Kalen DeBoer's Message For Players in Position Battles at Start of Fall Camp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The quarterback competition between senior Austin Mack and sophomore Keelon Russell is the position battle garnering the most attention as Alabama starts fall camp, but there are several other position battles still to be determined that will have a major impact on the Crimson Tide's success this season.

Kalen DeBoer and his staff still have to determine at least two starting spots on the offensive line, likely right tackle and left guard. Alabama brought in several offensive lineman from the transfer portal like Jayvin James, Nick Brooks, Ethan Fields and Ty Haywood. They will be competing for starting spots alongside returners like William Sanders.

Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson is presumed to be one of the two starters, but inside linebacker is wide open after Deonate Lawson, Justin Jefferson and Nikhai Hill-Green graduated. Sophomore Luke Metz and junior QB Reese are contenders for the job.

Conor Talty is returning at kicker, but DeBoer has made it clear that it's a competition between him and Marshall transfer Lorcan Quinn. Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzeir Brooks will be two of Alabama's starters at wide receiver, but the other spot is left open after an injury to Noah Rogers in the spring.

And those are just some of the starting jobs open. Every backup on the roster is competing for a higher spot in the depth chart.

DeBoer shared his message to those in the heat of competition battles after the Crimson Tide's first practice of fall camp on Wednesday.

"What you want is you want the guy you’re competing against to be at his best." DeBoer said. "That’s what a great teammate does, and then you want to be at your best to win that position, win that battle. Just talking to guys about not hoping the other guy fails and isn’t at his best, because that doesn’t help our team. Having that becoming one where the team success is because of you being and doing everything you can and being elite and wanting the teammate you’re competing against to be the same.”

Some of the position battles are more tight than others, but the next few weeks of fall camp will be critical as Alabama prepares for its season opener against East Carolina on Sept. 5. Regardless of who wins invidiual positions, DeBoer is preaching a theme of unity in fall camp.

"We’ve talked about working in silence since January, " DeBoer said. "These guys just doing their thing, not getting caught up in anything they can’t control. We know what our goals are. We know what our expectations are. We’ve never shied away from that. We attack the day. The challenge for us right now is to continue to just become one, and that’s been our theme here going into camp is just uniting. It’s 11 guys on offense, 11 guys on defense, special teams. But also as a whole program, having each other’s back. That’s the challenge we’ve got to continue with so many guys in the program."

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