The Alabama Crimson Tide find themselves with multiple position battles looming despite kickoff being just 10 days away.
Alabama’s offensive line will feature a handful of new faces after the departure of numerous big men this offseason. The Tide were able to add a plethora of talent from the transfer portal, however, and Alabama’s offensive line now features an excellent mix of talent despite a major roster overhaul this winter.
Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb recently took a moment to comment on the ongoing position battles in the trenches, as Grubb claims the team is extremely close to announcing their starting five.
“We’re close. Pretty close to game week, it’s been pretty consistent the same five.” Grubb said. “There are still a couple of battles that are lingering, specifically Mal and Will. Other than that it’s been pretty consistent, you got Jayvin at right tackle taking a fair share of the ones. So we are pretty much there, but we leave it open to see if anybody shows up in the last couple of days. We got some game prep in today, but once you get into that final stretch after Thursday it kind of is what it is.”
Sophomores Mal Waldthrep Jr. and Will Sanders have been competing for the starting left guard role across fall camp, while junior Jayvin James and sophomore Nick Brooks have been battling for the starting right tackle position. Both Waldthrep and James are widely regarded as the favorites to start against ECU next weekend, but each battle is worth monitoring until a final decision is reached nonetheless.
Alabama’s offensive line will feature immense talent and versatility regardless of who earns the starting left guard and right tackle roles, and the Tide appear to be closing in on a final decision following Grubb’s comments yesterday.
