Good news came out of the second spring scrimmage for Alabama football. Kane Wommack's defense produced a superb performance. There is considerable optimism that the good 2025 Alabama defense will be even better in the 2026 season.
Wommack's troops are working without key players this spring. Bray Hubbard and Jah Marien Latham will get limited work but no contact. London Simmons is expected to be an impact player on the defensive line, but Simmons is out until the fall. Additionally, the Crimson Tide is unsettled at inside linebacker. So the defense standing out now is news.
Exciting that is, unless the offense is playing so poorly, that it gave the Crimson Tide defense a boost.
Reports are mixed by that may have been the case at quarterback on Friday afternoon.
After the scrimmage, Kalen DeBoer said of the quarterbacks, "I would say today wasn’t their sharpest day. A lot of it’s what we’ve been talking about with the offensive line." DeBoer added that the quarterbacks were not as sharp as last week, and that were under more pressure than in the first spring scrimmage.
Alabama Football Scrimmage Rumors
Alabama football insiders who viewed the scrimmage action were more direct, saying Austin Mack misses repeated easy throws. If accurate, comments about projected center starter Racin Delgatty losing physical battles to Tide defensive linemen are troubling. Again, if true, it could mean that Alabama is only settled at two offensive linemen spots; Michal Carroll and Jackson Lloyd at tackles.
DeBoer did say running backs "hit it for some explosives", so all was not bad for the offensive line. The Tide's best two running backs on Friday were rumored to be Kevin Riley and freshman Trae'shawn Brown. After the scrimmage, DeBoer commented on Brown's most recent week of work: "he showed some pop, he showed some instinctiveness on how to get that first down when it's 3rd and 2, 4th and 1, whatever it might be."
DeBoer also praised wide receiver transfer Noah Rogers. Rogers may be poised to seamlessly step into the role vacated by Isaiah Horton's transfer to theTexas A&M Aggies.
More observations will trickle out from insiders. Check back in with Bama Hammer for updates.