Alabama kicker battles through transition from Saban to DeBoer: “It started to feel like my time here was up”

Alabama Punter Blake Doud (38)holds while Alabama Kicker Conor Talty (31) kicks a field goal during A-Day at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, AL on Saturday, Apr 12, 2025.

Alabama football’s Conor Talty is ready to step into the Crimson Tide’s starting kicker role after suffering multiple setbacks during his time in Tuscaloosa.

Talty signed with Alabama as a member of its 2023 recruiting class with the intentions of playing under Nick Saban. Those intentions would not come to be as Saban announced his retirement while Talty was dealing with an injury following his freshman season. This left the Chicago native’s future at the University of Alabama in limbo.

“That was a tough period for me because coach (Coleman) Hutzler, who recruited me here, he left and Saban left as well,” Talty said at Alabama football’s Media Day “Then (Kalen) DeBoer came in. Coach (Jay) Nunez came in. That was a hard transition for me because during that time frame I was dealing with a quad injury that had me sidelined for a month, and I got back, I got injured again, and then I came back mid spring, and it was like, I never really got to show these guys what I can do. It started to feel like my time here was up against my will. I just kept working hard. I never questioned anything. I just kept going because I love this place so much. I’m from up North, Chicago. I came down here, like southern hospitality, this is unbelievable, and I love it so much. I told myself, like, no matter what happens, I’m not gonna quit. I’m not gonna give up on this team because I want to have a lasting impact on this university. That’s what drove me through those injuries, through the transition and eventually to get to the spot that I am at.”

The former three-star recruit was once expected to take over the Tide’s starting kicker role after Will Reichard departed from the program following the 2023 season. The addition of then Lou Groza Award-winner, Graham Nicholson, via the transfer portal after Reichard graduated, would ultimately push back Talty’s opportunity to be Alabama’s starting kicker.

However, Talty did not let Nicholson’s arrival stop him from having an impact. He forced his way onto the field on kickoff, taking over all kickoff duties during the 2024 season.

“I didn’t know that would have such a big effect on me until I was actually out there doing the kickoffs, but that was a huge piece in my development to help me gain confidence,” Talty said.

Alabama football is now expected to lean on Talty as its starting kicker in 2025. The redshirt sophomore feels confident in his ability to live up to the high demands of being the starting kicker at the University of Alabama, thanks to the growth he has experienced.

“At this point, I think the biggest growth piece was my mentality, like how I approach everything,” said Talty.” But you know when you get to the kicking side of things, just approaching like team sessions. When I was a freshman, I was a little bit like shaky, like, “all right, Saban’s right behind me watching.” But now I’ve got to the point where it’s like, all right, like, I’m made to do this. Like, I can do this. I have that full confidence in myself that when I go out there, I’m calm, collected.”

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