TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Things are about to get a bit more interesting. After opening camp last month, Alabama will hold its first of three three spring scrimmages Friday inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. While the public will have to wait until A-Day to catch its first glimpse of the team, Friday’s scrimmage should begin to answer some questions about this year’s team.

With that in mind, here are 23 questions we have as Alabama prepares to hold its first scrimmage of the 2023 season.

Alabama’s new offensive coordinator is looking to bring back the Crimson Tide’s old identity. After spending the last six seasons at Notre Dame, Tommy Rees is set to take over the Tide’s offense as he takes over for Bill O’Brien, who departed for the NFL.

Rees, 30, has already brought a different energy than his 53-year-old predecessor with wide receiver Ja’Corey Brooks stating Wednesday that the first-year coordinator has “a little more swag in him,” allowing players to relate to him more. While Rees might offer a more youthful approach, his mission will be to reestablish Alabama’s old identity on the ground while bringing more balance to an offense that became overly reliant on former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young the past two seasons.

“He’s been a great guy, coming in with some great ideas for the team,” running back Jase McClellan said this week. “Switch up some things and just better our offense.”

Entering his third stint at Alabama, Kevin Steele knows exactly what Nick Saban wants in a defense.

The 64-year-old assistant served as Saban’s defensive coordinator during his first season with the Crimson Tide in 2007. He later served as Alabama’s director of player personnel in 2013 before working as a linebackers coach the following year. Now he’s set to take over a defense that has fallen from its typical standard the past two years.

Since joining the team, Steele hasn’t been shy about expressing his expectations to players

“Being physical, fast,” outside linebacker Chris Braswell said of Steele's message, “and eliminate mental errors and penalties.”

Alabama ranked tied for No. 126 nationally, committing 7.9 penalties per game. That came after it tied for No. 101 while averaging 7.1 flags the year before. Not all of those were whistles by the defense, but Steele’s disciplined approach should play a key role in helping the Tide avoid costly penalties this year.

Jalen Milroe showed what he can do with his legs while filling in for Young last season. However, if the redshirt sophomore is going to win Alabama’s starting quarterback job this year, he’ll need to show better touch through the air.

Milroe completed 58.5 percent of his passes for 297 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions over eight appearances last season. He particularly struggled with deep balls, going 0-for-5 on passes that traveled 20 or more yards through the air, according to Pro Football Focus.

That being said, the redshirt sophomore is more than capable of delivering a nice ball. Just look at the dime he delivered in practice last week.

Despite not playing a meaningful down at the college level, Ty Simpson enters the spring as the Alabama player with the best odds of winning the Heisman Trophy. The redshirt freshman quarter is listed at +3000 odds by Caesers Sportsbook, ahead of Milroe (+6000) and Jase McClellan (+7,500).

Of course, before he can live up to those expectations, he’ll have to lock down the starting job. Simpson has looked impressive glimpses, but he’s yet to perform under any real pressure since joining Alabama last offseason. That isn’t the case this year as he’s competing with Milroe for the starting role behind center.

At the moment, Alabama’s quarterback competition appears to be a two-man race between Milroe and Simpson. However, it’s still possible one of the Tide’s two true freshman passers could crash the party.

Alabama added a pair of four-star quarterbacks in Eli Holstein and Dylan Lonergan this offseason. While it's unlikely either will land their starting role in their first college season, Jalen Hurts proved in 2016 that Saban isn’t afraid to hand the reigns over to a true freshman.

The Crimson Tide is set to experiment with several combinations across the offensive line, but one interesting look has fifth-year senior Darrian Dalcourt switching over to guard in order to play alongside fellow senior Seth McLaughlin at center.

Dalcourt has started 16 games at center over the past two seasons but says he isn’t averse to changing positions in his final year with the team.

“It’s my first time playing guard, so, of course, it comes with learning, comes with mistakes,” Dalcourt said. “But you know you learn from those mistakes. It does nothing but add versatility to me and also the offensive line. So whatever I can do, whatever we can do as offensive linemen to become the best unit we can, we’re always going to do it.”

Alabama’s offense came up short too many times in crucial situations last season. The Tide converted on just 60% of its first-down opportunities when facing third and fourth downs with 2 or fewer yards to go, ranking 11th out of 14 SEC teams.

