What we heard around college football this spring: Optimism in Alabama, Miami reloads and more

While Alabama fans ponder whether it was prudent to give head coach Kalen DeBoer a contract extension with a raise after the Crimson Tide went 20-8 in his first two seasons as Nick Saban’s replacement, there is plenty of optimism inside the program.Coaches are especially excited about the direction of the defense. The Tide have gotten bigger on that side of the ball, and we’re told it now looks more like what Alabama had been accustomed to under Saban, especially on the interior of the line. Last year, the starting lineup just wasn’t bulky, ranking in the SEC’s bottom four in height and weight. This season, coaches expect to rank in the upper half of the conference.Advertisement