Alabama football returns a lot of experience along its defensive line ahead of the 2024 season.
The Crimson Tide returns seven interior defensive linemen from its 2023 team while also bringing back two prospects from its 2024 recruiting cycle. It lost four 2023 members during the offseason: Justin Eboigbe (NFL Draft), Isaiah Hastings (transfer to Syracuse), Anquin Barnes (transfer to Colorado) and Monkell Goodwine (transfer to South Carolina).
Alabama also hired defensive line coach Freddie Roach from coach Nick Saban’s staff to coach Kalen DeBoer’s. Under DeBoer, Roach will lead Alabama’s defensive line under new defensive coordinator Kane Wommack while also earning the role of associate head coach.
This is what Alabama’s defensive room looks like before fall camp. Each fellow and any notable visitor is mentioned:
Options for Alabama football at defensive tackle
Projected starters: Tim Keenan III, Jr.; Tim Smith, gr.
Reservations:.Jehiem Oatis, Jr.; Damon Payne Jr., Jr.; James Smith, then.; Edric Hill, rf.; Hunter Osborne, rf.; Jeremiah Beaman, fra.; Isaías Faga, fr.
Keenan III is coming off a redshirt sophomore season that saw him earn the starting spot at nose tackle. The 6-foot-3, 315-pound Keenan III finished the season totaling 38 tackles, 1.5 for loss, one sack, seven quarterback hurries and one pass breakup.
Smith has seen time in all 14 of the Crimson Tide’s games in 2023, making 10 starts. For the season, Smith recorded 31 tackles, two sacks and one quarterback hurry. As a graduate, Smith brings back by far the most experience as an interior defensive lineman for the Crimson Tide.
Oats played in 13 games for the Crimson Tide last season with three starts, where he finished the season totaling 26 tackles, one of them for loss, as well as half a sack, two quarterback hurries and two pass break ups. He was also named to the 2023 Outland Trophy watch list, which is presented annually to the nation’s top interior lineman.
Payne Jr. saw time in all 14 Alabama games in 2024 with limited snaps. He finished the season with nine stops, one tackle for loss and half a sack. Smith played in nine games during his freshman season in Tuscaloosa, totaling two tackles and a fumble recovery.
Hill saw time in two games during his freshman season with one tackle, while Osborne saw no action. Faga and Beaman arrive in Tuscaloosa as three- and four-star prospects, respectively, according to the 247Sports Compound. They were part of an Alabama recruiting class that ranked second in the nation.
The top side
Roach returning to coach the defensive line is important for the Crimson Tide. He is the second coach, alongside assistant coach/running backs coach Robert Gillespie, to remain on staff since the coaching transition from Saban to DeBoer.
This year will mark Roach’s fifth year leading Alabama’s defensive line, having served in the same role at Ole Miss for three seasons prior to his time in Tuscaloosa. He has coached these Crimson Tide players for years, having recruited most of them out of high school.
Roach led Alabama’s defensive line as one of the most effective in recent memory last season. At the NCAAAlabama’s defense ranked 16th in scoring defense, allowing an average of 19 points per game.
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A question or concern
With all of their experience returning, Alabama has the potential to have a very strong defensive line rotation.
A question arises, however, regarding how the Crimson Tide will use its rotation.
With Eboigbe being drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, Alabama loses most of its production from last season along its defensive line. In total, Eboigbe played 657 snaps last year. Behind Eboigbe, however, were Keenan III (497 snaps) and Smith (391 snaps).
The Crimson Tide return a lot of experience and production from 2023, but it will be interesting to see how they use him this fall.
Innovative candidate
Oats, being named to the Outland Trophy watch list after last season, is poised for a standout junior season.
Oats worked to make an impact on the team during his freshman season in 2022, which he did, and worked to further expand that role last season.
The junior is listed as 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds per UA website and was a five-star prospect at Columbia High School in Columbia, Mississippi.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: See how Alabama football defensive tackles prepare for fall camp
