He will develop a great quarterback room for Alabama football and produce the right starter, but Tommy Rees has the Crimson Tide’s offensive line bought into the physicality he is bringing.
As the program’s new offensive coordinator, Rees has the mentality of an offensive lineman.
RELATED: Alabama OC Tommy Rees talks Tide offensive scheme for this season
He will create opportunities for Alabama to push the ball downfield; however, the 30-year-old lives for moments to pound opponents in the mouth with a deadly rushing attack. JC Latham, a junior offensive tackle, spoke about his love for Rees during spring practice for the Tide. Tyler Booker, a sophomore, took the podium Monday and laid out the mindset of the group up front.
“We want to make people quit this year,” Booker said. “There is no better way to do that than to run the ball. We are going to run the ball this year. We are going to pass it as well. We have a lot of talented guys at receiver and guys that can throw the ball really well, so having a run first mentality as an offensive line get us going. We want to make people quit.”
Booker said he loves the mentality Rees brings in wanting to have the run game set up the passing attack. Seth McLaughlin, a senior, returns at the center position up front. He brings experience to the group, and Booker explained what makes his relationship special with McLaughlin as both share something in common. They want to wear down the opposition.
“We want to physically dominate you,” Booker said about the mindset of him, McLaughlin, and the room.
“We want to intimidate you. We want the third quarter to roll around and the defense to be like, ‘Oh my gosh, we still can’t stop the run.’ We want guys to tap out We want guys to fear us. That is the mindset we have to develop now in camp, and at the University of Alabama that is the mindset. You are not going to play offensive line if you do not have that mindset of running the ball. Whoever you see on the feel has that physically dominating mindset. We are trying to make you quit on every play.”
RELATED: Alabama OL JC Latham weighs in on new OC Tommy Rees: “I love him a lot.”
Booker said when he arrived on campus in 2022, McLaughlin imparted in him the importance of running the ball.
“He asked me one time, ‘Would you rather drop back in pass sets against guys that are 240 pounds or would you rather put your weight on somebody and run the ball 30 times a game to give ourselves a shot at dominating the opponent?’ “So, I love Seth’s mindset and it is the mindset of the room,” Booker said on McLaughlin’s message.
Eric Wolford, Alabama’s offensive line coach, wants to do more than control the game. He wants to break thee opponent down, and he has the players to do it. The duo of Booker and Latham on the right side of the offensive line is a hellacious tandem.
Alabama has competition on the left side of the line, but the starters should emerge in camp. The team has several running backs it can lean on, including a senior in Jase McClellan. The Tide had offensive units in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2020 that physically destroyed opponents. Alabama fans are looking for this group to return the nastiness, and the guys are prepared.
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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.
