The goals for Alabama football's defensive line are already set. It's about production, plain and simple, turning pressures, chances and potential into sacks and tackles-for-loss.
Tim Keenan III knows what it takes to develop a room all pulling in the same direction, having been a part of the Crimson Tide for four years and returning to the defensive line room again as a fifth-year elder statesman.
The start of that process, of developing that chemistry with the rest of the Alabama defensive line unit, is a simple one.
"It depends on how fast they laugh at your jokes," Keenan said. "If you crack a joke and the laugh, then it's, 'All right, you're kind of chill. We're going to see what we're about.'"
That's the next step, Keenan said, to develop a room that is "good," that is "fighting," that is "hunting" with players turned into brothers.
It's a room with a lot of unproven depth, especially on the interior. With James Smith on Alabama 's injury list for spring, reps have come down to players like Edric Hill and Jeremiah Beaman , like Kelby Collins and Steve "Bolo" Mboumoua.
No matter who's in the room, chemistry, Keenan said, "ain't going to take too long." And it's something he said will continue to be cultivated over the summer.
"Just barbecues at my house," Keenan said. "I'm on the grill, so I tell my boys to come through. Throw some chicken on there, just have a good time. Hang out. They'll be fights or games going on, we'll be watching the fight or the game. We'll go out and do stuff. We like fishing and stuff like that.
"A bunch of stuff outside of here, that's what makes the chemistry stronger."
Alabama will end its spring practice slate at noon Saturday with its annual A-Day spring game at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
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: Tim Keenan III plans to build Alabama football defensive line chemistry
