DeBoer feels Alabama will not need to lean on freshmen as much this season

Photo via Alabama Athletics

Kalen DeBoer feels Alabama football will not have to lean as many freshmen during the 2026 college football season.

The Crimson Tide is expected to have one of the youngest rosters in college football this fall. However, DeBoer feels the roster is set up to not have to lean on first-year players right out of the gate, due to the talent that is returning to the Tide’s roster.

“I think we won’t need as many impact freshmen this year as we had last year,” DeBoer said at SEC Media Days. “There’s at least six guys that had starter reps of the latter half of the season. Guys that we were counting on as impact players, Ryan (Coleman-Williams), that year as a freshman was that guy.”

Cederian Morgan and EJ Crowell are a pair of freshmen the Tide could have on the field this fall, and DeBoer feels that remains a possibility ahead of fall camp.

“I think [they] are guys that we’ll be looking to that could have an impact that is significant and one that’s needed to help our football team,” DeBoer said. “They put in the work, they have a level of urgency knowing that there’s an opportunity for them to contribute at a high level, they have the capability as well.”

Alabama is expected to start fall camp really soon in Tuscaloosa.