While it was frustrating to watch them keep an Auburn team in the game that was ripe to be blown out of the building, it was nice to see Alabama get a relatively easy wire-to-wire win to close out Kalen DeBoer’s first regular season in Tuscaloosa. It’s tough to win a game by two scores when you turn the ball over four times, but Alabama managed to do just that.
A few impressions:
Malachi Moore left his mark and the defense played well
Losing Deontae Lawson was a massive blow to the defense, leaving behind a leadership void that someone would have to fill. For one game, Malachi Moore stepped up and willed the defense to victory. Moore was all over the place, piling up three passes defensed and doling out pain.
This was the signature moment of the game for the defense, and perhaps Malachi’s career.
You did good, ‘Chi.
The pass defense was excellent, allowing fewer than six yards per pass before the final garbage time possession. The Tide managed only one sack, but Auburn QB Payton Thorne had to escape pressure on several occasions.
Jarquez Hunter was able to have some decent success early in the game but didn’t get much action in the second half as Alabama opened up a sizeable lead. Outside of a couple of penalties, there really wasn’t much to complain about on the defensive side.
Jalen Milroe was awesome when he wasn’t turning the ball over
We got the full Milroe Experience in what could be his final home game. For the most part Jalen threw the ball well, but also airmailed a terrible interception over the middle when a check down would have set up a field goal try. He used his legs to get out of trouble on a couple of occasions, and also failed to step up in the pocket once for what could have been a game changing a strip sack. The QB power had quite a bit of success, except for the one time that he dropped the ball.
Talk about filling up the box score. Jalen threw for 256 yards, ran for 104, scored three touchdowns, threw one interception and lost two fumbles. If Alabama makes it into the playoffs and Jalen can cut out the bonehead plays, he can lead the Tide to a championship. Unfortunately it’s hard to expect that kind of turnaround this far into his career.
Ryan Williams appears to have hit the wall
Poor Ryan had a terrible day. He had a nice grab over the middle early in the game but fumbled the ball as he was being tackled. Later in the half he flat out dropped a beautiful pass from Milroe for what would have been a 55 yard touchdown, and slipped on an end around that has become a staple of the offense. Freshmen tend to hit a wall at this time of year, and Ryan’s first season has been a whirlwind after arriving in the summer and a year early. If Alabama does make the playoffs, hopefully the three week layoff will help him.
The running backs still can’t get anything going
Many Alabama fans were sore last week about the lack of carried for Jam Miller and Justice Haynes. They were involved early and often in this one, Miller in particular. Unfortunately, the two combined for only 104 yards on 35 carries, for less than three yards a pop. It’s somewhat baffling that Alabama hasn’t been able to find a traditional running game all season as the pieces seem to be in place, but it just hasn’t happened.
SEC officiating somehow seems to get worse by the week
Thankfully, Alabama fans didn’t throw things when Moore was the only one flagged for reacting on a play where teammate Devonta Smith was driven into the Auburn bench and then jumped on the sideline. Every week seems to expose more incompetence. Later on that drive, Thorne grounded the ball without escaping the tackle box and got away with it. Auburn ended up scoring its only touchdown of the day. Something needs to be done.
Coming into the season, 9-3 and a 4th place finish in the SEC was pretty common prediction for Kalen DeBoer’s first season. It didn’t necessarily go as most would have thought, but not showing up against mediocre teams is easier to correct than not competing with the top teams in the conference. Alabama now plays the waiting game, but got some help and may well be headed to Columbus or Knoxville for a playoff game on December 20.
There is plenty of time to talk about that, of course. For now, we celebrate beating Auburn.
