Early 2021 Crimson Tide Opponent Preview: New Mexico State
Alabama football is going to face several tough opponents in the upcoming 2021 college football season. Unfortunately for the Aggies of New Mexico State, they should not be one of those teams with the potential to give the Crimson Tide any trouble.
That might sound a bit harsh, but it's not unreasonable.
NMSU did not play a single game during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it did play two spring games against FCS opponents in the spring of 2021. In fact, the Aggies were the only FBS team to participate in games against opponents this past spring. Unfortunately, neither game was a good look.
The first game on the Aggies' schedule was Tarleton State, a 43-17 loss at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas. The second game was a victory, this time by a margin of 36-29 over Dixie State at the same stadium.
The Aggies are going to need to do a lot better than a 1-1 record against FCS opponents if they want to defeat the defending national champions inside Bryant-Denny Stadium this November.
The team does have some bright spots for the upcoming season, though.
JUCO transfer quarterback Jonah Johnson looked somewhat promising in the team's spring season. While he threw three interceptions against Tarleton State, he rebounded against Dixie State with two rushing touchdowns and 171 passing yards off of 19 completions. Johnson adds a bit of power and mobility to the quarterback position, which he will need against the stifling defense of Alabama.
While the majority of the Aggies offensive line unit is gone, it returns a key player and has added another. 6-7, 350-pound tackle Sage Doxtater is set to be a solid unit for the line and the addition of former Ole Miss center Eli Johnson is expected to make an impact early for the less experienced in the trenches.
While the team's top three wide receivers from 2019 have moved on, Terrell Warner is another JUCO transfer that will perform well for the team this season. Warner was responsible for eight receptions and will likely be a frequent target of Johnson's. Cole Harrity and Robert Downs should also be given a good look at the wide receiver position.
Moving over to the defensive side of the football, and a scouting report becomes much more difficult. Regarding returners from last season, NMSU only has two players in left tackle Sage Doxtater and outside linebacker Devin Richardson making their return in an Aggies uniform this season.
In 2019 — the last full season played by NMSU — the Aggies allowed an average of 480 yards and 41 points a game by opposing offenses. Poor run defense was a big part of the issue. This past spring, the story was not too different with NMSU giving up an average of 5.1 rushing yards per carry by the FCS offenses.
In neither spring game was the Aggies defense able to come up with an interception.
One player who showed promise was linebacker Trevor Brohard, who was responsible for a team-high 15 tackles this past spring. However, the linebackers across the board for NMSU lack experience. The team lost Devin Richardson to Texas, which will no doubt hurt the unit this season.
The defensive line shows some promise, though. Inside linemen in JUCO transfer Zach Stokes and redshirt-freshman Lama Lavea combined with defensive end Donovan King should provide a better run defense than the team was able to conjure up in 2019. However, if they do not improve from their spring experience, expect a talented Alabama stable of running backs to trample their competition.
And with that, here is everything you need to know about Alabama's game against New Mexico State:
New Mexico State at Alabama
Date/TV: Nov. 13/TBA
Location: Bryant-Denny Stadium
2020 Record: 1-1 (Spring 2021)
Final 2020 AP Ranking: None
Head Coach: Doug Martin, 9th year (23-64, 52-117 overall)
Number of returning starters: 4 offense, 2 defense
Key returning players: Offense: OT Sage Doxtater, RB O’Maury Samuels, RB/KR Juwaun Price, WR Robert Downs, WR Terrell Warner; Defense: S Devlin Kirklin, DT Zach Stokes, LB Trevor Brohard, CB Daemahni Williams, DT Lama Lavea.
Key departures: RB Jason Huntley, WR Tony Nicholson, WR O.J. Clark, WR Naveon Mitchell, LB Devin Richardson, LB Javahn Fergurson, LB Rashie Hodge Jr., DB Austin Perkins.
Last time out: In a unique situation provided to NMSU courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Aggies were the only FBS team to compete in the spring of 2021. With their 2020 season cancelled, NMSU resorted to playing two FCS teams during the spring in Tarleton State and Dixie State. The Aggies' most recent game as against the latter team, a 36-29 victory over the Trailblazers. Quarterback Jonah Johnson completed 19 of his 29 passes for 171 yards and rushed for 64 yards with a pair of touchdowns.
Series: The Crimson Tide and the Aggies have only met once in history, with their first and only meeting taking place inside Bryant-Denny Stadium in the fall of 2019. For the results of their lone meeting, see below.
Last meeting: Alabama obliterated NMSU 62-10 back during the 2019 season. Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 16 of 24 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 33 yards and another touchdown on the ground. While running back Keilan Robinson was third on the team in rushing attempts with five, he led the team in rushing yards with 80 and added a touchdown to his resume. Wide receiver Jerry Jeudy led the receiving corps with 103 yards on eight receptions and three touchdowns.
BamaCentral is previewing every Alabama game of the 2021 season. Check out the rest of the series:
