Alabama gave up 32 sacks in 15 games and allowed an SEC-high 183 pressures, making the decision to fire offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic almost inevitable. Before Kalen DeBoer and his staff lock in the replacement, suggestions poured in from fans, and one name in particular ‘stood out’ for Alabama insider Clint Lamb.

Missouri offensive line coach Brandon Jones is coming out as an early favorite to replace Kapilovic. “Brandon Jones has been one who’s been pretty consistently connected,” Lamb said on his Cover Crimson channel. “We haven’t heard any sources say that, but just fan speculation. I wanted to talk about him because I do feel like he did a really good job.”

“I want people to remember when you look at the numbers from Missouri and the fact that they allowed 28 sacks in 2025, which is tied for 95th nationally. Now, Alabama allowed 32 sacks, which was tied for 111th nationally. So it’s a little bit better than that,” added Lamb.

If Alabama does make a move on Brandon Jones, it’s easy to see why many view him as a stronger bet than Chris Kapilovic. Go back four years, and Missouri’s offensive line was a mess. It was one of the most penalized units in the country, ranking 113th nationally in O-line penalties per game. Then Jones arrived and flipped everything almost overnight. By 2023, Missouri’s offensive line earned semifinalist honors for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizes the nation’s top unit.

That same year, the line allowed fewer than two sacks all season, and the offense scored on 54 of its 55 red-zone trips.  The momentum carried into 2024 as well. Missouri’s line helped generate 2,138 rushing yards and 2,926 passing yards, while the offense ranked seventh nationally in time of possession. For a long time, Jones appeared to be a magician up front. However, that touch began to wear off in 2025. Against elite defenses, Missouri’s line showed real cracks.

Against Oklahoma, the Sooners’ defense held Ahmad Hardy to a season-low 57 yards on 17 carries. The team managed just 70 rushing yards total. The Sooners’ defense added four sacks, and the Tigers’ offense disappeared completely in the second half. Against Alabama, Missouri held the ball for just 21:27, while Bama controlled possession for over 38 minutes and slowly wore the Tigers down.

Still, those issues won’t stay put, especially given Jones’ overall track record. Kapilovic did bring some positives to Tuscaloosa. The 2024 line produced elite NFL talent, highlighted by All-Americans Tyler Booker and Parker Brailsford, along with all-conference tackle Kadyn Proctor. Booker went in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, while analysts project Proctor and Brailsford as high-round picks in 2026.

Jones has his own NFL story, too, with Armand Membou going seventh overall in the 2025 draft. But other than that, there isn’t much to say yet about 2026-level NFL prospects from his room. As things stand, Jones to Tuscaloosa still feels like a long shot. There’s no solid reporting confirming serious talks, just early speculation. And knowing Kalen DeBoer, there’s always the chance he looks to the NFL and brings in one of his own guys instead.

Kalen DeBoer is bringing his Washington army to Tuscaloosa

Kalen DeBoer looks set to place his next big bet on a familiar face. According to Chris Low, Alabama is lining up Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach Scott Huff as its next offensive line coach. Huff worked under DeBoer for two seasons at Washington, and DeBoer initially retained him when he made the move to Tuscaloosa. And the results back in Seattle speak for themselves.

Under Huff, Washington’s offensive line was elite in 2023. It gave up just 12 sacks across 15 games while keeping Michael Penix Jr. clean and comfortable. That unit played a huge role in Washington’s offensive explosion. After a brief stop as the Seahawks’ offensive line coach in 2024, Huff landed with the Rams, where he currently coaches tight ends. All signs point to DeBoer trying to recreate his Washington blueprint at Alabama.

He’s already done it before. Back in January 2024, DeBoer brought in Ryan Grubb, his longtime offensive coordinator. Grubb left a month later to take the Seahawks’ OC job. But after getting fired a year later, he returned to Alabama for a second stint on February 2, 2025. That same Washington pipeline extended to the receiver room as well.

DeBoer hired JaMarcus Shephard as wide receivers coach in 2024, and he was quick to make an impact. He helped develop freshman standout Ryan Williams and Washington transfer Germie Bernard. Sadly, he too has now moved on as he took over as the head coach at Oregon State.