Five Things We Learned from Week 1 of Alabama Football Camp

Alabama held its first practice of fall camp on Aug. 5 and will hold its first fall scrimmage on August 12. So far, the Crimson Tide has completed seven full practices as the team prepares for Year 3 under head coach Kalen DeBoer.

Here are five things we learned from the first week of Alabama football camp:

Scrimmages will do a lot to determine starting quarterback

According to offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb in his Monday press conference, neither Austin Mack or Keelon Russell have started to separate themselves in the quarterback competition.

"It's been an even battle," he said.

If practice hasn't given either player an edge, the performances in the scrimmages will be very important in determining who wins the job. Last season, Alabama named Ty Simpson the starting quarterback after the first scrimmage of the fall, and it is sounding like it's going to take both scrimmages to determine a starter this year.

Going 11-on-11 at full speed against the Alabama defense will give the quarterbacks the opportunity to display their skillsets, decision making and ball security in a higher-stakes environment than practice. While possible, it's not likely that both quarterbacks will have the exact same level of performance in the first scrimmage, so expect the buzz to grow around one of them after Thursday. However, it will be surprising if we know who the Tide's starter at QB will be this time next week.

USC transfer Devan Thompkins has made an immediate impact on this team

One name has consistently comes up from both coaches and players throughout the spring and summer when asking about impact transfers or standouts on defense: Devan Thompkins.

"Devan is a special skillset just to be able to be that big and athletic, and he move and do some things, both from the Bandit position and the three-technique position," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said. "It allows me as a play caller -- there's a lot of different things we can do with him. But just his physicality, his ability to take on blocks, disengage. A lot of times offenses are trying to figure out how can they attack that C-gap area. Right? They're gonna create tight ends to create a C-gap area, or a split zone concept, or insert somebody back inside. If you can constrict that area, it makes it more difficult to run the ball, or for the ball to able to wind back. He is a very physical presence in there."

Thompkins was also one of the players that Grubb brought up as a defender giving the offense a lot of trouble in practice. He is expected to be a starter for the Crimson Tide this season. Thopkins had 31 tackles with three sacks last season at USC, and his skillset and versatility at the Bandit position are well suited for Wommack's defense with the potential for an even bigger season in 2026.

Tight ends are a tightly-knit position group

All of the scholarship tight ends on the Alabama roster have a combined 24 total catches in a Crimson Tide uniform with sophomore Kaleb Edwards leading the charge with 11 catches for 150 yards last season.

Alabama added Oklahoma State transfer Josh Ford from the portal to work alongside returners like Edwards, Marshall Pritchett and Danny Lewis Jr. The Crimson Tide is counting on the tight ends to boost Alabama's passing and run game.

"I think it starts with how that room is operated, honestly, since the offseason," Grubb said. "I would say they might be the closest room on the team. They just support each other. They push each other. And so when they don't see it, and the bar or the standard isn't reached, they're not scared to challenge each other. I think, you know, the drill work that Coach Owens works with those guys is extremely demanding. The run game piece has really come along with those guys."

Mal Waldrep Jr. is in serious contention for starting spot on offensive line

Three spots on the offensive line are seemingly locked up at left tackle with sophomore Jackson Lloyd, center with Cal Poly transfer Racin Delgatty and right guard with sophomore Michael Carroll. That leaves left guard and right tackle as the open position battles in camp. Transfer Jayvin James and Nick Brooks are in a competition at right tackle, but it is two in-state returners battling for the starting spot at left guard between junior William Sanders and sophomore Mal Waldrep Jr.

Sanders saw time in the offensive line rotation last season, but he missed the spring with an injury. Waldrep only appeared in two games last year during his true freshman season, but he has really taken advantage of his opportunity this offseason, gaining compliments from multiple teammates and coaches. Grubb said the staff is not surprised by his development.

"He might be a little potentially ahead of schedule for what maybe some people thought," Grubb said. "But we always knew he was tough, smart, and dependable, and that’s really what has shown up is a physical football player.”

Alabama is relatively healthy to start the fall

When asked at the beginning of the camp if there were any players sideline with injuries, DeBoer said there was "nothing major." Transfer wide receiver Noah Rogers will be out for a while because of an injury sustained during A-Day, but other than that, most players appear to be available for the Crimson Tide this fall.

Lewis Jr. is back from injury, along with defenders Jeremiah Beaman and Jah-Marien Latham. It is important to note that a black, no-contact jersey can easily be slipped on a player once the media leaves practice, there have not been any noticeable players in black jerseys during media viewing periods (outside of the quarterbacks, who wear them for protection.)

Overall, Alabama is in really good shape heading into the first scrimmage, and the Crimson Tide obviously hope it remains that way when the season opener rolls around on Sept. 5 against East Carolina.

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