Mailbag: Alabama football fans sound off on 2023 season, 2024 expectations | Goodbread
Alabama football was a wild ride in 2023. Tumultuous to start, thrilling at times, frustrating at others, and ultimately ending with a Rose Bowl loss in a College Football Playoff semifinal.
Below, readers of The Tuscaloosa News weigh in on what they saw and how they felt about it. Onto the mailbag!
Barry from Brunswick writes: Despite the improvement throughout the year, the same problems plagued them the entire year. Protection was an issue all year. Bad snaps. Oh, the bad snaps. Milroe's athleticism survived most of them, but in crucial moments, they were costly. I hope there is consistency in the coaching staff to continue the growth that we witnessed as the season progressed. Should be an exciting season coming up.
Hey Barry: You've touched on one of three key questions for Alabama entering 2024: the offensive line, along with outside linebacker and cornerback. As for the coaching staff, although two position coaches already have moved on, I do expect both coordinators to return.
MOVING ON: Alabama football running back Roydell Williams enters transfer portal
COMING BACK: Deontae Lawson will stay with Alabama football for 2024
Matt from Baton Rouge writes: Count me among those happy with this season. I found myself saying, around mid-November, what a fun season it's been because of the challenges and growth. That remains true despite the Rose Bowl. Losing to Jim Harbaugh sucked because he's such a (jerk), but I also accept we can't win the title every year. Beating Auburn and LSU is the next best option.
Hey Matt: Earlier in the season, I wrote that 2023 was Nick Saban's best coaching job in 17 years, largely because of the growth you mention. In three months' time, an SEC title went from pipedream to pinnacle.
Alex from Florence writes: Success in college football is best defined by winning your conference, and this year Alabama won ours. I'm proud of the resilience they showed in overcoming adversity (much of which was of their own making), but they still overcame it. While this was a frustrating team at times, I also had more fun watching them win games than most teams of the Saban era. Roll Tide.
Hey Alex: Respect for Alabama as a program went up, not down, on the whole this season, owing to the SEC title you mentioned. Had Georgia beaten Alabama and gone on to three-peat, the perception of Crimson Tide football would be decidedly different right now.
Shane from Lakeway, Tex., writes: Now that Ty Simpson has announced he is returning in 2024, I’m very interested to see if the coaches will make Jalen and Ty (and Sayin) compete for the starting job again. Jalen undoubtedly has more upside, but Simpson may offer more consistency.
Hey Shane: After an 11-win regular season, it should be Milroe's job to lose. But that doesn't mean there won't be a competition. After all, it was just six years ago that Jalen Hurts also won 11 regular-season games and lost the starting nod the following year.
Matt from Nashville writes: Never expected to sniff the playoffs after our first few games. Pleased with the improvement of Milroe, O-line, and Tommy Rees as the season progressed. Can't put all of the blame on Seth (McLaughlin) for the Rose Bowl. Rees called a strange game (IMO) and didn't stick with the run as much as we appeared to be having success with it. Overall pleased with the season, but will always wonder "what if".
Hey Matt: Sacks of Milroe had the effect of undermining Alabama's ability to run the ball in the first half against the Wolverines. UM also played deep coverage in the secondary to prevent Milroe from throwing over the top. It was an ideal defensive plan executed by the No. 1-ranked defense in the country.
Tuscaloosa News columnist Chase Goodbread is also the weekly co-host of Crimson Cover TV on WVUA-23 and the Talkin' Tide podcast. Reach him at cgoodbread@gannett.com. Follow on Twitter @chasegoodbread.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Mailbag: Alabama football fans sound off on 2023 season
