How Alabama plans to adjust better to LT Overton not being on punt team

Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Cole Speer (83) blocks a punt from Alabama Crimson Tide punter Blake Doud (38) during the first quarter during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

For the second-straight game, Alabama will be without LT Overton, and his shoes will need to be filled not only on the defensive line but specials teams too.

Overton is on Alabama football’s punt team, and he lines up as a personal protector, meaning he is the last line of defense that is in between the punter and the opposing team that is trying to block the punt. That position is also the voice of the punt team and makes calls and checks based on what the opposition is doing before the snap.

As Alabama prepares for a rematch with Oklahoma, it is reasonable to assume that the Sooners will dial up a play to try and block a punt like Georgia did in the SEC Championship game, but the Crimson Tide have had two weeks to tighten up on special teams in practice.

“It’s really nothing that we can’t handle in that situation,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said on Wednesday. “I think a lot of it was we had LT for practice during the week there early, and so, with that game going back, there were limited reps that certain guys got. We’ve had two weeks. Those guys know what we’re doing. It was just a moment that we weren’t on our A game there. You lose guys, and you lose a little bit of that veteran piece, but we got guys that are more than capable.”

There is still no official report about what is keeping Overton sidelined, but DeBoer has mentioned that it is related to an illness. Overton’s name showed up on the SEC Student-Athlete Availability Report before the SEC Championship game, and it came as a shock to everyone.

Directly after Alabama’s SEC Championship loss to Georgia, DeBoer explained what happened on that blocked punt and highlighted that Overton not being available was perhaps the reason that blocked punt happened.

“We got a new face in that spot,” DeBoer said. “Obviously, that’s LT Overton’s position. I’ll just tell you what it is: there’s a check we got to make, and you got a new face in that spot, and that’s what happened. And so, again, getting guys more reps and getting guys back out there makes a big deal. You know, I don’t fault our guys that were in that spot doing everything they can, but there’s a check that we got to make, one we make all season long. We missed it, and they got an extra hat that we couldn’t block.”

Overton will not play in the Oklahoma game, and there is no word on if he could return to the field if Alabama advances in the postseason.