It's inevitable — every college football offseason brings a reshuffling of the deck. Veteran leaders move on, NFL dreams become reality, and the next wave of players must step forward to fill the void. It's called the circle of life, and for Kalen DeBoer and third-year defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, that reality is especially apparent at the linebacker position this spring.
The Crimson Tide defense must now replace significant production and leadership from last season. Departures from veterans such as Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, and Nikhai Hill-Green leave behind more than just open spots on the depth chart. Together, the trio served as the heart of Alabama's second level, combining for well over 200 tackles while anchoring communication, run fits, and coverage responsibilities in Wommack's playbook.
As a result, when the Tide officially opens its doors for spring practices this weekend, this period of time will serve as a proving ground for several young defenders and new competitors to claim roles as the new staples of Alabama's linebacker unit. The Alabama head coach made this apparent on Friday, less than 48 hours before spring practices begin on Sunday.
Kalen DeBoer excited about new additions and emerging players at LB despite veteran loses
"It's exciting, there's always a guy here and a guy here that will be limited in spring ball, but we're in a better spot in my mind on the side of the ball in particular just with who we have coming back, the experience especially in the secondary with everyone except for Domani Jackson being back," DeBoer told WJOX. "The linebacker position is the one probably hit the hardest. We brought in Caleb Woodson, who is a veteran, a captain from where he is coming. And then some young guys who were being groomed for this spot when we recruited them two years ago."
Woodson, being the savvy vet from Virginia Tech, who the Crimson Tide snagged as one of their key additions through the Transfer Portal. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, the senior LB infuses the experience Alabama lost at the position, as he comes over from the ACC after tallying 151 career tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, three pass breakups, and one sack during his three seasons for the Hokies.
Alongside Woodson, DeBoer and company also find themselves excited about several young developing 'backers at the position this spring who he thinks can also be viable contributors this fall on Saturdays.
"QB (Reese) would definitely be one of them," DeBoer said. "C.J. Jones, who missed a little bit of the season last year with an injury, is coming back in his third year now. I mentioned Caleb Woodson as the lone transfer in. You got Duke (Johnson) and Luke (Metz), that's the easiest way to remember them. These guys were heavy, heavy special teams. Those guys are all going to be competing and battling for that linebacker spot with the loss of Justin, Deontae, and Nikhai."
For Reese, Jones, Johnson, and Metz, the opportunity in front of them this spring represents the natural cycle of progression in their development within the program. Last season, each of the young linebackers has quietly carved out roles behind the scenes, contributing primarily on special teams while learning the intricacies of Wommack's scheme. The most experienced out of the bunch is Jones, who's appeared in 21 games, racking up 14 tackles and one sack. That experience is lightened by Reese following up with five total appearances in a Crimson Tide uniform, only to record five stops for one forced fumble and a recovery.
While the statistical production from this nucleus remains relatively modest, DeBoer and Wommack's defensive coaching staff's confidence in their developmental trajectory suggests that each player has been preparing for a larger role. But ultimately, this spring will play a big hand in determining which of these defenders can separate themselves from the pack and position themselves for meaningful snaps this fall.