M
Matt Zenitz | mzenitz@al.com
"He's a huge asset to the offensive line. ... He knows the playbook well. He's got good technique. I think he's a great offensive lineman. And I think, especially with his versatility, that he could really excel this year."
The right side of Alabama's offensive line will look different and should be better once the Crimson Tide begins fall camp in August.
Though Alabama coaches are excited about the potential of sophomores Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood, that right side of the line wasn't great during the spring as those two worked through some growing pains. So Tide coaches are surely happy that they'll soon have Matt Womack back in the mix along the offensive line.
A better player than many outside the program give him credit for, the 6-foot-7, 330-pound redshirt junior will be back after missing the spring due to a broken foot and should help an O-line that looked like a clear work in progress throughout March and April.
"It's huge," former Alabama offensive lineman J.C. Hassenauer said of getting Womack back. "He's a huge asset to the offensive line. ... He knows the playbook well. He's got good technique. I think he's a great offensive lineman. And I think, especially with his versatility, that he could really excel this year."
The likely scenario is that fall camp begins with Womack, last year's starting right tackle, back at right tackle and Wills still at right guard.
Womack does give Alabama some flexibility, though.
While it seems more likely he'll stay at right tackle, Womack practiced some at right guard last year and, according to Hassenauer, "performed very well" at that spot.
"I would feel very comfortable and have great trust in him performing at either right guard or tackle," Hassenauer said.
Coach Nick Saban has told Womack that he's one of the Alabama juniors set to enter this year with an NFL draft grade of third round or better, according to Womack's father.
And the Mississippi native has spent most of the past month in Tuscaloosa in order to rehab and get back to full strength by the beginning of June.
"He works hard and he's growing into that big body and his weight's getting better," said Womack's father, David. "So he's getting to where he needs to be. ... Matt still feels like he has to earn everything he gets and knows he has to work, and I'm proud of him for it."
Matt Zenitz | mzenitz@al.com
Getting Matt Womack back will be 'huge' for Alabama O-line
The right side of Alabama's offensive line will look different and should be better once the Crimson Tide begins fall camp in August.
Though Alabama coaches are excited about the potential of sophomores Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood, that right side of the line wasn't great during the spring as those two worked through some growing pains. So Tide coaches are surely happy that they'll soon have Matt Womack back in the mix along the offensive line.
A better player than many outside the program give him credit for, the 6-foot-7, 330-pound redshirt junior will be back after missing the spring due to a broken foot and should help an O-line that looked like a clear work in progress throughout March and April.
"It's huge," former Alabama offensive lineman J.C. Hassenauer said of getting Womack back. "He's a huge asset to the offensive line. ... He knows the playbook well. He's got good technique. I think he's a great offensive lineman. And I think, especially with his versatility, that he could really excel this year."
The likely scenario is that fall camp begins with Womack, last year's starting right tackle, back at right tackle and Wills still at right guard.
Womack does give Alabama some flexibility, though.
While it seems more likely he'll stay at right tackle, Womack practiced some at right guard last year and, according to Hassenauer, "performed very well" at that spot.
"I would feel very comfortable and have great trust in him performing at either right guard or tackle," Hassenauer said.
Coach Nick Saban has told Womack that he's one of the Alabama juniors set to enter this year with an NFL draft grade of third round or better, according to Womack's father.
And the Mississippi native has spent most of the past month in Tuscaloosa in order to rehab and get back to full strength by the beginning of June.
"He works hard and he's growing into that big body and his weight's getting better," said Womack's father, David. "So he's getting to where he needs to be. ... Matt still feels like he has to earn everything he gets and knows he has to work, and I'm proud of him for it."
Matt Zenitz | mzenitz@al.com
Getting Matt Womack back will be 'huge' for Alabama O-line
