Alabama Football: Five reasons the Crimson Tide beats Clemson
By Ronald Evans
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
No. 3 – Tide Linebackers look to make a statement
Alabama football defenders have populated operating rooms this season in unprecedented numbers. Even before the explosion of injuries, the Alabama football defense had to replace now NFL players Jonathan Allen, Dalvin Tomlinson, Ryan Anderson, Reuben Foster, Tim Williams, Marlon Humphrey and Eddie Jackson. No college football program can undergo such attrition without a dropoff.
On top of the attrition, add the abundant injuries. Anfernee Jennings and Rashaan Evans missed games and played hurt in several more. Shaun Dion Hamilton, Dylan Moses and Hootie Jones each incurred season-ending injuries. Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller missed most of the season after surgeries. Mack Wilson played hurt for several weeks and was finally unable to continue without surgery. LaBryan Ray missed the last few weeks after surgery.
Michael Casagrande of al.com described the injury epidemic well.
"As a defense, 35 games were lost to injury by players who appeared on the opening day depth chart. That doesn’t include reserve defensive end LaBryan Ray (two missed games) or Moses (one missed game for a previous injury). In all, seven linebackers who were starters or major contributors missed games because of injury."
It is almost impossible for any football team to lose seven linebackers during the season and survive, much less make the CFB Playoffs. The good news is five of those linebackers are ready to attack the Clemson offense.
Every one of them is looking to make a statement. Christian Miller, Terrell Lewis, Anfernee Jennings and Rashaan Evans are at or near 100 percent. Mack Wilson is at about 85 percent. Those guys are so determined, so pumped, so prepared, look for three or four or all of them to have huge games.