Alabama football had an interesting first two weeks of the season. Its record remains unblemished, but the team’s imperfect play in week two has caused many to deem it “overrated.” Regardless of whether you think Alabama is worthy of its no. 2 ranking in the latest AP poll, the fact is that the Tide has a lot of questions to answer in the coming weeks.
Alabama Football: A lull in the schedule
In theory, the team’s next true challenge will be in week five, when it goes back on the road to take on the no. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks. Prior to that matchup, Alabama football has an excellent opportunity to grow and improve. Though Coach Nick Saban would not think this way, UL-Monroe and Vanderbilt do not pose much of a threat to upset the Crimson Tide.
Alabama will take on both opponents at home. This is beneficial, as the team has a lot it needs to work on before the schedule toughens up. While the Sun Belt has proven to be a giant-slayer thus far, UL-Monroe should not be a formidable opponent for the Crimson Tide.
The Warhawks will have the full attention of Coach Saban and the Tide this Saturday. For one, Sun Belt teams went on the road to upend a pair of top-10 teams in week two. Secondly, UL-Monroe infamously upset Alabama in Coach Saban’s first season in Tuscaloosa, a loss that remains perpetually stuck in Saban’s craw.
Afterwards, Alabama will host Vanderbilt to open its SEC schedule. The Commodores look to be slightly improved this season, but will likely still be bottom dwellers in the league. Coach Saban never overlooks any opponent, and he certainly won’t overlook a conference opponent. Still, Alabama should outmatch its foe for the second straight week.
Alabama Football working on itself
Alabama’s focus will be on these games, and its objective will be to dominate. I expect it to do exactly that, but the true value of these two games will be the opportunity to iron out some wrinkles. The Tide offense clearly has some issues, both in establishing the run and generating big plays in the passing game. These demons could be exorcized before Alabama heads to Fayetteville.
The roster features several true freshmen that are trying to adjust to the speed of the game, including defensive lineman Jaheim Oatis and receivers Kobe Prentice and Isaiah Bond. It also consists of a handful of transfers that are still trying to assimilate and mesh with their respective units. Each of these players has played just two games in an Alabama uniform, but they will have doubled that experience by the time the Tide hits the road again.
Coach Saban won’t look at these next two contests any differently from any other game on the schedule. However, the next two weeks will provide Alabama football with a golden opportunity to polish up its offense and gain valuable confidence.