Alabama Crimson Tide fans must be nervous for the first time in decades.
Kalen DeBoer takes over the legendary Nick Saban for the 2024 season. While DeBoer helped lead the Washington Huskies into the College Football Playoff this past season, he takes on a whole new challenge by taking over for the greatest coach in college football history.
There are plenty of unknowns heading into 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.
Those questions will eventually be answered, but for now we can make some bold predictions about how this season will go for Alabama.
Jalen Milroe will be a Heisman Trophy finalist
There's a lot of negativity surrounding Milroe heading into the 2024 season. His wonky throwing mechanics and poor decision making at times have been widely criticized.
However, there's a path to Milroe becoming one of the biggest stars in college football this year.
Milroe has the arm talent and mobility to be a dangerous dual-threat quarterback. One of his biggest issues last season was being able to throw from a clean pocket, getting sacked 44 times last year. It was the third most sacks taken in college football behind Grant Wilson and Shedeur Sanders.
A more experienced offensive line should help with some of the protection issues. Meanwhile, DeBoer is the perfect mentor to help Milroe maximize his talents. The new Alabama head coach played a crucial role in revitalizing Michael Penix Jr.'s career, and could do the same for Milroe in 2024.
Besides, Milroe already finished sixth in Heisman voting last season. It won't take much of an improvement for him to be one of the top candidates for the award this year.
Alabama won't play in the SEC Championship
It's going to be an uphill battle for the Crimson Tide to play in the SEC Championship, but not for the reason you might expect.
Alabama has benefitted from playing in the SEC West, winning the division in 11 of the last 12 seasons. That's allowed them consistent berths into the SEC Championship game, but that format is changing in 2024.
With the arrival of the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners, the SEC is scrapping divisions for the upcoming season. Instead, the top two teams in the conference overall will be battling it out for a shot at a conference title.
That makes things a bit trickier for Alabama in a reloading year. The Georgia Bulldogs looked absolutely stacked and should secure at least one of the top two spots. Meanwhile, the Longhorns are coming off of a College Football Playoff appearance. Even the Missouri Tigers, Ole Miss Rebels, and Tennessee Volunteers could make some noise after some solid seasons in recent years.
Alabama should still have a playoff-caliber team in 2024. It just might have to build its case for a berth in the 12-team format without an SEC title.
Malachi Moore flirts with All-American consideration
As one of the longest-tenured players on the Alabama roster, Malachi Moore is going to be one of the most important defensive players for the Crimson Tide.
Moore has been with the program since 2020, when he earned second-team All-SEC honors as a true freshman. He's played in 52 games over his career, but has typically flown under the radar while other defensive stars have had the spotlight.
That could change in 2024. Moore is coming off another solid season with five tackles for loss, five pass breakups, and an interception. New Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack brings a defensive scheme that requires hyper-aggressive safeties to fly downhill in a 4-2-5 alignment. This could help Moore see a big uptick in production.
The departure of Caleb Downs means that the Crimson Tide need their other safeties to step up. Moore should be able to do exactly that, and finally have the breakout season fans have waited for since his promising freshman campaign.
