Who Could Be Returning Punts, Kicks for Alabama This Season

Kalen DeBoer gave some of the Crimson Tide's options at returner after the final scrimmage of all camp.

Oct 21, 2023; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Kendrick Law (19) carries up the field against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— Every player who returned a punt for Alabama last season is no longer on the Crimson Tide roster. Alabama utilized Kendrick Law and Roydell Williams in the kick return game last season with Law taking the bulk of the returns.

Law will likely be back in one of the kick returner spots, but the Crimson Tide coaching staff is still working through options at the other positions as Alabama wrapped up its final scrimmage of fall camp. Head coach Kalen DeBoer outlined his approach in the returns game and some of the players that are in the mix.

"There are a couple of different ways you can look at it," DeBoer said after Saturday's scrimmage. "You can go with the veterans. Being around Germie Bernard as a returner, he’s done them both, you’re comfortable with him catching the ball. You’re comfortable with him making good decisions, especially when the punt coverage team is flying down the field. He’s going to make those good decisions."

Bernard returned both punts and kicks some for Washington last season. The wide receiver had 10 kick returns for 233 yards and three punts returns for 43 yards.

DeBoer and the staff are also working on having younger guys ready. He wants to have a stable of people ready for late in the season or for future seasons. He also didn't rule out the possibility of a younger player in the role for Week 1 against Western Kentucky. He named freshman defensive back Jaylen Mbakwe and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams as potential options that have impressed in camp.

"Really what we want to do is always be developing players for the end of the season," DeBoer explained. "Those moments hopefully where you don’t want to send your No. 1 guy out there and you have enough trust in your No. 2 if you’ve got a lead or something like that. And then also a year from now, two years from now, you just want to have guys that have caught so many balls back there that you don’t even flinch having to think about putting them in the game.”

"We’ve got Mbakwe back there as a young guy as one of the young guys I would refer to. He’s been really consistent. Ryan can do some things, and we trust him catching the ball. K-Law could be back there with the explosives he has, especially I think maybe in a kick return, but also in a punt return. There’s a few others that we continue to work through. Try to keep it a bigger pool rather than really narrow it down.”

See also:

What Kalen DeBoer Said After Alabama's Last Fall Scrimmage

Alabama 'Relatively Healthy' After Final Scrimmage of Fall Camp