The start of Alabama's SEC schedule is upon us.
This week the Crimson Tide face the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa. This will be the first of many tests Alabama must pass in order to reach the SEC Championship Game and you can bet Arkansas would love nothing more than to play the role of spoiler right out of the gate.
Let's take a look at how these two teams match up.
The Tide offense has been outstanding, averaging just over 245 yards passing and 267 yards rushing per game. That, Alabama fans, is what's called balance.
The total of 512 yards per game is good enough for ninth best in the nation.
The Crimson Tide also average 42 points per game. Having only really played one quality opponent, it is difficult to gauge just how good this offense is, but what Alabama has shown so far has been quite impressive.
The defense, on the other hand, has been largely inconsistent, performing very well at times and lackluster at others. They have the best run defense in the SEC—second in the nation—allowing just 42 yards per game.
The pass defense has looked suspect due to a few big plays, but outside of those the coverage has been excellent, allowing around 143 yards per game.
In total Alabama's defense ranks third in the country, allowing a mere 185 yards each game.
Looking at the Arkansas offense, you can see that the Razorbacks also move the ball with authority, albeit almost entirely through the air. The Hogs have the second ranked passing offense in the nation, averaging nearly 428 yards per game.
They are pretty much a pass-oriented offense though, and don't rely heavily on the run, as evidenced by their lowly 110 yards per game rushing. That is dead last in the conference, folks.
While Arkansas scores about 45 points per game (eighth SEC, third nationally) its defense gives up 31 points per game (11th SEC, 99th in the nation).
The Hogs give up 118 yards on the ground and 249 yards through the air for a per-game average of 367 yards (11th SEC, 81st nationally). As you can see, Arkansas has just tried to outscore its opponents thus far without putting up much in the way of defense.
All of this shows that Alabama and Arkansas in no way resemble one another on either side of the ball. Where Alabama appears to try and beat an opponent into submission whether on offense or defense, Arkansas is content to throw and throw, score and score, and hope the defense makes a stop or two. Not the best formula for winning games, as evidenced by the Razorbacks' 1-1 record.
With all this said, let's get to the unit by unit matchups!
Offensive line:
One of the big question marks for Alabama coming into the 2009 season was its offensive line.
Well, the Tide has answered that question, and then some. Punishing opposing defensive fronts to open gaping holes for the running backs has been a hallmark of Alabama football since the beginning of time, and the 2009 version is continuing that tradition with a vengence.
The "Big Uglies" have also done a nice job protecting quarterback Greg McElroy, having only given up three sacks in 69 pass attempts. Keeping your leader upright is crucial to an effective passing game and Alabama's line has done a great job of given McElroy plenty of time to find open receivers.
The Hogs, too, have managed to keep their lumbering quarterback Ryan Mallet (6'7" 248 pounds) from being harried too much by opposing defenses. Two sacks in 61 pass attempts is evidence to this success.
However, Arkansas' run blocking leaves much to be desired. As mentioned, the Hogs rank dead last in the SEC in rushing yards per game. Some will say that this is simply because they have not had to run the ball with such a powerful air assault. I say if you can't run the ball, eventually your passing game will suffer against better quality defenses.
Alabama is a better quality defense.
As such, the nod here goes to the Alabama offensive line due to the fact that Tide running backs have had a field day running the ball thus far and haven't had to rely solely on the passing game.
Running back:
Alabama is fifth in the nation in rushing offense for a reason. The offensive line has a lot to do with that, but so does the fact that Alabama has no less than four backs (Mark Ingram, Roy Upchurch, Trent Richardson, and Terry Grant) that would be starters at many programs across the nation.
Ingram has stepped in nicely where departed starter Glenn Coffee left off. Add to that the contributions from frosh phenom Richardson and former starter Grant since Upchurch went down and you have a very potent stable of running backs ready to "tote the rock."
Both Richardson and Ingram have cracked the 100-yard mark in a game this season and each has rushed for three touchdowns so far. Grant has also been productive, rushing for three scores of his own and adding 150 yards over really just two appearances.
The running game for Arkansas has only one back with more than 100 yards on the season and, as expected, that guy is Michael Smith with 102 total yards. He has pretty much split carries with Broderick Green (29 yards) and each of them has contributed a single score.
Suffice it to say that the Hogs do not rely heavily on the running game.
That is probably good because if they haven't been able to generate a rushing attack so far they won't just magically have one going up against the Alabama defense.
Obviously, the nod here goes to the Tide running backs.
Wide receiver:
With Julio Jones having been double-teamed by Virginia Tech in Week One and then injured and out of the lineup since the first quarter of the second game, the Alabama receiving corps has been position by committee.
Some of that has to do with Greg McElroy distributing the ball to as many receivers as possible, and it is also a testament to the players' ability to get open. In total, 13 different Tide receivers, backs, and tight ends have caught at least one pass this season.
Mike McCoy, Marquis Maze, and Darius Hanks—as well as Mark Ingram out of the backfield—have all stepped up since the loss of Julio Jones. With Julio coming back this week, this group just got a lot more potent.
Arkansas has also distributed the ball around quite a bit. Like the Tide, 12 different receivers have caught at least one pass for the Hogs. Hogs receivers have obviously not had a hard time getting open, either.
Jarious Wright, Greg Childs, and Joe Adams have a combined 26 catches for 462 yards and five touchdowns—roughly half of the team's receiving stats on the season.
Someone told me that instead of washing out units that appear to be even, I should make a choice one way or the other for each matchup. As such, I will give the nod here to the Hogs receivers based solely on stats. With Julio Jones back for the Tide, however, there isn't much space between the two units.
Quarterback:
Greg McElroy has been nothing short of stellar since halftime of the VaTech game. On the season, McElroy has thrown four touchdowns (two other sure TDs where dropped) to one pick while amassing 647 yards and completing 66.7 percent of his passes. He is the fourth highest rated passer in the SEC with a QB rating of 161.7.
Not bad for someone considered to be another huge question for the Tide offense.
McElroy is more than just a game manager, too. He has shown very good mobility and his accuracy is on par with the best signal callers in the nation. He owns the Alabama single-game record for consecutive completions by throwing 14 in a row. The sky is the limit for this talented, young quarterback.
Michigan transfer Ryan Mallett has been a great pickup for Petrino and his offense. All he has done since taking over as the starter for Arkansas is quickly become the most efficient passer in the SEC. Mallett has totaled 717 yards and six touchdown passes without throwing a single interception.
