The heat isn’t just lingering in Tuscaloosa; it’s building. After a playoff push in 2025, Kalen DeBoer knows the margin for error just got thinner. If Alabama wants to stay in the national title conversation, fixing the ground game is urgent.
Kalen DeBoer Zeroes In on Run Game Fixes as Alabama Reloads for 2026
Speaking recently via team availability, DeBoer made it clear the issues go deeper than just play-calling. The focus is accountability across every layer of the program, from practice intensity to scout team quality.
That message hits harder when you consider Alabama’s expectations. A playoff run last season raised the bar, but inconsistencies, especially in the run game, left points on the table. Now, DeBoer is attacking the root of the problem before Week 1 arrives.
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“Everyone takes some type of ownership. It starts with me, what does practice look like, what are we emphasizing? The drills, the physicality, the competition level… all of it matters. You can look good in practice, but if the resistance isn’t real, it doesn’t translate. Across the board, we just have to improve in every area. And in this case, we’ve got to run the football better.”
That philosophy is already shaping roster decisions. Alabama’s offseason push is aggressive. Defensive lineman Geraci Carson picked up an offer ahead of his visit. The 2028 prospect is already drawing SEC-wide attention, and Alabama is positioning itself early.
Carson’s reaction says a lot about the program’s pull. He highlighted the “winning culture” and the responsibility that comes with it, exactly the identity DeBoer is trying to reinforce. The staff is expected to host him on campus this week, hoping to build momentum in what’s shaping up to be a crowded recruitment battle.
And it doesn’t stop there. Alabama is also trending well with elite 2027 defensive lineman Mitchell Turner, who has the Tide in his top eight and is set for a visit on May 29. Even further down the pipeline, 2029 safety Captain Munnerlyn Jr. has already bought into the vision after receiving an offer.
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While the future is stacking up, the present still needs edge, and that’s where Red Morgan steps in. The defensive back isn’t the biggest guy on the field, but he plays as if he owns it. After logging 26 tackles and a pass breakup in 2025, he’s expected to lock down the “husky” role in Kane Wommack’s system.
That edge defines Alabama’s next step. The defense already recorded an 84.9 rating in the PFSN CFB Defense Impact Metric last season. Now, with A-Day set for April 11 at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Tide gets its first real test of whether those offseason fixes, especially in the trenches, are actually sticking.
