Kalen DeBoer has the University of Alabama football team going into scrimmage No. 2 this weekend with one position battle up for grabs on the offensive line.
Chris Kapilovic, the Crimson Tide’s offensive line coach, was pleased with the first group of linemen in the first scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
He mentioned to reporters that the first unit was able to generate scoring drives.
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“I thought the ones came out fast and had a couple of scoring drives in the first two series,” Kapilovic said Wednesday about Alabama’s first-team offensive line. “It was really interesting when we looked at the drive chart that whenever the ones did not have a lost yardage play, we scored. It is pretty easy, right? When we don’t have lost yardage plays, we score.”
Kapilovic said there were ‘good signs’ with the ones and twos on the offensive line, but he is not ready to unveil who the fifth starter up front is at this time. Kadyn Proctor, a sophomore, seems to have earned his spot back at left tackle.
The 6-foot-7, 369-pounder looks to show he is an All-American level player. Alabama has a battle going on the opposite site between Elijah Pritchett and Wilkin Formby. Pritchett, a redshirt sophomore from Columbus, Ga., took all the snaps at left tackle in spring practice while Proctor had transferred to the University of Iowa. Proctor’s return now has Pritchett trying to fend off Formby for a starting role to prevent being a backup.
The 6-foot-6 lineman added 15 pounds of muscle to his frame in the offseason, increasing to 327 pounds. Pritchett has played in 15 career games — including 13 in 2023 — as a tackle.
He allowed three sacks last season, but has gotten better in pass protection. Formby, a redshirt freshman, came in the Crimson Tide’s 2023 signing class from Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
He added four pounds to his 6’7″ frame, going from 320 to 324.
Formby played in three games last year, but he started at right tackle throughout the spring.
He excelled in pass protection and opened opportunities for Justice Haynes, Jam Miller, Richard Young, and Daniel Hill (freshman) to have success as running backs. Kapilovic sees growth in both players and calls the right tackle position an ‘ongoing battle’ between Pritchett and Formby.
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Alabama OL coach Chris Kapilovic breaks down the Crimson Tide’s battle for starting right tackle.
Elijah Pritchett and Wilkin Formby have been competing throughout fall camp.
Coach Kap says Alabama will play both guys until one emerges as the best.@TDAlabamaMag pic.twitter.com/UoROYUxzAI
— Stephen M. Smith (@CoachingMSmith) August 15, 2024
“It is a continuous battle,” Kapilovic said Wednesday. “I see improvement from both. It is going to continue to go on throughout camp until somebody shows they are clearly better than the other. If we get to play both of them, we will play both of them.”
Trust is the most significant piece in this position battle. Which guy, between Pritchett and Formby, does the team believe in the most to have Alabama’s offense excel? Kapilovic is working each day to gather more details on an answer.
“The guy has to know exactly what to do,” Kapilovic said.
“He knows how to handle how the different situations that can come at you. Then, you are looking at who can be the most physically dominating player from that group. I have no problem. … If two guys are improving and doing a good job, there is nothing wrong with playing two guys out there.”
Pritchett and Formby have been rotated at right tackle with the ones throughout fall camp.
We will see which one either wins it or if the Tide starts the season playing both.
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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.