The only knock—if there is one—on Mallett is that at 6'7" and nearly 250 pounds, he is not the most mobile of quarterbacks. There's a reason he transfered from Michigan when Rich Rodriguez took his spread option offense to Ann Arbor.
All this said, I give the nod here once again to Arkansas. McElroy is a very, very close second here.
Defensive front:
Okay, I will go through the motions of comparing these two teams' units.
The Alabama front seven has been nothing short of unbeatable. Allowing a mere 42 yards per game on the ground (first in the SEC, second nationally) as well as tallying 10 sacks and 24 TFL in three games, this unit is as dominant as they come and might just be the best in the nation.
Anchored by Terrence "Mount" Cody up front and followed quickly by stud linebackers Dont'a Hightower and Rolando McClain, the Alabama defensive front is just plain punishing the opposition. The addition of Marcel Dareus—stepping in for the injured Brandon Deadrick—on the line has just amplified this unit's effectiveness.
If there is a better defensive front seven in the nation, I haven't seen it.
Considering they finished last in the SEC in 2008 with over 170 yards per game given up, Arkansas has done a decent job this year against the run, allowing 118.5 yards per game (seventh in the SEC, 49th nationally) with four sacks and 15 TFL in two games. Not stellar, but not too bad.
Senior defensive lineman Malcolm Sheppard leads the conference with 1.75 tackles for a loss per game and has also tallied 1.5 sacks. He anchors the Hogs' front seven and is backed up by linebacker Freddy Burton, who has also added a sack and 2.5 TFL.
The nod here clearly goes to the Alabama front.
Defensive secondary:
If there is a chink in the armor of the Alabama defense it is in the secondary.
While they are only giving up 143.33 yards per game (fourth in the SEC, 13th nationally), they haven't faced a very potent passing attack thus far. That isn't to say that they haven't done a good job, but all the "big" plays given up by the defense have occurred in the secondary.
Javier Arenas proves each game he is more than just a return man. Robby Green, Mark Barron, and Kareem Jackson are also making things difficult for opposing receivers. This entire group plays as physical and aggressive as they can - sometimes too much, which leads to penalties and blown coverages.
Stats don't lie, however, and all in all this unit has done a good job of slowing down the passing game of opponents so far this season.
Arkansas' pass defense has been just abysmal. Allowing 249 ypg (11th SEC, 90th nationally) and five touchdown passes against, this unit is just another example of why the Hogs appear to have an "outscore the opposition" mentality.
Once again, I give the nod here to Alabama.
Special teams:
Let me start off by saying that the return game for Alabama has been solid. Return man Javier Arenas leads the SEC in punt return yards and ranks fifth in the conference in kickoff return yards. This is due in no small part to how dominant the defense has been. If the other team doesn't score, there won't be many kickoffs and there will be lots of punts.
The Tide kickoff coverage, however, leaves much to be desired. Having already allowed two kick returns for a touchdown it is simply scary to see Alabama score knowing that a kickoff is soon to follow.
Kicker Leigh Tiffin has been solid in the kicking game, going eight for 10 in FG opportunities with a long of 49 yards. Then the Tide played North Texas and Tiffin decided to shank a couple PATs. What was once considered a strength has now become another special teams area that needs to be addressed and quickly. You just don't miss PATs. Period.
Arkansas return man Dennis Johnson has done a solid job this season—good enough to have the Hogs ranked third in the SEC in kick return yards but only 10th in punt returns. Chalk that last stat up to the defense just not forcing many punts.
Kicker Alex Tejada has been perfect all season, going four for four in FG attempts and 11 for 11 in PATs. He may only have a long of 24 yards but he hasn't missed a PAT. Maybe Tiffin should watch this guy in practice or something.
Field goals put points on the board, but the return game can swing field position and thus momentum for a team in a game. With that in mind, I give the nod here to Alabama. They just have to remember not to allow Arkansas any big returns when kicking the ball to them.
So there you have it. Alabama wins the unit by unit matchup by a final score of five to two. Considering that, my prediction is that the Tide wins this game—as if you didn't know that was going to be the case.
The Hogs' offense will move the ball through the air—they have too much talent at the quarterback and receiver spots not to. But because Alabama can basically pin its ears back and go after Mallett due to the lack of a real running threat from Arkansas, it is going to be a much less productive day for Petrino's Piggies.
As for Alabama, the Tide should be able to run and throw at will against a defense that just doesn't do much in the way of slowing down opposing teams' offenses.
Unless there is a huge breakdown in coverage for the Tide, I would expect the score to be lopsided by quite a bit. Alabama easily hit its season PPG average output—maybe more—while Arkansas might find touchdowns hard to come by with the improved 'Bama pass rush coming after the less-than-mobile Ryan Mallet. He will present a huge target for the Alabama defense and they will be teeing off on Mallett all game long.
Comments are, as always, welcome. Opposing views are also acceptable.
Thanks, and Roll Tide!
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In front of a packed Bryant-Denny Stadium, the 4th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide put on a clinic of offensive and defensive execution while totally dominating the North Texas Mean Green to the tune of a 53-7 final.
The outcome of this game was never in doubt and pretty much went as expected. That said, let's take a look inside the numbers.
Once again the Tide cracked the 500-yard mark, amassing 523 total yards of offense. Greg McElroy and Co. were as efficient as they could possibly be from whistle to whistle.
Alabama's offense seemed to be on cruise control all game long, putting up 263 yards passing and 260 yards rushing. It just doesn't get much more balanced than that, folks.
The defense was also dominant from start to finish. They held the Mean Green to 187 total yards (61 rushing and 126 passing) while allowing the lone touchdown late in the third quarter once the second- and third-stringers had taken over.
The defense didn't register a sack, but they hurried Nathan Tune the entire game and made him throw on the run more often than not.
All in all it was the first full, complete game of the season for the Crimson Tide and it couldn't have come at a better time with the start of SEC competition looming on the horizon.
Ready for the grade outs for each unit? Here you go.
Alabama offense - Grade: A-
QB Greg McElroy showed everyone why he is the starter today. He displayed the accuracy of a sniper with his passing, going 13-of-15 for 176 yards and tossing two touchdowns, the first of which was a beautiful, pinpoint ball to Marquis Maze that hit him in stride in the corner of the end zone.
McElroy, and Star Jackson when he entered in relief, spread the ball all over the field, hitting 11 different Tide receivers. McElroy also rushed for a score.
