Alabama Football: 3 biggest questions heading in to 2021

These questions will determine Alabama football’s 2021 success

The success in Tuscaloosa last season was unprecedented, even for Alabama football’s standards. They had two Heisman finalists, the greatest offensive line in college football, and one of the best resumes in the College Football Playoff era. The Crimson Tide overcame new difficulties due to the pandemic, and they fought through more adversity than any of Saban’s previous teams.

This season was a success, but the sign of a true dynasty is its ability to pivot every offseason and prepare for new challenges. That brings us to the 2021 campaign. Kickoff is months away, but Alabama is already getting ready to defend its title.

With that in mind, what are the top questions that the Tide must answer in 2021?

3. Can the defense improve?

Last season, the defense began the year as a liability. It improved over the regular season, which carried Alabama football to the College Football Playoff.

The calculus will be a little different in 2021. In 2020, Alabama had one of the greatest offenses in the history of the sport. Even if Alabama has a great 2021 offense, it is expected that the production will decline.

Alabama could get away with getting just a few stops each game last season. In 2021, they will need to be leaders once again and dictate the pace of the game. With a new quarterback, Alabama needs help from a veteran defense.

Alabama is bringing back tons of talent, but they will have to replace three key starters from last year’s team. With these losses, will this year’s defense be better than last year’s? It will depend heavily on who fills in for the starting roles. Alabama has plenty of depth, but they need the top-level talent to take a massive stride this season.