Alabama Crimson Tide: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Alabama Crimson Tide: Key To The 2022 Offense
The pass protection has to be better.
The receiving corps will be fine as long as Bryce Young isn’t getting popped. The running game will be great as long as Jahmyr Gibbs has space to move. Obviously that all comes down to an offensive line that has to be stronger and more consistent.
Think what Young could do if he had time to work.
It’s hardly a bad line – the talent level is there to come up with a fantastic season – but it has to keep defenses from always enjoying a delightful meal in the backfield.
The 2020 line allowed 1.46 sacks and 4.08 tackles for loss per game. The 2021 version gave up 6.93 tackles for loss and 2.73 sacks per outing.
Georgia’s D was stopped cold in the SEC Championship, but it cranked it up in the national title game with four sacks and nine tackles for loss.
Auburn’s defensive front went off. Ole Miss, LSU, Arkansas, and Texas A&M each came up with four sacks, and just about everyone was able to make big things happen against the run.
Alabama Crimson Tide: Key To The 2022 Defense
Force more takeaways.
The Tide managed to generate 22 of them, but there were a whole lot of lulls.
The D recovered just two fumbles in the first eight games, didn’t come up with a pick in either of the two playoff dates, and generated multiple takeaways in just three of the last 13 games.
Two of takeaways changed the SEC Championship win over Georgia, three led to the blowout over Mississippi State, and two helped save the day against LSU. That was it – five of the 22 came in the first two games against Miami and Mercer.
With all the pressure coming from the front seven, the big plays have to follow.
Alabama Crimson Tide: Key Player To The 2022 Season
OT Tyler Steen, Sr.
Can the Vanderbilt transfer be amazing at left tackle?
The pressure is on for what has become one of the highest-profile non-quarterback positions in college football.
The 6-5, 315-pounder started his career on the defensive front, moved to right tackle, flipped to the left side, and now he’s being asked to step in for new New York Giant tackle Evan Neal.
As long as he does his job, the rest of the line should be okay.
Alabama Crimson Tide: Key Transfer
RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Jr.
The former Georgia Tech back wasn’t used nearly enough.
He earned All-ACC honors as a kick returner as well as a runner, but he only carried the ball 232 times in his two seasons – he only got 20 carries once last year.
Versatile, Gibbs caught 59 passes for 768 yards and five scores, averaged 5.2 yards per carry with eight touchdowns, and averaged 25.6 yards per kickoff return. It’s his job to be the next great Alabama back, and he should explode with plenty of big plays.
Alabama Key Game To The 2022 Season
at Arkansas, Oct. 1
There are landmines all over the place on the schedule. There aren’t any the team can’t sidestep, but Texas, Tennessee, LSU, and Ole Miss are all road games. All of them are very, very dangerous, and that doesn’t even include the West showdown against Texas A&M.
Texas is the first road game, but that’s one of those moments Bama is built for. It’s the second road date of the season that could be the problem.
Bama struggled in the road opener at Florida last year and lost he second one against Texas A&M. This year, the Arkansas game is the first conference away game – and second road trip of the season – against an offense that provided a whole slew of problems in the 42-35 Tide win.
Worst of all, it comes right before the dates with A&M and Tennessee. There can’t be any lack of focus.
Alabama Crimson Tide: 2021 Fun Stats
– 2nd Quarter Scoring: Alabama 210 – Opponents 67
– 4th Down Conversions: Opponents 17-of-31 (55%) – Alabama 9-of-18 (50%)
– Field Goals: Alabama 23-of-29 – Opponents 17-of-17
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