Alabama starter highlights major area of focus for Tide’s offensive line

For the 2026 season, the Crimson Tide will see redshirt freshman Jackson Lloyd get the start at left tackle. This was confirmed by offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb a couple of weeks ago, when he said there was no competition with Lloyd at the position.

Although head coach Kalen DeBoer has made it a point that no player should get comfortable, the odds seem quite likely that Lloyd will get to replace his successor, Kadyn Proctor, whom he also said he believes “is the best tackle in the country.”

As a former four-star lineman out of California, it is now Lloyd’s turn to step up and take on a major leadership role. Alabama’s offensive line was at the center of criticism last year for the Tide’s inability to run the ball, but the Tide is hoping to change that.

“Like I said, we can always improve on everything, but right now, a major point of emphasis is getting more movement in the run game,” Lloyd said. “We’ve got to all come together — we’ve been coming together, and just getting better at that.”

While the Crimson Tide certainly has the talent, and had it last year as well, to establish a dominant run game, there are a couple of key areas that the Tide will need to hone in on to if it wants to see the pieces come together in the trenches.

“I think there’s a couple of things, obviously technique is a big part, but also mentality coming off the ball,” Lloyd said.

Alabama still has a long way to go before it sees the product of its current work. As of now, Michael Caroll and Racin Delgatty are the only other offensive linemen who are heavily presumed to get the start next season.

There are tons of new faces and talent in the room, and the coaching staff is still in the process of evaluating each player. But Lloyd also mentioned how the linemen, as a group, have been bonding and coming together.

“I think we’ve been coming together super well,” Lloyd said. “We’re super tight off the field, I think that’s helping a lot. We’ve only known each other for what, three months? We’re just continuing to get tighter every day. And all the new people coming in, and people coming back, all have the same mindset: we come here trying to get better every day.”

Alabama fans can get their first look at the offensive line and run game this weekend, when the Tide will hold its annual A-Day scrimmage. The offense vs. defense showdown will begin at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday.