Tuscaloosa, Ala. - Between the excitement surrounding Kalen DeBoer’s high-flying offense and Kane Womack’s “swarm” defense as fall camp rolls on, Alabama’s special teams unit has the potential to be better than both. The Tide had to replace a pair of punt returners and star kicker Will Reichard this offseason. To fill Reichard’s shoes, Alabama picked up one of the top kickers in the transfer portal, while a crop of intriguing players should give Alabama options at returner in 2024.

Last season, Caleb Downs and Kool-Aid McKinstry served as the Crimson Tide’s primary punt return options. As Alabama looks to find its new top return man, DeBoer highlighted several players who have taken reps at returner during fall camp, including a wideout who DeBoer has seen field kicks firsthand at Washington.

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

While Bernard — who logged 305 yards across punt and kick returns in 2023 — is a familiar option for DeBoer, he is by no means the lone player working at returner. Wide receiver Kendrick Law has also been fielding kicks this fall. Law led Alabama in kick return snaps last season and according to DeBoer, has hit 23.6 MPH in workouts.

Along with Law, a few of Alabama's younger players are also getting reps at returner. DeBoer specifically mentioned a pair of former five-star recruits who could be intriguing options as return men in their first college seasons.

“We're also trying to bring some young guys. We got [Jaylen Mbakwe] back there. He’s been consistent, and [Ryan Williams] can do some things, we trust him catching the ball. A K-Law could be back there with the explosives he has in kick return and also punt return. There are a few others we continue to work through. We try to keep it a bigger pool then we do try to narrow it down.”

Mbakwe and Williams would give Alabama a pair of speedy options should they stick at retuner this season. Mbakwe transitioned from playing quarterback his senior high school season to his natural cornerback position and ran a 10.46 100-meter dash time.

Williams isn’t far off, having logged a 10.49 100-meter time and also has some experience fielding kicks inside Bryant-Denny Stadium. Williams took a kickoff to the house during the 2023 Alabama Class 6A state title game.

“What we want to do is always be developing players for the end of the season,” DeBoer said. “Hopefully, you have a few games where you don't need to send your number one guy out there because you trust your number two, maybe when you've got a lead or something like that. And then, a year or two from now, you want guys to have caught so many balls back there that you don't even flinch at the thought of putting them in the game.”

Of all the departures on Alabama's roster this offseason, Reichard is one of the hardest to replace. The current NCAA all-time points leader was a stout kicker for the Crimson Tide since his freshman season and connected on 87% of his attempts last season.

To best replace one of the most consistent players in recent Alabama history, the Tide dipped into the transfer portal and added 2023 Lou Groza Award winner Graham Nicholson from Miami (OH). Nicholson hit 26 of his 27 field goal attempts and 35 of 26 extra point tries for the Redhawks last season.

DeBoer said that Nicholson and the rest of Alabama’s kickers getting reps in the stadium has helped the group get more comfortable kicking inside Bryant-Denny.

“It’s been really good for our kickers to get in the stadium in the last week,” DeBoer said. “I think there are a lot of visual things and understanding the inside of the stadium, they continue to do that. On the practice field, it's been super consistent. So it's just a matter of translating that over here, and I thought this week was a step up, not just today but in the other days when they’ve been coming over here and doing their thing as well, whether it's with the team or on their own.”

While Alabama fans will see a new player on field goals this season, the Tide’s punting unit retains the most continuity among the team’s specialists in 2024. Redshirt senior and Australia native James Burnip returns for Alabama, having been ranked as Pro Football Focus’s No. 1 punter nationally in 2023. Among punters with at least 20 attempts in 2023, Burnip ranked No. 6 in yards per attempt with an average of 47.5.

According to DeBoer, Burnip got off to a rocky start this spring. But the Australian has found his form and won the confidence of his new head coach.

“The first couple days of spring ball, I thought ‘Man, he’s got a lot of potential, can be a little more consistent,” DeBoer said on Burnip. “ You saw it at the end of spring ball that consistency happened, and he’s been nothing but just phenomenal all camp from Day 1… He continues to not just kick it, you know, with great hang time and have distance but those specialty areas where you’re trying to pin guys, pin people down inside the 10, he’s been really, really consistent that way too.”

Along with Burnip, long-snapper Kneeland Hibbett returns for the Crimson Tide. The social media star was named first-team All-SEC in 2023. DeBoer said Saturday that he feels “really good” about the senior.