Alabama Football ‘Next Man Up’ mantra getting real
By Ronald Evans
For Alabama football, Saturday night in Bryant-Denny was gut-check time. ‘Next Man Up’ quickly became turned from a mantra to a chorus.
For Alabama football, easy wins over LSU have been few since Nick Saban began building the Bengal Tigers program in 2000. Only in 2002 and again in the National Championship game in 2012 has the Tide dominated LSU. The only other one-sided game was a Saban-led LSU blowout in 2003.
Otherwise, the games have more closely resembled hand-to-hand combat than the track meets now so common in college football. They have been waged by young men who play with, as Bear Bryant used to call it, “reckless abandon.”
Such was the case Saturday night in Tuscaloosa. LSU was as determined as their rock-jawed leader, Ed Orgeron. It was ‘The’ game for LSU. The one for which they had prepared for a year.
In the course of the maelstrom, the teams administered a physical beating on each other. Alabama football came away the winner but paid a price in injuries to key players. Shaun Dion Hamilton with a broken patella is gone for the year. His Alabama football career is over. Mack Wilson broke a foot and will be lost until at least the Playoffs.
Other were banged up as well. Minkah Fitzpatrick had a hamstring injury that limited his participation. Rashaan Evans, Anfernee Jennings and Jamey Mosley were also dinged though less seriously.
‘Next Man Up’ gets real
Having already lost two key linebackers early in the season, the Tide must now compete without four of its top seven linebackers. Minkah could also be out for a game or longer depending what an MRI shows about his hamstring.
The latest injuries further hamper the Tide’s defensive depth but even more, they diminish the team talent level. Hamilton was the play caller for the front-seven. His experience and knowledge cannot be replaced. Keith Holcombe stepped in for Hamilton and will be expected to carry that key role going forward.
Mack Wilson’s considerable contribution as a key backup, special teams player and member of the Tide’s Dime package, may be filled by true freshman, Dylan Moses. Moses has practiced at inside and outside linebacker throughout the fall.
The biggest question with new inside linebackers is can they handle pass coverage. Hamilton and Wilson were the Tide’s two best linebackers in pass coverage.
Other young players will be looked to in the rotation: Christopher Allen, Vandarius Cowan and Josh McMillon. Ben Davis and Mekhi Brown may see more action though Brown also suffered an injury in the game.
What to expect?
With youth and less game experience, communication and missed assignments are issues. Saban said LSU’s long run in the game happened when half the defense shifted and the rest did not. The good news for Alabama football is the backups are not short on talent. Holcombe is steady and knows the defense well. Dylan Moses is a future Crimson Tide All-American.
Filling the linebacker holes is doable barring future injuries. The possibility of losing Minkah for one or more games is nothing short of scary. No team in college football has a replacement player equal to Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Alabama football is prepared for ‘Next Man Up’ probably more than any other team in college football. Still, last season we saw how the loss of Eddie Jackson almost assuredly cost the Tide a national championship.
We are confident, like all Nick Saban teams, the 2017 group will not back up or back down. Alabama football fans should enjoy watching more of these talented young players.
Next: Going into 2017, Tide Linebacker group was maybe its best ever
We will update this post with new injury information as soon as it becomes available. UPDATED information on Minkah: Nick Saban said Monday that Minkah is expected to only miss one day of practice. Monday’s position group lineups at practice will also be interesting. Check in with us often.