Steady in the Storm: Parker Brailsford Anchors Alabama's Offense

Alabama will be breaking in a new starting quarterback, at least two new starters on the offensive line and a new starting running back when it opens the 2025 season at Florida State on Saturday. It is the first time Alabama has started the season in a true road environment since 2000 at UCLA.

Throw in the fact that some weather models are showing an 80 percent chance of rain in Tallahassee on Saturday, and things could start to get dicey. Whether or not rain clouds roll over Doak S. Campbell Stadium on Saturday afternoon the Crimson Tide already has its calm in the storm: center Parker Brailsford.

"Honestly, I think he brings calm to not only the offensive line unit, but just the guys that are looking to have more playing time, potentially, than they had in the past, including Ty (Simpson)," Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb said. "And just for the coaching staff, understanding that there’s a guy there that’s going to be able to calm the waters is really, really valuable.”

Brailsford's dad, Phil, says his son has always been that way. When Parker was in seventh grade, he was on an Arizona Pop Warner team comprised of all eight graders that was playing for the national championship where his Gilbert-Chandler Hitmen beat the St. Pete Silver Raiders.

"I don’t know if he was nervous," Phil told BamaCentral. "He didn’t look nervous. He didn’t act nervous. It was like, ‘Kid, you’re going to be on television.’ You know, he's a seventh grader playing with a bunch of kids that are all a year older than him. And I mean, he was calm, just calm. Same thing his senior year, he played for a state title: calm. And I know there’s pressure, and he talks about how there’s pressure. You can feel the pressure sometimes. Like when he played for the national championship, there’s pressure, right? He’s just steady."

Brailsford says the steadiness of his demeanor is more just his personality and the way he's wired rather than the fact that he plays center.

" I feel like it’s my job to keep the guys calm, make sure everybody’s on the same page, direct traffic, things like that," he said. "My personality’s more calm. I mean, sometimes I get turnt up, but for sure maybe more calm.”

The moments that really fire up Brailsford are when the offensive line comes out of the tunnel onto the field for warmups. It's a different story once the ball is snapped.

"I think that there’s a calmness there that helps on the inside, and they can get Parker as the guy who can really bring it all together," Grubb said. "There’s guys that gotta be amped up and there's guys that gotta be brought back down, and he can keep it level.”

When he comes into the huddle and sees guys getting antsy, Brailsford tells them to take a deep breath and then execute their job. That will be especially helpful this Saturday when redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson makes his first career start after waiting his turn for three years behind Bryce Young and then Jalen Milroe.

Simpson described Brailsford as one of his best friends, and Phil said his son probably hangs out with Simpson and running back Jam Miller more than any other players on the team. The quarterback/center duo has developed a strong relationship on and off the field.

"Being able to have the best O-line in the world and the best center is something that a quarterback wishes for," Simpson said. "Being able to have a smart guy, a physical guy like Parker is everything I ask for in a center. Being able to talk and communicate to him. Us being captains really makes me feel comfortable because I know, not only is he one of my better friends on the team, but I know that he’s going to hold me accountable in everything I do. He makes sure that I hold up to the Alabama standard. I make sure I do the same with him.

"We have a great relationship that I honestly can’t thank Parker enough for what he’s done for me and just talking through everything with me. I wouldn’t be here if he didn’t push me every single day and make me a better player."