Don’t look now, but Alabama’s special teams units aren’t too shabby. Better yet, go ahead and look. Gone are the days when Crimson Tide fans had to hide their eyes every time the offense and defense left the field.

This year, Alabama’s specialists should be among its biggest strengths.

It all starts with Will Reichard, who is back for his final season as he looks to cement himself as the best kicker in program history. The super senior leads Alabama’s all-time list for field-goal percentage, making 82.7% of his kicks over the past four years. His 62 made field goals are fourth-most in school history, 21 behind Leigh Tiffin’s record of 83 set from 2006-09.

For the first time since JK Scott departed for the NFL in 2018, Alabama is starting to build some consistency at punter as well. Redshirt junior James Burnip likely won’t contend for a Ray Guy Award this fall, but the former Australian rules footballer is showing steady growth, improving his average to 42.3 yards per punt last season while allowing opponents just 6.42 yards per return.

“We’re really glad to have both those guys back,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “You’ve gotta have great special teams, and sometimes people just look at the specialist and they evaluate the special teams. So our specialists should be really, really good, so we’ve gotta build really, really good special teams around them so that that can be a real asset for us this season.”

Alabama’s special teams talent doesn’t end at its specialist either. The Tide returns Kool-Aid McKinstry, who ranked second nationally averaging 15.86 yards per punt return last season. Alabama loses last year’s primary kick returner in Jahmyr Gibbs but should still have a wide variety of playmakers available to step into the role. Dynamic receivers Emmanuel Henderson and Kendrick Law took on the duties during the A-Day scrimmage this spring.

Could this actually be Alabama’s best special teams unit?

Despite its past struggles, the Tide has had some special teams success during the Saban era.

The 2016 unit was headlined by Scott at punter but also featured a solid performance from kicker Adam Griffith as well several capable returners such as Eddie Jackson, Trevon Diggs, Xavian Marks and ArDarius Stewart.

Alabama’s 2009 unit had a Lou Groza Award finalist in Tiffin as well as one of the nation’s most electric returners in Javier Arenas. Meanwhile, P.J. Fitzgerald held his own as a punter.

Here’s a look at how Alabama’s returning players performed last year and how they stack up to the Tide’s previous best special teams units.

Will Reichard (2022) — 84.6 FG% (22 of 26), 100.0 EP% (64 of 64)

Adam Griffith (2016) — 75.0 FG% (21 of 28), 98.5 EP% (66 of 67)

Leigh Tiffin (2009) — 85.7 FG% (30 of 35), 91.3 EP% (42 of 46)

Who’s the best? Tiffin isn’t appreciated enough, but Reichard has to be the pick here. The Hoover, Ala., native snapped the jinx on Alabama kickers and has been near automatic since joining the team in 2019.

James Burnip (2022) — 42.3 yards per punt (44 punts), 6.42 opponents yards per return

JK Scott (2016) — 47.19 yards per punt (64 punts), 10.65 opponents yards per return

P.J. Fitzgerald (2009) — 41.5 yards per punt (58 punts), 9.18 opponents yards per return

Who’s the best? Scott runs away with this one. There’s no debating him as the best punter in program history, and 2016 was arguably his best season. Burnip edges out Fitzgerald for second in this trio. While the Australian hasn’t put up big averages on kicks, he’s routinely booted the ball high enough to eliminate returns from the opposition.

Kool-Aid McKinstry (2022) — 15.86 yards per return (21 returns)

Eddie Jackson (2016) — 23.0 yards per return, two touchdowns (11 returns)

Javier Arenas (2009) — 15.41 yards per return, one touchdown (32 returns)

Who’s the best? Arenas is probably the best punt returner in program history, but it’s hard to beat the 2016 version of Jackson. Who knows if teams would have still kicked to Jackson had he not broken his leg midway through the 2016 season, but two touchdowns and a 23-yard average on 11 returns is insane. McKinstry has a slightly better average than Arenas here, but Javy gets the non for his touchdown and because he put together his average over a whopping 32 returns.

It’s also worth noting that Marks was also electric in a small sample size in 2016, averaging 21 yards on five returns while bringing back a punt 75 yards for a score against Kent State.

Emmanuel Henderson/Kendrick Law — N/A

Trevon Diggs (2016) — 23.71 yards per return (seven returns)

ArDarius Stewart (2016) — 20.13 yards per return (eight returns)

Xavian Marks (2016) — 17.57 yards per return (seven returns)

Javier Arenas (2009) — 29.0 yards per return (19 returns)

Terry Grant (2009) — 22.0 yards per return (eight returns)

Who’s the best? This one is incomplete as we don’t know for sure who will return kicks for Alabama this season. Still, it’s hard to imagine anyone being as dominant as Arenas was in 2009. Diggs and Stewart were solid in 2016, but the projection here is that this year’s kick-returning duo will put up bigger numbers.

Alabama has the tools to put together its best-ever special teams unit, but it’s going to need a few players to step up first. Burnip will have to continue to progress in his third season of American football. Meanwhile, whoever earns the Tide’s two kick returning roles will have big shoes to fill in order to keep up with past stars.

That being said, Alabama arguably has the nation’s top kicker in Reichard as well as its most dangerous punt returner in McKinstry. Special teams will certainly be a must-watch event for Alabama this fall.