Alabama Football: Early rumors from Crimson Tide Fall Camp

Welcome to the latest in being an Alabama football fan. Until game one, there will be more complete information about some Crimson Tide opponents than will be available about Nick Saban’s team.

Before COVID, there was limited access available to reporters. The COVID lockdown of no media, practice viewing has become the new norm. For a team seeking a different conclusion than the one it had last season, perhaps minimal access is justifiable. But that does not mean Alabama football fans have to like it.

What we are provided are photos, video snippets and a limited number of words by Nick Saban and select players, whose comments are well-rehearsed. And, of course, the one preseason opportunity to hear from the Tide’s Offensive and Defensive coordinators. Their scripts are also carefully packaged.

Nick Saban is justified in such tight information control because he is the GOAT. But that does not mean we have to like it. In fairness to Saban, Barrett Sallee is correct in the tweet below.

What fills the void from such little access is supposition and rumor. It is ironic that a man so cautious to avoid hypotheticals contributes to much conjecture by others.

So be it – let’s discuss what we are hearing, and has, at least some degree of plausibility.

Alabama Football Fall Camp Rumors

• Tyler Steen will have to beat out Kendall Randolph to win the starting left tackle slot. No offense to Randolph who deserves credit for his efforts and results over several seasons, but if Steen does not jump past Randolph quickly, Tide fans will be anxious.
• Cam Latu has an undisclosed injury Nick Saban is not willing to discuss. He is expected to miss camp time but not game action. Does the secrecy about the injury indicate it might be worse? The answer is hypothetically, yes and no.
• Eli Ricks may or may not live up to All-American expectations – because he may or may not be learning the Tide’s defensive system quickly.
• A starting Crimson Tide linebacker acknowledging Jahmyr Gibbs is very hard to cover is a good thing.
• Roydell Williams might be RB2.
• For a formerly much too large young man, Jaheim Oatis moves well.

In the category of ‘what we know because Nick Saban told us so’ – is DeMarcco Hellams and Ja’Corey Brooks are fully recovered from past injuries.

And we know this,

https://twitter.com/jerrysandersRTR/status/1555877952453222405

An often repeated rumor about last season is offensive line coach, Doug Marrone was not sufficiently engaged. Many Alabama football fans are sure the claim is 100% accurate.