Darrian Dalcourt feeling more comfortable after switching from center to guard

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama’s spring practices were the first time Darrian Dalcourt worked at guard since joining the Crimson Tide. Alabama’s Game 1 starter at center the last two seasons, Dalcourt returned for a fifth year, and with Seth McLaughlin also back, the Tide looked to get as many experienced offensive linemen on the field at the same time in 2023.

With a full spring, summer and fall camp working at guard under his belt, how does Dalcourt feel about his position switch as his final season as an Alabama player quickly approaches?

“So far, I feel like I’ve gotten more comfortable in every aspect,” Dalcourt said Thursday. “The more you do something, the better you get at it. I’ve definitely gotten more comfortable, and I’m looking forward to the next couple of practices to kind of polish that up for the first game.”

Dalcourt made the switch to guard in the spring and primarily worked at the left guard position. That continued at the start of the preseason, and the veteran competed with redshirt sophomore Terrence Ferguson earlier this month. Of late, however, Dalcourt has flipped sides to line up at right guard while Tyler Booker works beside freshman left tackle Kadyn Proctor.

Although Dalcourt has also seen some snaps at center before the 2023 campaign kicks off, his primary position has been guard, and he broke down the differences between playing with the football and without it as he continues to transition to a new spot on the offensive line.

“The football aspect, I would say just playing off the ball is a little bit different for me,” Dalcourt said. “When you’re a center, you’re on level zero, not a lot of separation between you and the defender. So I think the biggest difference was playing off the ball, having a little bit more time before you engage with the defender.”

Dalcourt has been Alabama’s starting center to begin the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but he has battled injuries, resulting in him missing time and McLaughlin getting his shot with the first unit. McLaughlin, also a senior, has only manned the center position this entire offseason and looks to be the starter. While they certainly compete, the duo has a solid relationship.

“I’m old now. Seth is kind of old now, too,” Dalcourt said. “But we’ve known each other for four years now, developed a great relationship. Me and him both playing the center position, it comes with a lot of similarities. We both do the same things. We both have the same mindset. 

“I think the relationship off the field carries onto the relationship on the field, whether it’s communication or just having fun out there.”

As a whole, Dalcourt said Alabama’s offensive line has developed “how we wanted to” over the course of the summer. The unit set goals, like being tougher and playing together as a unit, and has accomplished those up to this point. The offensive line’s mindset has been to be a more dominant force this fall, but how will this group do that rather than just talk about it?

“Something that we get coached on here at Alabama is how you practice is how you play,” Dalcourt said. “If you talk about it and you don’t practice it, it’s not going to show up on game day. I think something that we’ve developed is carrying that in practice, finishing every rep how we want to. 

“If a rep isn’t as good as we want to be, we talk about it, we’ll meet about it and then figure out how to correct it for the next rep. But it all starts with practice and how you finish in practice.”

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