Heading into this season there were plenty of questions surrounding the Alabama Crimson Tide as it pertained to the product that would be seen on Saturdays. Through the first 7 weeks of the season most of those questions have been answered in a positive manner. The quarterback situation has been solidified, and Redshirt Sophomore A.J. McCarron has progressed as well as any Alabama fan would have hoped. He hasn’t thrown an interception since the Kent State game, and has done exactly what the Alabama staff has asked of every starting quarterback under Nick Saban — manage the game and protect the football. Even still, there were plenty of things to wonder about concerning this Alabama team before the season.
Alabama coach Nick Saban has the Crimson Tide in position to play for its second national championship in three seasons. (AP Photo|Austin McAfee)
Many people questioned the offensive line as well. The loss of James Carpenter (1st-round draft pick, Seattle Seahawks) was huge, and many people were unsure just how well the Tide would be able to rebound. Combine that with the loss of longtime OL coach Joe Pendry (retired, Jeff Stoutland was hired in his place), and the beginning of this season left for a lot more uncertainty than usual for a Nick Saban team. But, alas, the Crimson Tide sit at 7-0 on the season and that much-questioned offensive line has banded together and helped produce a potent rushing attack. Trent Richardson has six straight 100-yard rushing games, and is further ahead of the pace Mark Ingram set during his Heisman trophy year in 2009. Richardson leads the SEC in yards on the ground (912), touchdowns (15), yards per game (130.3), and all-purpose yards (1134). So, it’s safe to say that although the Crimson Tide offensive line has seen a bevy of different units — the production has not suffered. That in itself is a testament to the great coaching and talent that this staff has put together.
On the defensive side of the ball the Crimson Tide have been just as solid. There were questions about leadership, and whether or not Senior linebacker Dont’a Hightower was fully recovered from ACL injury he suffered two years ago against Arkansas. Those questions have been destroyed, and we’re only seven games into the season. The different looks the Crimson Tide have been able to provide on defense has been astounding. Numerous linebackers have been inserted into vital roles in the defense, and the unit has not missed a beat. Linebacker C.J. Moseley was injured earlier in the season, but players like Adrian Hubbard stepped into his role and immediately filled the gap. In front of the linebackers on every down is the Alabama defensive line — a front that was being being reloaded, rather than rebuilt. The addition of Australian Jesse Williams has been key to this defense’s ability to deter the running attack of opponents. Combine his presence with that of Nick Gentry, and Josh Chapman and you have a defense that is allowing a mere 1.34 yard per carry, and 38.14 yards per game. With those numbers it would take 10 games for Miami(OH), the nation’s worst rushing attack, to reach their total rushing output at this point in the season (398 yards). I’d say those numbers are pretty good.
The Crimson Tide are the best in the nation in rushing defense. Behind them? None other than the LSU Tigers, who the Crimson Tide will face in Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 5th. Alabama is also 5th in the nation in total passing defense, 10 spots ahead of LSU. The Tide are only allowing 146 yards through the air, while LSU is sitting at 15th in the nation in the same category while allowing 176.71 yards per game through the air. The Alabama secondary has only allowed a total of 1022 total passing yards through 7 games while the Tigers are allowing 1237 during the same span. The Tide are first in the nation in total defense ahead of Michigan State, UCF, and then LSU. The Tide are allowing a mere 184.14 yards per game to LSU’s 251.86 average. Alabama has only allowed 1289 total yards while the Tigers have allowed 1763.
What does all this mean? Nothing other than the Crimson Tide defense is coming along nicely, and the offense has done everything that has been asked of them to this point. The Tide have faced a top-10 Arkansas team (currently #9 in the BCS Standings), a Penn State team in Happy Valley, and a Florida team that was ranked in the top-15 before the game. Although LSU has played perhaps a “stronger” schedule 7 weeks into the season the numbers do not lie. Alabama is positioning themselves nicely for that match-up between on November 5th. They’ll continue to do what they do best — dominate for 60 minutes. At the same time,
their opponents will continue to do what has become the norm under Head Coach Nick Saban: they’ll fold as a result Alabama’s overpowering and suppressive will.
By Josh Zavadil, Co-Host of The Student Section (Thursdays 6 – 8 p.m.)
jdzavadil@crimson.ua.edu
