TUSCALOOSA—After 10 games, the experiment with Lester Cotton at right guard may be over.
The 6-foot-4, 319-pound sophomore started three of Alabama’s last four games, filling in for senior Alphonse Taylor– who suffered a concussion vs. Arkansas. Despite blocking for 30.7 points and 456 total yards in his three starts, coach Nick Saban said Cotton will be moving back to offensive tackle for developmental reasons.
“Lester was a tackle for a long time,” Saban said Wednesday. “We tried to make him a guard. The development hasn’t been as quickly as we like, so in order to get the best five players on the field we had to move some other players for experimenting.”
Redshirt senior Korren Kirven is one of the guys that Saban eluded to.
A former defensive tackle, Kirven moved over to offense in 2015. He played in five games as a reserve lineman, including a start against Charleston Southern replacing Dominick Jackson. Kirven got the starting nod against Mississippi State, paving the way for 51 points and 615 yards on 72 plays at right guard.
He’s been spotted earning reps all week with the first-team group.
“Kirven has done a really good job and so did the other guys that played the position,” Saban said. “We thought that maybe we could see if Lester could develop a little better at tackle, but he’s still playing right guard.”
It has been a revolving door at right guard all year, but for Cotton, he’s been the understudy of offensive tackle Cam Robinson for the last two seasons. He signed in the Crimson Tide’s 2015 recruiting class as a unanimous four-star recruit, one of the top players in the state of Alabama, and an elite offensive line prospect. Though some may see this as a demotion, Saban did say that Cotton will get reps at both tackle and right guard.
On Wednesday, he was seen getting work done at right tackle on the second-team unit.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
