One of the forgotten aspects of having to hire a new position coach is the impact it can have, both positively and negatively, on recruiting.
For Alabama, new TE coach Richard Owens has hit the ground running since being hired away from Louisville by Kalen DeBoer. He has the built-in advantage that Alabama's previous TE coach, Bryan Ellis, is still on the staff; he just slid over to the QB room.
Owens has a lot of talent to work with in the Crimson Tide's TE group, with highly regarded young players like Kaleb Edwards, Marshall Pritchett, and Mack Sutter.
But with spring practice over with, Owens and the rest of the Tide staff have their attention fully set on recruiting. One of the biggest priorities for Owens is hanging on to Alabama's 4-star TE commit Colt Lumpris, with Michigan in hot pursuit to flip the coveted prospect.
Colt Lumpris has "great first impression" with Alabama TE coach Richard Owens
Owens and Alabama GM Courtney Morgan had an in-home visit with Lumpris recently. It was the first face-to-face meeting between Owens and Lumpris, and it reportedly went well:
Alabama TE commit Colt Lumpris discusses in-home visit, first meeting with new TE coach Richard Owens
— Blake Byler (@blakebyler45) May 8, 2026
"Great getting to meet Coach Owens for the first time. Great first impressions I would say. I liked the way he was straightforward with me."https://t.co/2eVY98Ry7n (On3+) pic.twitter.com/fQZmO713n4
Lumpris, the 6-foot-6 athletic TE committed to Alabama back in December, but the sharks have been circling ever since. His stock has risen significantly since his commitment to the Crimson Tide, and as things stand, the Wolverines are a real threat to flip him away.
Lumpris recently changed his official visit date with Michigan to June 19th for "Victors Weekend," which is the biggest recruiting weekend of the summer for the Wolverines. They've made a major push in his recruitment.
Owens' in-home visit with Lumpris comes at a perfect time and sets the stage for what will be a pivotal official visit to Tuscaloosa for the New Jersey native on May 29th. DeBoer, Owens, and the rest of the Alabama staff will give him the red carpet treatment in hopes of locking him in and keeping that visit to Ann Arbor from ever taking place.
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