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Alabama Special Teams Portal Grades: Tide bolsters unit after rough season

AB1by: Andrew Bone02/15/26AndrewJBone

Alabama’s special teams were atrocious during the 2025 season from a statistical standpoint. There were times when it wasn’t quite as bad as it seemed, with multiple games in which it performed as the best unit on the field, but not too often. The conclusion was that it was a national bottom dweller and must see robust improvement. The Crimson Tide took note and made significant moves via the portal.

Junior placekicker Conor Talty may have felt close to getting run off by Alabama last fall. He ranked 15th in the SEC in field goal percentage (69.6%), which ranked No. 109 overall in the NCAA. He didn’t miss any extra points and ended the season 5-of-5 on field goal attempts. It provided a bit of a confidence booster heading into the offseason. Talty missed his only field goal attempt beyond 50 yards.

Alabama Transfer Portal Grades (Offense)
Alabama Transfer Portal Grades (Defense)

The Crimson Tide needed a bigger leg, regardless. It accomplished that goal, potentially adding an All-American (an All-Irish, at least) sophomore kicker in Marshall transfer Lorcan Quinn. The First-Team All-Sun Belt performer, after playing in his first year of American football, connected on 4-of-6 field goals beyond the 50-yard line. He broke the Marshall single-season field goal record (21), the career record for 50-plus-yard field goals (4), kicked the second-longest field goal in program history (55), and tied the single-game record with four field goals. He was 80 percent overall on field goal attempts (21-of-26), which included 12 of his final 13.

“A lot of guys have leg talent, and he’s right at the top of that tree,” Quinn’s kicking coach Tadhg Leader told BOL. But what really stands out is his ability to focus and immerse himself in the process for the 14 seconds he’s on the field,” Leader said. “Whether he’s kicking in Ireland or Alabama, the process is controlled and consistent. He has an ability to lock in like no other.

“I’d say the intensity and level of focus around his work is something I haven’t really come across. We’ve had a lot of high-level guys, including Charlie Smyth (starting kicker for the New Orleans Saints). The more you do that, the less external factors matter. You’re not connecting with what’s happening in the stands. His teammates go crazy when he hits a 50-yarder, but he shows zero emotion. I know the Alabama staff likes that mentality. He’s very measured.”

It was by happenstance that Quinn found his way to kicking in college football. The 24-year-old was playing Gaelic football in Ireland and participated in a kicking competition to earn tickets to an NFL game. After coming in second place, he earned attention from Coach Leader. “He was kicking 58- to 60-yard field goals and didn’t even know what that meant, 10 minutes into kicking an American football for the first time. It was a pretty freakish introduction. I am by no means surprised by where he is today.”

Alabama quickly added Quinn, who received calls from nearly every top program in the country, including all SEC and Big Ten schools, per his coach. The Crimson Tide signed Quinn, but it also kept Talty. It wouldn’t have been a surprise to see him hit the portal, especially after Quinn’s arrival. You’d expect improvement from him heading into next season. There’s real competition, but also an NFL-caliber leg now in the building.

CLICK HERE to continue reading more about Quinn’s journey from Ireland to Tuscaloosa

The Crimson Tide didn’t rank No. 107 in special teams only because of its field goal struggles. Transfer punter Blake Doud ranked 13th in the SEC in average punt yardage. He exhausted his eligibility, leaving Alex Asparuhov as the only returning punter (redshirt freshman). The Crimson Tide has high hopes for Asparuhov, but also didn’t have to go too far to add an experienced, All-American player at the position with only one year of eligibility remaining–a potential bridge to keep pressure off Asparuhov this fall before becoming the full-time starter.

North Alabama transfer Adam Watford earned second-team All-American honors after averaging 46.6 yards per punt during his junior season. He recorded three punts of 70-plus yards and set FCS records for both single-season (21) and career (36) punts of 50 yards or more. Watford was also named first-team All–United Athletic Conference and earned conference Specialist of the Year honors. He finished the season with 18 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.

That seems pretty damn good, plus he’s accustomed to punting in Alabama from his college and high school career (Dothan) thus far, as opposed to transferring from Colorado School of Mines (Doud), where high altitude can create longer punts. Bottom line: There should be a lot more consistency with Watford while not losing much distance, even while playing at a higher level.

Alabama needed to fill its vacancy at long snapper after the departure of David Bird (portal). The Crimson Tide added Ethan Stangle, who served as the starter for Syracuse last fall. He is in his final year of eligibility. There isn’t a metric to share regarding Stangle. Alabama gained a Power 4 starting long snapper, and he’s expected to be the starter in Tuscaloosa.

Special teams needed a significant upgrade. It was one of the more disappointing aspects of the team last fall, and Alabama seems to have hit home runs during the offseason, especially with Lorcan Quinn and Adam Watford, who can provide a major boost this upcoming season. This, in my opinion, was the Crimson Tide’s best and most successful acquisition via the transfer portal.

Overall Grade: A+

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