The 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide football team represented the University of Alabama in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This season marked the Crimson Tide's 124th overall season, 85th as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), and 27th within the SEC Western Division. They played their home games at Bryant–Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and were led by twelfth-year head coach Nick Saban.
Alabama, coming off a national championship winning season in 2017, began the season ranked first in the AP Poll for the third consecutive year and fifth time under Nick Saban. The Tide opened the year with a dominant victory over Louisville in the Camping World Kickoff played in Orlando, Florida. Alabama won their remaining regular season games to achieve their second undefeated regular season in three years. As champions of the SEC's Western Division, they played in the 2018 SEC Championship Game, defeating Eastern Division champion Georgia, in a rematch of the 2017 national title game, 35–28, to win the school's 27th SEC title. In the final College Football Playoff rankings of the year, Alabama was ranked first, which earned them their fifth consecutive playoff berth and a spot in the 2018 Orange Bowl against fourth-ranked Oklahoma. Alabama won that game 45–34 to advance to the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship against Clemson, their fourth consecutive playoff match-up against Clemson and the third to be in a national title game. The Crimson Tide lost in a blowout, 44–16, representing the Tide's worst loss in the Saban era.
The Crimson Tide were led on offense by sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who won the starting job over two-year starter Jalen Hurts. Tagovailoa set the NCAA FBS record for passing efficiency rating (199.4), was a consensus first-team All-American, and finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy behind Oklahoma's Kyler Murray. Hurts, despite losing the starting role, received praise for sticking with the team and helping to mount a comeback in the SEC Championship Game when Tagovailoa went down with an ankle injury. Also receiving consensus first-team All-America honors on offense were wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, winner of the Biletnikoff Award, and offensive tackle Jonah Williams. On defense, Alabama featured two consensus All-Americans, defensive lineman Quinnen Williams and defensive back Deionte Thompson.
Offseason Offseason departures
Name Number Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Notes Minkah Fitzpatrick #29 DB 6'1 202 Junior Jersey City, NJ Declared for the 2018 NFL draft Ronnie Harrison #15 DB 6'3 214 Junior Tallahassee, FL Declared for the 2018 NFL draft Daron Payne #94 DT 6'2 308 Junior Irondale, AL Declared for the 2018 NFL draft Calvin Ridley #3 WR 6'1 190 Junior Coconut Creek, FL Declared for the 2018 NFL draft Bo Scarbrough #9 RB 6'2 235 Junior Northport, AL Declared for the 2018 NFL draft Cam Sims #17 WR 6'5 214 Senior Monroe, LA Graduated Anthony Averett #28 CB 6'0 185 Senior Woodbury, NJ Graduated Tony Brown #2 DB 6'0 198 Senior Beaumont, TX Graduated Rashaan Evans #32 LB 6'3 234 Senior Auburn, AL GraduatedLevi Wallace #39 CB 6'0179 Senior Tucson, AZ Graduated Bradley Bozeman #75 C 6'5 314 Senior Roanoke, AL Graduated Mekhi Brown #48 LB 6'4249 RS Sophomore Columbus, GA Transferred to Tennessee State. Da'Shawn Hand #9 DE 6'4 288 Senior Woodbridge, VA Graduated J. K. Scott #10 P 6'6 202 Senior Denver, CO Graduated Joshua Frazier #69 DT 6'4 315 Senior Springdale, AR Graduated Dallas Warmack #59 OL 6'2 299 RS Sophomore Atlanta, GA Transferred to Oregon.
Recruiting
The 2018 football recruiting cycle was the first in which the NCAA authorized two signing periods for high school seniors in that sport. In addition to the traditional spring period starting with National Signing Day on February 7, 2018, a new early signing period was introduced, with the first such period falling from December 20–22, 2017.
Source:
Incoming transfers Alabama added one transfer to the 2018 roster.
