Alabama football’s report card vs. Cincinnati
Running Backs: A+
Depth wasn’t an issue to start the year, but Alabama is without most of its key backs from the beginning of 2021. Thankfully, Brian Robinson was healthy after nearly a month of rest. The Tide prioritized running the ball with him in the first half.
Robinson dominated the first drive alongside Trey Sanders. Alabama football wanted to make a statement, and they did so early.
Whenever Alabama wanted to run the ball, they had plenty of space. Brian Robinson took advantage of it. He had the best game of his career, and Sanders played well behind him.
Wide Receivers: A
Alabama football doesn’t have John Metchie for the rest of the year, but they have one of the best receivers in the country. Jameson Williams wins with speed, and the offensive staff knows how to get him open with momentum.
Slade Bolden had the first two catches of the day, which was on no one’s bingo card. His first catch was for a touchdown, and the other was a key conversion on third down.
Williams had a different role in the passing game without Metchie on the field. He played underneath and didn’t run the deep route. This showed his versatility as a receiver, but he was still capable of making the big play.