Alabama is making its leadership hierarchy clear as the Crimson Tide prepare for their matchup with East Carolina.
The Crimson Tide have named three permanent captains for the 2026 season, with Ryan Coleman-Williams, Bray Hubbard and Zabien Brown receiving the honor.
Nick Kelly reported the news Friday, noting that all three players represented Alabama at SEC Media Days earlier this summer.
“Alabama has named three permanent captains for 2026,” Kelly wrote on X. “Ryan Coleman-Williams, Bray Hubbard, Zabien Brown.”
Kelly also pointed out an interesting change in Alabama’s approach. The Crimson Tide selected only three permanent captains this season after choosing four in each of the previous two years.
Kelly shared the captain announcement on X.
Ryan Coleman-Williams Earns Major Alabama Honor
For Coleman-Williams, the captain designation represents another significant sign of how highly he is regarded inside Alabama’s program.
Being selected as one of only three permanent captains carries additional weight considering the Crimson Tide’s decision to shrink the group from four players to three.
Hubbard and Brown join Coleman-Williams in a trio that Alabama already trusted to represent the program on one of the SEC’s biggest preseason stages.
Now, that responsibility extends throughout the season.
The timing is also notable as Alabama turns its attention toward East Carolina. Early-season games can quickly establish the personality of a team, particularly for a program operating under the enormous expectations that follow the Crimson Tide every year.
Alabama’s three captains will be expected to help set that standard.
Alabama Makes Leadership Structure Clear
The captain announcement may not change Alabama’s depth chart, but it provides a revealing look at the voices the program wants at the center of its locker room.
Coleman-Williams, Hubbard and Brown weren’t simply chosen to represent the Crimson Tide at SEC Media Days. They are now the three permanent captains tasked with representing Alabama throughout the 2026 campaign.
For Coleman-Williams in particular, Friday’s announcement is a significant individual honor.
And with East Carolina next on the schedule, Alabama has officially identified the three players it wants leading the way.
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