Greg McElroy analyzes Alabama's chances to make College Football Playoff in 2024
The 2023 season ended in the College Football Playoff for Alabama with an overtime loss to the eventual national champions, Michigan. Shortly after that, head coach Nick Saban retired, clouding the future of the Crimson Tide program.
New head coach Kalen DeBoer knows that making the Playoff, especially as it expands to 12 teams, is expected of Alabama. However, as the roster suffers in the wake of Saban’s departure, that seems less and less likely. However, according to former Alabama quarterback and current analyst Greg McElroy, Alabama is still in a good spot.
“There has not been a team in the SEC that has experienced more change from last year to this year,” Greg McElroy said on Always College Football. “Obviously, Nick Saban shutting it down. In comes Kalen DeBoer. They’ve had a lot of leakage into the portal. A ton of guys, a lot of depth that was lost.”
Alabama has, to this point, lost 29 players to the Transfer Portal in the 2024 cycle. To this point, the Crimson Tide have brought in six players, though they’re players Greg McElroy is high on.
“Now, I think Alabama will be a huge player in May when the portal opens up. They’ve already added a couple of pieces from the portal this past weekend, like Parker Brailsford from Washington. They’ve added a couple pieces earlier in the portal cycle in Domani Jackson, the corner from USC, who was at one point a five-star. A defensive lineman, LT Overton from Texas A&M, who I think can be a really adequate replacement for Chris Braswell there on the end of the line of scrimmage,” McElroy said.
“So, you look at what they have, I think Alabama’s in a great spot. I know a lot of people are gonna latch onto the negativity, well, the perceived negativity of all these guys leaving in the portal, and yes, they lost some really good pieces. Some really good pieces. Okay. you talk about impact starters both offensively and defensively, losing Caleb Downs to Ohio State, losing Isaiah Bond to Texas, losing Seth McLaughlin to Ohio State, and losing Amari Niblack to Texas. Those are all starters going into next year. Now, people will say Seth McLaughlin, he was poised to get replaced anyways because of the errant snap issues. I get that and I actually think that Alabama has upgraded at the center position by bringing in Parker Brailsford from Washington in place of Seth McLaughlin who’s now going to Ohio State.”
Of course, Alabama has also lost key players to the NFL Draft. Despite that, McElroy is confident that there is still plenty of talent on the roster.
“So, I think Alabama has lost some key pieces, not to mention the guys they lost to the NFL Draft. Dallas Turner, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Terrion Arnold, JC Latham. They lost a lot of really good pieces but they still have Jalen Milroe. They still have good, high-quality young wide receivers. I think the addition of Germie Bernard from Washington is one that’s going to be really underrated…So, I think Alabama, even though it feels like the sky is falling, I’m still remarkably optimistic.”
From there, McElroy took a look at the Alabama schedule, which is noted for how difficult it’s going to be, and broke down how he thinks Alabama is capable of winning enough to make the College Football Playoff.
“Like when you look at their schedule, too, it’s tough. No one’s gonna sit here and try to spin that their schedule is manageable. It’s not. But I do think their schedule sets up pretty favorably. You get kind of an early season test at Wisconsin, you get Western Kentucky, who’s going to challenge that secondary. You get South Florida, who I think had a really good year last year, will also challenge the secondary but Alabama is going to have better pieces. Then, they go to Wisconsin. So, you get a couple of really high quality warm ups then you get to go to Wisconsin. Then, you get a break. You get Georgia at home after that. You get a couple of tough games there at Vandy, South Carolina, at Tennessee, Missouri. Very difficult stretch there in October. You get Mercer, Oklahoma, and Auburn to finish things out. You also, of course, have the road trip to LSU,” McElroy said.
“I think you look at Alabama’s schedule, 10-2 is highly likely. I think 11-1 is perfectly reasonable. Granted, beating Georgia at home will be a challenge. Beating LSU at LSU will be a real challenge. Winning at Tennessee will be a real challenge. Having Mizzou at home, if it were in Columbia, that’s a much tougher game but the fact that it’s at home is more manageable, and the road trip to Oklahoma before they play the Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa will be tricky as well.”
Ultimately, with the Playoff expanding to 12 teams, McElroy feels that the Crimson Tide should be able to do enough to make the Playoff in 2024.
“But I think Alabama…if Alabama is sitting there 10-2, 9-3, 11-1, I think the likelihood of them getting into the College Football Playoff because of the talent on the roster is still insanely high. So, the percentage chance that they make the 12-team Playoff, I’m gonna put Alabama at 70%.”
Greg McElroy reacts to Kadyn Proctor transferring to Iowa
One of the biggest names to transfer from Alabama since Nick Saban retired was offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor. He chose to go to Iowa, a move that Greg McElroy reacted to.
“(He) had a pretty solid season as a left tackle. Granted, there were a lot of ups and downs. He had a bunch of moments where he didn’t play so well and he had some other moments where he really looked comfortable. His best game ever was against Georgia in the SEC Championship. I do think that this style is going to be beneficial for Kadyn Proctor. We don’t know what Iowa’s offense is going to look like right now. But I do think a ground & pound where he can use his size, use his physicality will be more beneficial than being on an island like he was at times for the Crimson Tide,” McElroy said.
“The SEC? You’re going to have a lot of really twitchy pass rushers. That did not end well for Kadyn Proctor last year. A lot of people are all bent out of shape about the tampering. Y’all – it’s about relationships. It’s all about relationships. Iowa stayed in touch with Kadyn Proctor, maybe he was a little homesick. He’s now going to go home. At Iowa, if he slides in to play guard perhaps? If he drops a little bit of weight? I think he can be a difference maker, an All-Big Ten potential type of player for the Hawkeyes. Him returning home was huge. That’s a big addition for Iowa and Kirk Ferentz.”