Alabama Finds New Ways to Score against Louisiana-Monroe
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Saban challenged his team this week. To this point in the season, Alabama hadn't made an explosive play on special teams.
The Crimson Tide more than accepted the challenge against Louisiana-Monroe in Alabama's 63-7 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium Saturday.
Alabama set a program record with 262 punt return yards, which included a 68-yard return for a touchdown by Brian Branch, blocked a punt returned for a touchdown and had a Jahmyr Gibbs kickoff return for 57 yards.
"Well obviously if you get 262 yards, block a punt, score a touchdown, that’s pretty good stuff," Saban said in the postgame. "To this point in the season, and I challenged the players this week on that, we had not made one explosive play or significant play in the game with special teams. We didn't do anything that really hurt us, but we weren't making special teams an advantage to us.
"Today the execution was a lot better, and we were able to take advantage of it."
Wide receiver JoJo Earle was slated to be Alabama's punt returner heading into the season. After suffering a foot injury that has kept him out for the early part of the season, the Crimson Tide had to find a replacement at punt returner. In stepped fellow sophomore Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Before Saturday's outburst on special teams, the previous program record that had stood for seven decades was 204 total punt return yards against LSU in 1947. McKinstry alone had 136 against ULM, which was good for third in school history behind Javier Arenas' games against Tulane and Mississippi State in 2008.
McKinstry's previous long punt return was nine yards against Utah State. He had returns of 44, 42, 20 and 29 yards Saturday. Because of McKinstry's play on special teams, the Alabama offense enjoyed good field position throughout the game.
"The blockers I had today, they did their job, and I can’t do nothing but thank them the best for creating lanes for me to be able to take," McKinstry said after the game.
McKinstry said he enjoys the position and helping out the team in any ways he can. The sophomore defensive back said it's completely up to the coaches whether or not he keeps the job once Earle comes back from injury.
For Saban, the most important factor in determining who will return punts is making sure it's a guy who is actually going to catch the ball and be sure-handed. Then, he looks for guys with elusiveness and good instincts. But at the end of the day, it all depends on how well the 10 guys blocking in front do their job.
"If you can make a first down and affect field position by having an average of at least 10 yards a return, I think that's kind of our goal," Saban said. "Now, we’d like to break ‘em and make big plays, and you can do that. The most important thing is having a guy back there that's going to field the ball."
After his big day, McKinstry got a well-deserved rest from return duties in the fourth quarter, and junior safety Brian Branch lined up to return the punts. He took the first one he saw 68 yards for a touchdown. It was Alabama's first punt return for a touchdown since DeVonta Smith returned one for 84 yards against Arkansas in December of 2020 to help seal his Heisman campaign.
"Special teams bring a lot to the game," McKinstry said. "We don’t look at special teams no different than offense or defense. And we also understand that the energy that can come from special teams, it leads on to offense and defense.”
Saban said he always expects the team to execute things in the game that they work on practice, but because of the way Louisiana-Monroe set up on returns with a three-man shield, it allowed his team to get better returns.
For a two-minute span in the first quarter, Alabama scored two touchdowns without taking an offensive snap. The second of which came on a blocked punt by Ja'Corey Brooks. Malachi Moore scooped up the ball to run it in for the touchdown. It was the second time Brooks blocked a punt for a touchdown (Texas A&M 2021.)
Saban has always used key players and starters to play on special teams. It allows opportunities for younger guys, and as shown on Saturday, can create big momentum swings according to running back Roydell Williams.
"We’ve gotta bring it every play on special teams," Williams said. "That’s what starts it…That’s what leads to offense and defense playing physical and fast."
Coming into the game, Alabama had not forced a turnover this season on defense. Early in the first quarter, Will Anderson Jr. caught a tipped ball and returned it 25 yards for the pick-six. It was Anderson's first career interception and touchdown.
"That was definitely a huge play to gain momentum and push through the whole four quarters that we had," said Alabama linebacker Henry To'oTo'o, who recorded his first sack of the season on Saturday.
Non-offensive touchdowns have often played a key role on the best teams of the Saban era. Alabama has plenty of weapons on offense to reach the end zone, but proved on Saturday that it can score in other ways whether it comes from the defense or special teams.
See Also:
Opportunities Both Gained and Missed, But a Good Day for Alabama in 63-7 Win
Instant Analysis: No. 2 Alabama 63, Louisiana-Monroe 7
Alabama succeeds on all three fronts, defeats ULM 63-7
Alabama's Defensive Dominance Continues Against ULM
No Big Plays, But Running Game Solid For Alabama
Alabama vs. ULM Notebook: Crimson Tide Plays to Standard in Lopsided Win
