Alabama football has completely turned its focus to 2025 after an end to 2024 the Crimson Tide would like to forget.
After road losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee , Alabama ended the first season of the Kalen DeBoer era with two losses to Oklahoma and Michigan in its last three games to finish the season 9-4: the program's worst record since 2007.
With records erased and new faces on both the roster and the coaching staff, Alabama is looking forward, attempting to regain its momentum inside the SEC in 2025. This starts in spring with A Day approaching April 12 , and multiple spring practices before then.
Which members of the Alabama offense will be on full display this spring? Here are five Crimson Tide players to watch.
The quarterback position as a whole will be under a microscope this fall with the Crimson Tide searching for its starter with Jalen Milroe off to the NFL.
While both Austin Mack and Keelon Russell could also have been listed as players to watch, Ty Simpson , the incoming fourth-year quarterback out of Martin, Tennessee , seems to be at the front of the line. Having backed up both Bryce Young and Milroe, Simpson has the most experience of any returning quarterback, and has received ample praise from inside the program.
Heading into spring, the stage is seemingly his. DeBoer said Simpson now has the "opportunity to step in and be the quarterback." With Ryan Grubb , DeBoer's quarterback whisperer , now on staff, Simpson's production will be at the center of every conversation evaluating the Alabama offense as a whole, especially with the talent behind him waiting in the wings.
When Isaiah Horton transferred to Alabama after three seasons at Miami, his role seemed undeniably clear: the big-bodied, deep threat third receiver to pair with Ryan Williams and Germie Bernard .
Horton's a receiver Simpson's known for years having both played Tennessee high school football at the same time and played 7-on-7 together.
Alabama brought Horton in in an attempt to add something it did not have in 2024: a third receiver to make a significant impact in the passing game. Spring will be the first chance to see if a player can allow the Crimson Tide offense to branch out and include more weapons, whether it's Horton, Rico Scott , Jalen Hale or even Jaylen Mbakwe .
Alabama doesn't seem to have a position battle on its hands at right tackle, at least at the start of spring.
Wilkin Formby is the presumed starter after Elijah Pritchett transferred to Nebraska . Formby had an uptick in playing time late in 2024, matching Pritchett snap for snap against Mercer, Auburn and Michigan .
The Crimson Tide did add a depth and development piece to its room in former Ball State tackle Arkel Anugwom , who played only 100 snaps in four games last season, per Pro Football Focus.
The right tackle job is seemingly Formby's. How he responds in spring will likely determine Alabama's approach to the line when it comes to the April transfer portal window.
Jam Miller struggled to end the 2024 season, failing to score in his final five games and averaging 3.1 yards per carry.
With Justice Haynes off to Michigan, Miller is set to return to Alabama in 2025 as the back with the most experience. But his starting role is not one that seems secured.
The Crimson Tide brought in Louisiana transfer Dre'lyn Washington , a 5-foot-9, 210-pound bruiser who is no stranger to competing for reps in a crowded running back room. Alabama also has former four-star Richard Young and incoming freshman four-star Akylin Dear .
Miller may be at the top of the Alabama depth chart now. But it may not take much to make a change come fall.
Much like Horton, Kam Dewberry's role after transferring from Texas A&M to Alabama seems set: to be the direct replacement for Tyler Booker at left guard, who could soon be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
But Dewberry's spot does not seem as secure, especially with Michael Carroll , the No. 1 guard in the 2025 recruiting class, already enrolled and set for his first spring practice, one that those inside the program see as taking a similar path to Booker who played more than 400 snaps as a true freshman.
Dewberry, who has one season left of eligibility, is a security blanket for the inevitable development of Carroll. But Dewberry may have to make a statement to secure a job in the starting five.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Five Alabama football players on offense that could define 2025 spring practice
