The 2016 Alabama football team advanced to 8-0 after handling the Aggies of Texas A&M in Tuscaloosa, but what did we learn watching the play unfold on Saturday?
With each passing week we’ll learn more about the 2016 Crimson Tide squad. We’ll spot trends as they emerge and puzzle at both the positive and negative outliers throughout the Alabama football season.
In this weekly feature I’ll highlight a handful of the lessons this team is teaching me.
Passing Game Woes
Week after week, Jalen Hurts continues to both dazzle and confound. Repeatedly the freshman signal caller will expertly execute the zone read. He’ll demonstrate outstanding poise and can be pure electricity with the ball in the open field.
Meanwhile, he repeatedly misfires on passes down the field. Against the Aggies, Hurts missed Calvin Ridley and Ardarius Stewart on what would have been easy scores, and similar results have accumulated from most contests all season.
To date, these misses have not cost the Tide as the team has continued to roll. However, it’s an obvious point for improvement and is a development the faithful should monitor as the season enters the home stretch.
Overreactive Coaching
Against Arkansas, a team with a ground-and-pound reputation, the Alabama defense doubled down with its 3-4 personnel. In contrast, against Texas A&M, a team with a fleet of skilled receivers the Tide defense opened the game with six defensive backs, or dime personnel.
In football’s version of Murphy’s Law, Arkansas reeled offer 400 passing yards against the Tide’s four-man secondary and A&M had early success running against the Tide’s pass-themed defensive alignment.
Both opponents appeared to take advantage of the Tide’s overreaction to the tendencies of the opposing offense. As Tom so well summarized in our Arkansas podcast, the Tide adjusted to the offense rather than dictating to the opponent.
Fortunately the error was corrected at half against the Aggies as the Tide shifted back to its nickel or five defensive back alignment. In reality, this is Alabama’s true base defense and according to Saban after the game, it’s the alignment “which is probably what we play best”.
If that’s the case, one has to wonder if the coaching staff isn’t over-thinking the situation. Shouldn’t Alabama start every game with its defensive strength on the field and then adjust only as needed?
Next Season’s Headlines Today
In case you’re wondering what all the talk will be about next August as the Tide opens fall camp for the 2017 season, then you’re in the right place. One of the leading story lines will be Damien Harris’s new burst of speed after dropping eight pounds in the offseason.
More from Bama Hammer
- Alabama Football: Moving past Crimson Tide quarterback rumors
- Alabama Football: How improved is the Ole Miss defense?
- Alabama Football: Power Ranking the SEC after week three
- Alabama’s latest win total projection hints that team is in trouble this season
- Alabama Football: What happened with again QB1 Jalen Milroe
Make no mistake, I absolutely love the emergence that Damien Harris has seen this season. His balance and vision make him the Tide’s leading rusher and he has rattled off numerous long runs. However, the only thing better than a long run is one that ends in a touchdown, and too many times this season Harris has been tracked down from behind.
Watch for that to be addressed in the offseason and be a reporting staple of fall camp.
Depth Watch Redux
Last week, I openly wondered if the Depth Watch feature could be retired – and this week Eddie Jackson promptly breaks a leg. The only logical conclusion is that the gods of the Depth Watch are not to be trifled with.
At the time of the injury, Eddie was statistically the best punt returner in the country and a clear All-America candidate at safety. However, that only partially tells the tale. Jackson will be sorely missed, and it’ll take a couple weeks for the Tide coaching staff to perfect the new Eddie-less defensive rotations. Fortunately, Alabama has a bye week to jump-start the efforts.
Win the Bye Week
There’s a seriousness to this point that might be easy to overlook. How the Tide handles the off week can have a lasting impact on the balance of the regular season. Rest, re-energize, rehab, and practice hard. And don’t manufacture distractions with untimely guest appearances in the police blotter.
Next: Minkah Fitzpatrick a Thorpe Semifinalist
Check back as I continue to track these and new items as they emerge from the field. Also be sure to check out our podcasts as I explore and debate these topics and many more in a more animated format.