Name No. Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Prev. School Austin Jones #29 PK 5'10" 205 Senior (Grad Transfer) Orlando, FL Temple
Returning starters
Offense
Player Class Position Jalen Hurts Junior Quarterback Damien Harris Senior Running backJerry Jeudy Sophomore Wide receiver Henry Ruggs Sophomore Wide receiver DeVonta Smith Sophomore Wide receiver Hale Hentges Senior Tight end Lester Cotton Senior Guard Ross Pierschbacher Senior Guard Jonah Williams Junior Offensive tackleReference:
Defense Player Class Position Isaiah Buggs Senior Defensive end Terrell Lewis Junior Linebacker Mack Wilson Junior Linebacker Dylan Moses Sophomore Linebacker Raekwon Davis Junior Defensive tackleReference:
Special teams
Player Class Position Austin Jones GS Senior Placekicker Trevon Diggs Junior Kick returnerReference:
Position key {| class="wikitable" |- |Back |B |rowSpan="6" style="background-color:lightgrey;"| |Center |C |rowSpan="6" style="background-color:lightgrey;"| |Cornerback |CB |rowSpan="6" style="background-color:lightgrey;"| |Defensive back |DB |- |Defensive end |DE |Defensive lineman |DL |Defensive tackle |DT |End |E |- |Fullback |FB |Guard |G |Halfback |HB |Kicker |K |- |Kickoff returner |KR |Offensive tackle |OT |Offensive lineman |OL |Linebacker |LB |- |Long snapper |LS |Punter |P |Punt returner |PR |Quarterback |QB |- |Running back |RB |Safety |S |Tight end |TE |Wide receiver |WR
Preseason Award watchlists Listed in the order that they were released
Lott TrophyAnfernee JenningsLBJRChuck Bednarik AwardAnfernee JenningsLBJRRaekwon DavisDEJRMack WilsonLBJRMaxwell AwardJalen HurtsQBJRTua TagovailoaQBSODamien HarrisRBSRDavey O'Brien AwardJalen HurtsQBJRDoak Walker AwardDamien HarrisRBSRJohn Mackey AwardHale HentgesTESRRimington TrophyRoss PierschbacherOLRS SRButkus AwardAnfernee JenningsLBJRDylan MosesLBSOMack WilsonLBJRBronko Nagurski TrophyRaekwon DavisDEJR Outland TrophyJonah WilliamsOLJRRoss PierschbacherOLRS SRPaul Hornung AwardTrevon DiggsDBJRWuerffel TrophyHale HentgesTESRWalter Camp AwardRaekwon DavisDLJRDamien HarrisRBSRTed Hendricks AwardIsaiah BuggsDESRRaekwon DavisDEJREarl Campbell Tyler Rose AwardJalen HurtsQBJR
SEC media poll The SEC media poll was released on July 20, 2018, with the Crimson Tide predicted to win the West Division and the SEC.
Preseason All-SEC teams The Crimson Tide had 13 players at 14 positions selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.
Offense
1st team
Damien Harris – RB
Jonah Williams – OL
Ross Pierschbacher – C
2nd team
Lester Cotton – OL
3rd team
Jerry Jeudy – WR
Matt Womack – OL
Defense
1st team
Raekwon Davis – DL
Anfernee Jennings – LB
Mack Wilson – LB
Deionte Thompson – DB
2nd team
Isaiah Buggs – DL
3rd team
Dylan Moses – LB
Specialists
2nd team
Trevon Diggs – all purpose player
3rd team
Trevon Diggs – RET
Spring game The 2018 Crimson Tide had spring practice from April 2018. The 2018 Alabama football spring game, "A-Day" took place in Tuscaloosa, AL on April 21, at 1 p.m. CST.
Schedule
Alabama announced its 2018 football schedule on September 19, 2017. The 2018 Crimson Tide schedule consisted of 7 home and 4 away games for the regular season. Alabama hosted four SEC conference opponents Texas A&M, Missouri, Mississippi State (rivalry) and arch-rival Auburn for the 125th annual Iron Bowl to close out the regular season and traveled for four SEC opponents to Ole Miss (rivalry), Arkansas, Tennessee (Third Saturday of October) and closed out on the road at LSU (rivalry). Alabama did not play SEC East opponents Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Vanderbilt in the 2018 regular season. The Crimson Tide's bye week came during week 9 on October 27.
Alabama's out of conference opponents represented the ACC, Southern and Sun Belt. The Crimson Tide hosted three non–conference games which were against Arkansas State and Louisiana of the Sun Belt and The Citadel of the SoCon and traveled to Orlando, FL for Camping World Kickoff host Louisville from the ACC.
