Never again, indeed.
Alabama came into Jordan-Hare stadium last night to prove that last year’s Iron Bowl loss was a chimera, an aberration created by a once-in-a-generation hired gun, and a legendary collapse. All the pieces out of the control of Alabama’s players had fallen into place, and all that remained was for this team to take care of business down on the Plains.
In short, Alabama pitched an almost perfect game that seemed designed to answer every criticism of the casual Alabama fan. Offensive coordinator called a near-perfect game, with the right amount of trick plays and tight end screens to make AJ McCarron look like a veteran. Once the Auburn secondary was softened up, the relentless rushing attack pounded the Tiger defense into submission.
AJ McCarron managed the game extremely well, despite a critical mistake that led to an Auburn touchdown. His confidence was back in this game, and perhaps he showed too much confidence in an offensive line that gave him all day to throw the ball. He made his throws, and showed an arm strength we haven’t seen at Alabama in years.
What can you say about Trent Richardson that hasn’t already been said? He’s indisputably the best back in college football. He’s a combination of speed, agility and uncanny strength, all with the balance of a gymnast. If he doesn’t win the Heisman trophy, I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s completely due to regional bias.
I’ve been hesitant all season to place this defense among the all-time greats, because of the difficulty of comparing eras and players. But having watching this team’s entire body of work, I think it’s reasonable to say the 2011 version of the Crimson Tide defense is one of the best I’ve ever seen. All things being equal, I’d put them against the 1992 defense in a heartbeat.
Special teams are what we thought they were. The kicking game is clearly a liability, and player mistakes in the kick game cost the only other Auburn score. Nothing short of new personnel will fix this, so second-guessing at this point is pointless.
Allow me a fan’s hyperbole a moment. Auburn football is a mess. Their mercenary quarterback is gone, and I believe we’re seeing cracks in the Auburn façade. Gus Malzahn is clearly the engine driving the team, and Gene Chizik is the public face of the program. Once his record begins to resemble that of his Iowa State teams, fans will push for his ouster and Malzahn’s promotion, assuming the strange rantings of his wife haven’t made him toxic to other school’s athletic directors.
This victory puts Alabama squarely in position to face off with LSU again. The media will now begin attempting to influence and manipulate the story to their own advantage, trying to script the outcome in the way that will generate the highest ratings. But the coaches that vote know that LSU and Alabama are the two best teams in the country, and deserve to decide it on the field. Alabama has made their case, and will now rest and wait for the BCS to speak. Whether or not they get the chance to play for the national championship, this has been a singular season. Enjoy it Tide fans.