Alabama Football: What was learned from the ULM game

Every Alabama football game reveals something about the Crimson Tide and Nick Saban’s players. But what is revealed is subject to interpretation. And those interpretations are shaped by expectations.

With Alabama football the expectations are unrelenting. As demanding as Nick Saban is, Alabama football fans sometimes demand more. Since every Alabama football season is required to end in a National Championship, anytime the Crimson Tide appears possibly short of championship quality, fans are concerned.

Some Alabama football fans quickly jump past concern to alarm. After three games of the 2022 season, what is the most accurate response?

After the ULM game, Nick Saban said during the game, Alabama

"made some progress"

Often in the early months of past seasons, Saban has referred to teams as a ‘work-in-progress.’ He did not use that phrase Saturday, but it would have been accurate. Alabama won the game, 63-7. Though ULM is one of the weakest FBS teams, a 56-point win is not insignificant.

Check out Alabama vs. ULM game stats here.

Alabama Football Key Stats

Alabama produced some impressive stats. But take away the 262 punt return yards, a pick-six interception, and a blocked punt for a touchdown – and the Crimson Tide might not have covered the 49.5 point spread. Not that covering or not covering point spreads has anything to do with championship quality. Instead, in a game between two mismatched teams, a qualitative assessment provides more insight.

Below are some of my thoughts about the ULM game.

• The inclusion of true freshman, Tyler Booker at left guard in the first quarter indicates an unsettled offensive line. Booker has a big upside and despite his inexperience, he was shuttled at both guard positions against ULM. Soon, as in game five, Alabama needs to move beyond having to shuffle its first unit offensive line.
• Alabama football wide receivers caught five passes against ULM. Traeshon Holden caught three of them. The active role of Cam Latu and a touchdown catch by freshman, Amari Niblack was encouraging, but whether it is the routes or the route-running, Alabama needs more wide receivers to more frequently get open. Ja’Corey Brooks and Jermaine Burton were targeted on a total of three passes. The wide receiver group ‘work-in-progress’ is progressing too slowly.
• Bryce Young must have more players performing well around him. Using some uptempo seemed to help against ULM, but the Warhawks are not a true test.
• Risking vagueness on my part, a closing statement is the Alabama Football 2022 offense does not have an ‘identity’ – and that identity cannot always be Bryce Young leading a comeback in a two-minute situation.

Whether the four perspectives above have merit or not, I know the Alabama football staff sees and knows, much, much more. As fans, the rest of us need to exercise patience – and confidence. The season moves quickly, but it is still a long time until December.