Bradley Bozeman has playing a game of Ping-Pong on the Alabama offensive line for quite some time now.
The redshirt junior really doesn’t seem to mind, though.
“It’s just another day at the office for me,” Bozeman said. “I’ve been bounced around everywhere.”
Bozeman played at center during the early years of his career. He eventually moved to right guard, only to switch back to his original position this fall.
The current 6-foot-5, 319-pound blocking machine officially locked in his role as a starter, though, when he took the field for Alabama’s first offensive drive against Southern Cal on Sept. 3. Bozeman did so again the following week, too, against Western Kentucky.
“This has always been my dream: to come to Alabama and have a starting role,” he said.
In order to keep that dream alive, however, Bozeman knows the offense needs to step up its game.
Against Western Kentucky, regardless if Alabama finished with a 38-10 victory, the Crimson Tide’s offense struggled. It totaled only 124 yards on the ground, when the week before, it had nearly double that with 242 yards.
Alabama is working to clean up its game before this Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi.
“We can’t come in and have 10 penalties against Ole Miss,” Bozeman said. “That’s bad for business.”
The Crimson Tide has faced back-to-back losses to the Rebels. Last year, it fell, 43-37, in Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Near Bozeman on the offensive line at right tackle is Jonah Williams, who, as a true freshman, has never faced the Rebels’ defense. Bozeman, however, believes whenever a freshman starts for Alabama it’s an amazing accomplishment, and Williams has done so successfully. He has shown great talent and potential.
“Ever since he’s been named the starter, he hasn’t look back,” Bozeman said.
Everyone is trying to win a starting role — don’t forget about the quarterback debacle between Jalen Hurts and Blake Barnett. There are only so many spots, though, and everything is up in the air until the game clocks starts ticking.
Redshirt sophomore Ross Pierschbacher spent all last season as Alabama’s starting left guard. It was expected that he’d take over at center after Ryan Kelly advanced to the NFL, until Bozeman tapped him out.
Pierschbacher took the news well, though, saying he’ll do whatever the team needs after he found out about the switch earlier this fall. It’s important the competition to start doesn’t cause conflicts among players.
“We’re a very tight-knit group,” Bozeman said. “We all want what’s best for the team.”
