5. Special Teams Woes
Tied against Georgia with a few seconds remaining, Tua led the team in position for a field goal. All hopes were squarely on senior kicker Andy Pappanastanos. He shanked the game-winning field goal forcing the game into overtime. It was his second miss of the game.
Every year, whenever an Alabama kicker lines up to kick a field goal, fans are clutching their rosary beads hoping for a successful attempt.
Luckily, redshirt freshman kicker Joseph Bulovas was the spring game’s MVP after connecting on 5 of 7 field goals. His longest of the day was 49 yards.
Graduate transfer Austin Jones joins the Tide this summer to help with kicking. The former Temple kicker completed 4 of 5 field goals before his ACL injury his junior season.
There is going to come a time where the defense and offense cannot win the game and Saban will have to rely on a successful field goal kick.
Alabama football fans expect a trusted kicker that can kick 30 yarders consistently plus have the leg strength to bury it from 50 plus yards. Tide fans yearn for more – a kicker who can be solid from 45 yards in, no matter how much pressure there is in a given game.