Position battles to watch for Alabama football in fall camp

Alabama football is set to return to the gridiron for fall camp this week, and multiple positions appear to be up for grabs.

The Crimson Tide returns starters on both sides of the ball, and most of them are expected to resume their roles in 2025. So, who will be Alabama’s new starters?

Here is a look at the position battles to monitor in fall camp:

Quarterback

This is the position battle that will undoubtedly garner the most attention and deservedly so. The winner of this competition will have to carry the weight of leading what is expected to be an explosive offense under veteran offensive mind, Ryan Grubb. Ty Simpson remains the frontrunner heading into fall camp, but Austin Mack and Keelon Russell have done enough to keep the competition ongoing. Simpson has an opportunity to secure the job in the coming weeks, but the biggest threat to him becoming the Crimson Tide’s next starting quarterback is the possible step forward Mack and Russell took over the summer.

Left Guard

Alabama football’s left guard from last season, Tyler Booker is now a member of the Dallas Cowboys. Kam Dewberry, Geno VandeMark and Olaus Alinen competed for the spot during the spring. Both VanDeMark and Dewberry have experience under their belt at guard while Alinen does not have that luxury. Dewberry is arguably the favorite to win this battle, but could there be a rotation at the left guard position for the Tide? VanDeMark also took snaps at center during the spring while Alinen took snaps at tackles. All three players have an opportunity to find a home in the Tide’s offensive line rotation in the upcoming season.

Punter

Alabama’s freshman punter Alex Asparuhov missed the entire spring with an injury. DeBoer updated his status during the off-season at the Regions Traditions Pro-Am.

“He’s really coming along,” DeBoer said. “He’s an athlete. He’s a strong kid. It seems like his recovery process is going well. We expect him to be cleared and be a part of the competition.”

Blake Doud, who transferred to Alabama from the Colorado School of Mines, will likely compete with Asparuhov for the position in the fall.

Defensive Tackle

Alabama football rotated its defensive line throughout the 2024 season with different defensive linemen seeing playing time week in and week out. Tim Keenan III is expected to resume his role at nose tackle. Who will line up next to him on a consistent basis remains a question. James Smith and Edric Hill are the two most likely names to fill the slot. Hill had a strong spring and earned a lot of praise from his teammates. Smith was limited in the spring, but his teammates spoke highly of his talent and his potential to be an influential part of the Tide’s defense. Kelby Collins is worth noting here as well.

Running Back No. 2

Jam Miller is expected to be Alabama football’s lead back in 2025. But who will serve as the Tide’s second-option out of the backfield? Richard Young is the most likely answer here, but the addition of Dre Washington and the emergence of Daniel Hill after a strong spring make this one interesting. It will not be a surprise if the Tide go three-deep out of the backfield on a consistent basis in 2025.