Mark Ingram led all rushers with 91 yards on eight carries and a touchdown. Trent Richardson also added to his totals with 87 yards and a score. This kid is going to be something in the future, no doubt about it.
The workhorse, however, was Terry Grant. He had 19 carries for a solid 79 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It was nice to see him getting a lot of playing time and finding himself in the mix for the Tide offense.
Grant showed good vision and quite a few flashes of the runner he was back in 2007 before he got injured.
The Alabama receivers also had a great day. As mentioned, 11 different players caught at least one pass. Marquis Maze and Mike McCoy stepped up with Julio out of the lineup and the rest of the Tide receiving corp did their job, as well.
The line was also stellar, opening many huge holes for Tide running backs to slash through the North Texas defense and giving McElroy all day to find an open man. I swear I saw Greg grilling steaks in the pocket at least once.
If not for the "fumble" on the first snap of the game (and it only happened because left tackle James Carpenter was beaten badly), this unit would grade out with an A+.
Alabama defense - Grade: A
The defense showed why it is one of the best in the nation, holding North Texas to just 187 total yards, much of which came later in the game while Saban built depth by letting the second and third team players on the field.
That first team unit is pretty much unbeatable, though. If they had played the entire game (and there was no need for it), North Texas might never have cracked the 100-yard mark in total offense.
As it was, the Mean Green only averaged 3.8 yards per play and were held to just seven first downs. A truly dominant performance.
Let that sink in for a moment.
I hate to sound like I am...to quote a friend (Thanks, Ced!)...drinking the Kool-Aid, but this defense might just be the best unit in the SEC. Perhaps even the best in the nation.
It appears that Saban finally got a complete game without the bonehead plays and poor penalties from the first team unit.
Alabama special teams - Grade: C+
So Alabama finally addresses the kick off coverage issue (I am ignoring the big one North Texas got, chalking it up to the block in the back to spring the return man and resulted in the play being called back) and then Leigh Tiffin melts down. Geez!
Tiffin missed two extra points. They don't get any easier than PATs, people, and Lou Groza Award candidate Leigh Tiffin missed two of them. In the same game. I'm going to guess he won't be hoisting any hardware in the post-season.
Javier Arenas was once again electric in the return game. He had four punt returns for 90 yards and added a kick return for 61 yards. It is only a matter of time before he takes one back to the house.
Kid is just flat out amazing. He would have been perfect if he didn't somehow boot the first punt of the game - before returning it up the sideline for a 22 yard gain.
So the kicking team woes that plagued Alabama didn't show up and the return game was outstanding. Factor out Tiffin's missed PATs and this unit would have graded out higher, too. Shanked extra points will kill a score.
Overall - Grade: A-
Running up another 500+ game while stuffing your opponent all day is what Nick Saban is looking for from his Crimson Tide. The offensive output has been nice but let's wait and see what it does against better quality teams.
The same goes for the defense. While I don't think there will be much of a drop off for either unit once SEC play starts, this Alabama has yet to be tested. How they respond to that test will ultimately decide how far the Crimson Tide goes this season.
In my very humble opinion, if McElroy stays as accurate as he has been so far (and I think he will be) and the defense continues to stuff the run and force teams to throw the ball (and I again think that they will) then this Alabama squad is on a collision course with the Florida Gators in Atlanta once again.
SEC play starts next week. The Tide looks to be ready and then some for the rest of the league. Hopefully, the special teams woes will not continue and Alabama will continue to dominate the rest of their schedule.
Roll Tide!
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The No. 4 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide knocked off the Golden Panthers of FIU at a jam-packed Bryant-Denny Stadium by a score of 40-14. And while FIU held the lead briefly in the first half, the outcome was never really going to be anything other an Alabama victory. Let's take a look inside the numbers.
Once again the Alabama offense rolled up huge numbers against their opponent. Greg McElroy was an efficient 18 of 24 for 241 yards and a score, while the Tide gained a whopping 275 yards on the ground and added another four touchdowns. That is a total of 516 yards of offense.
However, once again, kickoff coverage was horrible.
If you are keeping score at home, that's a total of 1014 yards gained in two games. Not too shabby for an offense with a rebuilt offensive line and brand new starter at the helm.
The Alabama defense held FIU to just 214 total yards (213 passing and one yard rushing) while sacking quarterback McCall five times and coming up with a well-timed pick midway through the fourth quarter.
Can you say improved pass rush?
Did I mention that the kickoff coverage was horrible?
As for special teams, kicker Leigh Tiffin was a solid two of three in field goal attempts. Return-man-not-to-be-called-return-specialist Javier Arenas was electrifying with four punt returns for 101 yards. However, as in the game last week, the kickoff coverage was horrible.
After taking a 10 - 0 lead, FIU's T.Y. Hilton took the ensuing kickoff 96 yards virtually untouched into the end zone.
Sensing a theme here?
I'm sure by now I have mentioned that kickoff coverage was HORRIBLE!
Also like last week's game, the Alabama defense gave up a couple big plays on bonehead penalties and blown coverage.
This was a game that Alabama dominated statistically but allowed the Golden Panthers to hang around early because of mistakes. If those can be cleaned up—and I think they will be—this team is only going to get better.
I think it bears saying again—the kickoff coverage was HORRIBLE!
It's early in the season but Alabama has answered the questions directed at them with regards to perceived holes on the team. The quarterback and offensive line play has been excellent and the defensive pass rush has been nothing short of phenomenal.
Consider that Alabama has already played a top 10 opponent that specializes in defense and the Tide's overall play has been outstanding.
Let's break down each unit, shall we?
Alabama offense - Grade: B+
As I already mentioned, Greg McElroy looked great in his first official start at quarterback for Alabama this season. His numbers were solid and he seemed to make good decisions with the football all game long. He also set the Alabama record for most consecutive completions in a single game with 15.
The line surrendered just one sack, but protected McElroy very well for the most part which allowed him to be so efficient. The big uglies also opened up many a hole in the FIU front. Which brings me to...
Trent Richardson looked like the stud he was expected to be and got his first and second touchdowns in an Alabama uniform while rushing for 118 yards on just 15 carries. Mark Ingram and Terry Grant added another 125 yards combined and a score each.
The receiving corps played solid, too. Mike McCoy stepped up when Julio Jones went down early with a knee injury (after dropping a sure TD pass) pulling in 5 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Greg McElroy spread the ball around so well that ten different Tide receivers had at least one catch.
More silly penalties in the red zone kept this team from scoring more points, though. That has to stop.
