Alabama Crimson Tide fans have to be nervous for the first time in decades.
Kalen DeBoer will take over from the legendary Nick Saban for the 2024 season. While DeBoer helped lead the Washington Huskies to the College Football Playoffs last season, he now faces a whole new challenge by replacing the greatest coach in college football history.
There are many unknowns entering this season, including what to expect from quarterback Jalen Milroe and how the team will handle the departures of stars like Isaiah Bond and Caleb Downs.
These questions will be answered eventually, but for now we can make some bold predictions about how this season will go for Alabama.
Jalen Milroe becomes finalist for the Heisman Trophy
A lot of negativity is being directed at Milroe ahead of the 2024 season. His shaky throwing technique and sometimes poor decision-making have been widely criticized.
However, there is a chance that Milroe will become one of the biggest stars in college football this year.
Milroe has the talent and agility to be a dangerous dual-threat quarterback. One of his biggest problems last season was being able to throw from a clean pocket. He was sacked 44 times last year, the third most sacks in college football behind Grant Wilson and Shedeur Sanders.
A more experienced offensive line should help with some of the protection issues. In the meantime, DeBoer is the perfect mentor to help Milroe make the most of his talent. Alabama’s new head coach played a crucial role in reviving Michael Penix Jr.’s career and could do the same for Milroe in 2024.
Additionally, Milroe finished sixth in the Heisman voting last season. He doesn’t have to improve much to be one of the top candidates for the award this year.
Alabama will not play in the SEC Championship
It will be an uphill battle for the Crimson Tide to play in the SEC Championship, but not for the reason you might expect.
Alabama has benefited from playing in the SEC West, winning the division in 11 of the last 12 seasons, which has regularly qualified them for the SEC Championship Game, but that format will change in 2024.
With the addition of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners, the SEC is doing away with divisions for the upcoming season. Instead, the two best teams in the conference will fight for the title.
That makes things a little more difficult for Alabama this year as they have to rebuild. The Georgia Bulldogs were absolutely in a good position to secure at least one of the top two spots. The Longhorns, meanwhile, just made the College Football Playoffs. Even the Missouri Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels and Tennessee Volunteers could make a splash after some solid seasons in recent years.
Alabama should still have a playoff-caliber team in 2024. It may just need to secure its chances of a berth in the 12-team format without an SEC title.
Malachi Moore flirts with the All-American status
Malachi Moore is one of the longest-tenured players on Alabama’s roster and will be one of the most important defensive players for the Crimson Tide.
Moore has been with the program since 2020, when he was named to the All-SEC second team as a freshman. He has played in 52 games over the course of his career but has typically flown under the radar while other defensive stars have stole the spotlight.
That could change in 2024. Moore is coming off another solid season with five tackles for loss, five pass defenses and an interception. New Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack brings a defensive scheme that requires hyper-aggressive safeties flying downhill in a 4-2-5 formation, which could help Moore see a significant uptick in performance.
The departure of Caleb Downs means the Crimson Tide need their other safeties to step up, and Moore should be able to do just that and finally have the breakout season fans have been waiting for since his promising freshman season.
