Alabama Football: Tide’s report card vs. Southern Miss
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football’s report card vs. Southern Miss
Offensive Line: B+
Alabama has had questions regarding the offensive line all season. It’s fair to be concerned after losing three starters from last year’s unit. However, the questions are still there after a few games. That is a red flag for the rest of the season.
This game showed improvement at the position, but there are still concerns. Chris Owens had a bad holding call that brought back a big gain. There were other mistakes, but this was about as good as things could be for the offense.
The run game took strides forward in this game, and that was partially because of the offensive line. As long as they keep taking steps forward, Nick Saban will be happy.
Defensive Line: A-
Alabama used the depth of the defensive line this week, and it worked for the most part. Phil Mathis was a great presence in the middle of the field, and the players around him cleaned up plays.
When the depth got out there, things didn’t go as well. There were a few big mistakes that led to Southern Miss scrambling for big games. However, things went pretty well for the defensive line. Southern Miss had some creative plays that stressed the defense, but the line held firm. Credit Mathis and the rest of the line for this.