Tennessee is looking for its third straight SEC win when it heads to Tuscaloosa Saturday to take on No. 11 Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
Each week, Rocky Top Insider will take you behind the scenes with a question and answer with a media member who covers Tennessee’s opponent.
I wouldn’t say it hasn’t met expectations it’s just more that we didn’t know what to expect. I think there’s elements of the team that haven’t met expectations. We heard about this ground-and-pound essentially domination up front that they talked about in the preseason and they have several guys that are talented offensive linemen, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to an elite run game. That’s been a little bit of a surprise.
Overall, it’s gotten to the point in the season where you just don’t know what to expect from this Alabama team. It’s kind of an exciting brand of football because you can’t really look away for better or for worse. At this point, the expectations took a little bit of a nose dive with the way South Florida went right after the Texas loss. But slowly but surely as they keep beating SEC teams the expectations are maybe getting higher. But I think people are starting to realize that things are going to have to go right for to win some big games and not just complete domination like Alabama has been used to at times.
How has Jalen Milroe grown over the course of the season?
I think he’s just making better decisions. He’s learning more. A lot of it is just natural that this guy has played more football now. That’s the thing people forget, that Texas game was his third start. There’s a learning curve. Alabama has been so spoiled with the quarterbacks it’s had with Tua (Tagavailoa), Bryce (Young), Mac (Jones) and Jalen (Hurts) in recent history that any sign of non perfection is almost like “what’s going on?”
With Jalen (Milroe), there’s a lot to like there. He’s a really talented guy. He has grown in the sense of how to be a point guard in the offense. How to be a guy that can distribute the ball, not force too much. You’re getting to a point now where there are fewer balls that make you nervous when he throws them. That’s probably the simplest way to put it. Overall, I think he’s just getting better at how to manage an offense because the talent has always been there in terms of he can throw it with the best of them. Obviously, people knew about his mobility. It felt like just a matter of him developing as a quarterback and a guy who can make smart decisions and play, as Nick Saban likes to talk about, winning football so that he’s not making mistakes. He’s not losing the game for them. He doesn’t necessarily need to win it all the time but he just needs to not lose it. I think he’s getting better at doing that. He’s only had one turnover in the last three games which is a big step for him because he had three combined in the Texas and Ole Miss games. That in itself shows the improvement.
Are the sack issues more on the offensive line or on Milroe holding the ball too long?
The simple answer is it’s complicated. The complicated answer is yes to all the above. There’s been some struggles, especially at left tackle, for the offensive line. But Jalen has held onto the ball a little long at times so there’s some of that. There’s also some of them schematically not helping the offensive line. You have a redshirt freshman and true freshman rotating at left tackle. Either way, both are pretty inexperienced. You’re going to see some really good edge rushers because you’re on that island. That’s a tall task to put someone in especially when you’re a guy like Kadyn Proctor who hasn’t been in the program for a full season to get in that college shape. I think that position has been put in a tough spot because if the defense can just pin its ears back against these guys— that’s a tough one-on-one matchup to win. Some teams have sent corners off the edge and a big tackle isn’t going to have much success in that matchup. So I think Alabama could do some things schematically to help him out more. To give the defense more pause. But it’s a mix of offensive linemen making mental mistakes, offensive linemen losing one-on-one, Jalen Milroe holding the ball too long, schematic disadvantages that Alabama hasn’t adjusted to. It’s a variety of things but clearly what they’ve been doing hasn’t worked across the board. Nick Saban was asked this week if he was concerned with the amount of sacks given up and he said “hell yeah”. He’s not mincing words there and he’s right. I do think the offensive line outside of left tackle is starting to sure up a bit but that left tackle spot is still a work in progress.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Alabama’s defense?
Strengths, getting after the passer is an obvious one. I think Alabama is the only team ahead of Tennessee in terms of pressures so far this season. They have a great pass rush. Some guys on the edge who can get after the passer. Got some guys up the middle, at linebacker, got some guys on the defensive line that can get after the passer. So this defense can get after the passer. Also, they force turnovers fairly well. I don’t think they had any last game but this has been an opportunistic defense so there’s some strengths there. I would also say their secondary as a whole, especially at corner. Kool-Aid McKinstrey and Terrion Arnold, not that I get to watch every corner every weekend, but they have to be in the conversation as one of the best cornerback duos in college football. They’ve both been there several years, experienced, can make plays. There’s a lot to like there between those two. Those are some of the strengths.
Weaknesses, the defensive line is solid but maybe not dominant if that’s a weakness. Overall, this defense has been really strong. We kind of expected that going into the year and it took a little bit but ever since that Texas game when they got more on the same page and made adjustments the defense has been dominant. It’s really hard to point out a weakness because there just aren’t many. But if there is one it’s maybe the defensive line not being as dominant as some of the other groups are.
What are the biggest keys to Alabama defeating Tennessee?
We talked about it already but they have to keep Jalen clean as much as they can. Whatever that looks like. Whether it’s on the offensive linemen, whether it’s on Jalen or whether that’s on the offensive coordinator— they have to keep him clean. If they can Alabama can score some points, with the deep ball especially. The times they have protected Jalen, he’s launched some passes that have been incredible. When he doesn’t have time it’s been more difficult.
To me, it’s also stopping Tennessee’s running game. Looks like a really strong unit for Tennessee especially with the offense Heupel runs with the wide split for the receivers that can put more stress on defenses defending the run. I think they have to win those battles, make those tackles and can’t make mistakes that way so that’s another big key.
I think it’s just establishing the run game too because if you’re in shorter third down situations you’re going to have a lot more success on third down. If it’s third-and-10, Tennessee’s great pass rush is going to be able to tee off. That doesn’t bode well for this group. I think the running game needs to have success in early downs. Maybe it’s a short passing game if the running game isn’t working but I think they need to have early success in offensive series to stay out of third-and-long.
Those are some of the bigger keys I’m looking at.
Score prediction?
Alabama 31, Tennessee 24
