Alabama football WR Kobe Prentice believes he's a strong fit in Kalen DeBoer's offense
Kobe Prentice is excited.
And why wouldn't he be? The high-flying pass attack coming to Alabama football under new coach Kalen DeBoer is good news for any wide receiver, but especially Prentice. The Crimson Tide junior's explosiveness off the line of scrimmage and ability to get open quickly on shorter pass routes makes him a perfect fit for what DeBoer and co-offensive coordinators Nick Sheridan and JaMarcus Shephard are putting in place. That's not to say Prentice won't be involved in deeper pass routes, but he's well-suited to the slot position, where the route tree more often breaks off quick and short.
OFFENSIVE INSTALL: Alabama football OC Nick Sheridan believes these two positions trigger his offense
A-DAY EVENTS: Nick Saban to be part of Alabama football A-Day event schedule
"As much as we throw the ball, I've got to say yes. I do," Prentice said when asked if the offense suits his style of play. "I love this offense. We throw it around a lot. We run the ball enough to balance it out, but we've got a lot of guys flying around (in the passing game)."
The Washington pass offense that DeBoer oversaw last year took advantage of cheap, easy yardage against underneath coverage, much of it with quick outs, slants, screens and other routes that make a short passing attack effective. Shephard said Prentice has been a leader in the wide receiver room, as well.
"That young man has led the room, he really has. He's probably the most experienced guy as far as playing, but he's led the room in terms of 'get me the football.' That's been great to see from him," Shephard said. "He definitely has to get in his playbook more, but that's all of them. That's the expectation, to get in your playbook more and more. … He needs to make sure he knows every single detail we're doing in the offense, but he's learned it as good as anybody in the room."
That room also includes Kendrick Law and Germie Bernard, a transfer from Washington, who join Prentice as the Crimson Tide's most experienced receivers. It's a relatively young group, and as Shephard noted, there's plenty of learning still to be done. Alabama is also awaiting the enrollment of five-star recruit Ryan Williams, who could provide an immediate impact following a stellar high school career at Saraland.
Prentice, for one, welcomes all competition. He's still looking for a breakout year after two seasons at Alabama, he's rotated with enough regularity to make 49 career catches to date. His four career touchdowns include some huge plays, including a 79-yarder against Arkansas last year, a 47-yarder against the Razorbacks the previous year, and a 47-yard touchdown against Kansas State in the 2022 Sugar Bowl.
Fans will get their first look at Prentice in the DeBoer offense on April 13 at the annual A-Day game, which kicks off at 3 p.m. at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Calera native, a four-star recruit, just might be on the brink of that breakout year. And he's certainly in a good system for it.
"I think with this offense coming in, that brings that quick game style, I think it does fit me," Prentice said.
Reach Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Alabama football WR believes he's a perfect fit in DeBoer offense
