Position battles to watch for Alabama football on offense this spring

Alabama football is set to begin spring practice next week, with a lot of starting positions up for grabs on both sides of the ball.

The Crimson Tide’s offense has positions to fill across the board. Here is a look at the positions up for grabs on offense ahead of spring football:

Quarterback

The starting quarterback position at the University of Alabama remains one of the most coveted positions in the sport of college football. Keelon Russell and Austin Mack will likely compete for the position throughout the spring, summer and through fall camp. Alabama confirmed Ty Simpson would be its starting quarterback a little over two weeks before the Crimson Tide’s first game of the season against Florida State. It is likely the battle between Mack and Russell could have a similar duration.

Running Back

Daniel Hill will enter the spring as the frontrunner to start at running back for the Crimson Tide. He is coming off a season where he totaled 487 all-purpose yards. The Tide is likely looking to have a spark out of the backfield in 2026 after a down year on the ground in 2025. There will undoubtedly be a rotation of running backs used within the Alabama offense in the fall. The question essentially becomes who will crack the rotation at running back. Hill and Kevin Riley would get a lot of Alabama fans’ votes as returners. But many people are also excited about freshman and former five-star running back Ezavier Crowell. AK Dear should not be slept on as well. Alabama’s running back competition will be really intriguing.

Wide Receiver

All signs point to Ryan Williams being the only wide receiver with a for-sure spot penciled in as a starter for Alabama if he returns to his freshman-season form. Lotzeir Brooks has an argument to be in the same boat, but the spring will shed more light on the possibility of him being a starter out of the gate in 2026. Alabama rotated approximately six wide receivers within its offense throughout the 2025 season. Williams, Brooks, Isaiah Horton, Germie Bernard, Derek Meadows and Rico Scott all played meaningful snaps. Scott, Meadows, Williams and Brooks return to Alabama along with MJ Chirgwin. It is likely the Tide will strive to have a similar rotation with an intriguing group of wide receivers jockeying for position this spring. Noah Rogers joined this group via the portal. Cederian Morgan signed with Alabama in December and will be the only true freshman wideout participating in the spring. Who puts themselves in a position to earn playing time at wideout in 2026?

Offensive Line

Competition exists across Alabama’s football offensive line. The Crimson Tide lost five offensive linemen who started in games in 2025 at the end of the season—an additional four offensive linemen who were reserves decided to take their talents elsewhere. Alabama decided to add six offensive linemen from the portal and five from the high school and junior college ranks. Michael Carroll is the only returning Alabama offensive lineman with starting experience. He has experience playing guard and tackle. He is projected to start in 2026, but it is unclear where that will be at the moment. This spring will be eye-opening for the Tide’s offensive line. It should give a sneak peek into the early pecking order for the Tide upfront.

Tight End

Kaleb Edward returns after starting multiple games as a true freshman for Alabama at tight end. Danny Lewis is also back in Tuscaloosa after battling injuries throughout the 2025 football season. Marshall Pritchett and Jay Lindsey earned meaningful snaps at tight end last year, essentially making the quartet the favorites to contribute at tight end for Alabama in the fall. This spring will ultimately show who else should be considered a candidate to contribute at tight end for Alabama in 2026.