Alabama Football expects to be tougher across the board this fall. Offensively, it intends to return to a more physical approach that involves running the ball and punishing defenses for 60 minutes every Saturday.
What players could help to fuel this mentality shift and be key cogs in Bama’s new look offense?
Senior running back Roydell Williams has been a mainstay in the Crimson Tide backfield, getting rotational reps since he joined the Alabama Football team in 2020. At nearly 220 pounds, he is a big back vaguely reminiscent of some of the classic Bama ball carriers of the past.
Williams has never been the featured back in the offense, but he has a lot of talent and brings value to the Bama backfield. His downhill running style makes him the prototypical short yardage back, a role he played well last season and will likely resume in 2023.
Additionally, he has respectable hands and is very proficient in pass protection, making him a gem on third downs. Roydell Williams will provide senior leadership this fall while also making the Alabama running back room a lot tougher.
Alabama Football sophomore wide receiver Kendrick Law will play a similar role in the receiving corps. Law saw playing time as a true freshman last season, and saw his snaps increase as the year went on. He made just eight receptions for the year, but his impact was felt in other ways, including as a special teams ace.
Kendrick Law is highly physical for a receiver at 200+ pounds, and is an excellent perimeter blocker. He reminds me of former Bama standout and fan favorite John Metchie. It remains to be seen if he will become an NFL-caliber pass catcher, but Law already possesses Metchie’s trademark grit and willingness to block for his teammates.
Junior tight end Robbie Ouzts is a “culture” player for Alabama Football. He is a throwback football player who seems to actually prefer blocking to catching the ball, which is a rarity in today’s game.
Ouzts’ natural position is H-back, and he thrives in the role for the Crimson Tide. He gives Bama experienced depth at tight end while doubling as a fullback in jumbo sets. Fans can expect to see Outzs in goal line packages, short yardage situations, special teams, and other scenarios.
Alabama senior center Seth McLaughlin is the only full-time starter on this list. McLaughlin has anchored the offensive line for parts of the last two seasons, and has done well.
McLaughlin is slightly undersized for his position and often effectively blocks interior defensive linemen much bigger than him. Over the past two years, the Bama running game has gotten a boost when he has been in the lineup. I’m not sure whether this is a case of causation or merely correlation, but McLaughlin certainly brings the requisite nastiness and bad attitude to the trenches.
Williams, Law, Ouzts, and McLaughlin will all play their parts in restoring Alabama Football to a dominant team with a blue collar mentality. Hopefully the rest of the offense follows their lead.