How Dallas Turner’s story helps Alabama’s young offensive linemen

Offensive line depth was one of Nick Saban’s biggest concerns exiting Alabama football’s first scrimmage on Saturday. Sure, the top part of the group looks solid, with JC Latham and Seth McLaughlin continuing to impress.

But looking down the depth chart, Saban wanted more.

“I just think we need to get more guys in the offensive line to be able to play winning football and we need to add depth to the group,” Saban said. ” We have maybe six, seven guys that I think are in play but we need a lot more than that to get through the season.”

Latham, speaking to media on Wednesday, said the quest for more depth is is something he’s talked to the team’s younger players about. The junior said he was trying to impress upon them how quickly they could be called into action.

He used one of their all-SEC teammates as a case study.

“I use Dallas Turner as an example,” Latham said, speaking of the Crimson Tide’s edge-rusher. ” Guys in front of him, even though Dallas is an amazing player today, before — his freshman year — guys in front of him went down, and he had to step up. He did a great job at that, because he was prepared. So just letting younger guys know that, like, just because you might not be where you are, or where you want to be in that moment, you never know what can happen.”

Besides Latham and McLaughlin, the offensive line includes names like Tyler Booker, Terrence Ferguson II and Darrian Dalcourt. The left tackle spot features a battle of youngsters, with redshirt freshman Elijah Pritchett and true freshman Kadyn Proctor fighting for reps.

Latham said the key to a successful transition for either of them will be maturity.

“This isn’t high school no more,’ Latham said. “If you mess up on a play, they’re not gonna be like, ‘Oh, you’re a freshman.’ If you’re a freshman out there, they don’t care. So it’s like, they want to understand that every play matters. We tell guys that hey, if you mess up, you’re [inaudible] gonna get the quarterback lit up. It’s a big deal. Guys on the other team are not taking it easy on you. This is Alabama. They see the ‘A’ on your chest. They are gonna come at your neck. You got to be ready for that.”

Besides Pritchett and Proctor, the Tide will be hoping for quality depth from more of its younger linemen. That could include some of its 2023 true freshmen, including Olaus Alinen, Wilkin Formby and Miles McVay, all four-star prospects.

Alabama will continue camp through Aug. 26 before opening the season Sept. 2 against Middle Tennessee State at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

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