Five Things The Alabama Crimson Tide Can Improve On For 2014
By Chris Hale
Jan 2, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Trevor Knight (9) hands the ball off to running back Brennan Clay (24) in the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Oklahoma defeated Alabama 45-31. Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Defending the HUNH
Alabama gave up 628, 393, and 429 yards to Texas A&M, Auburn and Oklahoma respectively. Each of those teams ran some version of the hurry-up, no-huddle offense last season.
Saban is quick to point out that Alabama’s defense holds this type offense in check a bit better than other teams, and he is right. But two of those games up as losses at the end of the day.
“In all honesty, guys, you all make way too much of this,” Saban said after the first fall scrimmage. “I mean, the last game the team had 21 points against us with 30 seconds to go in the game, and I don’t think anybody held them to 21 points all year long. I saw them score 60 in the SEC Championship Game, or whatever.”
“We shut Ole Miss out here. We had four turnovers against Oklahoma that led to 28 points. Two of them, the defense never even got back on the field. So there were 14 points they didn’t even show up for. They run the kickoff back for a touchdown, recovered a fumble for a touchdown – and gave them the ball another time on the 13-yard line. So when you look in it deeply relative to how the other teams do, do we need to play better or do we play as well against those teams as maybe some other teams? I guess you could make the case for that.”
Saban also said it’s difficult for the defensive players to maintain their intensity throughout the game when they are playing that many plays. The answer? Keep those offenses off of the field. If they are not out there, they can’t score. Long and sustaining drives are the answer.
Alabama faced seven teams running this offense in 2013, and only lost two. Once we turn those few losses into wins, Tide fans won’t care how much yardage the other team had. They just want the win. With success against speed offenses, a win against Auburn will surely be there as well which will give the fans room to grin a little.