5 things that went right for Alabama this regular season … and 3 that didn’t
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Alabama is in the midst of another memorable season. After defeating Auburn in the Iron Bowl, the Crimson Tide remain undefeated and look like a lock to make the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row.
While Alabama is always in the conversation as one of the nation’s best teams, each year provides new challenges and obstacles to overcome.
The Crimson Tide have navigated those obstacles beautifully so far, and several things have gone right along the way.
Here are five things that have gone Alabama’s way this season and a few that haven’t.
5 things that went right
Rolling with Jalen Hurts at quarterback: Throughout preseason practice, Alabama’s quarterback competition was an important one. Talk of a talented, dual-threat, freshman quarterback slowly began to spread, and Alabama carried the competition over to the regular season. The Crimson Tide started former 5-star prospect Blake Barnett in the season opener against USC, but it was Hurts who helped spark the offense in the 52-6 rout.
From that point, it was clear that Hurts was Alabama’s best option at the position. He’s become one of the country’s best freshmen and looks like a true star. Nick Saban has had success with inexperienced quarterbacks in the past, but Hurts is a cut above the rest.
Scoring at any given moment: Alabama has had a fairly similar identity during Saban’s tenure with the team: A run-heavy offense supported by a dominant, imposing defense. While that is more or less the same in 2016, this team has developed another important identity. The Crimson Tide have proven they can score in all phases of the game.
Alabama has 12 non-offensive touchdowns this season, more than any team in college football. Nine of those touchdowns have come courtesy of the Crimson Tide’s defense, while their special teams have scored three times. Alabama’s defense is no longer just shutting down opposing offenses, it is scoring on them.
No defensive slide after loss of NFL players: After last year’s national championship victory over Clemson, many began to speculate about Alabama’s chances of defending its title. Most pointed to losing several talented players in the defensive front seven as a potential obstacle. Nobody questioned the group returning to Tuscaloosa, but there was still some uncertainty.
Alabama’s defense has surpassed expectations. This group could be better than last year’s Crimson Tide defense, which was often compared to some of the best in college football history. A little bit of a drop-off was anticipated, but the opposite may have occurred.
Dynamic skill players utilized in a dynamic offense: The Crimson Tide have not lacked for offensive star power over the years. Players like Amari Cooper, Derrick Henry, Julio Jones and Mark Ingram are some of the best in college football history. However, this year’s squad isn’t reliant on one or two stars, and they are getting production from a variety of players.
Alabama has four players with 350 yards or more on the ground this season, a first for Saban. Damien Harris is a versatile running back and complements Hurts’ ability to carry the ball, giving the Crimson Tide a lethal read-option attack.
ArDarius Stewart (below) is a swiss-army knife clad in crimson and white. The speedy receiver is effective on jet sweeps out of the backfield or working on the perimeter. He meshes with Calvin Ridley to help Alabama take advantage of any defensive lapses in the secondary. Lane Kiffin has created a gameplan designed to get the ball in the hands of his playmakers, and it’s paying off big time.
The second half against Ole Miss: While hard to quantify, Alabama’s season may have turned in the second half at Ole Miss. The Crimson Tide were always considered one of the nation’s best teams, but the Rebels had been a thorn in their side. It looked like Alabama would have another blemish on its record when Ole Miss took a 24-3 lead just before halftime.
The comeback started before the break, but in the second half especially, the Crimson Tide responded and haven’t looked back since. Throughout that performance, we saw Alabama start to become the dominant team it has been for most of the season. Had Saban’s team lost that game, it’s unlikely everything would have unraveled. But the win seemingly set Alabama on its current path to another national championship.
3 things that didn’t
Eddie Jackson’s injury: Alabama’s defense suffered a large blow when senior safety Eddie Jackson fractured his leg against Texas A&M. The season-ending injury forced the Crimson Tide defense to carry on without their star player, and it impacted the team’s return game as well.
One of Alabama’s leaders, Jackson was off to a great start to the season and already had two punt return touchdowns prior to his injury. The Crimson Tide are one of college football’s deepest programs so the loss of Jackson wasn’t devastating, but he will be missed in the postseason.
Blake Barnett’s transfer: While Hurts is undoubtedly Alabama’s quarterback for the future, Barnett’s decision to leave the team was a bit surprising. Not only does it affect the Crimson Tide’s depth at the position, something they have relied upon in the past, but the quarterback’s departure created a bit of a distraction.
Saban didn’t take too kindly to Barnett leaving the team, believing his former quarterback “quit” on the program.
Legal issues: Speaking of distractions, a few too many players have had legal troubles for Saban’s liking. Cam Robinson and Hootie Jones were arrested back in May, but those charges were eventually dropped. Late in September, star linebacker Tim Williams was also arrested on gun charges.
Most programs have similar situations that occur with players, but the wrong instance could potentially derail another dream season.
William McFadden covers the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama for Saturday Down South. For insight on these two SEC powerhouses, follow him on Twitter @willmcfadden.
