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The Tuscaloosa News
Even Alabama football's sideline is under scrutiny, and why it should be | Goodbread
- Story byThe Tuscaloosa News
- Even Alabama football's sideline is under scrutiny, and why it should be | Goodbread
There shouldn't be a college football sideline in America more engaged and excited than Alabama 's.
But before we get into the whys, it's worth noting that the scrutiny of the Crimson Tide this week has been so pervasive, even the players not playing have been subject to judgment. With its past greatness slipping away last season, and slipping even further to open 2025, the microscopes are out.
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That goes with the territory of coach Kalen DeBoer's $10 million-a-year gig , but the spotlight hits everyone. Including backups who aren't even missing tackles or blocks. Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack described player demeanor on the sideline as "a living, breathing organism" this week, and made it clear that it collectively lacked electricity in a 31-17 loss to Florida State . Then there was former UA quarterback AJ McCarron , who was on said sideline, and told The Dynasty podcast the energy was "dead," even after the Crimson Tide took an early 7-0 lead. McCarron called it a "weird vibe."
GOODBREAD: Alabama football lack of effort vs FSU baffled Kalen DeBoer, and that's a problem
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It is weird, because Alabama should've been primed to wash the taste of a crashed 2024 season out of its mouth. But it's extra weird for this reason: DeBoer and his staff are substituting more than an angry Nate Oats after a timeout. Against the Seminoles , second-stringers rotated in early and often at every position but the offensive line and quarterback. UA used 23 players on defense, with 19 of them getting 15 or more snaps, per Pro Football Focus. The merits of that can be debated, but what can't be debated is the effect it should have on sideline energy. Players buried deep on the depth chart can appear disinterested on Saturdays in every program, but in Alabama's case, immediate backups knew they'd play. And the third-stringers behind them knew they could be an injury away from seeing action themselves.
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There should've been a bottomless supply of juice.
And by credible accounts, there was none.
Matchup to watch
Alabama DL Jeremiah Beaman vs. ULM OL Elijah Fisher : Beaman will make his second career start in place of team captain Tim Keenan, who will miss this week's game with a lower-body injury. Beaman was a non-factor against FSU, playing only 21 snaps despite starting. Fisher (6-4, 310) is a sixth-year player at ULM and is one of the top offensive linemen in the Sun Belt Conference. He's moved to center this season after playing right guard in 2024.
Etc.
UA fans could get an extended look at true freshman WR Lotzeir Brooks against Louisiana-Monroe in the Crimson Tide's home opener Saturday if star WR Ryan Williams (concussion) is unavailable. Williams played almost exclusively in the slot position, and on the few snaps he wasn't, Brooks manned the role. .... The ACC fined Florida State $50,000 for storming Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday after the Seminoles' upset of Alabama. It marked the 11th consecutive Alabama road loss to be stormed by home fans, dating back to 2010. But while FSU is losing money, 'Noles QB Tommy Castellanos is making it. After boldly saying in June that Nick Saban couldn't save Alabama in Tallahassee, he's now selling T-shirts with the phrase on them.
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Around the SEC
After Clemson coach and former Alabama WR Dabo Swinney likened his team's 17-10 loss to LSU to an exam on which LSU scored a 65 and Clemson scored a 58 — "neither one of us were great," Swinney said — LSU coach Brian Kelly wasn't having it. ""I thought we dominated them in the second half, so he's really a really good grader for giving himself a 58, or he's a really hard grader on us," Kelly said. "... or he didn't see the second half, which, that might be the case. He might not have wanted to see the second half." ... If you missed the circus catch Florida's Vernell Brown III made against Long Island U, treat yourself to the highlight .
Tuscaloosa News sport columnist Chase Goodbread.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on X.com @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football's sideline is under scrutiny, and why it should be
