Bye Week By the Numbers: Looking at Alabama Trends, Stats from First 8 Games
Alabama has come up on its traditional bye week before the LSU game. The Crimson Tide has a pretty standard record at this point (7-1, 5-0 SEC) of what Alabama fans have become accustomed to over the last 15 years under head coach Nick Saban. However, it has been anything but a traditional season for Alabama.
After Saturday's victory over Tennessee, where Alabama scored 27 unanswered points in the second half, Saban joked that this year's team has taken years off his life, but he loves the challenge.
"They've got good relationships on this team," Saban said. "I think the players legitimately care about each other and they respond well to their coaches. It's really fun to coach them. I don't think that we sometimes show the maturity from a competitive standpoint to do everything on a consistent basis, which what we keep trying to work to. But I'll tell you, eight weeks in a row and the grind that we've had the last four or five weeks with the games in our league, probably physiologically probably had a little bit of a tired team out there at the beginning of the game.
Here's a look at some of the numbers that stand out through the Crimson Tide's first eight games as the team gets a little bit of rest this week before a massive matchup with LSU.
6- Number of consecutive games with a sack from Dallas Turner
Dallas Turner wasn't happy after the Texas game. Not only with the loss, but with the defense's performance and his individual performance. The Alabama defense, which obviously includes Turner, did not record a single sack against Texas.
Since then, the junior outside linebacker has been like a man on a mission. He has at least 0.5 sack in every game since the Texas loss, with his sack against Tennessee marking six games in a row.
Turner is currently fifth in the country and first in the SEC with 8 total sacks. He is on pace to put up Will Anderson-type numbers from 2022, and Anderson swept the individual national defensive player of the year awards last season.
100- Field goal and extra point percentage
Will Reichard's two attempts against Tennessee barely snuck through the uprights, but Reichard has been as good as automatic this year for the Crimson Tide. Between Reichard and freshman backup Conor Talty, Alabama has not missed a kick this season.
The fifth-year kicker is 15 for 15 on field goals, including 8-of-8 on kicks of 40 yards or more, and he has made all 25 point after attempts. Reichard became the SEC's all-time points leader with a PAT against Arkansas to get to 481, and is now 34 points away from becoming the NCAA's all-time points leader.
"He has been probably as good a player at his position, even though he's a specialist, as anybody that we've ever had here," Saban said after Reichard set the SEC record.
4- Games trailing at halftime
Four times this year (Texas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Tennessee), Alabama has trailed at halftime, the highest total of the Saban era. The Crimson Tide has a 3-1 record in those games,
The team was tied with USF at halftime, which means Alabama has only led at the break three times. Saban has often credited the resiliency of this year's team and finding ways to win, but the slow starts could become a problem down the stretch.
131- Ranked 131st in sacks allowed
One of the most troubling areas for the Crimson Tide this season has been offensive line play. When Saban was asked if the sack total was asked heading into the Tennessee matchup if the sack total was concerning, he answered with a simple, "hell yeah."
With 35 on the season, Alabama is 131st out of 133 teams across college football in sacks allowed. Not all 35 sacks can be solely placed on the offensive line, but constant rotation at left tackle between Kadyn Proctor and Elijah Pritchett along with switches at right guard and snap issues at center, offensive line play has been an issue. Jalen Milroe's decision-making has also led to some of the sacks.
Alabama is currently on pace to give up the most sacks of the Saban era. It will definitely be one of the areas the Crimson Tide will be hoping to improve in the final third of the season.
48.2- James Burnip's punting average
At times when the Alabama offense has struggled, James Burnip has been the weapon to flip the field. He is having by far his best season in a Crimson Tide uniform with an average of 48.2 yards per punt up from 42.3 last season and 39.1 in 2021.
The Australian punter has a season-long of 67 yards, when his previous career-high was 57. He already has 15 punts of 50+ yards this season. Last season he only had six.
3- Tied for third nationally in completions of 40+ yards
One of the strengths of the Alabama offense has been Milroe's deep ball and explosive plays from the receivers. The Crimson Tide is tied for third in the country for passing plays of 40+ yards with 11.
Jermaine Burton leads the country with six catches of 40 yards or more. After the Texas A&M game, when he had a season-high 197 yards, Burton talked about his deep ball connection with Milroe.
"Just throw it," Burton said after the game. "I was like, 'Bro, just put it down there next to me, and I'll adjust.'"
Burton is Alabama's leading receiver with 508 yards and 5 touchdowns. Between Burton and sophomore Isaiah Bond, Milroe has his deep threats over the top of the defense and may just have his top-two receivers settling into place.
56- Points allowed in the second half
Alabama's offseason conditioning program is called Fourth Quarter. Saban constantly emphasizes playing for four quarters, and while the Crimson Tide has yet to put together a complete 60-minute performance, the fourth quarter has been one of its best all year– especially on defense.
Outside of the Texas loss (when it allowed 21 points), the Alabama defense has allowed 11 combined points in the fourth quarter. Five times this year, Alabama has not allowed its opponent to score in the fourth quarter. The Crimson Tide is outscoring opponents 133-56 in the second half.
Under first-year defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, this season's Alabama defense has appeared closer to some of the dominant Tide defenses of the past– forcing turnovers, tough tackling and making opponents quit. A key in the final third of the season will be Alabama playing with that same intensity for an entire 60 minutes.
1- First place in the SEC West
No. 9 Alabama is all alone atop the SEC West standings with an undefeated record in SEC play. That placement will be tested in the first game coming out of the bye against No. 16 LSU.
Neither the Tide or Tigers have had the start to the season that they were maybe expecting or hoping for. Both teams dropped early non-conference games, and LSU lost a shootout at Ole Miss. But in the final year of divisions in the SEC, it's only fitting that the West will largely be determined by what happens in a matchup between Alabama and LSU.
This is has not been the dominant Crimson Tide team that Saban has produced year after year, yet Alabama is still unbeaten in SEC play. Alabama has shown at times, like the second half against Tennessee, what it's capable of. The defense is good enough to keep the Tide in any game, and if the offense can put together enough big plays and limit turnovers, this team is capable of beating anyone.
Will Alabama be able to maintain first place in the SEC West, setting up another showdown with Georgia in the SEC title game and possible path back to the College Football Playoff? Only time will tell, but those goals start (and possibly end) with the Crimson Tide's game against LSU on Nov. 4.
