Bill Young watched JC Latham during an Alabama football practice this past spring and pondered a question that’s been pondered throughout the Tide fan base this fall: Why was Latham at right tackle?

Young’s former player at Catholic (Wisconsin) Memorial High, Latham started the transition from a gangly defensive tackle to an elite offensive line prospect years prior. Once he got to Tuscaloosa, Latham eventually won the starting right tackle job in 2022. Then Tyler Steen left for the NFL Draft, and the opening at left tackle seemed natural for Latham. But in that practice, Latham’s athletic 6-foot-6, 360-pound frame was at his familiar spot.

Young asked Latham about it. His response seemed satisfactory enough for Young, a 50-year coaching veteran: If Nick Saban thought it was a good idea, then it must be. On Monday, Alabama’s head coach elaborated on the decision.

“Well, he’s really a good right tackle,” Saban said. ” … He’s big, strong, physical. He’s the prototype right tackle that everybody would look for in terms of having a power guy who is effective in being able to pass block well enough. I guess you always hope that if we move the right tackle to left tackle, that would make everything better. But I guess the question you also have to ask yourself is would that make us any better at right tackle? Or do you just try to attack the solution of trying to get the left tackle to play to the standard that you need him to play, without making multiple changes to the offensive line?

“We can have a debate about that. Nobody really knows the answer to that. But we have made a commitment to try to keep some stability with the guys where they’re playing and get the guys to play left tackle better.”

The reasoning has naturally come under the microscope while No. 11 UA (6-1, 4-0 Southeastern Conference) struggles to find a long-term solution to protect Jalen Milroe’s blind side. Freshman Kadyn Proctor and redshirt freshman Elijah Pritchett have kept rotating throughout games. After a roughly 75-25 split through since Week 3, Pritchett played in 25 of Alabama’s 65 offensive snaps against Arkansas according to PFF.

Alabama has allowed 31 sacks this season, which caused Saban to answer with an emphatic “hell yeah,” when asked if that was a problem. That total is 126th nationally, and just four sacks fewer than Colorado’s Division-I worst 35. Seven have come via Proctor, and Pritchett has allowed three. Saban said last week both had earned an opportunity.

Alternatively, Latham is the 15th-highest graded pass-blocking lineman in the country, per PFF’s metrics of blockers with at least 400 snaps played. He’s been credited with just one sack allowed (Week 3 against USF) in his collegiate career.

Latham’s first-ever game at left tackle was the Minnesota state championship game his sophomore year. He started practicing his new position just three weeks prior to sparking a 28-point comeback. The flip was cemented when he transferred to IMG (Florida) Academy, and his new team had a hole on the offensive line.

A highly-regarded defensive tackle recruit, Latham declared himself a left tackle and kept note of his rankings. Entering his junior year, one site had him as a top-10 defensive tackle before naming him the 77th-best LT. Latham would finish as a five-star in his new position and the fifth-ranked prospect in Alabama history, according to 247Sports.

“I just love to play, I love to compete. At the end of the day, it’s Saban’s call who plays left tackle,” Latham said when asked about a potential switch this past spring. “Like I said, I’ll do whatever it takes to give the team the best chance to succeed.”

Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at [email protected].