The Alabama Crimson Tide hit the climax of spring practice 2026 on Saturday with its annual A-Day scrimmage, giving fans an early glimpse at the 2026 squad under head coach Kalen DeBoer.
But if there was one clear message from DeBoer afterward, it was this: Alabama is improving, but this team is far from complete.
Speaking with reporters after the scrimmage, via Charlie Potter of BamaOnline, DeBoer addressed several key storylines that will define the offseason. Here are the five biggest takeaways from his postgame remarks.
Alabama Quarterbacks Showed Improvement
DeBoer acknowledged progress from his quarterbacks, but also made it clear there’s still work to do, especially in key situations.
“I thought they looked more comfortable today… That is stuff we have to work on next week. Getting to clean all of the time until there is not a question whether someone knows their responsibilities.”
Despite Russell clearly outplaying Mack on Saturday, DeBoer remains steadfast in his approach to letting things play out until the season starts on September 5 against East Carolina.
Alabama Run Game Showing Signs of Progress
DeBoer gave one of his more optimistic assessments when discussing Alabama’s run-game development. Something that has to be better in 2026 than it was in 2025.
“Their communication, their technique and execution is getting better… It’s not something that happens overnight.”
DeBoer also noted that Alabama has some versatility at running back, having some guys who play with power, and some who can make defenders miss.
“There were some backs… who can make the cuts… and we ran some people over when they needed to.”
It may be slow work in progress, but Coach DeBoer is confident the Alabama rushing attack is taking steps in the right direction.
Injury to Key WR Looms Large for Alabama
While these scrimmages mostly help improve your team, they are not without risk. Football is a physical sport, and injuries are going to happen.
Unfortunately for the Tide, they suffered what appears to be a devastating loss in the wide receiver room when NC State transfer Noah Rogers went down during A-Day.
“He will have to get evaluated. Unfortunate with him getting dinged up. We’ll kind of see what that looks like. He will go get the MRI and all of that kind of stuff and see what happens. We’ll have more information here as we go through the spring and summer.”
Hopefully, this is just a minor injury for Rogers, who had created a ton of buzz for Alabama this spring as a threat for the Tide offense behind Ryan Coleman-Williams and Lotzier Brooks at wide receiver.
Alabama Defense Generating Pressure
There has been plenty of conversation surrounding the Alabama offense this year, but the Crimson Tide defense is quietly being slept on.
Defensive coordinator Kane Wommack has built a solid group this spring that is starting to impress Coach DeBoer.
“I thought they did a good job generating pressure in different ways… The key to me is that they are all working together.”
DeBoer would like to see the defense do a better job of not allowing quarterbacks to step up in the pocket to extend plays.
“There are still lanes for the quarterback to move up… that’s an area where we can continue to improve.”
All in all, the defense appears to be fast and physical.
Alabama Still Has ‘A Lot of Opportunities to Get Better’
It should come as no surprise that Alabama is not a finished product yet. While DeBoer likes where the team is at, there are still plenty of opportunities for improvement.
“We’re not done yet… We still have a lot of opportunities to get better.”
DeBoer would most like to see his team execute in certain situations better, such as red zone,two-minute drills, and other game-like scenarios that Alabama hasn’t fully installed yet.
“There is a lot of situational stuff that we can get better at.”
Alabama has plenty of room for growth, and the good news is, there is still time to get to where Coach DeBoer wants them to.
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