Alabama defense - Grade: B-
Five sacks, one net yard rushing and allowing only 214 total yards is a pretty good night's work. Any questions about Alabama's pass rush appear to have been answered and that front seven is just nasty against the run. However, once again there were a couple of blown coverage plays and some bad penalties.
And for God's sake would someone please teach the defensive backs how to look back for the football!
Alabama special teams - Grade: D
Javier Arenas had a nice night, returning four punts for just over a hundred yards. Alabama's own punt coverage looked good, too, but the kickoff coverage was horrible. Bobby Williams, Alabama's special teams coach, has some serious work to do if he is going to get his guys to stop letting teams back in ball games with bad play.
Leigh Tiffin was two of three on field goal attempts but missed what appeared to be another easy kick. He also shanked a kick off out of bounds. Interestingly enough, that sounds about like a typical night for the senior who has somehow found his name on the Lou Groza Award watch list.
Overall - Grade: B
Alabama moved the football early and often. If they didn't shoot themselves in the foot in the red zone this game could have been much uglier for FIU. The ground game was there, especially late in the match when Alabama needed it the most.
All in all this game went exactly as I expected it to. It was close early and then the Tide pulled away in the second half by wearing down the Golden Panthers defense by punishing them on every snap.
And that goes for both sides of the ball, too.
The defense tallied the five sacks but knocked FIU quarterback McCall down all night long. I actually started to feel bad for the guy.
After making adjustments at halftime, Alabama pretty much eliminated the drag route over the middle FIU had been using as a safety valve when Tide linemen found their way into the backfield to hurry McCall. Yet another solid performance by the Alabama defense.
I won't break down FIU since I didn't do a preview of this matchup. You can expect the same thing for next week's opponent—North Texas.
So there it is, folks. Alabama played their brand of football and once again came away with a nice, cozy victory. Straighten out the issues over the next couple weeks to get ready for the meat of the SEC schedule and Alabama is going to be making lots of noise in the national title picture.
Comments are, as always, welcome.
Roll Tide!
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In a match-up between two Top 10 opponents, Beamer Ball was once again a difference maker—but not necessarily just for the Virginia Tech Hokies. Both teams managed some big plays on special teams and defense which made this game closer than the stats would seem to indicate.
But in the end No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide made a statement to the rest of the college football world with a dominating win over No. 7 Virginia Tech.
The tone for the game was set early on when Alabama forced the Hokies to go three and out on their first possession. The Tide defense held Tyrod Taylor and company to a meager 155 yards of total offense.
Taylor was sacked four times and managed only 91 yards passing while being stuffed in the run game he is well known for where he accounted for -26 yards. With the exception of a few mental mistakes, the Crimson Tide played a near perfect game.
On the flip side, Virginia Tech looked as though their defense would put on a similar show against Alabama’s new offensive line and first time starting quarterback Greg McElroy.
McElroy was a dismal two of twelve for 94 yards and a pick in the first half.
Apparently, Nick Saban gave his new signal caller a good tongue-lashing at halftime because things turned completely around in the second half. Greg McElroy connected on 13 of 18 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown in the second half.
He may have looked shaky early on, but chalk it up to first game jitters and adrenaline because McElroy was effective when he had to be later in the game.
The difference in the game was once again the punishing Tide rushing attack. The Hokie defense just got wore out trying to stuff the running game.
Mark Ingram led the way with 150 yards and a touchdown, while Roy Upchurch added another 90 yards and a touchdown.
All told, Alabama amassed a whopping 498 total yards, embarrassing a Tech defense that finished last season ranked seventh in the country.
Let’s take a look at the units for each team and how they grade out.
Alabama offense: Grade – B-
Nearly 500 total yards is a great night, especially against a defense that is as solid as Virginia Tech. The offensive line play was adequate—stellar at times in both run and pass block schemes, but looked clueless at other times.
They did manage to open up holes in the Hokie front for the ‘Bama backs to run through and kept quarterback Greg McElroy upright for the most part, often giving him all night to go through his progressions.
McElroy did a good job of distributing the football, finding five different receivers. Once he calmed down in the second half, Greg looked like the quarterback everyone expected him to be.
The ‘Bama running backs were outstanding, slashing and gashing the Hokie defense nearly the entire game. They got stuffed early, but continued to pound away until Virginia Tech finally relented to the punishment.
Finally, you have to hand it to offensive coordinator Jim McElwain for the different sets he introduced tonight. Alabama ran out of the “Pistol” formation as well as showing off a “Wild Elephant” package, with Mark Ingram taking snaps in the backfield.
It’s these types of innovative wrinkles that can give teams fits down the road when prepping for this new-look Alabama offense.
Alabama defense: Grade A-
The defense had a plan and they executed it to perfection. If not for a pair of mental lapses by linebacker Rolando McClain resulting in penalties and a blown coverage by Marquis Johnson on the same drive that led to a Hokie touchdown, Alabama couldn’t have played a better game defensively.
The much-maligned pass rush was vastly improved, showing up in the Hokie backfield regularly and sacking elusive quarterback Tyrod Taylor four times. Big hits and big plays where made all around.
Alabama special teams: Grade C-
Once again the special teams managed to falter, allowing a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The kick and punt coverage was sloppy and allowed Tech to make huge gains that, without them, would have kept the Hokies almost totally off the scoreboard. This one area allowed Virginia Tech to keep the game much closer than it really was.
The special teamers did manage to recover a fumbled punt from Virginia Tech to set up an Alabama score. Kicker Leigh Tiffin was four of five in field goal attempts, with a long of 49.
Overall: B+
Alabama had a near flawless game plan for both sides of the ball. While things didn’t always go as planned, the execution was there and the Tide handled Virginia Tech with ease, even if the scoreboard didn’t show it.
If not for a few mental mistakes and bad kick coverage, this game would have been much worse for the Hokies.
Virginia Tech offense: F
Tyrod Taylor was, as expected, a complete non-factor in the game. He was held to a total of 65 all purpose yards and spent much of the game running for his life from the relentless ‘Bama defense.
The lone bright spot for the Hokies was freshman Ryan Williams, who rushed for 71 yards and a pair of touchdowns, the second of which was a nice 32 yard run down the sideline for an acrobatic score.
Managing a total of 155 yards in a game is not going to scare many foes. Tyrod Taylor was going to have to move the ball with his arm if the Hokies were going to have a chance for victory.
He couldn’t do it and proved once again that when you take away the run it is beyond his ability to be an effective passer.
