2025 Alabama Fall Football Preview: Will ‘Bama’s rebuilt special teams live up to their name?

They say that if you ask a rhetorical question, the answer is always “no.” And, that truism holds up here. Can Alabama reload one of the nation’s best kicking games in just one offseason after losing an NFL punter and a former Groza winner?

Can Alabama work around it, get new faces up to speed, mitigate those losses? Can Alabama be more dynamic in the return game? The answers to those questions leave me dyspeptic, frankly. There may be questions on defense, and some unknowns on offense. But this is an entire phase of the game where there simply are very few ironclad certainties going into the season.

James Burnip left Alabama as its second all-time leading punter behind only Godmode JK Scott. The Ray Guy semifinalist didn’t have the hugest leg, but he had perhaps its steadiest, finishing with a 43.9 YPP average for an entire career. It will be almost impossible to replace that kind of consistent effort. He was drafted in the CFL second round, but turned down the Great North to sign as an UDFA with the Saints, where he has been outstanding in the preseason…to the surprise of no one who’s paid attention.

PK Graham Nicholson’s arrival in Tuscaloosa was a bit surprising — and for many Tide fans, a bit of a low blow — as Nicholson won the Lou Groza award over Will Reichard. Worse was the way he did so: a plethora of short kicks against MAC teams as Reichard was booming 50+ yarders in do-or-die games against future NFL linemen. But, in the “can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” school of thought, Saban brought Graham in and he performed quite well. Nicholson wasn’t called on often (8/10 FGA), but hit 60% of his long attempts of 40-59 yards, and for the first time in his career didn’t miss a single PAT. Like Burnip, he was a constant, never a super star. But that’s what you want out of your kicking game: to not have to worry about it. This tandem gave Alabama that breathing room, and formed one of the nation’s best 1-2 punches.

And the black fly in this chardonnay? Alabama even lost four-year starting long snapper, Kneeland Hibbett. Like his kicking compatriots, Hibbett also signed an NFL deal and is now with the Dolphins.

Losing three seniors with 11 years of combined starting experience is a near-mortal blow to any kicking game.

The kicking position comes down to sophomore Conor Talty or bust. Last year as a true freshman, he was tasked with being ‘Bama’s kickoff man. He doesn’t have a big leg, but it is stronger than Nicholson’s. And, at least in this phase of the game, he’s very steady: 64% touchback rate, and in 11 of 13 games, his TBR was 62-65%. Consistency is key. He also added a perfect 3 for 3 on PAT, but has attempted no field goals in his career.

And, given Fall camp, I don’t think ‘Bama fans are going to be excitedly welcoming his appearance on the field either.

In scrimmages, Talty has missed several short and manageable kicks badly. And, if our #sauces are to be believed, he’s been far more erratic than that in practice. Could this be youth and inexperience? Possibly. But Alabama opens its season on the road against an FSU team with a lot of blue chip talent (no matter how underwhelming the results). He will have to split some uprights early in the season — to say nothing of that game in Athens, which almost certainly is going to be another one-score cage match. Whatever it is, he needs to settle down. There is no on the job learning or grace period here.

Wildly optimistic scenario? Freshman Leigh Tiffin who struggled early, improved every season for his career.

Hindenburg scenario? Tide fans are treated to the popgun leg of Papa Nasty combined with Freshman Cade Foster yips. Don’t forget that the Tide has a second-year coordinator who oversaw special teams units that regressed across the board last season.

Pass the Maalox and prove everyone wrong, Conor.

There’s one constant amongst all the faces coming back in the return game, where Alabama has been remarkably feeble for years: Ryan Williams will be involved somewhere, probably at punt returns. Though, per Coach DeBoer, Germie Bernard could also be in the mix. It is an odd position that requires concentration and fearlessness as much as hands, vision, elusiveness or speed. In limited action last seasons, Hollywood was the only effective returner for the Crimson Tide in any phase of the kicking game. And despite KDB name-dropping Germie as returner, Jaylen Mbakwe has experience taking punts, and with his hands and speed and physicality seems the most logical backup, no matter who actually earns PR1. The question is whether KDB actually wants his sophomore All-American returning punts, or his most polished senior receiver doing the same?

Fifth-year Blake Doud was brought in from D2 powerhouse Colorado School of Mines, where he was his league’s ST player of the year. Again, per #sauces, he’s been booming them in practice. Let’s call it like it is: Doud was a one-year, affordable stop-gap, but he’s a solid punter and could wind up being the most consistent aspect of Alabama’s 2025 special teams. At the least, punting and punt returning are the one phase where we have the fewest concerns.

Kick returns have been a disappointing hot mess, and playmakers are needed. There is plenty of speed on the roster, but no one who has it under the nerfed kick return rules. Ideally you want some tandem of speed — Rico Scott is the fastest player on the team, and Cole Adams is also a burner — paired with a hands player at KR2. And this is where someone like Germie or ‘Bakwe comes in. I don’t know that there are other options back here, or at least plausible ones: the list of candidates mentioned by Coach Deboer has been terribly short.

At best, someone breaks out of the pack and finally helps to give ‘Bama some better field position. At worst, the kick return game is among the country’s poorest. Again.

Alabama signed 4.5 star Wisconsin LS Eli Deutsch at long snapper, and he will certainly be manning the position for four seasons…but he is a 2026 recruit. One presumes that Senior Alex Rozier, Hibbett’s backup the last three years, could earn the start. He’s quite tall for a long snapper, however, being listed at 6’4”, though he does have the thinner frame to emphasize speed off the ball. The Tide also accepted the entry of Cal Junior David Bird, who has a few things in his favor: He’s prototype size (he’s squat), is from the West Coast — and DeBoer just can’t help himself, has a bit more game experience (though not familiarity with Alabama’s system or any SEC game experience), and he has a bitchin’ mustache. I’d favor Rozier, but I’m being bullied into Bird by my colleagues, so we’ll go with that.

Besides, who can resist a sweet flavor saver?