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With Alabama’s spring practice underway, BamaInsider is previewing each position. We wrap up our previews today with the special teams.
Things have to get better for Alabama’s kicking game this season, if for no other reason than they can’t get much worse. The Crimson Tide finished tied for No. 120 in the nation with a 90.2 percentage on extra points and ranked No. 128 in punting, averaging 35.76 yards per attempt. Alabama’s nine failed extra points were more than it had missed in the past eight seasons combined, while its punting average was the lowest its been in the Nick Saban era.
Alabama loses graduate transfer Austin Jones, who made 1 of 2 field goals and 8 of 11 extra points last season. The Crimson Tide will also be without one of the best parts of its special teams unit in running back Josh Jacobs, who averaged 30.57 yards per kick return, including a 77-yard touchdown against Louisville in the season-opener.
Returning players
Alabama returns its starting kicker in Joseph Bulovas as well as its starting punter in Mike Bernier. Bulovas made 14 of 18 field goals, including a career-long 49-yarder against Mississippi State. He set the Alabama single-season extra-point record with 75 despite missing on six tries. Bulovas also held kickoff duties and averaged 61.65 yards per kick with 44 touchbacks. Bernier took over punting duties midway through the season, averaging 38.04 yards per punt with a long of 48 yards. He dropped four punts inside the 20 and forced nine fair catches.
Alabama also brings back Skyler DeLong, who lost out to Bernier after averaging 34.44 yards per punt on 16 attempts. The Crimson Tide also returns its two long snappers in starter Thomas Fletcher and backup Scott Meyer. Meyer put his name in the transfer database this offseason but is still listed on Alabama’s official roster.
The most exciting returnee comes in receiver Jaylen Waddle, who averaged 14.56 yards per punt return, including a 63-yard touchdown against Louisiana. Waddle tallied just 16 returns last year as teams soon opted to kick away from him.
