Hope He Brought a Big Wallet!” — Alabama OL Coach Chris Kapilovic Feeds the Big Men, and That Tab Was No Joke

When you’re in charge of coaching one of the most physically dominant units in college football — the offensive line — you’d better be ready to feed some appetites that match the size of the bodies you’re shaping. That’s exactly what Alabama offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic did today when he treated his guys to a full meal. But this wasn’t your average team lunch. We’re talking about a room full of young men tipping the scales north of 300 pounds each, with metabolisms that chew through calories faster than most people swipe through social media. So, naturally, the question on everyone’s mind wasn’t just “what did they eat?” but “how much did it cost to feed this crew?”

Let’s be real — offensive linemen are built different. These are the silent guardians of the gridiron. They don’t get the highlight reels or the post-game interviews, but without them, the offense goes nowhere. Quarterbacks stay upright because of them. Running backs break loose because of them. And on a day like this, it’s only right they’re rewarded like kings. But when you put 15 to 18 guys like that around a dinner table — or more likely, several pushed-together tables — you’re entering a different tax bracket just to settle the check.

So how much would it actually cost to feed Alabama’s offensive line in one sitting? Let’s crunch some rough numbers. A typical collegiate offensive lineman eats upwards of 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day. That’s not just a hearty appetite — that’s structured eating. It’s part of their job to fuel their bodies. For a single team dinner, especially one that’s not being served in the team cafeteria but at a restaurant, each lineman could easily put away a couple of steaks, sides, drinks, dessert, and probably a few appetizers just to get warmed up. You’re not looking at $15 plates here. You’re looking at $50 to $100 per player, minimum, depending on the venue and how loose the ordering gets.

Let’s say there are 17 offensive linemen on Alabama’s roster, give or take. You’re looking at a total bill somewhere in the ballpark of $1,200 to $1,700 — and that’s a conservative guess. If Coach Kapilovic threw in a few staff members, maybe a GA or two, and didn’t cap the menu, you’re easily looking at $2,000 or more. And let’s not forget the tip. You don’t run a squad like that through a restaurant without taking care of your servers, because let’s be honest — that table probably took some time, space, and stamina to handle.

But really, the price tag is just a fun way of illustrating the kind of gesture this was. Coach Kapilovic feeding his big men isn’t just about satisfying their hunger. It’s about culture. It’s about chemistry. It’s about showing that he sees them, values them, and is willing to invest in the bond that holds an offensive line together. These moments matter. Offensive linemen are often the most tight-knit unit on a football team, and that cohesion doesn’t just happen in practice. It happens over meals like this — where jokes are made, stories are swapped, and trust is built.

You don’t have to know much about Chris Kapilovic to know this move fits his style. He’s a coach who’s all about physicality, toughness, and team-first mentality. He’s coached at some of the toughest programs in the country and knows what it takes to get the most out of a line. And he knows it starts with relationships. It starts with showing up for your guys, not just during drills and film sessions, but outside the lines — when it’s just about being human and breaking bread.

Kapilovic took over the Alabama offensive line room in 2024, and he walked into a massive challenge: reestablishing a dominant identity for a unit that had gone through some ups and downs. At Alabama, the standard is sky-high. This isn’t a place where average is tolerated. It’s either elite or it’s not enough. And building an elite offensive line doesn’t just mean recruiting big bodies and teaching proper technique. It means creating a unit that plays with one mind, one heart, and one set of goals. That requires connection. And nothing connects linemen faster than shared meals and shared laughs.

And make no mistake — those linemen earned that meal. Fall camp is brutal. You’re battling heat, battling fatigue, and battling guys across the line of scrimmage every day. Offensive linemen don’t get rotated in and out like skill players. They grind from whistle to whistle, absorbing hits and dishing them back out. If anyone’s earned a feast, it’s them.

Now, let’s also imagine what that meal looked like. You’ve got trays of wings just as starters. Probably multiple orders of sliders or loaded nachos going around just to ease into the main course. Then it’s on to 16-ounce ribeyes, bone-in chops, and barbecue platters that would make a grown man tear up. Sides? Probably double orders of mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, baked beans — you name it. And you’d better believe these guys aren’t skipping dessert. A couple of chocolate lava cakes, cheesecake, and probably a few “just bring the whole tray” moments when the server asked what they wanted. Water? Sure. But let’s not pretend there weren’t rounds of sweet tea and soft drinks being downed like water in the desert.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t about what was on the plates. It was about what it meant. These are the kinds of team-building moments that don’t show up in the box score but pay dividends on Saturdays. An offensive line that eats together, talks together, jokes together — that’s a line that plays together. And when the season starts and Alabama needs to grind out a drive in the fourth quarter, these are the guys who will shoulder the load. These are the guys who will protect the quarterback, open up the run lanes, and refuse to flinch. And Coach Kap knows it. That’s why he invests in them.

There’s also something beautifully old-school about it. In an age where college football is increasingly about NIL deals, social media highlights, and high-speed transfers, there’s something timeless about a coach taking his guys out for a meal just to say “I appreciate you.” It’s the kind of gesture that players remember years later. They won’t recall the exact dollar figure or what side dish they had. But they’ll remember sitting around that table, laughing with their brothers, and knowing that their coach had their back.

It’s not lost on fans, either. Alabama fans know what a dominant offensive line looks like. They’ve seen it in the trenches during national championship runs. They’ve seen the difference it makes when a quarterback has all day to throw or when a running back can hit the hole untouched. It all starts up front. And if treating the line to a nice meal helps fuel that mindset, then pass the hat — let’s help Coach Kap cover the tab.

So here’s to the big fellas. To the unsung heroes who rarely get the camera time but never miss a snap. To the ones who take pride in pancake blocks, who play through pain, who celebrate quietly while others get the glory. And here’s to coaches like Chris Kapilovic, who understand that building an elite unit isn’t just about reps and drills — it’s about people.

We don’t know the exact number on that bill, but we do know this: it was worth every cent. Because that meal wasn’t just about feeding stomachs. It was about feeding a brotherhood. And come game day, that’s the kind of investment that pays off in the biggest moments.

Let’s just hope the restaurant didn’t run out of food. Something tells us Coach Kap’s guys made sure there wasn’t much left on the table.