Alabama has not had fearsome inside linebackers since Rashaan Evans and Shaun Dion Hamilton in 2017.
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Nick Saban knows a return to a College Football Playoff National Championship needs to come with dominant performances from the Crimson Tide’s second line of defense. The Tide has playmakers at inside linebacker, but who needs to start in both positions? Deontae Lawson, Trezmen Marshall (Georgia transfer), and Kendrick Blackshire can play middle “Mike” linebacker; however, which one presents the best fit? Alabama has had the most success with an in-state product in the position.
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The strategy works well for Lawson, a Mobile (Ala.) native, but we will see what happens. Coach Saban also has Justin Jefferson, Jihaad Campbell, and Shawn Murphy that can play weakside “Will” linebacker. In a recent segment from In My Own Words, Stephen Smith of Touchdown Alabama Magazine discusses which players give Alabama the best tandem at inside linebacker.
You can check out In My Own Words every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT via TDA’s YouTube channel.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
