Challenging opener awaits defending champs
Can the experienced Tide defense stop D’Eriq King and the Rhett Lashlee offense? What new faces will step up for Saban and company?
By: Dave in Tuscaloosa
D’Eriq King leads the ‘Canes against a talented Tide team expected to take another shot at a title. (Photo: Tide 100.9)
It is a well-known fact that under Nick Saban, Alabama has not shied away from challenging season openers. Teams such as Clemson, Virginia Tech, Michigan, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Florida State, USC, and Louisville have met the Tide in highly anticipated openers, only to start 0-1. One opener, in particular, stands out for its long-term impact on the world of college football. In Saban’s second season at the Alabama helm in 2008, the Tide’s opener against Clemson had a ripple effect that is still felt today. Coming off a pedestrian 7-6 season, the 24th ranked Crimson Tide jumped out to a 23-3 halftime lead and upset Tommy Bowden’s 9th ranked Tigers 34-10. The victory is seen as the game that jump-started the Tide dynasty that remains alive and well today. Alabama’s victory in Atlanta that September evening also ended up, ironically, jump-starting the Clemson juggernaut as well. Clemson entered the ‘08 campaign with high expectations, yet the team underperformed and Bowden was fired midseason. A little-known Clemson assistant by the name of Dabo Swinney was promoted to interim head coach and later given the permanent position... and the rest is history.
Fast forward to this Saturday afternoon when heavily favored and top-ranked Alabama faces a Miami Hurricane program that is looking for a jumpstart victory themselves that would put them once again on the national map. The Canes enter as an 18.5 point underdog, yet Manny Diaz’s squad has talent and seems primed for a breakout season. The Tide, meanwhile, are coming off one of the greatest seasons in Alabama history and enter 2021 as the defending SEC and national champions. Heavy personnel losses on the field as well as the sidelines make this one an interesting matchup that will put Saban’s perfect 14-0 record in season openers to the test.
This game looks like a classic strength-on-strength matchup that will pit a powerful Miami offense against a talented and experienced Alabama defense. The Canes, who went 8-3 in 2020, return 9 starters on offense and are led by senior dual-threat quarterback D'Eriq King (23 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 2686 yards passing and 538 rushing yards and 4 TD’s on the ground). The Canes return dynamic skill players that could cause problems for the Bama D. Receivers Mike Harley and deep threat Oklahoma transfer Charleston Rambo lead a talented receiving corps and leading rusher Cam’Ron Harris returns to bolster a unit that averaged 34 points per game in 2020. Junior tight end Will Mallory caught 4 touchdown passes as a sophomore and will play a prominent role for the Canes in ‘21. If there is a question mark on offense, it is the line, yet they do return 4 starters, including impact sophomore tackle Zion Nelson. The Canes have a new placekicker but return an excellent punter in junior Lou Hedley, who averaged 47 yards per boot in ‘20.
Rhett Lashlee knows Alabama well from his days at Auburn. Can he utilize #1 to give the Tide fits? (Photo: via @BR_CFB Twitter)
The Miami offense will test a deep and talented Tide defense that held its own in 2020 but was overshadowed by one of the best offenses in college football history. Led by linebackers Christian Harris and Tennessee transfer Henry To’o To’o, sophomore defensive end terror Will Anderson, a plethora of defensive line size and talent, and an experienced secondary that will feature Josh Jobe and Malachi Moore, the matchup with the talented Miami offense will be a good one to gauge where this unit stands. Word from summer camp says that the defense will return to the dominant days of old.
Offensively, Alabama returns just 3 starters from a unit that ranked 4th nationally and averaged 49 points per game. Highly touted sophomore Bryce Young is the new quarterback and will be supported by a dangerous receiving corps led by juniors John Metchie and reliable Slade Bolden. Running backs Brian Robinson, Trey Sanders, Jace McClellan, and Roydell Williams will run behind an offensive line that returns just two starters (Evan Neil and Emil Ekiyor). It may be more “running back by committee” this year, something Tide fans are not used to, however, it is a deep running back room and it will be interesting to see if one or two backs seize control of the position early. Tight ends Jahleel Billingsley and Cameron Latu have the size and ability to be impact players. Junior placekicker Will Reichard, who was perfect on field goals and PAT’s in 2020, returns and is among the top kickers in the country. Bama will break in a new punter this season.
John Metchie III is that dude for the Crimson Tide on the outside this year. Bryce Young will be looking his way all night. (Photo: UA Athletics)
Going against the Tide offense will be a Canes defense that returns 5 starters and will look to make strides after surrendering 27 points and 408 yards per game in 2020. Look for transfers Deandre Johnson (Tennessee) and Tyrique Stevenson (Georgia) to be impact players. Miami’s secondary returns starters DJ Ivey and Bubba Bolden and have received high praise for their work throughout the preseason. Their ability to effectively hold up against the Tide receiving corps will be an important aspect of determining Saturday’s winner.
As often happens in openers, there are so many unknowns that it is challenging to see what will actually happen on Saturday. A few things to look for that may ultimately help determine the result:
How will Miami’s lines match up against the Tide’s offensive and defensive fronts?
How quickly will offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, who from his days at Auburn has experience going against Alabama, turn King loose and see how much damage his legs can inflict on the Tide defense?
How long will it take Young and the Alabama offense to hit their stride and how effective will the offense be on third downs?
Can Miami hit some big plays downfield and force the Alabama offense to go score for score?
Which team will have an impact freshman make a big play first?
Ultimately, the Tide won’t cover the 18.5 point spread, and Miami will prove to be more than a formidable opponent. If Miami is to pull the upset, King will need to have a monster day and the Alabama offense will need to get off to a slow start (both are entirely possible). Here’s saying that King and company will make plays and will push the Bama defense to step up their game. The Bama offense may start slow, but will eventually get its footing and get into a productive rhythm. Bama makes enough plays to push Saban’s opening day record to 15-0 with a closer than expected victory, and Miami’s performance will be impressive enough that the Canes will draw the attention of the ACC as a legitimate contender to North Carolina for Coastal supremacy.
Alabama 30
Miami 17