Those struggles don’t sit well with junior tackle, who said last month that he wants the offensive line to return to its “ruthless” ways this season.

“Every time we line up and get ready to hike the ball, I want them to be scared of us,” Latham said. “I want them to understand that we’re gonna hit them in the mouth every single play and get ready to play for four quarters.”

It’s been a while since Alabama’s biggest offensive weapon has come at the running back position, but that may be the case as McClellan enters his senior season.

The 5-foot-11, 212-pound back was the Crimson Tide’s second-leading rusher with 655 yards and tied for the team lead with seven touchdowns on the ground. He also reeled in 14 receptions for 174 yards while adding three more scores through the air.

With Jahmyr Gibbs departing for the NFL, McClellan should step into the lead role in Alabama’s backfield. Don’t be surprised if the Tide leans on him as it looks to break in a new quarterback early this fall.

Jermaine Burton might not have lived up to the hype after transferring to Alabama from Georgia last season. However, he did manage to lead all Crimson Tide receivers with 40 receptions for 677 yards while pulling in seven touchdowns through the air.

Burton ended his season on a high note, recording 18 catches for 352 yards and four touchdowns over his final four games. He also showed off his big-play ability, recording gains of 45 or more yards through the air in each of his last three outings.

Speaking of hype at the receiver position, Malik Benson has received plenty of praise since joining the Crimson Tide as the top-rated junior college prospect in this year’s class. The speedy receiver piled up 2,152 yards and 21 touchdowns on 97 receptions over two seasons at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College and figures to provide an instant impact this fall.

“I’ve been loving his energy, man,” Brooks said. “Since he came in since the bowl game, he’s been coming in working, bringing positive energy. Always want that leadership quality. I’ve been liking his energy so far.”

Alabama signed a handful of five-star players in this year’s class. Three of them — safety Caleb Downs, offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor and cornerback Desmond Ricks — are already on campus while edge rushers Keon Keeley and Yhonzae Pierre are set to arrive over the summer.

Downs and Proctor are projected to compete for starting roles at their respective positions. While Ricks might have a harder time breaking into the first-team defense at cornerback, he could still see the field during his first season.

It’s easy to gravitate toward the shiny new five-star talents, but Alabama could have a few hidden gems ready to break out on its roster. Here are three names to keep an eye on this spring.

— Redshirt sophomore Terrence Ferguson II doesn’t get mentioned a lot, but the 6-foot-4, 318 lineman is capable of providing a nice push and could fill one of Alabama’s starting guard spots.

— Redshirt freshman Jake Pope didn’t see the field last season but showed flashes behind the scenes last offseason. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound defensive back is currently working at safety but could also move to the STAR position if needed.

— Sophomore running back Jam Miller didn’t come into games until late last season but led all Alabama backs averaging 6.76 yards per carry. He should see his role increase in his second year with the program.

Deontae Lawson won’t feature this spring as he recovers from an offseason surgery. However, it’s a safe bet to assume the redshirt sophomore secures one of Alabama’s two starting spots at inside linebacker. The question is, who will play beside him in the heart of the defense?

Alabama returns several talented options, including Kendrick Blackshire, sophomore Jihaad Campbell and redshirt freshman Shawn Murphy. It also brought in Georgia transfer Trezmen Marshall and JUCO transfer Justin Jefferson. Rivals100 freshman Qua Russaw is also set to move inside but might spend more time on the edge this spring to help with the Crimson Tide’s temporary lack of depth at the outside linebacker position.

Most of the attention centers around how Alabama will replace Young at the quarterback position, but what about the other projected top-five pick leaving the program?

Will Anderson Jr. departed as one of the most prolific defenders in school history, recording a combined 34.5 sacks and 61 tackles for a loss over his three-year career. Although, while the standout edge rusher will be missed, Alabama’s outside linebacker unit still packs a serious punch. Even without Anderson, Alabama’s defense is set to feature five five-star talents in senior Chris Braswell, junior Dallas Turner, redshirt freshman Jeremiah Alexander and true freshmen Keon Keeley and Yhonzae Pierre.

