Alabama center Bradley Bozeman started all 15 games last season, as did Jonah Williams, who flipped this spring from right tackle to left tackle to replace NFL draft pick Cam Robinson.
Ross Pierschbacher is a returning starter at left guard and likes what he's seeing each day from the left side of the Crimson Tide's offensive front.
"It's been really clean and smooth, and it's been fun to play with those guys," Pierschbacher said this week in a news conference. "They really know what they're doing. It's kind of painless over there, and we go up against our defense every day, so we kind of know what's coming."
Pierschbacher, a 6-foot-4, 303-pound junior from Cedar Falls, Iowa, was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection last season and has started all 30 games the past two years for a program that has reeled off consecutive 14-1 records. He was a Freshman All-American in 2015, when the Crimson Tide won their fourth national championship under coach Nick Saban.
Alabama has been using a first-team front this month with Williams (6-5, 301), Pierschbacher, Bozeman (6-5, 314), right guard Lester Cotton (6-4, 324) and right tackle Matt Womack (6-7, 324). Cotton started three times at right guard last season, while Womack has yet to make a start.
The Crimson Tide's second-team line has consisted of Scott Lashley at left tackle, Dallas Warmack at left guard, J.C. Hassenauer at center, Deonte Brown at right guard and Alex Leatherwood at right tackle. Leatherwood, a 6-6, 322-pounder from Pensacola, Fla., was the nation's top tackle prospect in the 2017 signing class, according to 247Sports.com and Rivals.com, and was among Alabama's 16 early enrollees.
"Alex knows more now about what to expect," Pierschbacher said. "This isn't high school anymore, and getting that spring out of the way kind of gets you acclimated. In the SEC, everyone is good on the field, and he's just taken on the role of upping his game."
Alabama held its sixth preseason practice Wednesday night and its second in full pads.
Pierschbacher created somewhat of a stir this week when he said sophomore quarterback Jalen Hurts, the reigning SEC offensive player of the year, is entering this season with a chip on his shoulder. He added that Hurts not only knows what to do at quarterback but what the right guard, tight end and every other player are supposed to do as well.
"I just think there are still people out there who feel he needs to improve," Pierschbacher said. "As a player, he's always wanting to improve. He's already had a lot of success, but he's not satisfied, and that's a good thing."
As is having Hurts back for an attack that returns junior tailbacks Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough plus junior receiver Calvin Ridley and has a left side of the line that could be very formidable.
"This is the first time since I've been here that we haven't had a quarterback battle," Pierschbacher said. "It's been good, and I think the offense takes advantage of that, knowing we've got a guy back there who we can trust."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.