Alabama Football: Tide’s report card in win vs. Miami
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football’s report card vs. Miami
Running Backs: B+
Last season, Najee Harris set records for the Crimson Tide. Without him, there were questions regarding the distribution of snaps at running back. The question was never depth. Alabama football has five backs who deserve a chance to start. The only question was whether or not they would all contribute in the offense.
Brian Robinson came into the game with the most experience as a fifth-year senior. Fans knew that he would start for the Tide. Jase McClellan seems to be the Tide’s third-down back due to his versatility.
The one concern apparent in this game is the ability to block in the passing game. McClellan missed a few assignments in passing situations, but Bryce Young was able to manipulate the pocket and extend drives. In terms of pure running, both Robinson and McClellan flourished.
Roydell Williams fumbled the ball in the first half, but he thankfully recovered it as well. All things considered, the backs had a solid game with only a few mistakes. These errors are correctable, and Alabama has plenty of potential at running back.
Wide Receivers: A
It’s hard enough to lose two first-round receivers in one offseason. It’s worse when that happens in back-to-back years. All of the traditional Ryde-Outs are gone, and Alabama is back to having fresh faces at receiver.
Jameson Williams came in as an OSU transfer, and his speed helped take the top off the defense. Slade Bolden is a reliable slot receiver who fights for extra yards. John Metchie was easily the WR1. The questions then come in with the young depth. Would any freshmen make a contribution? Could sophomores crack the rotation?
While those questions will matter over the course of the season, all that mattered early in this game was John Metchie. He had three big catches in the opening drive against the Hurricanes defense, including a diving touchdown.
The depth played a role as the game progressed, but there were some tough drops. Metchie and Williams were the shining stars, but Alabama flexed the underclassmen late in this one.