Alabama Football: Tide fans are asking is the glass half-full or half-empty

How many SEC football fanbases are unsatisfied by a 24-point SEC road win? Only one – and it says a lot about the one, Alabama football.

By any reasonable standard, Alabama football is the top program in college football. Yes, Clemson is the reigning National Champion, but programs are measured by more than a few seasons and certainly by more than one season.

The Alabama Crimson Tide competes to a singular standard. That standard is defined by championships, especially national championships.

So, every time Alabama football plays a game, it and the rest of college football measure the performance against the current season’s national championship probability.

Alabama football won an SEC road game on Saturday, beating a good team by 24 points. For every other program that is enough. It is not enough for many Alabama football fans. And it shouldn’t be.

Let’s consider both sides of the glass half-full and half-empty perspectives.

Alabama Football Half-Full

• Tua Tagovailoa is the best passer in college football, maybe even the best ever.
• The Crimson Tide has the best group of four wide receivers in college football.

The two points above beg the question – how good does the rest of the Crimson Tide have to be to win a national championship? We don’t know the answer.

We do know the current offense-centric world of college football depends less on defensive play than in the even recent past. Last season the Top 10 defenses in college football (NCAA rank for Total Defense) lost a combined total of 36 games. Take away Clemson’s 15-0 record and the other nine teams averaged four losses each.

Alabama Football Half-Empty (based on the South Carolina game)

• The Tide has one solid inside linebacker, a true freshman, Shane Lee who is still developing.
• The depth on the defensive line is questionable.
• The improved secondary is not flawless.
• The pass rush needs improvement.
• Run blocking of the offensive line is not dominant.
•  Kicking is still scary with a 14-yard punt, a missed 37-yard field goal and a missed extra point.

Last season while Alabama football was winning games in an explosive fashion, Nick Saban kept saying some aspects were a ‘work in progress.’ That description appears more suited to this season’s team. The young roster will improve. How much and how fast is unknown.

One point to consider is this team may not show its true strength until it faces a more challenging opponent. The next two weeks do not offer stiff challenges. Maybe TAMU will be different and maybe that is exactly what this team needs.