Competition the Name of the Game For the Alabama Offensive Line

Alabama fosters a spirit of competition to replace a center and at least one tackle during the offseason.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Alabama football program reached the halfway point of spring practice on Tuesday as there are just seven more practices before the annual A-Day spring finale scrimmage. The entire program is experiencing changes under new head coach Kalen DeBoer, including the offensive line. 

Alabama's offensive line returns two starters for the spring period in unquestioned leader Tyler Booker and his counterbalance at the opposite guard Jaeden Roberts. While the Crimson Tide got news that tackle Kadyn Proctor plans to transfer back to Alabama during the next available window, the Freshman All-American isn’t around learning the new system. 

On top of losing center Seth McLaughlin to the transfer portal and tackle JC Latham to the draft, the room transitions to a new voice in Chris Kapilovic. The former Michigan State offensive line coach has his work cut out for him improving a unit that allowed 49 sacks in 2023, the ninth most in college football. 

A major step toward improvement will be identifying your best five linemen for the upcoming season. For that, attention goes to ongoing competitions at tackle and center. 

Will Elijah Pritchett take advantage of the Proctor’s absence and take a head start for the left tackle position, or will he find himself considering a switch to the right side when the Iowa product returns and end up in a competition with Miles McVay and Wilkin Formby for starting role?

“They’re right in the thick of it. Those kids are young, talented, hungry, well-coached. I think Kap is doing a phenomenal job,” said Alabama offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan on Tuesday. “He’s an excellent – he’s an expert offensive line coach and we’re lucky he’s our offensive line coach and he’s pouring into those kids have responded and I see improvement each and every day. Physicality, toughness, effort. I think we all recognize the importance of the offensive line in this league. We’re not where we need to be but those kids are improving. Kap is doing a great job and those kids are working their tails off each and every day.”

Problematic center-quarterback exchanges compounded the line's porous pass protection and derailed the timing of running plays throughout the season. McLaughlin’s departure left only one real center on the roster in James Brockermeyer, but he’s been undersized and battled nagging injuries throughout his time in Tuscaloosa. DeBoer brought an insurance policy from Washington with him in the form of Parker Brailsford, however, he too has size concerns as he’s listed at 275 pounds. 

What’s the best way to decide the right man for the job this fall?

“Competition. That's how we're handling it. We're promoting competition. We challenged the group, all positions, to seek competition this week. And I think those two guys, Parker and Brock, have really done a nice job. They're two good players. They're battling. But our center position has played well to this point and we need to. We've got to be strong in the middle,” said Sheridan. 

“Those guys have done a nice job. For Brock to learn a new system, I'm really proud of him and how hard he's worked. And obviously, Parker has experience playing in the scheme with some of the communication. But there's some changes, too. Both of those guys are great. Hard-working, competitive. We're really happy with those two kids.”

Roberts echoed compliments of Kapilovic on Tuesday and said that while some of the schematics have changed under the new coaches, the mindset is still the same. The offensive line is still built on intensity, physicality and toughness.

“I think everybody just has to step up in their roles. Everything’s a little different but that doesn’t change what we’re doing, the standard that we’re trying to play at,” said Roberts after practice Tuesday. “We’re still trying to get the job done. We’re still trying to play with intensity and overall we’re just trying to get that concept of how we want our team.”