Alabama Football: Three threats to Alabama’s success heading into the bye

Alabama football has seemingly been a constant locomotive running away from the competition up to its bye week. Even after the dominating performance against Tennessee expect Coach Nick Saban to continue preaching how to continually improve.

Alabama football sits currently at 8-0, outscoring opponents not only by the widest margin in Nick Saban’s era but any era in Alabama Football’s history.

Tua Tagovailoa is the front-runner for the Heisman and has 21 touchdown passes thus far with zero interceptions.

Every game this season has not been contested going into halftime, resulting in Tagovailoa not seeing the field this season during the fourth quarter.

This leaves many Alabama football fans wondering, “Are there really any threats to Alabama?”

Eight weeks into the season, I believe there are three main threats going forward that could derail a truly special season for Alabama football. Those threats are complacency, health and communication.

Complacency

In every game, this season, Alabama has yet to have an opponent take the game into the second half. Resulting in some un-Alabama like tendencies to occur. Whether it be giving up 31 points to Arkansas, allowing an average of over 100 yards rushing per game, or seemingly just not dominant in the second half of games.

The fight Alabama must face going into its bye week and beyond is complacency.

Complacency is a giant killer. At some point, Alabama will face a team that pushes it into the fourth quarter. Coach Saban has preached at the end of every game some flaws that I believe were directly due to the complacency of being up by thirty points.

For Coach Saban going forward, I believe he will show games like the playoff game versus Ohio State and the championship loss versus Clemson. In both games, Alabama football was up but was unable to finish. Complacency while in the lead can cost victory in the end. I fully expect Coach Saban to have Alabama ready to roll going into the second half of the year.

Health

Last season, Alabama Football fans witnessed the repercussions of injuries during the Auburn game. These injuries cost Alabama the game and nearly its chance at the College Football Playoff.

This season, there have been some similar injuries. However, some are just needing the time to heal completely. This bye week comes at a perfect time for Alabama’s offense.

It allows Tua Tagovailoa to rest his right knee. It allows DeVonta Smith and Henry Ruggs III to continue their rehab in their hamstrings. It allows time for the defense to rehab and prepare for the stiffest half of its schedule.

Baton Rouge is calling and the health for Alabama is paramount for success. Finding an extra week to prep and rehab is crucial for Alabama.

Communication

Football is a game of inches. In the Tennessee game, there were times where the receivers of Alabama didn’t quite run the correct route resulting in an incompletion. The defense had a breakdown with coverage resulting in two of Tennessee’s touchdowns for the day. The overall root cause was the communication within the individual units.

I firmly believe that the only team capable of beating Alabama is Alabama. If Alabama loses a game this year it will be because it beat itself. Communication within the offense and defense allows for success.

Both sides of the football are still overall very young. Tagovailoa, Jeudy, Ruggs III and Devonta Smith are all true sophomores. The defense is compromised of a completely retooled secondary.

Communication within these units must continue to grow. When Alabama faces a test that results in fourth quarter play that holds the balance to the outcome of the game it will need communication to be at its highest point.

Conclusion

The success for Alabama football this season has been truly unseen before during the Nick Saban era, or really any era for that matter. The offensive production has pulled Alabama away from the competition by halftime each game this season. A defense which lost so many players to last year’s NFL draft has performed better than many expected.

However, one thing hasn’t changed from year’s past and that is the expectation of a National Championship. For Alabama to secure its 18th National Championship it will be fighting against the threats that look to kill the dream. If Alabama can fight complacency, stay healthy, and effectively communicate, look for the Crimson Tide to continue its dominant run.

Comment below on what flaws you have seen in Alabama Football during the first half of the year. Also make a prediction on the Alabama LSU game in two weeks!