Alabama Football: Learning from the Texas game

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At midweek Alabama Football has its attention focused on moving forward and improving. With the next foe being an overmatched ULM team, it is natural for fans to still be talking about the Texas game.

In Austin, offensive weaknesses were apparent. There are many directions for fans to point fingers. This post, however, is not about the Alabama Crimson Tide offense.

Instead, it suggests that Alabama DC, Pete Golding deserves more credit than he has received for the win over Texas. Long the whipping-boy for many Tide fans, Golding is entitled to acknowledgment when the defense plays well.

The Alabama football defense was far from flawless. There were too many penalties. Especially when the dangerous-looking Quinn Ewers was in the game, too many Texas receivers were uncovered. Making it harder to give Pete Golding a positive review, the Crimson Tide defense recorded only three sacks and a single quarterback hurry.

None of those weaknesses should be ignored, but let’s dig a bit deeper. First, as every Alabama football fan should know, Steve Sarkisian is not just a top-notch play-caller, his offensive concepts and schemes are difficult to defend. He gives defenses many varied looks, including considerable pre-snap shifts and motion. Making it hard for the Tide to pressure Texas QBs, Sark’s scheme was to use max protection much of the game.

An argument can be made, Golding should have rushed more than four guys more often. But, keeping seven defenders in pass coverage is fast becoming a new norm for college football. What matters is not how many passes an opponent completes but how many points are generated. Five seconds into the game’s second quarter, Texas scored its only touchdown. Xavier Worthy should have scored another but didn’t, and the bottom line is Golding’s plan shut down the Longhorns enough. Five of their 11 possessions ended in punts, despite Alabama penalties giving them multiple first downs.

It was not a dominating Crimson Tide performance, but it was a good one. Particularly impressive was the Tide defense held Bijan Robinson to 2.7 yards-per-rush and the  Texas team to a rushing average of 2.4 yards. Some consider Robinson the top running back in college football and Alabama held him in check.

The Tide was shaky in coverage early in the game, but it changed when Terrion Arnold replaced Khyree Jackson. That may have been a group decision among Travaris Robinson, Golding and Nick Saban, but however it was made, it worked.

Alabama football fans are correct in believing the Crimson Tide should have won by a larger margin. The reason it did not, had little to do with the Crimson Tide defense.

Note: Texas game stats from rolltide.com

Improving while playing ULM not easy. dark. Next

With the sensational Bryce Young, there are many reasons to believe the Tide offense will improve. Until then, Pete Golding’s defense will be key.