Alabama Football: Why Alabama’s ceiling remains low
By Dakota Cox
Alabama football’s 2021 season is not going according to plan
If you looked at almost any Alabama football team of the Nick Saban era, you would see tons of potential. In some years, the Tide turned that potential into a championship. In others, it fell by the wayside. The 2021 roster is slightly different. It still has potential, but nothing compared to previous years.
In theory, this roster can still win a national championship. However, they have had one of the worst starts to a season in recent memory. Despite only losing one game, the Tide have seen multiple games come down to the final plays, and they are a few mistakes away from having three losses on the year.
Why does this team have a lower ceiling than what Alabama football is used to? It starts with inexperience at the worst places. In the past, Alabama has had veterans who can take over games when necessary. DeVonta Smith would torch defenses for game-clinching touchdowns. Derrick Henry would wear down a defensive front. Plenty of defensive stars would force key turnovers in the fourth quarter. This roster lacks that luxury, and they instead have to rely on a solid overall performance.
With the inability to have one player cover up your weaknesses, you need overall unity to stay consistent. This year, Alabama simply has not had that. Bryce Young is doing his best on offense, but he has no time to throw the ball due to miscues with the offensive line. Drops are becoming too common by receivers and tight ends. Alabama football has a few maulers on defense, but the weakest links have torn the unit apart in key games.
These problems can be fixed, but they are not as simple as you would hope. It will take the rest of the regular season to bolster the offensive line and find consistency on defense. There have been flashes, but they have been few and far between.
Next. Report card vs. LSU. dark
Can the Crimson Tide still win a title? Yes. However, this team at its best does not compare to other teams in Alabama football’s past. That means that an element of luck will have to be involved, and we’ll see if things go Alabama’s way.