennessee, Ole Miss, Michigan, and LSU well below their season averages.

Key departures

Drafted: OT JC Latham (7th overall), DE Dallas Turner (17th overall), DB Terrion Arnold (24th overall), DB Kool-Aid McKinstry (41st overall), DE Chris Braswell (57th overall), WR Jermaine Burton (80th overall), DT Justin Eboigbe (105th overall), RB Jase McLellan (186th overall), K Will Reichard (203rd overall), DB Jaylen Key (257th overall)

Transferred out: S Caleb Downs, DL Khurtiss Perry, S Peyton Woodyard, CB Trey Amos, TE Amari Niblack, CB Dezz Ricks, LB Kendrick Blackshire, WR Isaiah Bond, WR Malik Benson, S Peyton Woodyard, IOL Seth McLaughlin, WR Ja’Corey Brooks, CB Earl Little JR., QB Eli Holstein, IOL Terrence Ferguson, S Jake Pope.

Alabama ended the cycle with the most transfer portal departures in the SEC with 35 (!) to go with their 10 players who were drafted. That’s an obscene amount of turnover, regardless of the situation, and it gives DeBoer a blank canvas to work with in 2024. If there was any program that could survive that and still thrive year one, though, it’s Alabama. There’s enough quality depth still with the returners that we’ll talk about below, but the departure list is certainly something to consider when giving an outlook for this program, especially considering one of those departures was Caleb Downs.

Important additions

2024 class: WR Ryan Williams, CB Jaylen Mbakwe, CB Zay Mincey, CB Zabien Brown, TE Caleb Odom, IOL Casey Poe, DL Jeremia Beaman, EDGE Noah Carter, RB Kevin Riley, S Peyton Woodyard, EDGE Jayshawn Ross.

Transfers in: S King Mack, S Kameron Howard, S Keon Sabb, WR Germie Bernard, IOL Parker Brailsford, QB Austin Mack, CB Domani Jackson, DL LT Overton

Even with the coaching change, Alabama is set to add the No. 2 recruiting class in the country that has 12 of the top 152 players in the class, bringing in more elite talent to Tuscaloosa. We’ll have to see how many end up being day-one contributors, but on the surface, there’s enough talent in this freshman class to comfortably replenish the two-deep for the coming years.

The transfer portal haul is less exciting, but Brailsford, Mack, Overton, Jackson, and Sabb should all be able to step into starting roles, or at least be impact contributors.

Going into 2024

Top returners: OL Tyler Booker, LB Deontae Lawson, S Malachi Moore, OL Jaeden Roberts, QB Jalen Milroe, LB Jihad Campbell, OT Kadyn Proctor, RB Justice Haynes.

Milroe is the name most people know with this Alabama roster, and he’ll certainly have to elevate his game to a more consistent threat in the pocket, but it’s also big that the Tide have key pieces back on the offensive line. Lawson, Campbell, and Moore will all be significant pieces on Alabama’s new-look defense, but there’s still enough talent to be among the best in the SEC this year. I’m interested to see what running backs and receivers step up this season.

Expectations

It’s Alabama. I’m not sure how long (if ever) it will take for expectations to return to that of a normal great program like Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, or LSU, but i can guarantee you it’s not in the near future. There’s still enough talent here to make the playoffs and win big and with a coach who has consistently done more with less throughout his career, what does it look like when he’s at the top of the mountain? Alabama’s win total in Vegas right now is 9.5, with most books leaning under.

The non-conference is easy enough to go 4-0 without breaking too much of a sweat (sorry Wisconsin), but it is a brutal SEC slate with Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, LSU and Oklahoma all on deck. Is DeBoer going to have the Tide ready to win at least three of those to make the playoffs? I think so, but it’s definitely not a given.

Early thoughts on LSU vs. Alabama

Two of the best offensive lines in the country with two high-level quarterbacks, this game sets up to be another classic in the long-standing rivalry. Fortunately for LSU, the game is in Baton Rouge, but there are also several more questions about the Tigers’ defense than the Tides’, albeit Alabama’s should not be as elite as it was last year. We don’t know what this Alabama team will look like with DeBoer and his staff taking over. Meanwhile, Brian Kelly should have his team hitting its stride in the back end of the season in year three. It’s a pretty significant game for Kelly as he looks to take this program back to the level it was at in its peak. If he can’t beat Alabama now, then how much longer will it take to truly flip the script? The pieces are there to not only compete, but win at home as he did in his first year. It also would go a long way in the SEC title race and for a potential playoff spot. I like LSU’s chances, but this game is within a field goal spread and I anticipate it’s going to remain that tight.