Alabama Football: Crimson Tide’s report card vs. Mississippi State
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football’s report card vs. Mississippi State
Cornerbacks: A-
Alabama played a lot of defensive backs in this game, and that helped Alabama’s defense as a whole. Even though Alabama football’s biggest weakness defensively is the secondary, they played well against the Bulldogs. There were a few potential interceptions that were dropped, but the corners specifically played well. Malachi Moore continues to shine as the STAR defensive back. He’s going to be a star for this secondary for years to come.
Surtain and Jobe were also solid. The interception by Surtain late in the game was great for the junior. They could have played better as tacklers, but they made progress as a unit. If they keep progressing, the Crimson Tide will be just fine by the end of the season.
Safeties: B
Alabama played with a lot of different safeties in this game, and they all played relatively well. We saw a lot more of Brian Branch and Demarco Hellams in this game. This made it hard for Mississippi State to find passing lanes, and their running game wasn’t good enough to force Alabama to stack the box.
Because of this, the Crimson Tide safeties helped play a pivotal role in dominating the Bulldogs. They also did a much better job of tackling. Daniel Wright played better in his reps, and the rest of the defensive backs thrived.
Alabama football knew what to expect in this game, and they delivered against both quarterbacks. They still need to improve, but this should be a step in the right direction for the entire defense.