Alabama Crimson Tide Preseason Position Preview: Special Teams

Through all the success of Alabama football during the Nick Saban era, one area of complaint among some fans has been special teams.

In 2018, Alabama missed more extra points than any other team. The Crimson Tide then signed the top kicker in the country, Hoover's Will Reichard, and just two seasons later in 2020 Reichard did not miss a single kick.

He was a perfect 14-14 on field goals and made all 84 extra points he attempted, and the good news for Crimson Tide fans is that Reichard is back in 2021. Sophomore Chase Allen, who helped some with kickoff duties in 2020, is also back for Alabama.

Perhaps one of the most underrated and unnoticed, yet still important positions on the field is the long snapper. A long snapper is doing his job best when he is not being noticed because that means he has not messed up and therefore drawn attention to his position. It is part of the reason Thomas Fletcher did not hear his name called often, but he did his job effectively and efficiently. In four seasons with the Crimson Tide, he never botched a snap on a punt, field goal or PAT.

Fletcher played in all 55 career games over his four years at Alabama before being drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round, so Alabama will have to replace a consistent presence on special teams this season. The Crimson Tide added another Hoover product, freshman long snapper Carter Short, who can step in to the role Fletcher filled.

In 2020, punting duties were split between Charlie Scott and Sam Johnson with the bulk going to Scott down the final stretch of the season. Johnson averaged 35.4 yards per punt and is back in 2021 as well as fellow walk-on Ty Perine who did not play at all last season but averaged 44.7 yards per punt on 13 attempts in 2019.

There are also two new faces among the punters that could compete for playing time with Troy transfer Jack Martin and Australian freshman punter James Burnip who was originally committed to Ole Miss.

Specialists are part of a position group that often receives attention only when they mess up. Reichard rarely messed up in 2020 and will be at the forefront of Alabama's special teams this season.