Against Kentucky, Alabama Hopes There's No Rust Plus a New Name Could Emerge on Offense
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — By the time the University of Alabama and Kentucky kick off on Saturday afternoon at Bryant-Denny Stadium, it will have been three weeks since the Crimson Tide last took the field.
And for the nation's No. 1 team, coach Nick Saban is hoping the rust is at a minimum or non-existent altogether.
"What I think is really important right now until game time is, you know, players have to get themselves psychologically back into the rhythm of playing games," Saban said on Wednesday evening. "We've tried to keep the rhythm of how we practice each day last week, it's why we practiced on Saturday, didn't practice on Friday, had a regular work week this week, so that everybody can get back into game mode, playing games."
Along with being off a number of weeks, throw in the COVID-19 pandemic where coaches have to prepare for any player to miss time due to a positive test or contact tracing protocols.
Saban noted last week that contact tracing was, arguably, the biggest obstacle teams have had to face this season.
Routines can get relaxed, guards can get let down, and complacency can set it during open dates, but Saban and his coaching staff have remained vigilant in the safety guidelines and how they have prepared their players, trying to get things as normal as possible.
"First off, you tell people that there’s going to be disruptions and it’s going to be different and they need to expect it and not to expect it to be the way it’s always been because it’s not going to be that way, that’s number one," Saban said. "Number two, when you have disruptions and distractions everybody’s just got to handle it, so what, now what? What are we going to do next? What can we control? What can we do next? How can we do the things that we need to do to try to continue to improve as a team and individually and collectively try to accomplish goals that we have for the season.
"The guys have been pretty good at that, it’s a little different, no doubt, it’s different coaching that way. You don’t have certain guys at practice certain days and then all of the sudden you’ve got other guys there and other guys aren’t. But everybody’s just got to roll on, next guy up has to take advantage of the opportunity. We’ve tried to keep the schedule pretty much the same and not make a lot of changes in what we would normally do.
"I think routine is really important to try to maintain rhythm even if you miss a game."
One of the challenges the Wildcats present is its top-ranked passing defense in the Southeastern Conference, only allowing 214 yards per game through the air.
Meanwhile, quarterback Mac Jones and company led the league in passing offense at 380 yards each time out. That also ranks third in the country as a whole so something's gotta give.
"Practice has been good, the focus in practice has been good," Saban said. "Players preparation has been good. But I think they realize it's going to be a little different kind of game. You guys [Kentucky] really run the ball, try to shrink the game, play really well on defense, don't give up very many explosive plays. They're big and physical. So it's gonna be a different kind of game for us, and I think it's going to be a tough game. We're looking forward to get back in Bryant-Denny Stadium and having the opportunity to play and compete."
Kentucky is also only allowing 21.3 points per game and that is good for second in the SEC as well. It also ranks in the top 25 nationwide.
"Kentucky’s got a really good defense, especially looking at their front seven," Alabama offensive lineman Landon Dickerson said. "They’ve got big guys who are explosive, powerful. They have linebackers, same way. They come downhill, they hit people. Really solid defense, that’s really all I can say. They have a good defense, a good team, a good group of athletic guys that play good football."
Over the last three weeks with no game action, the Crimson Tide is taking the approach of 'be where your feet are' according to Dickerson and focusing on what's in front of them, not anything it can't control.
"We’ve played a good amount of football games before this year, and it’s really about refining our craft and doing things until we can’t do them wrong instead of doing things until we get it right," Dickerson said. "It’s at this point where we just really work on consistency, fundamentals, details, technique every day and just focus on getting better as players individually and as a team as a whole."
Saturday also marks the first game without redshirt freshman running back Trey Sanders who suffered injuries in a car accident two weeks ago that will likely keep him out of the rest of the season.
His injury paves the way for a true freshman like Jase McClellan to earn some meaningful playing time.
"I think Jase is a guy who’s really stepped up as of late," tight end Miller Forristall said. "It’s a year where guys can go up and down, in and out not only with injuries but with COVID now, so guys have gotten a lot more reps. I think Jase has done a great job of stepping into that role.
"He runs really, really hard, that’s the first thing that jumps off when you watch Jase play, he runs hard. And he does a great job of finishing, even in practice, and that’s going to pay off in games when he starts to get more and more carries. That guy’s really developed and I’m proud of the way he practices."
He's appeared in all six games this season, but all on special teams and against the Bulldogs, he was named one of the players of the week for that position group by the coaching staff.
According to defensive lineman DJ Dale, you can't tell McClellan is a rookie.
“He’s looked good since day one," Dale said. "Like he’s been here for a while. He looks just like the old guys, and they’ve been doing a good job of coaching him up.”
