Alabama’s defensive front received a boost for next season, as starting defensive tackle Tim Keenan III announced Saturday that he will be returning for his final year of eligibility.

Keenan started 12 games over 13 appearances, ranking second on the team with 7.5 tackles for a loss while recording 2.5 sacks and a pair of quarterback hurries. According to Pro Football Focus, the 6-foot-2, 326-pound defender led the team with a 90.3 run-defense grade while tying for third with an 85.6 overall defensive mark.

Keenan’s return is good news for an Alabama defensive line set to lose fellow starting defensive tackle Tim Smith. Keenan, a rising redshirt senior, is expected to retain his first-team role at the nose tackle position while rising junior James Smith is the leading candidate to fill in for Tim Smith at the other defensive tackle role.

Along with Tim Smith, Alabama lost Jeheim Oatis (Colorado), Damon Payne (Michigan) and Hunter Osborne (Virginia) to the transfer portal. The Crimson Tide added JUCO transfer Steve Mboumoua and freshman signee London Simmons as part of its 2025 class.