Alabama Football: Spotlight moment for Proctor, Pritchett

Heading into this week’s Third Saturday in October rivalry game between Alabama Football and Tennessee, much of the focus has been on Bama’s left tackle situation and the apparent matchup issue it represents.

True freshman Kadyn Proctor and redshirt freshman Elijah Pritchett have mostly split reps at left tackle. Both are inexperienced players trying their hand at one of the most difficult positions in football, and both have struggled mightily at times as a result.

The massive Proctor, listed at 6’7” and 360 pounds, has been impactful as a run blocker, and therefore has been the more effective overall player. However, both Proctor and Pritchett have been exposed in pass protection. Neither has shown the agility or footwork to neutralize SEC-level pass rushers in one-on-one situations, giving up far too many sacks and pressures.

The young duo will face one of their toughest tests of the season this week, as Tennessee boasts two pass rushers that will be chasing NFL quarterbacks sooner rather than later.

Sophomore edge James Pearce Jr. is off to an excellent start this season with 9.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. He is tied for fourth in the SEC in tackles for loss, trailing only A&M’s Edgerrin Cooper, Bama’s own Dallas Turner, and Arkansas’ Landon Jackson, who made his NFL Draft tape last week at the expense of Proctor and Pritchett.

Pearce Jr. is also tied for second in the league in sacks behind Dallas Turner. He is the type of twitchy edge athlete that has been a matchup nightmare for Bama’s left tackles, and will present a very difficult challenge.

Senior Tyler Baron is bigger than Pearce Jr. and projects more as a traditional defensive end, but has been just as disruptive as a pass rusher. He has posted 5.5 tackles for loss, and his 5.0 sacks place him in the top-five in the SEC.

Tennessee will undoubtedly attempt to scheme Pearce Jr. and Baron into isolated matchups with Proctor and Pritchett. Bama’s young tackles will either have to show massive improvement from what they have been all year, or get schematic help from Tommy Rees and the rest of the offensive coaching staff. The more help they can get over the top of Baron and especially Pearce Jr. on the edge will be of benefit to the Alabama offense.

The good news for Alabama Football is that its baseline is insufficient play from the left tackle position and the offensive line in general. That is to say, Bama has surrendered at least four sacks to every opponent except Middle Tennessee State, and has still found a way to win all but one of its games. It has posted an undefeated record in conference play despite giving up 19 sacks in its four SEC games.

The young Bama tackles don’t have to be world-beaters, but they must make an effort to protect quarterback Jalen Milroe, something they haven’t always done a good job of this season.

While Proctor and Pritchett will have to show some improvement to prevent the Tennessee pass rushers from completely wrecking the Alabama Football offensive gameplan, it is probably inevitable that they allow a few sacks, and that isn’t the end of the world.