Crimson Tide Week 1 Instant Reaction

It was very refreshing to see Offensive Coordinator Nick Sheridan on the sideline. I think being on the sideline allows the coach to get the true pulse of his players. We've heard so much hype about Ryan Williams and boy did he live up to the hype in his first game in Tuscaloosa. Turning two catches into two touchdowns and receiving over 100 yards gave the Crimson Tide nation an idea of how special the next couple of years could be. Justice Haynes looked very explosive in his limited touches, but I would like to see both him and Jam Miller become more of a focal point earlier in the game as the season progresses.

The biggest interest for me was how would Kane Wommack's defensive unit look in Week 1. Honestly, it was about as good as one could expect. The early interceptions by Keon Sabb seemed to set the tone for the defense and they really got after Western Kentucky. Outside of the 21-play drive by the Hilltoppers that ended at the Alabama four after a missed field goal, this unit did a good job of getting off the field on third down. The last couple of seasons didn't produce many shutouts, so even though it was against a lesser opponent it was welcome I am excited to see how this defense progresses week by week.

It would have been nice to see a perfectly snapped game, but hopefully, some of the miscommunication we saw between Parker Brailsford and Jalen Milroe will get cleaned up before USF comes to town next Saturday. Jalen overall was very efficient completing seven of nine passes, with 3 TDs through the air and another 2 on the ground. He does need to continue working on getting rid of the ball quicker, but what a difference a year makes going into the USF game in 2024. There is plenty for this team to clean up and improve on, but for it being Week 1 with so many new faces overall it was a solid performance for this Alabama team and an excellent start to the Kalen Deboer Era.