Alabama · SECAlabama Names Luke Metz as Second Starting Inside Linebacker for Week 1
Luke Metz will start beside Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson when Alabama opens against East Carolina on Sept. 5. The sophomore played in all 15 games last season, mostly on special teams, and now moves into a starting role in the Crimson Tide’s defensive plan.
AUG 26, 2026
01 · The NewsWhat Happened
Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said Wednesday that Luke Metz will start at inside linebacker against East Carolina on Sept. 5. Metz will line up beside Virginia Tech transfer Caleb Woodson, who had already been identified as one of the starters. Wommack also said Alabama will use several players in the room, with Metz and Woodson expected to take the first snaps. Metz played in all 15 games as a freshman in 2025, primarily on special teams, and recorded seven tackles. He was a four-star member of Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class from Mill Creek High School in Georgia. Alabama and East Carolina kickoff at 11 a.m. CT on ABC.