After weighing 416 pounds during his high school days, Jaheim Oatis underwent a transformation during his first season at Alabama, dropping roughly 100 pounds while developing himself into a member of the SEC All-Freshman team last season.

The massive defensive tackle started 10 games for the Crimson Tide, recording 29 tackles, including two stops for a loss and a sack, to go with four quarterback hurries. Now listed at 6-foot-5, 328-pound, Oatis will look to continue his success as one of the leaders of Alabama’s defensive front.

Kool-Aid McKinstry is the only returning member of Alabama’s preferred nickel secondary from last season. However, the Crimson Tide has plenty of capable defensive backs as it looks to rebuild the unit. The challenge will be finding the right place to put them.

While McKinstry will likely remain in his starting role at cornerback, the rest of Alabama’s secondary is a bit of a puzzle. The Tide has several versatile options such as Malachi Moore, Terrion Arnold and Caleb Downs, who are all capable of playing at multiple positions. While that might make it difficult to project a depth chart, the flexibility should help the Crimson Tide ensure it fields its strongest unit this fall.

“I always feel like being able to play more positions and do more in the secondary can help you out, add more value to you,” McKinstry said last month. “I feel like that’s a good thing, Coach moving us around and just seeing where we fit in best to make the team the best it can be.”

After focusing exclusively on cornerbacks during his first season with the program last year, Travaris Robinson will oversee the entire secondary this season. The switch comes after safeties coach Charles Kelly left to become the defensive coordinator at Colorado. Having Robinson take on Kelly’s role will free up Steele to take a roaming approach during practice as the defensive coordinator.

“T-Rob has been here for a year. I think he’s a really good coach,” Saban said last month. “He’s been a coordinator before. I think he’s very capable. So Kevin Steele is going to walk around basically. So we have an inside ‘backer coach, an outside ‘backer coach, a D-line and a secondary coach.

“And then you’ve got me walking around, and I don’t know what exactly I contribute, but I’ll be out there walking around, doing something. They’re still trying to find something I can do, but I’m gonna try to do something. That’s really kind of how we’re organized.”

Alabama hasn’t had a tight end record 500 or more yards through the air since Irv Smith Jr. tallied 44 receptions for 710 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018. That could change this year as Maryland transfer C.J. Dippre looks to be the perfect fit for Rees’ attack.

Dippre started 12 games for the Terrapins last season, recording 30 receptions for 314 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers could rise significantly under Rees, who helped develop projected first-round pick Micael Mayer at Notre Dame.

As mentioned earlier, Alabama has a variety of options across the offensive line. However, one would serve as a serious recruiting flex for Saban and his staff.

The Crimson Tide has signed the top-rated offensive linemen in each of the last three recruiting classes, bringing in Latham in 2021 before adding Elijah Pritchett in 2022 and Proctor this season. All three five-star talents are in contention for a starting spot this season.

So far this spring, Latham and Pritchett have manned the two tackle positions with the first-team offense. Proctor has yet to break into the starting unit, but it is still very early.

James Burnip showed progress in his second season of American football, improving his punting average to 42.3 yards from 39.13 yards the year before. The former Australian rules footballer also provides a nice hangtime on his boot which helped limit opponents to just 6.42 yards per return last year. Still, Alabama ranked No. 73 nationally in yards per punt and could stand for Burnip to put a little more leg under his kicks.

For the second time in four seasons, Alabama had to watch the College Football Playoff from home. The Crimson Tide saw its 15-game winning streak over Tennessee snapped and also lost to LSU in Brian Kelly’s first year on the bayou. With murmurs of Alabama’s dynasty coming to a close, it will be interesting to see how players respond this season.

This is often a tongue-in-cheek question asked to players following the scrimmages. In reality, there isn’t necessarily a winner or a loser in scrimmages. Even if there was, Alabama players wouldn’t reveal it. Still, we should have somewhat of an idea if the offense is ahead of the defense or vice versa Friday.

On the topic of touchy questions, it’s always interesting to see what type of mood Saban is in coming out of the first scrimmage. Much to the head coach’s chagrin, there are bound to be several questions about the quarterback position. If Saban comes into the press conference already steamed, there could be fireworks.