Virginia Tech defense: C
The Tech defense was stout early in the game but finally fell apart in the face of a pounding Alabama rushing attack that simply wore them down. Giving up 498 total yards is going to put a dent in the reputation of even the mightiest of defenses.
A huge factor in the defense getting hammered was the lack of any offensive output by the Hokies. A fifteen minute differential in time of possession is going to make any defensive unit tired.
The secondary did a good job against Julio Jones and the Alabama passing game until fatigue took its toll. Also, the line got to junior quarterback Greg McElroy a couple of times.
But the vaunted Hokie defense was, at least on this night, exposed by a bigger, stronger and faster Alabama offense.
Virginia Tech special teams: A
As should have been expected, Frank Beamer had the Hokies ready to go on special teams. A 98-yard kick return for a touchdown by Dyrell Roberts highlighted the Tech special teams play.
The kick and punt coverage teams also did a great job holding exceptional Alabama return man Javier Arenas to just 90 yards on six total returns.
Final analysis:
Virginia Tech can still have a successful season if they find a way to shore up the defense and Tyrod Taylor can manage to throw the ball with much more consistency. The running game has a spark with Ryan Williams that they can build on.
Having faced probably the best defense they will see all year, the going should get “easier” moving forward.
Alabama did pretty much what was expected of them. They played outstanding defense and when coupled with a dominating rushing attack—and a not too shabby passing game —handled Virginia Tech with ease for the most part.
The Tide need to work on not taking so many penalties and some kick coverage issues. If they can address those problems and continue to rack up the yards on offense, while playing stifling defense, Alabama will win quite a few games this season.
In making such a huge statement with this win, Alabama took a giant step forward in the national title race.
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The University of Alabama announced the NCAA's ruling on the Julio Jones and Mark Ingram case last night. After all the work Alabama did in its investigation and the evidence collected was presented, the NCAA decided that both players' eligibility would be reinstated once they paid restitution in the amount in question (less than $100 each) to the charity of their own choosing.
That’s great, right? I mean, it all worked out in the end in favor of the players and the university, just as the athletic department said it would.
So why do I still have a problem with the NCAA’s findings?
Pardon me a moment while I adjust my crimson-colored glasses.
According to the Birmingham News, the NCAA found that both players were guilty of a rules violation in which impermissible benefits were received from a person not affiliated with the university.
NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 outlaws “Preferential treatment, benefits or services because of the individual’s athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a professional athlete...” Basically what this means is that players can’t be treated better or given gifts because of their ability to play a sport.
Now I know that Alabama got a ruling in their favor. I understand that Jones and Ingram will both be playing football this season—although the NCAA reserves the right to revisit the investigation at a later time and retroactively suspend the players (see Derrick Rose at Memphis) if they so choose.
So why, you may ask, do I still have a problem with the NCAA’s ruling?
It’s simple, really. The bylaw that Jones and Ingram are supposed to have violated states specifically that the benefits or treatment must be received because of the player's ability or future earnings potential at the professional level.
Last time I checked, Curtis Anderson took the boys fishing because he was acquainted, friends, whatever you want to call it with Jones and Ingram and not because they were Alabama football players.
So even by the definition of the violation that is supposed to have occurred, Julio Jones and Mark Ingram did nothing wrong.
You see, if the NCAA agrees that there was a prior relationship between the players and Anderson—and they do agree that is the case—then they cannot say a violation occurred because Jones and Ingram were given special treatment or extra benefits because of their status as football players.
It can’t be both.
Are players not allowed to have friends anymore?
Once again, the NCAA has done the University of Alabama wrong, albeit in a backhanded sort of way, by still finding fault when their very own rules say no violation occurred. They sugarcoat it by allowing Jones and Ingram to keep playing, but it is still a slight to Alabama.
Don’t get me wrong—I am glad that Jones and Ingram are going to play this season. I’m relieved and elated. I’m just tired of the NCAA finding some way to smear Alabama every chance they get. If they want to investigate a fishing trip, they should be looking at Texas.
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I am first and foremost an Alabama fan. While I try to remain objective when talking college football, I can’t help but see things through crimson-colored glasses at times. One of those times is now.
It is quite obvious that there are many fans-of-a-team-that-will-remain-nameless *COUGH* Auburn *COUGH* that are really hoping that the National Coalition Against Alabama (NCAA for short) does something, anything to Alabama with regards to the Julio Jones and Mark Ingram story.
How sad is the state of affairs at Auburn in such a short time that to beat Alabama, Tiger fans have to hope that the NCAA can interfere once again to give their team the upper hand.
Really? Is that what you people think is best for this rivalry?
Let’s take a look at the facts in the Jones/Ingram case.
Curtis Anderson, who is in no way associated with the University of Alabama, paid for a fishing trip in exchange for Jones and Ingram accompanying him. Anderson has a degenerative disc disease in his back that has limited his physical activity and reports are that Jones and Ingram actually carried this man around so he could go on the trip.
To me—violation in the eyes of the NCAA or not—this sounds like payment for services rendered. Are student-athletes not allowed to have jobs now either?
I say that with glasses firmly in place.
Even without them you have to admit that, based on the facts, there does not appear to be any violation on the part of the athletes and the university. Some reports are leaking that the NCAA has already responded to Alabama and found that there is nothing to investigate.
The SEC, however, still has the option to suspend the players if they choose to do so. Something tells me that with an SEC BCS contender going up against an ACC BCS contender right out of the gate, the SEC won’t do anything at all.
Again, said with crimson glasses on.
Anyone remember the Tee Martin case? You know the one, right? The NCAA investigated a case in 1999 where $4500 was funneled through Mobile, AL sportswriter Wayne Rowe to UT quarterback Tee Martin on behalf of Mobile, AL insurance agent Diane Sanford who just happened to be a UT fan. All parties admitted that this transaction took place. However, because Sanford was in no way associated with Tennessee—just a fan—the NCAA ruled that no violation had taken place.
While these cases are in no way similar, the ruling in the Martin case bears noting because it is applicable in the Jones/Ingram case. The intent in the Martin case was in direct violation of the rules, but the same cannot be said for Jones/Ingram.
It is also important to note that Curtis Anderson is not an Alabama fan. Regardless, because Anderson is not affiliated with Alabama the NCAA has to rule that there is no wrongdoing on the part of the players or university.
They do have to, right?
Worry creeps in at this point because the NCAA has already shown willingness to break their own rules in the past in an attempt to prosecute Alabama. Remember the Albert Means witch-hunt investigation? That’s an article for another time.
