The kicking side of Alabama football’s special teams is all but set. Will Reichard and James Burnip have returned and are entrenched at kicker and punter respectively.

At returner, things get a bit more complicated. Fielding punts, Kool-Aid McKinstry is one of the best in the SEC, but the Tide can always use depth.

On Tuesday, head coach Nick Saban offered up a few names who could return punts if need be.

“We got Kool-Aid back, who averaged like 16 yards (per) punt return last year,” Saban said. ” And we’re trying to develop some other guys at that position. Isaiah Bond. Caleb Downs can catch punts. Cole Adams can catch punts. So we’re working with more and more guys to be able to do that.

McKinstry averaged 15.8 yards per return on punts in 2022, which was second in the country and led the SEC. He ranked second among Division I punt returners with 332 yards.

Bond, a wide receiver, returned one punt last season, picking up 34 yards. Downs is a freshman defensive back who might see significant playing time at safety, while Adams, a wide receiver, was also a highly touted 2023 recruit.

The kickoff returner spot less settled at the top. Jahmyr Gibbs handled most of the role for Alabama last season, but he’s off to the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

Saban mentioned wide receivers Kendrick Law and Emmanuel Henderson as players who could take over at kickoff returner for 2023. He also noted he’s not particularly worried about the spot.

“We’ll just have to see how that part of it develops, but I think we’ve got enough good skill guys that we should be able to come up with some pretty good return guys,” Saban said.

Alabama football is set to continue preseason camp through Aug. 26. The Tide start the 2023 season on Sept. 2 against Middle Tennessee State.

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