Alabama Offense Finds its Footing, Routs Vandy in SEC Opener
Henry To'oto'o celebrates after a big defensive play. Photo via Crimson Tide Photos, UA Athletics
After two straight uneven performances from its offense, the Alabama machine returned to form as Bryce Young and company sliced and diced an improved Vanderbilt defense. On the defensive side, the Tide stop unit continued its torrid start limiting the Commodore offense to 129 total yards, and the second ranked Crimson Tide rolled in its SEC opener, 55-3 on Saturday night in Tuscaloosa.
It was the Tide’s most complete performance to date, as the offense tallied a season high 628 total yards. Bill O’Brien’s unit showed creativity and efficiency as they racked up 34 first downs and went an impressive 7 for 12 on third downs. Alabama’s downfield passing game came to life as Young hit 11 different receivers on his way to 25 completions on 36 attempts for 385 yards and 4 touchdowns. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner threw for a career best 316 yards in the first half alone. Ja’Corey Brooks had a breakout game, hauling in 6 passes for 117 yards and 2 touchdowns. Receivers Brooks, Jermaine Burton, Traeshon Holden, and freshman Kobe Prentice had a total of 16 catches on the day, as Young slung the ball downfield against Vandy’s soft coverage all evening. The Bama running game took advantage of a second straight strong performance by the offensive line (0 sacks and very few quarterback hurries) as 7 different ball carriers rumbled for 228 yards on the ground. Junior Jace McClellan led the way with 78 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown. Senior placekicker Will Reichard continued to be perfect on the year, nailing field goals from 40 and 21 yards.
Defensively, the Tide stop troops continue to impress. Entering into the game against the Commodores, Bama had surrendered an average of 8.7 points per game. On Saturday, the Crimson Tide defense limited the Vandy offense and freshman quarterback A.J. Swann to a single field goal from Bama transfer Joseph Bulovas. The Commodores had been averaging 42 points and 436 yards per game, yet ran into a brick wall against the Tide. Linebackers Henry To’o To’o and Will Anderson led a ferocious, swarming crimson defensive effort that swamped the Commodores all evening. The Tide stop troops also limited Vandy to converting just once on 13 3rd down attempts. Anderson had his best game so far this season, recording 5 total tackles and 2.5 sacks while making himself a regular in Vanderbilt’s backfield. Swann would end the evening going 13 for 26, totalling only 115 yards.
After exchanging punts on each team’s first possession, Alabama marched 68 yards on 4 plays to take a 7-0 lead as Young found Brooks from 21 yards out for the score. Vandy responded with their best drive of the day that stretched 11 plays for 52 yards and culminated in a 40 yard Bulovas field goal. It would be the last points of the day for the 3-2 Commodores. Bama responded with an impressive drive of their own, marching 75 yards in 10 plays. Young hit Traeshon Holden with a dart from 8 yards out to end the quarter up, 14-3. Alabama would add 17 points in the second quarter, which included a Young to Brooks 34 yards touchdown strike, a nifty pass and catch by Jahmyr Gibbs that covered 7 yards, and a 40 yard field goal as Bama entered the locker room at half time leading 31-3.
Nitpick Alert…all was not perfect for the Tide in the first half as punt return specialist Kool-Aid McKinstry fumbled late in the second quarter in the midst of a terrific 40 yard return for the Tide’s lone turnover, and fellow punt returner Brian Branch coughed up Vandy’s next punt that was recovered by Alabama. There were two holding calls on the offensive line, and leading up to halftime, Bama had Vandy pinned deep in their territory with 2:17 remaining in the quarter and all three timeouts available, yet Saban, for some reason, likes taking timeouts into halftime. As the Alabama defense held Vanderbilt, Saban refused to use his timeouts as precious seconds ticked off the clock and finally spent one after Bama stopped the Dores on a 3rd and 16 from their own 35 yard line, leaving 33 seconds on the clock. Young easily marched the Tide offense 58 yards to the Vanderbilt 22 with 5 seconds in the half and had to settle for a chip-shot field goal from Reichard. Small point about time out usage, Sir Nick knows much more than I do, yet I would still like to see Alabama use its timeouts during a two minute drill more often at the end of the first half…nitpicking over.
The second half was much of the same, as all five of Vanderbilt’s possessions ended with punts. Alabama’s first drive of the second half would stall at the Vandy 4 and Reichard hit his second field goal of the day from 21 yards out. After a Commodore punt, backup quarterback Jaylen Milroe entered the game. Jace McClellan’s bruising 12 yard touchdown run later in the quarter put the Tide up 41-3. In the fourth quarter, Milroe led an impressive 15 play, 87 yard drive that ended with freshman Jamarion Miller’s 1 yard touchdown run. The play of the drive occurred on a 3rd and 20 from the Commodore 30 yard line. As the pocket collapsed, Milroe showed his athleticism and scrambled 28 yards to the Vandy 2 yard line. The Tide scoring concluded with another Miller touchdown, this time from 40 yards with 32 seconds left in the game.
Coming off two strong performances, the Tide returns to action next Saturday in Fayetteville to take on the 19th ranked Razorbacks of Arkansas. The Hogs sit at 3-1 and face a must win game, coming off a brutal 23-21 loss to Texas A&M. Bama’s propensity for close games on the road last season and three weeks ago against Texas are well documented, so next week’s crucial SEC West matchup should be a good one. The Arkansas tussle starts a key three game stretch for Alabama that will most likely determine the trajectory of their season, as after the Hogs, the Tide face a much-anticipated home game against 17th ranked Texas A&M and the week after, a road test against dangerous Tennessee, who currently sit at #8 in the latest AP poll.