Although Alabama got a much-needed win in week seven, it was not the most satisfying victory we’ve seen from the Crimson Tide this season. It was far from that.
Today, we’ll look at five takeaways from the Crimson Tide’s two-point victory over South Carolina.
1. Coaching changes have been few and far between
One thing I’ve noticed over the last three weeks is Alabama’s unwillingness to make adjustments during the game. The Crimson Tide are really lucky to be 5-1. In week seven, Alabama offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett failed to beat South Carolina’s pass rushers one-on-one. Instead of pairing Pritchett with a tight end, offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan allowed Pritchett to compete one-on-one. That was not a good idea because Pritchett struggled throughout the game. Alabama’s defence struggled to stop the run and generate an effective pass rush. Instead of stacking the box or experimenting with new blitzes and stunts, Wommack appeared to remain with the original gameplan, which was not working. Moving forward, coaching tweaks must be made or Alabama will find itself in over its head sooner rather than later.
2. Kobe Prentice and Kendrick Law are sorely missed.
For the past two weeks, Alabama has been without wide receiver Kendrick Law. The Louisiana native is utilized in a variety of applications. He can catch the ball and block better than any other wide receiver on the team. His presence has been missed in the last two games. Another crucial member of Alabama’s offence has been out for the past game and a half. That is junior wide receiver Kobe Prentice. He received a concussion in the first half of Week 6’s game against Vanderbilt and has yet to return to action. Both play important roles in the Crimson Tide offence. Coach DeBoer noted earlier this week that each of them was progressively recovering from injuries. By week seven, it was evident that they had been missed.
3. Domani Jackson has taken over as CB1.
Domani Jackson’s availability to play in the second half was uncertain after suffering an injury in the first. However, the USC transfer returned to action and made the game-saving interception. Jackson has barely been tested this season. Opposing offences have avoided Jackson because he is Alabama’s best cornerback. If he had not returned in week six, Alabama would likely have lost and dropped to 4-2. Jackson has rapidly emerged as Alabama’s CB1 and will need to continue to set an example for the Crimson Tide.
4. The running game needs to improve.
This season, Alabama appears to have regressed in its ability to run the ball effectively. This season, running backs Jam Miller and Justice Haynes have each carried for more than 100 yards in one game. Outside of that, they’ve all struggled. However, their lack of carries could account for a significant portion of this. Whatever the case, the running game has proven unproductive. Moving forward, Alabama must be able to sustain its ground-level success. Otherwise, the offence will become one-dimensional and predictable.
5. The front seven continues to struggle to stop and run.
South Carolina took advantage of Alabama’s weaknesses in stopping the run. The Gamecocks moved the ball down the field methodically, averaging three to four yards per run. That cannot continue to happen. Alabama’s offence has too much firepower and big-play potential to sit on the sidelines. The Gamecocks began the second half with a 16-play drive that lasted eight minutes and 40 seconds. Alabama failed to adjust and nearly lost as a result. Alabama has lost time of possession in the last two games, much of which can be attributed to their inability to stop the run. That is an area that requires further improvement.
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