What I am trying to get at here is that on the outside there does not seem to be anything that warranted investigation in the first place. Is it really a big deal that two boys got to go fishing for a day?
To me, the bigger story is that these two young men took time out of their schedule to help a handicapped man enjoy himself by catching fish.
It would seem that the NCAA ruled on cases like this one ten years ago. This time of year the last thing players need hanging over their heads is the possibility that they might not get to play because of something as innocent as a fishing trip. Let’s all move forward and prepare to watch two very talented young men play the game they love to play and we fans love to watch.
Auburn fans, your team will just need to find a way to level the playing field through the usual means instead of pinning your hopes on interference from the NCAA once again.
Glasses off.
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If you follow the talking heads of college football, all the experts believe that Alabama will be taking a step back this season. They say that a nine or 10 win season is to be expected barring a complete meltdown.
CFN even goes so far as to say that one of ‘Bama’s losses will be in the Iron Bowl (laughable).
Here is a list of Alabama’s supposed short-comings, the three key games for the Tide this season, and why they will once again run the table.
Yes, I am an Alabama fan. This article is filled with bias. Deal.
Alabama’s Short-Comings
Quarterback
Junior QB Greg McElroy takes over for three-year starter John Parker Wilson. McElroy is used to waiting his turn to shine. He backed up former Missouri QB Chase Daniel while at Southlake Carroll High School.
During Alabama spring camp, McElroy was the clear choice for the No. 1 signal caller and performed admirably in the A-Day game.
He picked right back up where he left off when fall camp started, prompting coach Nick Saban to say that McElroy is ahead of where they hoped he would be at this point in practice.
He has also continued to put up impressive numbers during team scrimmages this fall. And keep in mind that he practices every day against one of the best defenses in the nation.
Bottom line: McElroy will be a fine replacement for Wilson. He will be an improvement in the passing game with his arm, accuracy, touch, and decision-making abilities. However (knocking on wood), if McElroy goes down…
Running Back
This one is actually quite funny to me. I mean, are the “experts” serious? If nowhere else, the one position at which Alabama is stacked is tailback.
Three of the returning guys at this position have seen considerable time on the field (Ingram, Upchurch, and Grant) with two of them (Ingram and Grant) having been starters before.
Add to this list Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy (Rivals No. 2 and No. 13 RBs, respectively) and you have a deep, young, talented group.
Many of the pundits list this area as a weakness since Alabama doesn’t have a returning starter after having lost Glen Coffee to the NFL draft. I include Mark Ingram as a returning starter simply because he split time with Coffee in many of the games and even started a couple last season.
If Tyrod Taylor of VT can be considered a returning starter after sharing time with Sean Glennon, then Mark Ingram is also a returning starter.
Bottom Line: Alabama has a stable of talented running backs that is as deep as any in the country. Any team would be lucky to have these guys.
Offensive Line
This is the one area that concerns experts and fans alike, perhaps with good reason, after losing two All-Americans and another two-year starter. They do, however, return senior LG Mike Johnson and RT Drew Davis.
Once again, Nick Saban managed to pull in a slew of top recruits in 2009. One area of focus was the offensive line. Alabama took seven total linemen, including Rivals No. 1 DJ Fluker and Rivals No. 32 (No. 4 JUCO OL) James Carpenter, who is also a junior college All-American.
Both of these players have had an immediate impact in fall camp. It is reported that Carpenter has been dominant at the left tackle spot vacated by Andre Smith.
Fluker has not only been solid as an incoming freshman, but he has also shown his versatility by practicing both at tackle and guard.
William Vlachos, the strongest member of the Tide football team, looks to have locked down the center position. He practices every day against the best NT in the country in Terrance Cody.
Word out of fall camp is that he has been able to hold his own against Cody, so he should be just fine.
John Michael Boswell and Barrett Jones appear to also be doing very well in practice. Both have played sparingly in the past, but should be able to step in and contribute right away.
Bottom Line: According to Nick Saban, no position on the offensive line is set in stone. But the guys getting looks at each spot appear to be filling in quite nicely.
Practice is a far cry from real games, so we will see just how effective this line will be when they go up against the talented Hokie pass rush.
After having carefully watched spring and fall camps thus far, it is my opinion that the Alabama O-Line will be ready to go by the start of the season.
Three Key Games
Virginia Tech Hokies
I have done an article breaking down each team unit by unit already. In the end, I give Alabama the edge by a score of four units to one, with a couple washes mixed in.
While I believe both teams' defenses will be outstanding, I doubt Tech’s ability to move the football effectively either through the air or on the ground. Tyrod Taylor has never shown any indication that he can throw the ball. And with Darren Evans out, I am not sure how effective the Hokie rushing attack can be.
I do believe that because Alabama will be filling in their perceived holes, they will be able to move the football down the field consistently. As long as the Tide can establish the run—and I think they will—they will win this game.
Ole Miss Rebels
Get on the bandwagon while you can, folks. Everyone—and I mean everyone—is raving about the Rebels. Will they live up to the hype? We will have to wait and see.
Ole Miss has a very good QB in Jevan Snead; there is no denying that. What is being overlooked is that they, too, are replacing a couple of offensive linemen, including All-American LT Michael Oher.
If this is a weakness for Alabama, then it is a weakness for Ole Miss. The Rebels are, however, talented on the offensive side of the ball. They can run and they can pass.
Can Alabama’s defense slow them down enough to win? Well, they did last year. Expectations are that this year’s version of the Alabama defense will be much better.
As for the Rebel defense, they were good against the run. They are replacing a lineman here, too, and pass rush specialist Greg Hardy is going to be hobbled after having a rod inserted into his ankle to correct an injury from last year that was aggravated in a car accident in July.
Ole Miss had serious issues defending against the pass already—finishing dead last in the conference in 2008—so Hardy’s injury can’t help if his pass rush ability is affected.
In the end, I think the Tide matches up with talent level and experience all over the field.
The Alabama defense will be the deciding factor in this game. If the secondary does its job against Snead and company and doesn’t let him beat them with his arm, Alabama wins this game.
LSU Tigers
The Tigers will be an improved bunch this season. This game will boil down to whether or not the LSU defense has greatly improved over last year. With the addition of John Chavis as defensive coordinator, this may very well be the case.
LSU’s offense will once again feature tailback Charles Scott. He is a beast to bring down. Jordan Jefferson looks to have won the starting job at QB and will be an improvement over Jarrett Lee.
