Does Alabama have a secret weapon on special teams? – Landing in Alabama

The photo comes from the SEC media portal

He's emphasized special teams during his 25-year tenure as head football coach at the University of Alabama, but does Kalen DeBoer have a secret weapon that could help for the Crimson Tide like he did for Paul W. “Bear” Bryant?

College football used to be about dominant defenses and powerful offenses.

However, the offense has taken over with the quarterbacks and wide receivers stealing the show. The sport now has some of the best offensive minds as renowned head coaches and offensive coordinators, giving defenses headaches.

Some people forget that special teams – especially the kicking game – is important in football until they see a kicker miss a field goal or a punter make a really bad attempt.

Alabama had an incredible kicker in Will Reichard, but he's with the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.

Graham Nicholson, a transfer from Miami University of Ohio, is expected to take over the kicking duties, but the Crimson Tide's secret weapon comes in the punting aspect.

James Burnipof Australian origin, has attracted attention in 2023 with his improvement in knocking down the court.

He would have been the Tide's MVP in the Rose Bowl game against Michigan if Alabama had won the game. The 6-foot-6, 220-pounder had his best performance against the Wolverines, averaging 50.3 yards per punt on seven attempts. He threw a 62-yard attempt and dropped five punts inside the Michigan 20-yard line. Burnip averaged 47.6 yards per punt last year on 57 attempts. He posted 24 boots of 50+ yards, including five punts of 60+ yards.

Twenty-two Burnip attempts – good for 39 percent – ​​fell inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

He has the chance to have an even better year in the fall and possibly win the Ray Guy Award.

Excellence as a punter has played a role in the past for Alabama's national championship run under Nick Saban. PJ Fitzgerald averaged 41.5 yards per punt in 2009, Cody Mandell averaged 44.3 yards per attempt in 2012 and JK Scott averaged 44.2 yards per attempt in 2015 and 43 yards per punt in 2017.

The Tide won a national championship in each of those seasons. Burnip will be a weapon for Alabama football this year.

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Stephen M. Smith is the senior editor of Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can like it on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.