TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ There were times during last Saturday’s game in Atlanta that the University of Alabama offensive linemen knew something was going on with their quarterback, but not exactly what.

They didn’t have the luxury of being able to turn around and get a fix on senior Blake Sims, and more than a few times they were left wondering, ‘Where’d he go?’”

“You want to block until you hear a whistle,” junior center Ryan Kelly said this week as Alabama prepared to face Florida Atlantic in Saturday’s home opener (noon ET, SEC Network). “When you’re blocking you see the entire defense run this way, and maybe you don’t see the ball downfield it means that Blake’s running that way. Where everybody else is going, that’s where you’re supposed to be sprinting, so that’s what we do.”

It’s obviously a little different from year ago when AJ McCarron pretty much only ran as a last resort. Because sacks are counted against rushing yards in college football he had negative-22 rushing yards in 2013 and finished his career with minus-50 yards on the ground.

Before him, Greg McElroy (2007-10) had 71 career rushing yards and John Parker Wilson (2005-08) 175.

“You’ve basically got to keep your eyes up-field because you never know when Blake is going to take off and run,” senior fullback Jalston Fowler said. “So you’ve got to see what he sees. And if he doesn’t see anything downfield you’ve got to be willing to run with him and block with him.”

Although in Alabama’s ongoing quarterback competition Jacob Coker has the better arm and is more of a downfield threat with Alabama’s receivers, Sims’ mobility gives the offense a different dimension that it really hasn’t enjoyed for years.

One almost has to go back to the wishbone under Paul W. “Bear” Bryant in the 1970s – and Saban actually took two questions from fans about possibly incorporating wishbone elements into Alabama’s current offense during his radio show this week (his response was the equivalent to “Don’t hold your breath,” because it would take too much time from other things).

Top rushing performances by an Alabama quarterback
216^ Harry Gilmer, at Kentucky, Nov. 3, 1945
190 Steadman Shealy, Mississippi State, Nov. 3, 1979
162 Tyler Watts, at South Carolina, Sept. 29, 2001
156 Walter Lewis, Cincinnati, Oct. 23, 1982
143 Pat Trammell, Tulane, Nov. 7, 1959
119 Jack O’Rear, at Tennessee, Oct. 16, 1976
116*^ Harry Gilmer, Southern California, Jan. 1, 1946
110 Pat Trammell, at Vanderbilt, Oct. 7, 1961
110 Tyler Watts, at Ole Miss, Oct. 13, 2001
108 Ken Coley, at LSU, Sept. 5, 1981
*Did not count in season or career statistics
^Gilmer was single-wing halfback; is listed as QB as he was the primary passer

When Sims first became McCarron’s backup quarterback in 2012 he continually took off out of the pocket while running for 187 yards on 30 attempts (6.2) average in 10 appearances. After working on going through his progressions better last season he only had 61 yards on 15 attempts.

Against West Virginia, though, he had 42 rushing yards while nullifying numerous blitzes.

“There was times we got there and we didn’t finish the play, whether that was because we were out of control because he just did a great job of making people miss,” West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen said while reflecting on the 33-23 Alabama victory. “I thought he played well.”

“He was more elusive than we expected,” West Virginia defensive coordinator Tony Gibson added. “He hit us on a few quick screens.”

Sims also avoided being sacked, which can happen with a mobile quarterback, but not necessarily.

Since 1983, when Alabama started tracking sacks by opponents, the fewest given up during a single season was 14 in 1984. The quarterbacks that season were Mike Shula and Vince Sutton. The Tide gave up 16 in 1986, again with Shula, and 2004 when Spencer Pennington and Marc Guillon filled in for injured Brodie Croyle. Four other times it yielded fewer than 20 (1985, 1988, 1990 and 2011), and last year opponents notched 23.

(Incidentally, the most allowed was 43 in 1996 when Freddie Kitchens was the quarterback).

Regardless, it’s something opposing teams have to be aware of, but combined with the threat of the Alabama running game they probably won’t be able to spy a defender to try and contain Sims.

“I think it changes everything,” Kelly said. “Obviously, as an offensive line we want to keep the pocket clean at all times, but realistically they’re going to bring an extra guy. They know they’re playing Alabama. So for Blake’s ability to kind of get outside the pocket, still read defenses and still hit guys like Amari Cooper and Dee White, all those guys, downfield, it makes the offense successful and adds a dimension to what we like to do.”