Alabama football: 2020 linebacker preview
By Ty Butler
After losing 2 key backers in 2019, Alabama football will look for depth in 2020.
There’s no denying that the Alabama football team was forced to eat a big piece of humble pie last season. The ingredients included: 2 tablespoons of reality check and about 9 cups of salt- all provided by the good people in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Auburn, Alabama.
But the dish wasn’t solely served by 2 losses to in-conference teams in the West. There were many internal issues which helped create the recipe for disaster.
Injuries to linebackers Dylan Moses and Josh McMillon certainly placed a major roadblock between the Tide and their path to postseason success. While other players subsequently stepped up to fill the vacant positions, Alabama struggled to continue their Playoff appearance streak.
As we begin to look at the 2020 roster, it’s hard not to notice the abundance of players filling the linebacker room- a total of twenty to be exact.
There’s no shortage of talent either. Nick Saban added 5 freshman to the position group, 3 of them being former 5-star recruits. And with the return of Dylan Moses and Josh McMillon, it looks like we’ll see major improvements at the second-level.
Here’s a full dive into Alabama’s depth at linebacker.
Alabama football: Scout & Special Teams Players
While these players are unlikely to see significant playing time in crucial moments, we can expect to see them occupy special team roles.
Quandarrius Robinson– Freshman- A 4-star summer enrollee who will have the opportunity to make a difference in the future, but will likely be limited to special teams in 2020.
Joe Donald– RS Senior- Has yet to see the field at any point during his collegiate career, but still serves a purpose on the scout team.
Julian Lowenstein– Sophomore- At 201 pounds, Lowenstein is far too undersized to occupy time during an actual game. Again, likely to remain as a scout team specialist.
Matthew Barnhill– Sophomore- Another scout team player who will likely maintain the practice role throughout his tenure at Alabama football.