Chris Kapilovic has a challenge on his hands in coming to Alabama football as an offensive line coach.
His success was documented at North Carolina and Michigan State, but he has to take the talent he inherits for the Crimson Tide and turn it into a Joe Moore Award-winning unit. Kapilovic, 55, is a long-tenured offensive line coach that started coaching the position in 1998 at Phoenix College. He played offensive tackle at Scottsdale Community College (1987-88) and Missouri State (1989-90) before starting his coaching career. Kapilovic likes what he sees from interior players such as Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts as guys with experience, but he knows he has to help Alabama in developing both tackle positions with guys it can trust.
RELATED: Alabama assistant coach highlights center as the biggest position battle of spring practice
Kapilovic explained last week to reporters that the Tide does have talented players as offensive tackles.
“When you go in and you have no one that’s been a starter at tackle on your roster, it is a challenge,” Kapilovic said.
“But, we do have talented kids on this roster that are capable of doing it. So, it is the matter of them understanding the schemes and techniques being taught and then it is going to be a grind from now until the first game.”
Alabama graduated JC Latham to the upcoming NFL Draft. He served as the starting right tackle in 2023, helping the program capture a Southeastern Conference Championship. The Tide returns Elijah Pritchett to the roster, and he has some experience playing left tackle. Alabama signed a massive haul of offensive linemen in its 2023 class, and though Kadyn Proctor transferred home to Iowa, names such as Miles McVay, Wilkin Formby, and Olaus Alinen remain in Tuscaloosa, Ala. McVay and Formby could do really well as tackles while Alinen fits more as an offensive guard. Alabama also brought in Naquil Betrand, a transfer from Texas A&M, for its offensive line. The 6-foot-6, 340-pound redshirt freshman has the physicality of a tackle.
Nick Saban brought Joseph Ionata (three-star), Casey Poe (four-star), and Will Sanders (four-star) in as linemen in this recent recruiting class before he retired. It will be interesting to see where they fall in the rotation during spring competition.
Alabama has talent in the room at tackle; however, it has to develop consistency there.
*Get the BEST Alabama football insider information, message board access, and recruiting coverage today! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our subscriber-only content!*
Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
