Redshirt Senior Blake Doud Leads Alabama's Punter Battle Ahead of 2025 Season

As Alabama football gears up for the 2025 season, one of the key questions surrounding the team has been who will replace former Crimson Tide punter James Burnip. According to special teams coordinator Jay Nunez, the battle for the starting punter job has been dominated by redshirt senior Blake Doud and freshman Alex Asparuhov.

Doud, a transfer from the Colorado School of Mines, has had the best overall camp so far, Nunez revealed during Alabama's recent media day. In his final season at Mines, Doud was named the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Year and a D2CCA First Team All-Super Region 4 honoree, leading all Division II punters with an average of 46.6 yards per punt.

Meanwhile, Asparuhov, a three-star recruit from Fresno, California, has also impressed the coaching staff with his recovery from a leg injury that kept him out of spring practice. Nunez said Asparuhov's recovery has been "really ahead of schedule," and the coaching staff has been surprised by his ability to bounce back and his hard work.

Rounding out the competition is sophomore walk-on Anderson Green, who has also made significant strides in the past few months, according to Nunez. While Doud may be the current leader, Nunez emphasized that the battle is still ongoing, and the coaching staff will let the players "battle it out" to determine the starting punter for the 2025 season.