Crimson Tide breeze past Mercer, 48-14; dangerous Gators await
Tide win in a rout but left much room for improvement ahead of showdown in The Swamp.
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
Backup QB Jalen Milroe got some needed PT against Mercer (Photo: Gary Cosby, Tuscaloosa News)
Back in Nick Saban’s second season at the helm of the Crimson Tide in 2008, Alabama opened the season with a dominating 34-10 upset victory over Clemson. They followed the next week with a classic letdown, a lethargic 20-7 sleepwalk win over unranked Tulane. Fast forward to 2021, Alabama opened the season in impressive fashion by dominating another ACC opponent, the Miami Hurricanes, by the score of 44-13. On Saturday, similar to Tulane in ‘08, the Tide suffered through another letdown performance, this time against the Mercer Bears. However, much has changed in Tuscaloosa since those early days of the Saban era, including what a letdown actually looks like, as the Tide’s form of sleepwalking translated into an easy 48-14 rout. The win marked Bama’s 99th straight win over an unranked opponent and occurred on yet another Saturday where ranked teams such as Notre Dame, Miami, and Texas A&M struggled to beat overmatched foes.
After a shaky start that saw Alabama punt on its first two possessions, quarterback Bryce Young settled down and passed for 227 yards and three touchdowns, freshman JoJo Earle gained 141 all-purpose yards (85 receiving, 56 on punt returns), and the Bama offense racked up 424 yards compared to 236 for the Bears to get their second win of the year and set up a showdown with the Florida Gators in the Swamp next Saturday. On the positive side, Young played well, continued to show poise in the pocket, and completed passes to seven different receivers. Many on Alabama’s roster saw playing time and gained valuable game experience, including backup quarterback Jalen Milroe, who showed flashes by scrambling for 33 yards on 7 carries. Defensively, the unit played well against an unconventional offense, limiting the Bears to 48 total yards on the ground. Defensive stars Christian Harris, Henry To’o To’o, and Byron Young were all over the field, and Kool-Aid McKinstry and Marcus Banks, making their first starts in the secondary, both had interceptions. From a special teams standpoint, linebacker Chris Braswell blocked a punt in the first quarter that was returned by Jace McClellan for the Tide’s first points. Will Reichard hit two field goals, including a 40 yarder, and JoJo Earle returned two punts for 44 yards. Freshman punter James Burnip averaged 43 yards on three boots.
Alabama jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on the shoulders of the blocked punt and a 5 play, 54-yard drive later in the opening stanza that culminated in a 4-yard touchdown run by Brian Robinson. A strong second quarter that included Slay Bolden’s first TD reception of the year (18 yards), Jace McClellan’s second touchdown of the afternoon, a five-yard run, and a 30 yard Reichard field goal stretched the halftime lead to 31-0. In the first half, Alabama outgained Mercer 192-35. The second half saw the Crimson Tide outscore the Bears 17-14, with touchdowns from Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams (an 8-yard reception) and Jace McClellan, his third of the day, on a 21-yard strike from Young. Reichard added a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to conclude Alabama’s scoring. Mercer would hit on touchdown passes from quarterback Fred Payton of 60 and 22 yards for their 14 points.
Despite the final outcome, there were plenty of negatives that Coach Saban will no doubt use to motivate his troops as they prepare for the Gators. Saban expressed concern during his midweek press conference, stating the Tide had not practiced well and lacked intensity. The average work on the practice field translated into an offensive performance on Saturday that was at times sluggish and sloppy, as there were numerous dropped balls, missed blocks, and a few poor passes. Furthermore, the Tide converted on only 5 of 13 third downs. Mercer was able to put some pressure on Young and sacked him once. Six players carried the ball, yet were unable to break a run longer than 16 yards. Reichard’s streak of 19 straight made field goals ended when he missed in the third quarter. Penalties were once again a problem as the Tide was flagged 9 times for 95 yards, which included several holding calls on the secondary. Speaking of the secondary, both of Mercer’s touchdowns came as a result of blown coverages in the back end. For reasons unknown, secondary starters Josh Jobe and Jalyn Armour-Davis did not play, and perhaps most significantly, sophomore stud outside linebacker Will Anderson left in the third with an apparent knee injury that leaves him questionable for Saturday’s game against Florida.
Alabama maintained its stronghold on the #1 ranking, however, enter Florida week with a need to get back to playing hard-nosed Alabama football. Bama has not played particularly well in either second half so far this season and will face a hungry and dangerous 11th ranked Florida Gators squad that will look for the signature win of coach Dan Mullen’s tenure in Gainesville. Chalk up the Mercer victory as an opportunity for Sir Nick and company to get refocused as they enter SEC play.