Special teams have plagued Alabama in the past, but Nick Saban believes Alabama’s special teams’ coach, Jeff Banks, will help them make a jump this season.
Banks is coming into his second season with Alabama. The Tide uses him as both their special teams’ coordinator and tight end’s coach. Texas A&M had Banks on their staff from 2013-2017 in the same role.
Saban said he feels the Tide improved on special teams last season, but Banks and company still have work to do at the SEC Media Days on Wednesday.
“Jeff Banks is one of the best special teams coordinators in the country, and we were very successful on special teams last year, even though our specialists were not what we would like them to be,” Saban said.
The Tide returns starting punter, Mike Brennier, and starting kicker, Joseph Bulovas. Sophomore punter, Skylar Delong, also returns to Tuscaloosa. Alabama added on the No.1 kicker in the 2019 recruiting class in Will Reichard along with a walk-on long snapper in Grabiel Pugh.
The veteran special teams’ coach had Bulovas as his starting kicker on last season.
Bulovas was 14 of 18 on field goals last season and nailed 75 PATs. Last year was Bulovas’ first year as a starter. Bulovas’ struggles to find consistency on last season has opened the door for freshman kicker, Will Reichard, who has expressed to Touchdown Alabama, he is coming in to compete for a starting position during his freshman season.
Saban said he feels their new added pieces will help with consistency.
“I think we have added some people that may be able to add some consistency for us in that regard,” Saban said.
The battle for the starting kicker position is expected to go deep into Fall camp as consistency and reliability on special teams has been missing from Tuscaloosa for years now. This season will tell if Banks can flip the narrative around Alabama kickers.
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Justin Smith is a Scouting/Recruiting analyst for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
