Alabama Football: Studs and duds for Tide vs. Arkansas

Alabama football’s studs and duds vs. Arkansas

Dud: Field management

Najee Harris could not find traction on the dirt for the first quarter. The weather was bad, but the field was clearly insufficient. Players were slipping, and it limited what the Crimson Tide could do in the first quarter. You can’t fault Harris for this. He has great balance, so the slipping was obviously not completely his fault.

This can be frustrating when Alabama fails to score, but it’s more than just the outcome of the game. Poor field conditions can cause nasty injuries. From ACL tears to broken ankles, bad things can happen when players slip while trying to cut. Thankfully, Alabama avoided any leg injuries in this one.

Dud: The Heisman race

I’m honestly not sure who will win the Heisman Trophy. However, the race kind of stuttered in the final week of the regular season. Mac Jones didn’t have a touchdown. Smitty did nothing compared to his normal statline. Najee Harris was solid, but he was the fourth-best option at best heading into this week. Even Kyle Trask hurt his Heisman chances.

This trophy will likely be won by the SEC Championship. However, Trask is likely out of the race. That leaves the three-headed monster in crimson and potentially Trevor Lawrence. We’ll have to wait until Saturday to see who wins the award.