Coaching staff Nick Saban Head coach 12th Dan Enos Associate head coach/quarterbacks coach 1st Mike Locksley Offensive coordinator 3rd (1st as full-time OC) Josh Gattis Co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach1st Pete Golding Co-defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach 1st Tosh Lupoi Defensive coordinator/outside linebackers coach 4th (2nd as DC) Jeff Banks Special teams coordinator/tight end coach 1st Craig Kuligowski Associate head coach/defensive line coach 1st Brent Key Offensive line coach 3rd Joe Pannunzio Running backs coach 2nd Karl Scott Defensive backs coach 1st Scott Cochran Strength and conditioning 11thReference:2018 Alabama Crimson Tide Football Media Guide, p. 2 Graduate Assistant Mike Miller Nick Perry Kyle Pope Analysts Andy Kwon Isaac Shewmaker Alex Mortensen Javier Arenas Dean Altobelli Gordon Steele Butch Jones Brendan Farrell Jake Peetz August Mangin Mike Miller Lou Spanos Jake Long Rob Ezell
Roster 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide FootballQuarterback 2 Jalen Hurts – junior (6'2, 210) 7 Braxton Barker – freshman (6'1, 196) 10 Mac Jones – freshman (6'2, 180) 13 Tua Tagovailoa – sophomore (6'1, 215) 16 Kyle Edwards – sophomore (6'1, 206) 18 Layne Hatcher – freshman (6'0, 196)
Running back 5 Ronnie Clark – senior (6'2, 217) 8 Josh Jacobs – junior (5'10, 200) 22 Najee Harris – sophomore (6'3, 226) 24 Brian Robinson Jr. – sophomore (6'1, 224) 27 Jerome Ford – freshman (5'11, 206) 34 Damien Harris – senior (5'11, 214) 35 De'Marquise Lockridge – senior (5'11, 196)
Wide receiver 4 Jerry Jeudy – sophomore (6'1, 175) 6 DeVonta Smith – sophomore (6'1, 160) 9 Xavier Williams – freshman (6'1, 182) 11 Henry Ruggs – sophomore (6'0, 175) 12 Chadarius Townsend – freshman (6'0, 192) 14 Tyrell Shavers – freshman (6'6, 202) 17 Jaylen Waddle – freshman (5'10, 177) 18 Slade Bolden – Freshman (5'11, 200) 19 Xavian Marks – senior (5'8, 163) 30 Chris Herring – junior (6'4, 170) 31 Bryce Musso – sophomore (5'9, 168) 32 Jalen Jackson – senior (6'3, 184) 36 Mac Hereford – sophomore (6'2, 215) 37 Dalton Adkison – freshman (6'0, 180) 81 Derek Kief – junior (6'4, 200) 83 John Parker – senior (6'0, 187) 85 Chris Golden – sophomore (6'5, 197) 86 Connor Adams – senior (6'1, 194)
Placekicker 29 Austin Jones – senior (5'10, 215) 97 Joseph Bulovas – freshman (6'0, 205)
Punter 12 Skyler DeLong – freshman (6'4, 189) 98 Mike Bernier – junior (6'2, 205) 98 Preston Knight – sophomore (6'5, 200) Tight end 40 Giles Amos – junior (6'4, 236) 43 Daniel Powell – junior (5'11, 238) 44 Kedrick James – freshman (6'5, 245) 80 Michael Parker – freshman (6'6, 224) 82 Irv Smith Jr. – junior (6'4, 235) 84 Hale Hentges – senior (6'5, 256) 87 Miller Forristall – sophomore (6'5, 220) 88 Major Tennison – sophomore (6'5, 244)
Offensive lineman 50 Hunter Brannon – freshman (6'4, 290) 55 Emil Ekiyor Jr. – freshman (6'3, 342) 60 Kendall Randolph – sophomore (6'5, 285) 61 Alex Pearman – freshman (6'1, 258) 62 Jackson Roby – freshman (6'5, 267) 65 Deonte Brown – sophomore (6'4, 350) 66 Lester Cotton – senior (6'4, 319) 67 Josh Casher – senior (6'1, 284) 70 Alex Leatherwood – sophomore (6'6, 327) 71 Ross Pierschbacher – senior (6'4, 304) 72 Richie Petitbon – junior (6'4, 300) 73 Jonah Williams – junior (6'5, 280) 74 Jedrick Wills – sophomore (6'5, 315) 75 Tommy Brown – freshman (6'7, 309) 76 Scott Lashley – sophomore (6'7, 325) 77 Matt Womack – junior (6'7, 320) 78 Elliot Baker – senior (6'7, 297) 79 Chris Owens – sophomore (6'3, 307)
Defensive lineman 48 Phidarian Mathis – freshman (6'4, 287) 49 Isaiah Buggs – senior (6'5, 292) 58 Christian Barmore – freshman (6'5, 292) 68 Galen Richardson – sophomore (6'3, 296) 89 LaBryan Ray – sophomore (6'5, 275) 90 Stephon Wynn Jr. – freshman (6'4, 299) 91 Tevita Musika – junior (6'1, 338) 92 Quinnen Williams – sophomore (6'4, 265) 95 Johnny Dwight – senior (6'3, 306) 96 Taylor Wilson – junior (6'0, 274) 98 Quindarius Watkins – sophomore (6'4, 229)