Alabama’s journey to make it again to the highest of the faculty soccer world in 2023 is underway after the Crimson Tide fell brief within the race for the SEC West title. That is merely not acceptable for coach Nick Saban and a fanbase that calls for excellence each season. Getting again goes to be an enormous problem this yr, nevertheless.
Heisman profitable quarterback Bryce Younger and EDGE monster Will Anderson Jr. are gone, as are a number of key items on each side of the ball. That is nothing new for Saban, who’s accustomed to reloading as a result of his impeccable recruiting prowess. Nevertheless, the truth that convention rivals have received three of the final 4 nationwide championships raises considerations that the period of Crimson Tide dominance has ended — significantly by the hands of Georgia head coach and Saban protégé Kirby Good.
The primary order of enterprise is to exchange Younger, however the work extends to a number of place teams on each side of the ball. Whether or not it is the secondary, the speeding assault, the broad receiver corps or some place else, solidifying a tough draft of the depth chart is crucial because the Tide head into summer season exercises.
Let’s break down what to anticipate within the Crimson Tide’s spring recreation.
watch 2023 Alabama spring recreation dwell
Date: Saturday, April 22 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium — Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Dwell Stream: SEC Community+
2023 Alabama spring recreation storylines
1. Who’s the person at QB? Changing Younger is sort of unattainable, however redshirt sophomore Jalen Milroe and redshirt freshman Ty Simpson are the highest two contenders to step in for the legend. Milroe crammed in admirably when Younger went out with a shoulder damage in the midst of the season and ended the 2022 marketing campaign with 562 yards of whole offense and 6 touchdowns. Simpson, alternatively, is primarily a pro-style passer who was the No. 26 total prospect within the Class of 2021.
“Each quarterbacks performed equally nicely,” Saban stated after an April scrimmage. “Each of them acquired alternatives, and each of them, I believed, did a pleasant job on the market managing the sport.”
Will one among them impress Saban sufficient to earn “frontrunner standing” going into summer season exercises? In that case, who? If neither take management, Saban may have seven days to search out one other contender within the portal.
2. Loads of holes to fill within the secondary: The Crimson Tide misplaced 4 studs out of final season’s secondary, and first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele’s most urgent job is to fill them shortly. Kool-Assist McKinstry is a celebrity and would be the unquestioned chief of that unit. Malachi Moore is an ultra-versatile veteran who will seemingly discover a place within the beginning lineup — seemingly at security or STAR. Outdoors of these two established defensive backs, who will step up? There is a good likelihood that first-year offensive coordinator Tommy Rees will let unfastened together with his passing assault on Saturday to determine who’ll be QB1 going into summer season observe, so Steele will get loads of probabilities to see who has what it takes to start out on the highest stage in faculty soccer.
3. What is going to the speeding assault appear like? The Crimson Tide completed fourth within the nation in common speeding yards per try (5.57) final yr … however 76th in speeding makes an attempt (457). Translation: Former offensive coordinator Invoice O’Brien centered extra on hitting dwelling runs than pounding the rock. Rees has the good thing about having Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams again in motion, and so they’re the highest two choices to step in for Jahmyr Gibbs atop the offensive depth chart. Might they share the function, although? Will every other working backs step up. Most significantly, how will Rees implement a extra old-school philosophy that Saban is clearly searching for?