Alabama football’s report card in SEC Championship
Offensive Line: A-
This offensive line is elite at forcing defensive lines to jump offsides. They have been doing it for weeks, and they cut a third down in half on the team’s first drive. DeVonta Smith gained just enough for the first down after the penalty.
This unit has always been a strength for Alabama football. Landon Dickerson is a great center for many reasons, but his leadership has been noticeable in 2020. Evan Neal was available to play, so all starters were ready for the Tide.
Mac Jones was sacked a few times, but I wouldn’t fully put that on the offensive line. Mac Jones needed to get rid of the football quicker. If you wait too long, it’s not on the offensive line.
The Landon Dickerson injury will really hurt this unit. The team will have to rally around him and play for him as the postseason continues.
Defensive Line: B+
You have to give credit where it is due for the defensive line. They did a good job of stopping the inside run without the need to stop the box. That was a key in this game, and the defensive line got it down. However, they struggled on a few other fronts. Alabama couldn’t get pressure without blitzing early in this game, and that gave Trask too much time to throw the football deep.
The line also struggled to stop the outside runs. These mostly went through Emory Jones and Kadarius Toney. Once the game got into a rhythm, the line stepped up.