How Early Enrollees are Benefitting Alabama in ReliaQuest Bowl Prep

Some of the Crimson Tide's newest faces are helping the team get ready for the bowl matchup against Michigan while adjusting to the college level.

12/28/24 MFB Bowl Practice in Tampa / Alabama Athletics

TAMPA, Fla.–– The ReliaQuest Bowl is all about the opportunity for the 2024 Alabama squad to finish the year strong, but the week of bowl prep and the game itself also serve as a springboard into the future.

While Alabama hasn't had any players expressly opt out for the bowl game against Michigan, the Crimson Tide will still be down in numbers at multiple positions because of injuries and transfers. This allows some of the backups and underclassmen to get more practice and game reps, including some of the newest members of the Crimson Tide.

Four of Alabama's early enrollees were spotted practicing with the team as members of the scout team down in Tampa on Saturday: edge rusher Justin Hill, safety Ivan Taylor and inside linebackers Duke Johnson and Luke Metz.

With all of those guys on the defensive side of the ball, Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said this is one of his favorite times of the year getting to work with fresh talent and described the feeling like Christmas morning as a kid.

"It's great when you can sign a young man and then literally within two weeks, he’s on your campus and taking part in practice," Wommack said after Friday's practice. "Those guys – I think our coaches did a really good job in the offseason, in the summertime, during the season of even installing a little bit of our defense to those younger players. So it wasn’t like they came in totally cold turkey. They knew some things. But we go right in and they’re taking snaps Day 1, and then they’re going with the scout team and they’re taking snaps, as well.

“So really excited about those guys. It’ll be great when we can get them in more in spring ball and all that stuff.”

More of Alabama's 2025 signing class will be joining the team in the spring as early enrollees, but for now those handful of guys the adjustment to college football and playing at Alabama starts early. Wommack talked about how steep the learning curve can be for freshmen coming in, but as evidenced by guys like Ryan Williams and Zabien Brown, freshmen can and will step in to play right away for Alabama each year.

While the early enrollees won't play in the bowl game for the Crimson Tide, they are still allowed to practice with the team, which serves two purposes. It helps the young guys begin learning the system and how Alabama practices work, and it benefits the starters in Michigan prep as the early enrollees work on scout team.

"They’re very helpful,” Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe said. “It’s very helpful to have some guys who can come in at the DB position and the linebacker corps. It’s been big for us, just getting another look. I think that’s so important. People misinterpret when it comes to playing on Saturdays. It comes down to preparation and what you get from the scout team. … We’re definitely appreciative of the young bucks giving us a look.”

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