Alabama OL coach has ‘no problem’ rotating tackles, even early in the season
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Offensive tackle is one of the biggest question marks for Alabama ahead of the 2024 season. Right tackle more so than left with the return of Kadyn Proctor, but Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer said there is a rotation at tackle to start fall camp.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic doesn’t mind that.
“Proctor does some really good things. Pritchett has really improved. Wilkin has improved. Miles is coming off being banged up a little bit and showing some progress. Naquil is doing some things,” Kapilovic said after Alabama’s third practice. “But again, who are the guys that are gonna be consistent enough that we can say, ‘Hey, we can really trust them.’
“And maybe it’s more than two, which would be great. I have no problem rotating a guy in if he’s earned it.”
Alabama lost starting right tackle JC Latham to the NFL draft, and Proctor was not on campus in the spring after briefly transferring to Iowa. The Tide’s starting left tackle as a true freshman, he chose to return to Tuscaloosa during the spring transfer window but hasn’t fully reclaimed his starting spot yet. Proctor is having to learn a new offensive system with DeBoer taking over as the coach, but he is working to again make an impact this fall.
“I think he’s been great,” Kapilovic said. “Work ethic has been off the charts. Open to coaching, learning. He’s working on his own. He lives with Wilkin, so they’re watching extra film, they’re quizzing. They’re doing all the things that you want them to do. So I’ve been really pleasantly surprised at just how eager he has been to learn and jump in. It’s been great.”
Despite not practicing since December, there isn’t much catch-up work for Proctor in camp.
Alabama OL Parker Brailsford, Tyler Booker and Elijah Pritchett (Courtesy of UA Athletics)
“Not much anymore,” said Alabama left guard Tyler Booker. “I feel like he made all his catching up during the summer. He understood that he missed the spring, and he knew that he would have to make strides to catch up and he’s definitely done so so far.
“So he’s definitely back where he would have been if he stayed.”
When Proctor was absent this spring, Elijah Pritchett stepped into the left tackle position along the first-team offensive line. And when Proctor returned, many believed Pritchett would kick over to right tackle and battle players like Wilkin Formby, who started the A-Day Game on the right side of the offensive line. But early in the preseason, Pritchett has worked primarily at left tackle with the ones and could potentially be a swingman for Alabama.
“He can play both sides, and that’s critical for us,” Kapilovic said. “And I’ll tell you, that’s a kid that’s made huge strides since the first day I was here. He’s a big, strong kid. He’s got good feet. He’s athletic. He can do everything that you want a tackle to do.
“For him, it’s a matter of him getting comfortable in the scheme, really trusting what he knows and does and playing at a high level on a consistent basis. And he has the potential to do that.”
Alabama will kick off its 2024 campaign in exactly four weeks, but Kapilovic doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to decide who will be on the field for the first snaps against Western Kentucky. UA will participate in its first of two preseason scrimmages next week, which could start to separate the options at tackle, but the possibility of rotating players at the end of the month remains possible for the Crimson Tide and is an outcome that doesn’t phase the assistant.
“We have to rotate these guys around,” Kapilovic said. “Hopefully somebody’s separating themselves after that first scrimmage and then we’ll start to settle in a little bit more. But my hope is we’re gonna have competition – especially at that tackle position, but all positions – into the season.
“I’d have no problem if I had to play three tackles early in the season to see who can be the guy to get it done.”
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