The Alabama football camp injury has caused…
With depth and experience from the 2023 squad, Alabama football’s middle linebacker group is among the team’s most reliable position groups going into the season.
The Crimson Tide return Jeremiah Alexander, Justin Jefferson, and Deontae Lawson from the previous campaign, along with Jihaad Campbell. Four players from 2023 are added to the team as true freshmen, while four others are gone: Trezmen Marshall (declared for the NFL Draft), Ian Jackson (transfer to UTSA), Shawn Murphy (transfer to Florida State), and Kendrick Blackshire (transfer to Texas).
In addition, Kane Wommack, the new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Crimson Tide, will be using his “Swarm” 4-2-5 defensive strategy. Inside linebackers were coached by Robert Bala under head coach Nick Saban, and outside linebackers were coached by Coleman Hutzler.
Before fall camp began, this is how Alabama’s linebacker room looked. All scholarship players are listed, along with any noteworthy walk-ons:
The linebacker options available to Alabama football
Jihaad Campbell, Jr., and Deontae Lawson, Jr., are the expected starters.
Reserves: Cayden Jones, fr.; Justin Okoronkwo, fr.; Quinton Reese, fr.; Jeremiah Alexander, r-so.; Justin Jefferson, sr.; Sterling Dixon, fr.
Despite missing three games due to injury, 6-foot-2, 230-pound redshirt junior Lawson started 11 games for the Crimson Tide. Lawson recorded three sacks, four quarterback hurries, four pass breakups, and 67 tackles—5.5 of which were for loss—by the end of the season. In 2023, he was also a finalist for the Butkus Award, which goes to the best linebacker in the country every year.
Although Campbell has struggled with injuries while at the Capstone, he should be fully healthy going into the season. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior played in 13 games and earned eight starts for Alabama’s football team the previous year. Along with two fumble recoveries, he finished with 66 tackles, four for loss, half a sack, three quarterback pressures, three pass breakups, and an interception.
In 2023, Alexander played both inside and outside linebacker and made a contribution on special teams. Over the course of 14 games, he recorded three tackles by season’s end. The other returning linebacker for Alabama, Jefferson, played mostly on special teams last season, but he finished with four tackles and one forced fumble in 14 games.
According to the 247Sports Composite, Dixon is rated as a four-star recruit, while Reese, Jones, and Okoronkwo are three-star talents who will attend Tuscaloosa.
The positive
The expertise that Alabama has between Lawson and Campbell is extensive.
With 67 and 66 total tackles, respectively, Lawson and Campbell were second and third on the team in 2023.
Despite battling injuries, Lawson assumed complete command of Alabama’s middle linebacker role in 2023, and this season, expect him to do even more so. Lawson will basically be the quarterback of the Crimson Tide’s defense because he will be the one wearing the new helmet communication device, a provision that was implemented this summer by the NCAA.
