What has DeBoer seen from Alabama football’s rebuilt offensive line early in spring?

Photo via Alabama Athletics

In his third season as the Alabama head football coach, Kalen DeBoer is nearly starting from scratch this spring with the Crimson Tide’s offensive line.

Right tackle Michael Carroll is the only returning player who played in significant games for the Crimson Tide in 2025, and that means that Alabama is looking to find another starting tackle as well as a new center and two new starters at each offensive guard position. 

Alabama brought in seven new offensive linemen in the transfer portal this year, looking to rebuild up front. The Crimson Tide also brought in Aaron Klemm to be the new offensive line coach.

On Tuesday, DeBoer was asked if he’s had this much turnover on the offensive line before in his coaching career.

“Maybe not quite to that extent across the board when you talk about the coach and all the players, but you’ve had times where there’s three or four starters that you had to replace,” DeBoer said. “Guys are hungry. Guys come in. They’re wide eyed, ready to learn. It creates competition. That’s what you want across your team, but especially in that room. And they really made a lot of improvements in the strength, and you know, really excited about, I’m excited about every guy, but excited about certain guys in particular, and now I just got to see that translated on to the football field.”

When the offensive line has this much turnover, the team is presented with a challenge. There is room for a new attitude and new mindset to form, and that’s something that DeBoer is fired up about. 

DeBoer mentioned that the guys will have to adjust as spring practice progresses, but he is ultimately excited about the mindset of the new offensive line coach.

“There’s a learning curve these guys will go through, but I’m excited about what Coach Klemm brings, and you know, the mindset, and that’s really what you’re trying to create as a football team, but especially up front, you’re creating a mindset, creating an attitude here as you go through the practices.”

DeBoer offered his observations of what he’s seen the new offensive linemen doing thus far in spring practice. 

“Right now, there’s still some thinking going on, trying to get used to just what their job is, much less trying to get used to playing with the guys next to them and hearing those calls when the bullets are really flying,” DeBoer said. “Walk throughs are one thing, in the meeting rooms is another, but now, you get on the football field.” 

Alabama trotted out multiple offensive line combinations in 2025, and some former players, like AJ McCarron, do not think that is a good strategy if you want players to get used to playing with the guys next to them. 

DeBoer was asked about the offensive line’s versatility and whether multiple players would play multiple positions in 2026.

“Yeah, you’re gonna try to keep them honed in on one spot,” DeBoer said. “There is a versatility with a number of guys. That’s nice, but you also don’t want to get fallen into the trap where you’re moving guys around, and now that continuity, that familiarity that I’m talking about, it’s something that you don’t see, and now you’re not making the strides you want. So, trying to get guys in spots, try to keep it consistent here. We’ll see as the weeks go on. Some of it is determined by health. We’re in a good spot right now, but some of it is determined as you go through practices, just like in the fall. Like where we’re at. Kind of got a couple of lineups with guys playing spots where they can kind of get a rhythm, be comfortable playing next to each other.”

The offensive line is going to be a unit worth paying attention to as spring practice continues.