Alabama Football: Tide to open up offense against Texas?

Alabama Football: Backs returning to form

Jahmyr Gibbs had a good start to his Alabama career, averaging over ten yards per carry en route to 98 yards of total offense. Gibbs was able to break into the open field for a long run to start the third quarter, setting the Tide up for a first and goal that would quickly turn into a touchdown. His explosiveness puts a lot of stress on an opposing defense, and I can’t see the Longhorn defense putting up enough resistance to stop him from hitting a home run this week.

Additionally, Jase McClellan and Roydell Williams finally got to get a game under their belts after suffering knee injuries in 2021. The pair received limited carries, but both looked confident and healthy. They should see an increase in usage as the season progresses. Both are capable of generating explosive plays on the ground or through the air, but McClellan in particular can score from anywhere on the field.

Alabama Football: Stiffer competition?

I won’t try to convince you that Utah State has an elite defense, but it is a veteran group that statistically speaking, was a lot better than Texas’ defense in 2021. Of course, the Aggies compete in the Mountain West, so perhaps a comparison doesn’t apply here.

But consider how porous the Texas defense was last season:

• 99th nationally giving up over 31 PPG
• 100th in total defense giving up more than 426 YPG
• 114th nationally giving up over 200 rushing YPG on 5.2 YPC.

If the Longhorns weren’t able to completely remodel that unit this offseason, they are in for a long Saturday afternoon.

Alabama Football: Opening up the playbook?

Some coaches choose to use a conservative game plan against an overmatched opponent in week one to avoid “showing too much” of their offense. While I don’t believe Coach Nick Saban subscribes to this strategy, I do believe that a team can improve drastically from week one to week two.

As good as the Alabama offense looked on opening day, it could potentially be even more impressive against the Texas Longhorns.