This offense is as talented as any in the SEC.
The Tiger defense of 2008 was not typical of past units. Enter Chavis.
He can flat out coach. LSU should be a much better team in 2009 and will once again be a force in the SEC. Nick Saban turned this team from an SEC also-ran into a national champion by making them a defensive juggernaut.
Les Miles didn’t really continue this trend but looks to have learned his lesson by bringing in Chavis.
Alabama matches up well on both sides of the ball with LSU. Since I believe that this is the game that will ultimately decide the SEC West, it will come down to which team wants it more.
I believe that Alabama has some unfinished business with Tim Tebow and the Gators, and that will be the motivation they need to get past the Tigers.
Why Alabama Runs the Table
The remaining nine games should be wins for the Tide. I’m not overlooking any of them but UT, MSU, and Auburn are breaking in new coaches, the Hogs have no defense, Kentucky and South Carolina have no offense, and the out of conference slate aside from VT is weak.
If Alabama wins the three key games on their schedule, an undefeated regular season is almost a sure thing.
Of course, all of this is contingent upon Alabama avoiding the injury bug to major players. This is a better-conditioned, better-prepared, and stronger team, so hopefully they will be just as injury free as last season. Once again, knocking on wood…
So that’s my take on the 2009 Alabama football season. I welcome all comments and look forward to the discussions. If there is one thing I enjoy, it is talking SEC football.
Good luck to all on the season—until you face Alabama, that is.
Roll Tide!
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In an effort to clarify a few ratings and assumptions on the parts of both Alabama and Virginia Tech fans, I offer this humble comparison of the only common opponent the two teams played last season—the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers.
Bama, ranked 11th at the time, finished WKU off with a final score of 41-7. Tech was also ranked (20th) and beat the Hilltoppers by a final of 27-13. But let's take a deeper look inside the numbers because, contrary to what some fans think, they do tell the whole story.
The Tide scored early and often in their matchup. Bama's offense put up a whopping 557 total yards (276 through the air and 281 on the ground) while the defense only allowed a paltry 158 total yards (116 passing and 42 rushing). All in all, it was a totally dominant performance against—let's face it—a vastly less talented and totally outmatched opponent.
Tech also scored early, but not nearly as often. And the game was as close as it sounds. The two teams were only separated by a total of 50 yards, with the Hokies having the upper hand in that department. Tech managed 293 yards (142 passing and 151 rushing), while giving up 243 total yards (95 yards passing and 148 rushing) to WKU. While Western Kentucky managed to get within 14 points of the Hokies, that didn't happen until early in the 4th quarter.
Comparing the two teams' numbers, the Tide nearly doubled the offensive output in both passing and rushing stats of the Virginia Tech offense. Alabama's defense also surrendered a net of 85 fewer yards (106 less rushing but 21 more passing) than did the Hokie defense.
So I ask this question to the fans: Which team was better?
The answer is obvious, of course. The Crimson Tide of Alabama.
Which team dominated WKU from start to finish? That would be Alabama once again.
I would like to finish by pointing out that Tyrod Taylor received his highest passer rating (158.66) of the season in this game, yet only completed 10 of 15 passes (66.7%, quite respectable) for 125 yards (not so much) and a single touchdown. He also only managed 30 yards on the ground on 10 carries.
Since Tech fans laud Taylor's ability with his feet, you would think he could have put up better numbers against so poor an opponent.
So there it is, folks. Feel free to comment with your opinions on this matter. I am open to all points of view. I do, however, believe (IMHO) that you can't argue the fact that Alabama looked much better in this game than did Virginia Tech.
Roll Tide!
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Good morning everyone and Roll Tide!
Each week, I will be bringing you a unit by unit matchup for each opponent the Crimson Tide will face this college football season. I will use stats as well as personal opinion to do this.
Now I won't breakdown every team the Tide faces (ie North Texas, UT-Chattanooga), just the SEC teams and any other marquee opponent that shows up on the schedule.
That being said, let's get to it!
September 5th in The Georgia Dome, the Crimson Tide will face Virginia Tech in a matchup of two BCS conference divisional champion picks. The Tide comes into this game ranked No. 5 in the country while the Hokies are ranked just behind them at No. 7.
Both teams are coming off solid campaigns in 2008 with the Hokies winning the ACC and the Orange Bowl, and Alabama going 12-0 in the regular season before two disappointing losses in the SEC title game and the Sugar Bowl.
I am sure each team is looking forward to the start of the 2009 season.
I am going to break down each unit head to head for these two teams and ultimately give you my pick for the winner. Here is my breakdown:
Let's start with some intangibles.
Alabama was one of the least penalized teams in the country (5th), averaging 4.07 penalties and 37.14 penalty yards per game. VT finished 32nd with averages of 5.00 and 34.71 per game. It looks like neither team really had many flags thrown at them, so I will call this a push.
Moving on to special teams.
Last year, Alabama punter PJ Fitzgerald finished 41st in the nation with an average of 41.14 yards per punt. Brent Bowden finished 58th with a per punt average of 40.36 for VT. Both punters were effective in their own right. Alabama's net punting yardage was 35.05 while VT's was 33.19, good for 60th and 92nd respectively.
Tide placekicker Leigh Tiffin was 20 - 29 in FG opportunities with a long of 54, while Hokie kicker Dustin Keyes went 23 - 29 with a long of 50 yards.
Alabama return specialist Javier Arenas racked up 650 yards in punt returns, taking three of those back to the house, both of which were tops in the nation. He also added 614 yards in kick returns. Tech's Macho Harris is gone, leaving the Hokies with no one with much, if any, experience in the return game.
Bama's punt coverage team allowed a total of 242 yards (8.96 per) and a TD—good for 61st—while their kick coverage gave up 1765 yards (21.79 per) and a TD. VT allowed 298 total punt return yards (12.42 per) and three TDs while their kick coverage team allowed 1206 yards (19.45 per) and no TDs.
Looking at these numbers, once again, the two teams are fairly close. You have to give a slight edge in FGs to the Hokies, but the Tide clearly has the edge in regards to punt and kick returns. Still, another push.
Now let's take a look at the offenses.
I won't drop all the stats here like I did with special teams, but I will point out that Bama's offense finished 63rd, averaging 355.79 yards per game. They scored 422 total points in 14 games (30.14 per), finishing 7th in the nation.
VT scored a total of 309 points in 14 games (22.07), good enough for 12th while averaging 303.43 yards per game, putting them at 103rd overall.
