1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …

The narrative is no need to panic. At least not yet.

Technically, it’s an AC shoulder joint sprain, and Alabama coach Nick Saban says star quarterback Bryce Young is day-to-day.

“He doesn’t have a serious injury,” Saban said.

But Young has an injury, and the collateral impact of that injury — even though Saban says it’s day-to-day — will affect Alabama the remainder of the season.

Because this isn’t just about a shoulder joint sprain that Saban says Young has had before. A history of them, in fact.

This is about the glaring weaknesses at Alabama — pass protection, consistency at wide receiver — moving forward, and how they collide with the Tide’s ability to protect its most valuable asset.

“There’s only one Bryce Young in this country,” Saban said.

The question now: How do you keep him upright, and avoid (further) injury?

Pass protection has been a problem since spring practice, when no one on the roster played well enough to win the left tackle spot — the most critical in pass protection. More disconcerting, Alabama went an entire offseason without an idea of what the line would look like.

Current starting left tackle Tyler Steen, transferred from Vanderbilt but not until after spring practice. He didn’t win the job until late in fall camp, and only after former 5-star recruit JC Latham didn’t win the job and had to stay at right tackle.

Either way, the line isn’t much better than last year’s group, which allowed a whopping 40 sacks. They’ve only given up 5 in 2022, but as Saban says constantly, it’s about affecting the quarterback.

Young has been affected as much this season as last year, and because of that, has had to go off schedule and scramble more than he ever has — the very situation in which he injured his shoulder against Arkansas.

Now add uncertainty at wide receiver, and look at the Alabama offense moving forward with games at Tennessee, vs. Mississippi State, at LSU and at Ole Miss — a combined 17-2 record — over the next 6 weeks.

For every big play by freshmen WRs Kobe Prentice and Isaiah Bond, there are drops, bad routes and an inability to separate from coverage by everyone in the unit. They’re young (for the most part), they’re learning and developing.

Another problem: 2 critical transfers haven’t produced. Louisville transfer Tyler Harrell hasn’t gotten on the field because of a foot injury, and Georgia’s Jermaine Burton — the team’s No. 1 receiver — has just 8 catches in the past 4 games.

The receivers caught 9 passes vs. the worst pass defense in the SEC, and though there were 3 significant explosion plays of 53, 47 and 22 yards (2 for TDs), the hit and miss production will become a factor against better defenses (Mississippi State, LSU, Ole Miss).

Now throw a potentially injured (more on that later) Young into the mix, and ask him to win games. Is it too much to ask? No.

But it’s a more significant lift.

2. The injury

According to Saban, Young has a history of AC sprains. Young takes a few days off, responds well and plays again.

Sounds simple enough. And frankly, it could be. I spoke to Georgie Bahri, an orthopedic surgeon who trained under the renowned James Andrews, and Bahri said the injury shouldn’t be a season-long problem.

More important, even though Young has had a history of sprains, there is no cumulative impact. In other words, because Young has had multiple sprains, it doesn’t mean another could lead to a worse injury.

“If it’s a sprain, and it heals back to normal,” Bahri said, “a new sprain would be considered a fresh injury.”

This is a good thing, but it doesn’t negate Alabama’s problems in surrounding Young with dependable play on the offensive line and at wide receiver.

Or surrounding backup quarterback Jalen Milroe with the same.

3. Don’t panic yet, The Epilogue

So let’s say Young misses this weekend’s game against Texas A&M, and the Tide are forced to go with Milroe.

It’s not like Milroe, a redshirt freshman, is an overwhelmed, underprepared scrub. A 4-star dual-threat QB recruit, he was ranked the No. 81 overall recruit by the 247Sports composite.

Is he the thrower Young is? Of course not — but who in college football is?

By the time Milroe entered the Arkansas game permanently, the Hogs had scored 23 straight points, gained momentum and trailed 28-23. Then Milroe ripped off a 77-yard run on a scramble to set up a short touchdown run — and the Tide was never pressed again.

The offense will change if Young can’t play this week (or more weeks), and Milroe has to play for an extended period of time. He doesn’t do what Young can do, but it also may help accentuate the good in the Alabama bad.

Follow me here: The Alabama line is getting better each week at run blocking, and the Tide have home run hitters in TBs Jahmyr Gibbs and Jase McClellan, and now Milroe — who might be the fastest player on the offense.

It will also eliminate some pressure from the receivers, who are very capable blockers (if you don’t block at Alabama as a receiver, you don’t get on the field).

The offense will be more run-oriented with Milroe, but it doesn’t mean he won’t have to make plays in the passing game. A 4-of-9 effort — his line from the Arkansas game — may not be enough on the road against Tennessee and Ole Miss.

“There are things that (Milroe) does well,” Saban said. “We practice some of those things. And if he has to play, we’ll practice some more.”

No need to panic. At least not yet.

4. The wake-up call(s)

One is an anomaly, two is a … wake the heck up moment.

Because if 2 is a trend, Georgia has problems heading into the second half of the season with games against Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi State looming.

A 39-22 win over Kent State — yes, Kent State — was supposed to be the wake-up call. You know, the let’s show up and stroll through another victory mindset that played out in Week 4.

Now there’s another show up effort to add to the season résumé — a 26-22 escape from Missouri — and this one is more dangerous because it absolutely is showing trends.

Like Georgia’s inconsistencies in run blocking and failure to control the line of scrimmage for the past 2 games.

But for a few explosion plays against Missouri, Georgia couldn’t run the ball consistently and hasn’t found a go-to option. A week ago against Kent State, the Dawgs ran for 257 yards — but 97 yards were on 2 plays and the leading rusher was tight end Brock Bowers.

