TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — There’s a longstanding belief that the biggest difference between the players in the Southeastern Conference and those in other leagues can be found with the defensive linemen.
This year’s University of Alabama football team is about to find out how big the gap really is.
After facing three non-conference opponents to start the season the Crimson Tide opens SEC play against Florida on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ET, CBS). Coach Nick Saban calls the Gators’ front seven the “Most athletic we’ve seen to this point.”
Led by junior defensive end Dante Fowler, Florida has notched five sacks in two games and tallied an impressive 20 quarterback hurries.
Specifically, after its opener against Idaho was cancelled due to inclement weather, Florida had three sacks and 11 hurries against Eastern Michigan, and two and nine, respectively, in the 36-30 triple-overtime victory against Kentucky.
“They have an excellent front and defensive line,” senior right tackle Austin Shepherd said. “It’s going to be a lot different.”
Although senior linebacker Neiron Ball leads the Gators with two sacks, Fowler has the most pressures with six. Florida likes to move him around but he appears to be most dangerous as an edge rusher, of which Saban described him as “relentless.”
“Yeah I watched him,” Shepherd said. “Quick off the ball. Pretty good.”
Yet a Fowler vs. Shepherd matchup probably isn’t the biggest concern of Alabama’s coaches, rather seeing Fowler across from Cam Robinson. The true freshman hasn’t given anything up yet or had a penalty, but he’s also never faced such a talented defensive end in a game.
“Cam Robinson is just going to get better and better,” Saban said during his radio show on Thursday night.
He also stated that the right guard (Leon Brown) and left tackle spots remained the two biggest questions of the offensive line, and that most of the unit’s mistakes last week were mental, and that junior-college transfer Dominick Jackson may already be one of the team’s best linemen.
Regardless, so far Alabama’s pass protection has been pretty good. The Crimson Tide has given up just two sacks, both when junior Jacob Coker had trouble in the red zone – one when the play wasn’t called correctly, the other he held the ball too long while trying to make something happen.
Senior Blake Sims, meanwhile, has successfully eluded all pass-rushers and used his feet to scamper for 102 rushing yards.
“I think Blake’s ability so far to stay in the pocket, read and throw the ball effectively has been very good, but he’s also had a good feel for when to move in the pocket and when it’s time to take off running,” Saban said. “So I think the combination of those two things really can be very helpful to the offensive line.”
But now with league play the game gets a little faster, the pass-rushers are a little quicker, and the challenges only bigger.
“I think this is the best group we’ll see,” senior tight end Brian Vogler said. “We respect them a lot.”
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
