The University of Alabama football team held its first preseason practice Wednesday at Thomas Drew Field.
Kalen DeBoer looks to push this group to marquee success in his first year as head coach. After losing some players to the NCAA transfer portal and others to the National Football League, the nucleus of the team is still on the roster.
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I got a chance to look at the defensive line, wide receivers, and linebackers for the Crimson Tide.
The notes from the first session of morning practices are below.
Notes from UA’s first fall practice
-Alabama has nothing but depth on its defensive line.
-The Crimson Tide is three-deep at every position upfront. Tim Smith, Tim Kennan III and Jeheim Oatis were the first three performing drills. This does not mean all three will start, but they were the first trio to open Wednesday’s practice.
-Jah-Marien Latham, James Smith, and Hunter Osborne were the next three.
-Keon Keeley, a former 5-star, is now solely a defensive lineman. He was recruited in the 2023 class as an outside linebacker; however, Freddie Roach has him with the lineman.
-Players such as Damon Payne, LT Overton, Eric Hill, Jordan Renaud, Jeremiah Beaman, and Isaia Faga will be marquee contributors up front. Each one put on muscle this offseason and can bring much needed physicality.
-Ryan Williams, a five-star freshman, caught passes as an outside wide receiver.
-The standout from Saraland (Ala.) High School looked smooth on the field, wearing No. 2.
-Caleb Odom, a five-star, continues to gain more comfortable in going from tight end to wide receiver. He is thee most physical specimen on the field at 6’5″ and 215 pounds.
-The inside linebacker worked on fighting off blockers and attacking the football under Kane Wommack.
-Deontae Lawson was first in the rotation and Jihaad Campbell followed him. Justin Jefferson, who changed his number from 28 to 15, came third. Jeremiah Alexander was fourth, while Justin Okoronkwo and Sterling Dixon rounded it out.
-Christian Robinson, Alabama’s outside linebackers coach, had his group performing pass rush moves.
-Quandarrius Robinson, a redshirt senior, is the most experienced of the group. Keanu Koht has big-time explosiveness, and the duo of Qua Russaw and Yhonzae Pierre are exciting too. Jayshawn Ross, a freshman, is coming along smoothly as well.
– Coach Robinson has some guys that have all the potential to replace what the team lost in Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
