Former Alabama QB Greg McElroy shared glowing reviews of the Crimson Tide’s first preseason scrimmage. But there were also some concerns.
Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy shared glowing reviews of the Crimson Tide’s first preseason scrimmage, especially for the quarterbacks. But there were also some concerns.
Speaking on his weekday radio show, McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, the former Alabama starter revealed which elements of the 2025 Crimson Tide team still appear a bit unsettled.
“I’m a little concerned about special teams, if I’m going to be completely honest,” McElroy said. “A couple takeaways of concern. I’m curious to see how the pecking order is ultimately going to end up at tight end. I am also a little concerned about punter and kicker.
“I don’t know a lot about those positions. It’s not one we spend a ton of time on this offseason. But that is, I think, something worth monitoring from this point forward.”
Alabama has to replace all three specialists from last year’s team, with James Burnip, Graham Nicholson and Kneeland Hibbett running out of eligibility. The Crimson Tide brought in a couple of transfers as well as a true freshman punter this offseason. Cal transfer David Bird seems to have a good shot at being the starting long snapper for Alabama in his first year.
Newcomers Blake Doud and Alex Asparuhov are the options at punter, but Asparuhov missed the spring due to injury. Doud brings Division II experience to Tuscaloosa, but his battle with the true freshman continues to be an open one – and one that is still a big question mark.
Conor Talty is back after handling kickoffs last year, and the redshirt sophomore is the favorite to take over the placekicking duties from Nicholson. But McElroy does not seem sold just yet.
As for the tight end position, Alabama has to replace two starters there, as well. Josh Cuevas is expected to be the top tight end option, but he has been limited to start preseason camp. UA also welcomed back Danny Lewis and Jay Lindsey and added two transfers (Brody Dalton and Jack Sammarco) and two freshmen (Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett).
Cuevas and Dalton are both entering their fifth and final years of collegiate eligibility, but the rest of Alabama’s tight end room is relatively inexperienced, making it one of the top unknowns.
While McElroy shared concerns, his overall review of the Tide’s first scrimmage was positive.
“No. 1 overall, I feel really good about what I saw,” McElroy said. “First scrimmage, nine practices in, really eight practices that being the ninth, it was very clean. Usually, first scrimmage, the defense is way ahead of the offense. Usually, first scrimmage, it’s still a work in progress offensively. You’re probably going to turn it over a time or two. You’re probably going to have a couple mistakes with protections and you’re going to have some busted routes and things like that.
“On one hand, I can count the amount of mistakes made in the game. Look, I didn’t watch the tape, but just from the layman’s point of view, it looked like there were five instances in which the receiver and the quarterback might not have been on the same page. It looked like there were maybe a handful in which the protection wasn’t super sound. There was one busted coverage.
“All things considered, man, I thought it was a very, very, very strong first scrimmage.”
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Category: General Sports
