It is game week for Alabama football and its fans.
After a long summer and productive fall camp, the Crimson Tide is prepared to show college football is still rolls without Nick Saban as its head coach. Kalen DeBoer is ready to guide the program to a Southeastern Conference Championship, a College Football Playoff berth, and a CFP National Championship opportunity.
RELATED: Alabama faces a familiar SEC quarterback in its season opener versus WKU
It all starts Saturday versus Western Kentucky.
In looking at the Hilltoppers, we break down its top five players to face the Tide.
T.J. Finley, QB
T.J. Finley gets another shot to play against Alabama for his fourth college football program.
He was once a quarterback in the Southeastern Conference at Louisiana State University (2020) and Auburn (2021-22) before transferring to Texas State for the 2023 season. Finley did not have marquee success in the SEC, but he looked great at Texas State — totaling 3,439 passing yards and 29 touchdowns (five rushing scores) to eight interceptions. The 6-foot-7, 255-pounder will be under the lights at Bryant-Denny Stadium in hopes to create explosive plays versus Alabama’s defensive secondary.
He has improved some, but the Crimson Tide has to keep pressure on Finley.
Kisean Johnson, WR
Malachi Corley is in the National Football League, but Western Kentucky brought in an electric transfer wide receiver.
Kisean Johnson was a standout for two seasons at Alabama State University. The 6-foot, 209-pounder had 92 receptions for 1,369 yards and 10 touchdowns. He turned in 61 catches for 829 yards receiving and seven scores in 2023. Johnson is a playmaker that looks to create opportunities for Finley to get him the football. He will be one of multiple receivers that will test the Tide’s young cornerbacks. Dalvin Smith and Easton Messer are the Hilltoppers’ other receivers to watch in Saturday’s matchup via ESPN.
Both caught 40-plus passes last season.
Kylan Guidry, LB
Kylan Guidry is back as a senior leader on defense at linebacker.
He returns as Western Kentucky’s top tackler from a year ago.
The 6-foot-4, 232-pounder collected 54 tackles, six tackles for loss, and three sacks in 2023. Guidry will be responsible for limiting explosive runs for the Tide and making things difficult for Jalen Milroe in the passing game. Sebastian Benjamin, a linebacker, will assist Guidry on the field. He had three sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, and three quarterback hurries last year.
Anthony Johnson Jr., DB
Anthony Johnson is the captain of the secondary for the Hilltoppers.
He had a team-high four interceptions in 2023 and five pass breakups. Johnson totaled 44 tackles, but his group has the significant task of slowing down Alabama’s explosive wide receivers. We will see if Johnson and others meet the challenge.
Terrion Thompson, DT
Terrion Thompson, a Kentucky native, is a force in the middle at defensive tackle.
The 6-foot, 292-pounder will battle against Parker Brailsford, Alabama’s center, in setting the tone. He had two sacks and five tackles for loss in 2023 for Western Kentucky. Thompson has to win his one-on-one matchups up front to cause this game to be interesting for the Hilltoppers.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
