Few hits in 2014 resonated like the one Reuben Foster laid on Leonard Fournette at the end of regulation in Alabama’s overtime win over LSU. The Crimson Tide had just tied it up, and Fournette had one shot to win the game for LSU in regulation.

Foster was having none of that.

It was a hit that changed the fabric of the game, something both Nick Saban and Reggie Ragland said immediately afterward. The Tide came out fired up and punched in a quick score in OT, while LSU looked shell shocked on its only possession of overtime. Even the following week, Fournette could only muster nine yards on five carries.

That’s the kind of impact Foster was expected to make when he first signed with Alabama. The No. 1 inside linebacker in the class of 2013, Foster originally committed to Alabama, then flipped to Auburn only to flip back to Alabama. It was yet another big get in a string of them for the Tide.

Many thought 2014 would be Foster’s first year making a real splash on the field. He started the opener against West Virginia but wasn’t in the starting lineup again last season, playing in nine games. Foster registered just 22 tackles on the year. Most of his work came covering kicks, not stuffing ball carriers in the backfield.

Now, it truly could be Foster’s time. Trey DePriest’s departure leaves a big hole to fill on the defense, one that Foster should be primed to fill alongside Ragland. In addition, Alabama could use the boost to the starting lineup that Foster’s athleticism would provide. The Crimson Tide have traditionally had bigger middle linebackers suited for playing downhill; Foster is a turbocharged ball of fast-twitch muscle seemingly capable of flying sideline to sideline.

The problem could be Foster’s inability to shift out of sixth gear. The kid wears a massive neck roll for a reason: he often hits ball carriers and kick returners with his head down, which has led to neck and shoulder injuries early in his Alabama career, several of them sustained in practice. Foster will have to tone that act down and save his hard-hitting ways until he steps between the white lines on Saturdays in order to stay on the field.

Foster’s booming hits will be a constant threat for as long as he’s suiting up in crimson and white. What the Alabama coaching staff hopes to find out this spring is if he can become a more complete backer, one capable of dropping into coverage or shedding blockers.