Alabama Football: Where Tide can improve in 2021

Where can Alabama football get better in 2021?

After a record-shattering season, it is safe to assume that Alabama football will regress in many ways. Obviously, it will be hard to replace so many stars on both sides of the football. Alabama was so good in 2020 that they could still win a national championship despite being a worse overall team.

If the Tide were to repeat, they would need to improve in at least a few ways. If everything regresses, it will be hard to beat the other top teams in the country.

When looking at the outflow and inflow of talent, where does Alabama have a chance to improve?

Experience on defense

The defense is losing multiple starters to the NFL draft, but they bring back plenty of underclassmen. This will give Alabama football more experience than they are used to on defense. There is at least one upperclassman at every level of the defense, and that will be crucial at the beginning of the season.

Christian Harris will step up as the signal-caller, but the other inside linebacker spot will be filled by either Ale Kaho or Jaylen Moody. Both of those players have multiple seasons with the Tide, so the transition will be relatively smooth. On the defensive line, studs like LaBryan Ray, DJ Dale and Phil Mathis are returning. Alabama football is also returning both starting outside linebackers, including the vastly-improved Chris Allen. In the secondary, Alabama only has to replace Patrick Surtain. Surtain did a ton for the defense, but having six of your top seven defensive backs return is huge.

Mobility at quarterback

Alabama is replacing Mac Jones at quarterback, and it is never easy to replace a Heisman finalist. However, Alabama has a history of succeeding with first-year starters under center. Greg McElroy, A.J. McCarron, Jake Coker and Mac Jones all won a ring in their first years as the starter.

Bryce Young will likely start, and his style of play is significantly different. He probably won’t be as accurate as Jones, but he can bring mobility to the position. Alabama can go back to running quarterback runs, something that hasn’t been routine since Jalen Hurts was on the roster.

Production from the tight end position

Losing Miller Forristall is tough, but that gives Jahleel Billingsley a chance to assume a bigger role in the offense. Without bigger targets like DeVonta Smith and Forristall, it will be crucial that someone steps up to fill that role.

Billingsley really found his stride towards the end of the year. He had a few big games in 2020, but he can really be the star in 2021. While it will be hard to have a wide receiver fill the shoes of DeVonta Smith, Alabama football might get better at tight end as Billingsley develops.