Major questions must be answered before Alabama becomes a CFP contender

College Football will feature numerous changes in the upcoming 2024 season. With mass conference realignment going into effect and the College Football Playoff expanding to a 12-team format, it’s a different ball game. Because of this, the Alabama Crimson Tide likely won’t fall too far behind, if at all, as a result of the program entering a new era.

Under the leadership of Nick Saban, the team were not only regular participants in the College Football Playoff, but were consistently competing in the national championship game. With new head coach Kalen DeBoer, expectations remain roughly the same. However, there are some areas that need to be addressed and questions that require answers.

Bill Connelly of ESPN broke down the biggest issues each College Football Playoff contender faces (subscription required) entering the 2024 season. For the Crimson Tide, there are four big “ifs” presented by Connelly.

The first one is “if the new skill corps makes plays.” Star quarterback Jalen Milroe had a difficult start to the season in 2023, resulting in him being benched in Week 3. However, he ultimately returned as the starter, led the team to the College Football Playoffs and finished No. 6 in the Heisman Trophy voting. He has reportedly improved over the offseason, and many fans and experts are eager to see how he opens up 2024.

His success is also dependent upon the performance of the wide receivers and running backs this season. In the backfield, Justice Haynes and Jam Miller will be the featured ball carriers, but the wide receivers will include some new names that fans have yet to see, including true freshman Ryan Williams and transfer Germie Bernard, who followed DeBoer from the Washington Huskies Program.

Secondly, Connelly raises “if there is a pass rush.” In recent seasons, Alabama fans have grown…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/major-questions-must-answered-alabama-200525551.html

Author : Roll Tide Wire

Publish date : 2024-07-24 20:05:25

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