Now that it turns out Darren Evans is lost for the season, you absolutely have to give the advantage in the backfield to the Tide. Alabama returns three running backs (Ingram, Upchurch and Grant) that have plenty of game experience, with Ingram and Upchurch combining for 1078 yards and 16 TDs.
VT has 3 guys who have at least seen the field (Lewis, Oglesby and Boone) but none of them had more than 65 total carries last season (Lewis). Oglesby, and Boone combined for only 59 carries. The three of them combined for 401 yards and four TDs.
Tyrod Taylor did rush for 738 and seven TDs, but he is a QB, and I do not include him in these numbers. If I did, I would have to say that he is the only returning player with experience running the ball, which still gives the advantage to Alabama.
VT's top two receiver totals from last year don't even add up to the numbers Julio Jones put up for Alabama (849 yards and 2 TDs combined compared to Jones' 924 yards and 4 TDs).
While both teams return WR and TE groupings that have seen significant time on the field, once again the clear advantage goes to Alabama. I mean, they do have one of the best recievers in the nation and reigning SEC freshman of the year in Julio Jones.
One area of concern for Alabama is the offensive line.
Losing two All-Americans and another two year starter will make it a chore for Nick Saban to fill those shoes. Looking to do that will be the No. 1 offensive lineman in the country out of high school, DJ Fluker (remember—Andre Smith started as a freshman after being No. 1 in the country and never missed a beat) as well as JUCO transfer and highly regarded lineman James Carpenter.
The Tide does have plenty of talent ready to step in, but none of them have any real game experience playing in major college football. VT, however, returns three starters on the line.
Of note, however, is that two of the three will be starting at a new position on the line for the first time this year, with Wang being the only exception at LT. While the Hokies have to fill two spots on the line, the fact that they are moving guys around will make a difference (see Mike Johnson of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl) and this unit won't be as dominant IMHO as many believe.
That being said, I will give a slight edge to VT here only because they return more "starters" than does Alabama.
Now for the QBs. I will start by covering Tyrod Taylor.
The guy flat out has never done much of anything. His career numbers speak for themselves: 55% completion percentage, less than 2000 total passing yards in two seasons and a seven to ten TD to INT ratio during that time. Most of the damage he does is with his feet.
Bama, on the other hand, has a virtual unknown (to everyone outside of Tuscaloosa) in Greg McElroy taking over for three year starter JP Wilson. He has appeared in a few games, mostly mop-up duty, and has done well, completing 80% of his passes with a two to one TD to INT ratio.
Bama fans got a glimpse of what "G-Mac" is capable of during the 36-0 rout of Auburn in last year's Iron Bowl. If you missed it, McElroy threw a perfect deep ball to Marquis Maze down the sideline, in stride, for a 34 yard TD.
I will also mention that in competition at the Manning Passing Camp, McElroy beat out big time QBs Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford, as well as Tyrod Taylor (not big time), to finish 2nd overall in the contests. It's worthy of note, but it is just a camp and is not indicitive of how a QB will perform in a game.
In the end, I will call this a push since McElroy has lots to prove and Taylor has already proven he is not a threat passing the ball. I know VT fans will mention his feet, but he won't be running for many yards against Bama's defensive front seven. Which leads me to...
The defenses.
Both teams had a solid unit with Bama finishing 3rd and VT coming in at 7th. Bama returns nine starters while VT brings back seven.
IMHO, Bama played far superior opponents than did Tech, so I give Bama's defense a bit more credit than the Hokies. Against inferior teams, VT gave up 30 more yards per game on the ground, but did manage to give up 14 fewer yards through the air.
Of note is that Bama faced 124 more pass attempts than Tech but still came up with comparable numbers. If you're wondering, Tech faced 60 more rushing attempts than Alabama.
The front seven for Bama is one of the best in the nation. All-everything nose tackle Terrance Cody is a game changer. You cannot—I repeat CANNOT—run up the middle against this defense.
Of course, taking it outside against the fast, athletic linebackers Bama has is also a chore in and of itself. These guys weren't the 2nd best rush defense (behind TCU) in the country for nothing.
Stud LBs Donte Hightower and Rolando McClain, as well as role players Cory Reamer and Eryk Anders, were everywhere last season. Bama has brought in quite a crop of linemen and linebackers over the last two years in recruiting, so look for the trend of underclassmen getting involved early and often to continue in these spots.
There is just too much talent coming in and tons of it on the field.
VT has a solid front seven as well, with three returnees up front, but they only have one linebacker coming back this season. They do, however, have rush/speed DE Jason Worilds, who is going to give anyone headaches coming off the edge.
While both Bama's and VT's front seven units are good, I have to give the nod at both the line and linebackers to Alabama here. Playing against better quality teams in a better conference and still stuffing the run is an accomplishment.
As for the secondary, both teams lost their star members—Alabama losing Rashaad Johnson and VT losing Victor "Macho" Harris. Both teams return three starters in this group, and if you look at each on a position by position basis, they all match up well.
THE guy in VTs secondary this year should be FS Kam Chancellor. The guy is everywhere, helping to break up passes and making key tackles as well as stepping up to help out in run defense. I have watched this guy play myself and know he is a force.
On the other team is a guy named Javier Arenas. Well not only is he one of the best return men in all of college football, but he has quietly become an outstanding lockdown corner in his own right.
All that being said, these two units match up way too close to call. I will push this one out as well. Personnel and stats-wise, they are just too close.
So there it is, folks. I am a Bama fan for sure, but I tried to do this as unbiased as I possibly could. If you are keeping score, I have the advantage going to Bama by a margin of 4 (RBs, WRs DL and LBs) to 1 (OL), with a few pushes.
With this breakdown in mind, I have to say that Alabama will win this game. It will be close early on while both teams feel each other out, but by the 2nd quarter Bama's running game and rush defense will just be too much for VT to overcome and the Tide will start methodically putting the Hokies away.
I do believe that Bama's O-line will be good enough to keep the Hokie passing defense at bay for the most part—although Worilds will get pressure for sure—and McElroy will be able to move the ball through the air, too.
I still have not seen anything to indicate that Tyrod Taylor is a passing threat. QBs don't just magically get better because they are a year older. And if he tries to beat Bama with his feet, it will be a long day for Hokie fans.
So here is to a great season for both teams and a phenomenal game to start it off. Good luck to both teams but someone has to lose—and I believe that will be the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Roll Tide!
