Alabama Quarterback Jalen Milroe Leads the Offense in Kalen DeBoer's First Spring Practice
It's a new era in Tuscaloosa, in case you hadn't figured it out by now Monday solidified it. The Alabama Crimson Tide football program returned to the practice field for the first time to start spring practice. For the first time in 17 seasons the practice was led by someone different as Kalen DeBoer begins his regime as the Crimson Tide head coach.
DeBoer's hire led to an almost entirely new coaching staff at the Capstone as just two coaches were retained from Nick Saban's previous staff. With new coaches comes new opportunities to impress as everyone has a fresh start and opportunity at playing time.
"Yeah I don't know if I really said it in those terms, but the others, you're gathering information everyday, right? I'm getting to know them. They're getting to know myself and the staff. Those first impressions, I know are important for those guys as they're out there today competing and making plays," said DeBoer on Monday. " The intensity was high and I would expect it to be that as they, as you said, have kind of a new slate and everyone's starting from the same point."
DeBoer had several of his Washington Huskies players transfer from Seattle to Tuscaloosa to join him at the Capstone with one in particular creating lots of questions.
Would quarterback Austin Mack's arrival indicate an uneasiness around incumbent starting quarterback Jalen Milroe?
"Yeah you want competition, right? The competitions always going to be there. Someone had to take the first reps today with the ones when we lined up and we referred to them as that and Jalen did," said DeBoer. "So he's putting everything into that he can along with the other guys that took those first reps. I fully expect those guys that are really hungry to be pushing those guys that are ahead of them to be their best. That's what you want in a football program. That certainly can be the case here with so many good football players here wanting to get on the football field."
The Crimson Tide program has 14 more practices for the coaching staff and the players to get to know one another. For players who've proven themselves in the past its an opportunity to hone their craft and show once more that they're the best options at a given position but for those who may have squandered chances under the previous regime or who's skill-sets haven't quite clicked its the perfect time to make a name for oneself.
"The new leaders that are having to step up, they may have been leaders before but there's a new dynamic that place because there are some guys that are gone that were pretty integral pieces to not just the production but leading this football team last year. It all starts over, whether its first year, or second year or third year, it all starts over."
