Alabama Football: Tide’s report card vs. Mississippi State

Alabama football’s report card vs. Mississippi State

Offensive Line: C+

Alabama is known for having one of the best offensive lines in college football, but that has not been the case this season. The run game has been fine, but there has been no consistent protection for Bryce Young.

The left side of the line has been fine, but the group as a whole has to play better if they want to win the rest of their games and compete for a championship. This wasn’t a massive test, but they still needed to prove that they were capable of winning consistently in the trenches.

They did not prove that well enough in this game. Young had more time to throw, but he was being flushed out of the pocket in critical situations. When the Bulldogs brought pressure, the offensive line did not hold up.

It was a better game as a whole, but there is still room for improvement. If you judge Alabama on the high st

Defensive Line: B

The defensive line has been solid this year, but they had a unique challenge this week. The run game was never going to be a focal point of Mike Leach’s offense, so they were mostly trying to get pressure and stay disciplined for the occasional runs. Interior pressure is always nice, but this was a chance for the defensive front to truly shine.

The run game had some early success, but the defensive interior brought pressure against Mississippi State’s line. Byron Young got an early sack, and the group as a whole did their part. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Tim Smith was rough, but there is still plenty to build off of in this game.