College Football has changed more in the last five years than it did in the previous 145, and it is time for all of us to get on board. The Alabama Football team showcased many of these changes in their 47-23 victory over South Carolina.
The days of offensive huddles, fullbacks, and snaps from under center are nearly a thing of the past. Even with Alabama football, it’s a day and age where quarterbacks take the snap from the shotgun and deliver a pass before the defense has had barely enough time to get off their stance. The game is far faster than it was even five or ten years ago.
The hurry-up offense is becoming the norm. Even old-school coaches like Saban are having to embrace the change to keep up with the pace of the game. Defenses struggle to keep up with these fast-paced offenses becoming gassed by the end of the game.
Nick Saban on his defense: "We don’t have enough players to get through the season if we have to play 86 plays of defense every week."
— Aaron Suttles (@AaronSuttles) September 15, 2019
Nick Saban said this Alabama football team was one of the best conditioned teams coming out of summer camp, and even that conditioning gets tested against an effective offense like South Carolina had on Saturday. The defense seemed to be playing on their heels for much of the game, even getting caught with twelve men on the field trying to get set for the play.
Teams across the country are facing this defensive dilemma. Getting pressure on quarterbacks is becoming increasingly difficult when most now take the snap from the shotgun two to three yards behind the line of scrimmage and deliver quick slant passes or ones behind the line to the perimeter of the field. Linebackers and lineman have about two seconds to affect the quarterback before it is too late. Selling out to the blitz is no longer the most effective defensive scheme.
On Alabama’s second drive of the game, it went three-and-out losing 9 yards capping it off with a fourteen-yard punt. Muschamp brought the house each down to get to Tua and had great success.
Sarkisian accounted for the pressure by having Tua get rid of the ball more quickly with slant or perimeter passes, and the South Carolina defense was not able to sack him again during the game. This gets the ball to the playmakers in space to make positive plays for the team. It forces the opposing secondary to play flawless and wrap up tackles well.
South Carolina’s offense had a similar plan of attack, and the Alabama defense struggled. Hilinski completed over 300 passing yards against the improved secondary. Many of the passes were well defended requiring a perfect throw from the quarterback, which Hilinski pulled off more than once. The linebackers played decently well considering their inexperience but continuously struggled to wrap up tackles allowing for lots of yards after the catch.
It became clear that the speed and passing attack gassed the Alabama defense. While many Alabama Football fans are undoubtedly concerned about this, it is a sign of the times. The game is faster, and the old school “punch them in the throat” style does not work anymore.
As a whole, college football seems to be moving away from the hard-nosed run style offenses and 21-10 low-scoring type wins. Defenses are giving up more points as a result of playing nearly 90 plays a game, and opposing offenses are benefitting.
This Alabama Football team looks far different than the championship teams of the past. Tua Tagovailoa has completely revolutionized the Alabama offense. Tua made a statement in his Heisman campaign with 444 passing yards and five touchdowns. The Alabama Football team had only 76 rushing yards in Saturday’s victory, a stat unheard of in older Saban offenses.
This team is not one with a powerhouse running back with 30+ carries a game and 150 rushing yards. This offense is not one who puts together ten-play drives eating up eight or more minutes off the clock. This is not a team who will win a game 20-6 (2009 Alabama- South Carolina) or 12-10 (2009 Alabama-Tennessee). Just because the team looks different than prior championship teams does not mean it isn’t of championship caliber.
It is certainly still early enough in the year to not be concerned about only a 24-point victory over a good SEC team on the road. It is time Alabama Football fans accept that this is a high powered offense who averages 50 points per game, and defenses everywhere are struggling to adapt to the new pace of the game.