New Group, Same Domination as Alabama Mauls Miami
Here's how long it took the Alabama football team to set everyone straight about its potential this season: 2 minutes and 53 seconds.
That was the Crimson Tide's opening possession of the 2021 season.
It wasn't so much that it was capped by wide receiver John Metchie scoring on a 37-yard reception, or that Alabama needed just seven plays to go 76 yards to take the lead before Miami even got a chance to touch the ball.
It was how Alabama did it.
Even though the Crimson Tide dominated college football last season, no one quite knew how this Alabama team would look on offense after losing five consensus All-Americans who had won major national awards (Heisman, O'Brien, Walker, Outland and Rimington among them).
It also had a new offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, even though both were hired out of the NFL.
It all looked good on paper, talent and coaching, and one would think it could come together in impressive fashion.
But no one knew it.
They certainly do now.
Bryce Young was poised and confident running the offense, while going 27-for-38 for 344 yards and four touchdowns in his first start.
Senior Brian Robinson Jr. was a force as the starting running back.
Offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien had a great game plan and moved the ball around with his play calling as the Crimson Tide racked up 500-plus total yards and a 44-13 victory.
... and so on.
"Really did a nice job on offense," Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban said. "I mean, what, did we score the first five, four possessions?
"I was really pleased with that. With having eight new starters, you know, on offense, three new starters on the offensive line."
However, what should really have Alabama fans excited, and cause deep concern in the rest of college football, was that top-ranked Alabama absolutely manhandled the No. 14 Hurricanes, who had 18 returning starters.
It began up front with Evan Neal, who looked at home at left tackle. Alabama only had one starter on the offensive line who was in the same place as a year ago, Emil Ekiyor Jr., yet the growing pains were few and far between — the exception being when Miami got a turnover by overloading Chris Owens at right tackle on a well-designed blitz.
On the flip side, players like Phidarian Mathis stood out while shutting down the rushing lanes, applying pressure and forcing turnovers. Consequently, linebacker Will Anderson Jr. had his predictable big day even though Chris Allen (foot) and Henry To'oTo'o (elbow) suffered injuries.
Miami quarterback D'Eriq King passed for 178 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. The Hurricanes averaged just 2.8 yards per rushing attempt. Alabama even had a goal-line stand to meet its weekly goal of allowing 13 or fewer points.
"It was as we game-planned this week," Anderson said. "We stuck to our game plan saying we had to contain him and we had to rush together and rush as a unit and nobody can be selfish. And we all just have to play as a team and play up front as a team and just hold our gaps and be responsible to do our job."
By winning in the trenches, Alabama clearly won every facet of this neutral-site "showdown" at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It pushed the Hurricanes around. It took Miami's best licks and just kept on going. The Crimson Tide stopped just short of running over to the Hurricanes bench and snaring their turnover chain as well.
Saban won't be happy that his team couldn't quite maintain its intensity and executing during the second half, but that only made the day better for the Crimson Tide.
The coach got another big win, and something to get on his team about. That's just about the equivalent of a perfect season opener minus the injuries.
"I think we've just got to finish," Mathis said. "That's going to be a big thing for us in the future is finishing. Our four quarters we've got to finish the whole game out. I think we kind of let up and laid back towards the end and that's something we've got to fix quickly."
For everyone else, the takeaways will end any speculation about whether the reigning champions have enough in place to make another national title run.
Go back to that original series. The domination was immediate. Twice the receivers got behind the initial coverage and into open space for easy receptions.
Twice the line made a push to get extra yards for Robinson.
Young went 4-5 for 67 yards and the day's outcome was already obvious. Alabama had won 41 straight games when scoring a touchdown on its initial possession.
But also note five other things from the rest of the game:
1) Miami had one misstep on its initial possession, a 5-yard false-start penalty, and that was all the Crimson Tide defense needed to quickly snuff out the drive. The margin of error was that small.
On its first four possessions, Miami’s offense had just two first downs. At that point it was being outgained 200-43.
2) In his first game after transferring, Jameson Williams shook off a rocky start and had a 100-yard day, thanks in part to a 94-yard touchdown reception.
Also note that with Jahleel Billingsley not starting and in Saban's dog house, tight end Cameron Latu caught two touchdown passes. We're guessing that the message has been received, especially after Saban was seen talking to Billingsley on the sideline during the second quarter.
3) On Alabama's second possession, Young had to deal with a safety blitz deep in Miami territory. He simply stepped aside to avoid the diving player in orange, and with no one open didn't try and force a pass. He threw the ball away and the Crimson Tide took the field goal.
That was a big-time veteran move for someone that young.
"I think Bryce did really, really well," Saban said.
4] When running back Roydell Williams fumbled, Robinson went right up him and slapped down hard on his shoulder pads and yelled "Come on, man!"
The call was overturned. It didn't matter. The leadership point was made.
5] Miami's telling reaction to the early onslaught was for safety Bubba Bolden, the Hurricanes' best player on the back end, leading with his head on a tackle and getting tossed for targeting at the end of the first quarter.
What do they say about true character showing when things are going your way?
Yeah, Alabama fans should be good, very good, about the potential of this team, and not just because of the score.
