This offseason, Alabama Football appears to be undergoing a reset after underachieving in 2022. The program has not been shy about promoting a shift in culture. If done properly, this will be more impactful than any tangible on-field change going forward.
Former Crimson Tide running back Bo Scarborough was among several former players to criticize the team’s culture this past fall. Compared to Alabama’s championship teams of the Saban era, the 2021 and 2022 squads both lacked the dominance, physicality, and competitive edge to capitalize on its talent.
Still, there were fleeting signs that the underlying culture that Coach Nick Saban instilled in Tuscaloosa long ago was very much alive; it just needed some tweaks.
Although the 2022 team was undoubtedly disappointed with its failure to make the College Football Playoff, it had zero opt-outs of note and displayed impressive focus heading into the Sugar Bowl against Kansas State. It went on to dominate the game 45-20, providing some momentum into what has been a huge offseason.
Alabama Football: New coordinators, new mindset
Perhaps the most pivotal change in 2023 has been the replacement of both coordinators. Former offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien was often the primary scapegoat for Bama’s lack of championship-level success during his two-year tenure. O’Brien has since moved on, and was replaced by former Notre Dame OC Tommy Rees.
Rees seeks to implement a shift in offensive philosophy at Alabama, bringing a physical mindset and an emphasis on the running game back to T-Town. If he can restore balance in the offense, he will take a lot of pressure off of the Tide’s first-year starting quarterback. Rees is hungry to prove himself, and Coach Saban appears to approve of his early work.
Junior tackle JC Latham figures to lead the Alabama offensive line in 2023, and he is very much in tune with Rees’ mindset. The Bama line was solid in 2022, but it hasn’t been a unit that opponents fear since the 2022 championship season. Latham is not only keenly aware of that fact, he is determined to change it.
Former defensive coordinator Pete Golding also departed after five seasons at the helm with little improvement to show for it. SEC veteran Kevin Steele comes on board to replace Golding and revamp the Crimson Tide defense.
Steele is expected to install a simplified defensive strategy that should favor Bama’s incredibly talented personnel.
The 2022 defense for Alabama Football was undisciplined at times, committing far too many penalties and blowing coverages at inopportune times. Steele intends to work alongside Coach Saban and the rest of the defensive coaching staff to correct these issues.
Tommy Rees’ balanced offense and Kevin Steele’s simplified but aggressive defense should help each other out, allowing Alabama to return to playing synergistic, complementary football.
From the outside looking in, it seemed most of the problems Alabama Football encountered in 2022 stemmed from a culture issue. The team began to stray away from the championship standards and culture that embody the program, something that Nick Saban has made it his personal mission to fix in 2023.