Georgia coach Kirby Smart talked all offseason how this team wouldn’t be the hunted, it would be the hunters. In other words, the desire to win big, the singular focus, wouldn’t change from the 2021 national championship season.

Georgia can’t continue to run the ball like it has the past 2 weeks and expect to get an opportunity to defend its national championship in the Playoff.

Much like Alabama, adversity has arrived early in the season. Unlike Alabama, it’s not because of a lack of experience or development.

The Georgia offensive line is talented. The running backs are, too.

Time to be the hunter again.

5. The Weekly 5

Five picks against the spread, brought to you by our friends at FanDuel.

  • Tennessee (-3) at LSU
  • Arkansas (+4.5) at Mississippi State
  • Missouri (+10.5) at Florida
  • Auburn (+27.5) at Georgia
  • Texas A&M (+23.5) at Alabama

Last week: 2-3.

Season: 14-11.

6. Your tape is your résumé

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Florida DE Brenton Cox Jr.

“Right out of the box, I love that he’s showing up every single game. That was a big question prior to this season. Did he want it enough? Did he love the game? Was he a guy who wold give maximum effort every week? He’s not a Day 1 or 2 guy, but he’s absolutely a guy with edge skills and length. He’s always been a guy who chases plays from the other side of the field. I love that. Now he’s doing it consistently. He’s not going to be an elite edge rusher, but he finds the ball and he can set the edge in the run game.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and one big thing: Don’t panic, but …

1. Georgia: 6 sacks in 5 games — against 5 overmatched teams.

2. Alabama: The lack of designed throws to WR Jermaine Burton, and the production when he is targeted.

3. Tennessee: Defense has given up 60 plays of 10+ yards in 4 games, and a whopping 18 of 20+.

4. Ole Miss: Rebels quarterbacks are completing 57.9 percent of their passes. Completed 66.7 in 2021, and 71 in 2020.

5. Kentucky: QB Will Levis has been sacked 19 times. He was sacked 22 times in 2021.

6. LSU: Production of preseason All-American WR Kayshon Boutte: 11 catches for 97 yards and 0 TDs.

7. Arkansas: The little things the Hogs did so well last season — ball security, special teams, finding the ball in the secondary — have been major issues in 2022.

8. Mississippi State: Bulldogs averaging more than 4 yards per carry for the first time under Mike Leach — and he still doesn’t always trust the run game inside the 5.

9. Texas A&M: All those 5-star recruits on the defensive line — and the offensive line is the problem.

10. Florida: Gators tackle poorly, take bad angles and don’t have the size to trade blows for 4 quarters in SEC games.

11. South Carolina: QB Spencer Rattler’s 7 interceptions. The offensive line is struggling and protection is poor — but some of Rattler’s throws aren’t much better.

12. Missouri: WR Luther Burden III, the team’s most dynamic player, has 20 touches (13 catches) in 5 games. Had 3 catches vs. Georgia.

13. Auburn: Second-half scoring this season vs. 3 Power 5 teams (Penn State, Missouri, LSU): 6 points.

14. Vanderbilt: For all the strides Commodores have made this season, they’re still last in the SEC in total defense (457.2 ypg.), and scoring defense (33.8 ppg.)

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: I’m about ready to eat that contract and move on from Jimbo (Fisher). These aren’t just losses, they’re embarrassing losses. And the wins aren’t that much better. — Terry Allen, Houston.

Terry:

First and foremost, no one is eating that $90 million buyout. More distressing to many Aggies fans is Fisher isn’t letting go of play-calling. It’s who he is, and it keeps him closer to the quarterback and offense.

Fisher’s identity as a coach is tied to the offense, and I can’t imagine him walking away midseason and handing the play-calling duties to offensive coordinator (in title only) Darrell Dickey. Fisher is the quarterbacks coach, he’s the offensive coordinator and more than anything, he’s the play-caller.

This is what has made him so attractive as a successful coach and coaching candidate. He continues to stress that plays are there for the making, but that there are small issues within the production of the play holding back the Aggies.

He has a legitimate point: The offensive line is struggling to protect (QB Max Johnson was knocked out of the Mississippi State game), and the receivers and quarterbacks have been inconsistent. But, and this is the key, he’s coaching the quarterbacks. That’s on him.

I don’t know how much longer he can continue to proclaim plays are there — and nothing is happening in the passing game. Especially if this team that looks like it will struggle to win 7 games, produces an offense that stumbles around at both Alabama and South Carolina.

If that happens, Fisher may have no choice but to give Dickey a chance to calm the masses — and then hire a legitimate OC/play-caller in the offseason.

9. Numbers

261.8. For the last time, Lane Kiffin wants to run the ball.

It’s the foundation of his offenses at USC, FAU and now Ole Miss. The passing game is clearly important — and Kiffin is a terrific QB developer — but his offense is more molded after Baylor’s downhill run game under former coach Art Briles than it is anything of the vertical pass game explosion of late.

The Rebels are averaging 261.8 rushing yards per game, and more to the point, Ole Miss runs the ball 63.6 percent of the time (233 rushes, 133 passes) — after running the ball 57.8 percent of the time in 2021.

Ole Miss leads the SEC in yards (1,309) and rushing TDs (17), and is 2nd in yards per carry (5.62).

10. Quote to note

Kentucky coach Mark Stoops on QB Will Levis’ fumble on the last drive of the loss to Ole Miss: “For him, there’s a lot of moving pieces. He’s playing good football. You know, if we get our guys set, he throws a dime, wins the game, and everyone is saying, wow, pretty impressive to lead us back on 2 late drives late in the game.”