Jonah Williams started all 14 games at left tackle last season on an Alabama offense that was guided by right-handed quarterback Jalen Hurts.
What if this season's Crimson Tide starter is left-handed Tua Tagovailoa? Would the 6-foot-5, 305-pound Williams protect Tagovailoa's blind side by shifting to right tackle?
"I'm not going to say there is no chance, because we want the five best out there," Williams said in a recent news conference, "but I'm very comfortable playing left tackle and haven't taken a snap elsewhere in almost two years. I'm comfortable there and enjoy playing there."
The Crimson Tide held their ninth spring practice Monday afternoon, with junior defensive back Trevon Diggs returning to workouts after missing last week with an ankle injury.
Williams started at right tackle for all 15 games as a freshman for the Crimson Tide, racking up 29 knockdown blocks on an offense that averaged 455.3 yards and 38.8 points per contest. He was named to Freshman All-America teams by ESPN and USA Today.
Cam Robinson was Alabama's starting left tackle in 2016, and his early departure to the NFL last spring resulted in Williams quickly flipping from the right side. In 831 snaps last season, the former five-star signee from Folsom, Calif., surrendered just 2.5 sacks and eight quarterback pressures.
Williams claims he has gained 12 to 15 pounds since the end of last season to help generate more movement in the running game and to become more physical in pass protection.
Though he already has started in two national championship games in his first two years in Tuscaloosa, Williams was unable to finish last season's 26-23 overtime win over Georgia in early January. He suffered a high-ankle sprain early in the third quarter and was effectively replaced by 2017 five-star tackle signee Alex Leatherwood.
"It was tough," Williams said. "I am super proud of Leatherwood being able to go out there and hold his own and for the line to be able to take over the game a little bit. Our whole offense and defense stepped up, but it is hard to not be out there playing.
"It's been motivating, because I do want to make the most of when I am playing again and not leave anything out there, because you never know when it's your last play. That was my first time missing snaps here."
The emergence of Leatherwood inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium gives the Tide the potential of four quality tackles this year with Williams, Leatherwood, Matt Womack and Jedrick Mills. Womack started at right tackle last season but is sitting out this spring due to a broken bone in his foot.
Headed to D.C.
Alabama's 2017 national championship will be recognized this afternoon when coach Nick Saban and his players visit the White House. Several players said Monday that there wasn't much dissension about making this trip.
"Coach Saban addressed it," senior center Ross Pierschbacher told reporters. "He just said, 'Hey, we're doing this regardless of your political thoughts. We're going just to celebrate this team. It's an honor, and just to be able to say that you've gone to the White House is something that you can cherish forever.'
"So that was basically the extent of that."
In the money
Salary figures were released Monday for Alabama's six new assistant coaches, with the Tuscaloosa News being the first to report the totals.
Defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski will be the highest-paid newcomer at $750,000, and he is followed by inside linebackers coach Pete Golding at $650,000, receivers coach Josh Gattis at $525,000, secondary coach Karl Scott at $350,000, tight ends/special teams coach Jeff Banks at $270,000 and quarterbacks coach Dan Enos at $200,000. The $200,000 for Enos will be in addition to the $400,000 he is receiving as severance from Arkansas, where he served as Bret Bielema's offensive coordinator.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.