Could Alabama Football have the best offense in the country?
Alabama figures to place more of an emphasis on the offensive side of the ball under Coach Kalen DeBoer. Given the amount of explosive talent that is both returning to and joining the Bama offense, that could be a scary thought for opponents.
Jalen Milroe is one of the more electric quarterbacks in college football. The redshirt junior is always a threat with his legs and has a knack for making big plays through the air as well. With him at the helm, there’s a decent chance Alabama will score on any given play, regardless of field position.
Milroe will be throwing to an intriguing group of receivers. Even with top pass-catchers Jermaine Burton and Isaiah Bond leaving the program, there has been speculation that Bama’s unproven receiving corps could be even better in 2024.
Returnees Kendrick Law and Kobe Prentice are now veterans in the wide receiver room, while Washington transfer Germie Bernard is equally experienced.
The X-factors are true freshmen Caleb Odom and Ryan Williams, who each bring an entirely new dynamic to the receiving corps. Odom is a highly-athletic converted tight end, who will create major matchup problems and be a jump-ball threat at 6’5”.
Williams is perhaps the most dynamic player in Bama’s 2024 recruiting class. After reclassifying to join the Crimson Tide a year early, he became one of the most celebrated and highly-anticipated signees in several years. A summer enrollee, he may be a bit behind when fall camp opens. However, if Ryan Williams still manages to crack the rotation early it will be a good indication that he is as talented as advertised.
One of the most enticing position groups on the entire roster is running back. Bama’s running back duo of Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams was solid in 2023, however, the 2024 group can truly have a game-changing impact. Junior Jam Miller and sophomore Justice Haynes are absolute studs who could make up the Tide’s most dangerous backfield since Najee Harris helped to bring a national championship to T-Town in 2020.
The running backs collectively stole the show on A-Day, with Jam Miller earning MVP honors and even RB3 Richard Young looking like a beast. True freshman Daniel Hill, a big-bodied short yardage back who doubles as a good receiver out of the backfield, and summer enrollee Kevin Riley will add depth to the room.
With stacked rooms across all the skill positions, the glue that will hold this offense together will be the offensive line. Personally, I am waiting for this offensive line to prove its worth. The Bama O-line has been the subject of preseason hype for the last two or three years, and yet it never achieved the level of dominance that the vintage Nick Saban-coached teams had up front.
While I am remaining very cautious with my optimism, the fact is that this should be a very good group on paper. Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts anchor the line as one of the best guard tandems in the country. The return of sophomore Kadyn Proctor, along with redshirt sophomore Elijah Pritchett, means Bama should not be wet behind the ears at tackle. Still, it will rely heavily on significant improvements from both players.
With Washington transfer Parker Brailsford in the fold and veteran James Brockermeyer making a push, Alabama should theoretically be improved at center. While Seth McLaughlin was reliable for much of his career, the snapping issues he struggled with were enough to negate a lot of the good he did. Even just cleaning up the quarterback-center exchange on its face will make Alabama a much better offense.
Alabama will have one of the most talented offenses in college football in 2024. That offense has a high floor, but its ceiling will be dependent on improvement at the three most important positions on the field: quarterback, center, and tackle. If Bama can make jumps at these spots in Kalen DeBoer’s system, the Tide could very well have the best offense in the country.