Four and a half years have flown by since players in crimson and white stood atop the college football stage with a national championship trophy.
The year was 2020 and our nation with hit with an awful global pandemic known simply as Coronavirus or COVID-19. We did not know if college football would happen that year, but everyone pulled together for it. The University of Alabama participated and in a grueling conference-only scheduling, the Crimson Tide had the perfect situation to go undefeated as national champions of the College Football Playoff. Georgia has hoisted the trophy twice since then and the Big Ten has popped two national champs, Michigan and Ohio State, from its side.
Alabama DBs, including a former 5-star, training with specialist to be elite in 2025 season
Alabama fans want to believe there is something special about this year’s team, but they are tired of hearing “can do” speeches and desire to see action on the field.
The last existing champion on the Tide’s roster is in his sixth year on defense. He craves a second national title ring so badly that he decided to switch positions in spring football, transitioning from defensive end (“Bandit”) to outside linebacker (“Wolf”).
Jah-Marien Latham, a native of Reform, Ala., believes this year’s version of Alabama is a national championship one. In the “All-In: Alabama Spring Football” documentary, that premiered Monday on SEC Network, the former four-star in the 2020 recruiting class said the vibe of this team is ‘the same as the 2020 group that won a national championship.’
“I’m just ready to get this championship run going,” Latham said in the documentary.
“I like the work that everybody putting in. I like the energy from the coaches and everything. I’m just really ready to put everything in and get back started with summer workouts.”
Latham saw action in just one game in the 2020 season. His played against Mississippi State his freshman year, but he observed the closeness of that team. He saw the brotherhood and hard work put in, regardless of a pandemic. Latham looked closely at Mac Jones, Najee Harris, DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Alex Leatherwood, Will Anderson, Malachi Moore, Christian Harris, Christian Barmore, Patrick Surtain II, and Dylan Moses among others contribute so much work to be great. He helped strengthen those guys in practice and in return, Alabama ran through every opponent in the Southeastern Conference with ease that season.
Latham feels there is a together about this group on offense and defense that was part of the 2020 championship unit. If this is the case, opposition is in for a very rude awakening.
Alabama DL LT Overton in position to be an effective closer in 2025
We are about to soon see what Alabama football is in the fall.
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and writer for The Bama Standard. You can follow him on X via @CoachingMSmith.
