One of the biggest standouts of fall camp for Alabama has been junior DB Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. When he's on the field, he just makes things happen. He's been a turnover machine in camp, coming up with interceptions in both scrimmages. He's got a nose for the football and brings that old-school, head-hunting mentality as a defensive back.
While Kirkpatrick has looked like a valuable depth piece for the secondary, it now appears that he's making a serious challenge for legitimate playing time, and perhaps a starting role at Alabama's Husky position.
Junior Red Morgan has been the presumed starter at Husky, which is the nickel position in Kane Wommack's defense. And while Morgan is still likely to start, Kirkpatrick will force more of a rotation and could ultimately supplant Morgan for the role.
It has nothing to do with Morgan's performance. Alabama fans saw how good a player he was last season in the role. This is a case of Kirkpatrick just being too good to deny. That's a good problem for Wommack to have.
"Dre’s another one, you talk about just a good football player, and when he gets on the field, he just makes plays, and he usually makes plays in big moments," Wommack said on Wednesday. "Scrimmages, he always seems to step up. Team, move the ball periods, right? He always seems to step up. So, he’s another guy that there’s a lot of position versatility and things that we feel like we can do with him.
"His ability to make plays on the ball- I told our guys before, the way you’re gonna get on the field is to do your job to a consistent level that we trust you and create value by playmaking ability, right? And I think Dre is trending in the right direction there.”
Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. could be pushing Red Morgan for the starting Husky spot in Alabama's defense
Alabama has a deep and talented secondary. Finding playing time for all the guys who deserve it won't be easy. It's a good problem for Wommack to have, but it's not always easy to keep everyone happy when the depth chart is so crowded.
But these things have a way of working themselves out. Sometimes talent is too undeniable to ignore. Kirkpatrick's playmaking in camp is difficult to ignore. It's making it difficult to keep him off the field.
When Alabama named Keelon Russell the starting QB, position coach Bryan Ellis commented on it by saying when Keelon is out there, "good sh** happens." That's the same for Kirkpatrick. When he's on the field, good stuff happens for Alabama's defense.
His ability to make plays and force turnovers is invaluable. It's the kind of thing that can turn a really good defense into a great one.
Wommack hinted on Wednesday at some heavy rotation at Husky and finding ways to get Kirkpatrick on the field.
"I think that Husky position, there’s a lot we ask out of that position, and there’s a lot of different traits and skill sets right that you would like to have because you got to be able to play man, got to be able to blitz off the edge, play variations of zone, fit the run game," Wommack said. "And so, Dre being a very instinctive football player right there kind of fits him, and it’s an opportunity to get him around the ball and blitz him off the edge as well.
"That’s why Red [Morgan] is so good at that stuff, as well. And so Dre, we feel like Dre can play the Husky; he can play the Rover position. He’s been in this defense for three years; he could play the free safety. But I think you’ll see him a decent amount at both that Rover and Husky spot for us.”
In Wommack's defense, the "rover" is the strong safety. That starting spot is firmly entrenched with Bray Hubbard, but there will be sub-packages where Hubbard lines up in the box as a hybrid linebacker/safety, which could allow Kirkpatrick to slot in at strong safety.
The secondary is the strength of the Alabama defense. The Crimson Tide is loaded with talent. There will be season-long competition for playing time back there.
With just over a week until the season-opener against East Carolina, Kirkpatrick has really positioned himself for a significant role in his third season in Tuscaloosa.
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