• DL attempting to get on ‘same page,’ adjust depth in preseason •

• 2023 Bama Sports 2023 •  Tuscaloosa, AL Following the Crimson Tide’s first scrimmage, head coach Nick Saban said that UA needs a few more bodies on both sides of the trenches. “I think we have five or six guys that are playing pretty well,” Saban said of the defensive front. “Again, same old thing, we need more people to be able to go out there and play consistently, the way you need to play to play winning football because that’s probably not enough. ... We’re trying to bring some of the other guys along to be able to play.” Saban said sophomore Jaheim Oatis and redshirt senior Justin Eboigbe have had “really good” showings this preseason, while senior Tim Smith has been “a little up and down.” That trio combined for 60 tackles in 2022 and will likely continue to rotate through as UA preps for Middle Tennessee and beyond. In both the offensive and defensive line rooms there is returning experience paired with underclassmen and unproven options. And where the offense needs new options to emerge quickly, there are pieces to work with on the other side of the ball to replace DJ Dale and Byron Young. “Just making sure everybody on the D-line is just straight, make sure everybody on defense is straight. Just trying to get everybody on the same level, the same page,” Oatis told reporters on Monday,” ... make sure (freshmen) know they plays, make sure everybody lined up getting the playbook and knowing what they got to do.” The other options — Jah-Marien Latham, Damon Payne Jr. and Isaiah Hastings — all played in at least one game but none recorded more than 10 tackles individually. They’ll pair with a sweet of former blue-chip prospects who are still settling into the program. They include first-year players James Smith, Edric Hill and Hunter Osborne and Khurtiss Perry. • ROLLING WITH THE TIDE •