Alabama mostly accomplished
From the first kickoff, the Crimson Tide dominated the Blue Raiders, who had more talent than they could handle. Alabama mostly accomplished what it set out to do on offense and defense, scoring 28 points in the first half and holding opponents without a score until late in the third quarter. Passing and rushing worked well.
The rebuilt running back group for the Crimson Tide had opportunities to excel. In the first half, veteran running back Jase McClellan scored a touchdown. Who would start the season opening at quarterback was the hot topic over the offseason. The first shots of the new season were taken by Jalen Milroe, who made the most of his chance by dazzling in the air and on the ground.
With his receiving corps, he had it running smoothly. Despite their being a lot of attention and hype surrounding the position battle being focused on Milroe vs. Ty Simpson, Tyler Buchner entered just after Milroe left. In the fourth quarter, Buchner scored a touchdown on a nine-yard sprint. Milroe completed 13 of his 18 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns.
He recovered a poor snap and ran it in himself for the season’s opening score. The No. 4 helped Isaiah Bond, Jermaine Burton, and Amari Niblack score their first touchdowns of the year. His primary concern was passing. Milroe shown self-assurance in a tiny sample size and improved in that area of his game.
Under the leadership of new coordinator Kevin Steele, the defense lived up to its reputation as a tough squad. The Blue Raiders struggled all night long on that side of the ball. Caleb Downs, a rookie, made six tackles. Jaylen Key, a transfer from UAB, made his first interception. Although there were many unanswered questions as the game began, including questions about who was in the back center, it was a promising beginning.
The Crimson Tide’s performance demonstrated the roster’s talent from top to bottom while allaying skepticism on a number of fronts. One of Bryant-Denny’s most eagerly anticipated games during the Nick Saban era will take place against Texas next Saturday. ESPN will broadcast the start of the Crimson Tide and Longhorns game at 6 p.m. CT.
