Kalen DeBoer and his first Alabama team open the season Saturday night against Western Kentucky at 6 p.m. Central Time inside Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The stadium will be packed with fans who are both excited and worried about seeing the first game without Nick Saban on the sidelines.
DeBoer worked wonders throughout this offseason in winning over the program with his recruiting and praise from the players.
But now is when things get serious. The time for press conferences and dinners is over. It's about going out on the field and achieving success, which, for Alabama , means winning 10+ football games.
Week one shouldn't cause too much stress, as just last season, the Hilltoppers were blown out 63-10 by Ohio State.
Alabama should expect a similar result to begin the DeBoer era, and here are three keys to making that happen.
1. The offensive line needs to flat-out dominate
Whether the offensive line plays just average or dominates won't change the win or loss column for Alabama in this game, but it will gauge how good this group can be.
Pro Football Focus put lofty expectations on this group when they awarded them their No. 1 spot in their college football offensive line rankings.
Tyler Booker and Jaeden Roberts return as a gnarly guard combo, although Roberts will be working back to 100% following a minor surgery.
Parker Brailsford enters at center to relieve the snapping woes that occurred last year, while Kadyn Proctor is back to build off a promising end to his freshman season.
Playing against an inferior opponent allows this group to truly flex its muscles and show how dynamic this rushing attack can be.
2. Jalen Milroe commands the offense.
This is a topic that has been discussed throughout the offseason and will continue to be a pillar for the Crimson Tide's success.
All offseason, it has been sunshine and roses between this new offensive coaching staff and incumbent starter Milroe.
Now, it's time to show that on the field.
Milroe has to be the leader on the field for this offense. That means being able to make checks at the line, read defenses pre-snap and quicker post-snap, and keep the team on schedule.
Milroe's sack numbers were way too high last season, and a simple checkdown or throwaway doesn't kill a drive like a sack.
Western Kentucky's defense isn't at the SEC level by any means, but they do provide a few challenges with defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler and slot corner Upton Stout.
Just seeing Milroe be efficient and move the ball with ease on this defense will be an extremely positive sign.
3. The defensive line allows the secondary to breathe.
Western Kentucky has been one of the most potent passing attacks under head coach Tyson Helton and their starting quarterback T.J. Finley threw for 3,439 yards at Texas State last season.
This defensive line made up of veterans like Tim Keenan II, Jah-Marien Latham, and LT Overton must smother Finley in the pocket.
The Hilltoppers boast a couple of playmakers outside in Dalvin Smith, Koy Moore, and Kisean Johnson, who can get open against the Crimson Tide's inexperienced secondary.
Finley and Helton can cook up some successful plays if the gunslinger has time to scan the field.
At outside linebacker, Alabama needs a pass rusher to step up, whether it is Que Robinson, Keanu Koht, or any of the young players in that room.
It won't take an A+ game from the Crimson Tide to win this game, but a solid performance in these areas would boost confidence going forward.
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