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Your eyes may not be deceiving you if you think the Alabama offense is noticeably below the standard it has set in recent years.
ESPN’s Matt Miller spoke with an NFL general manager who said Crimson Tide star Bryce Young is “the only player on that offense with a Round 1 grade.”
Young was the No. 3 player off the board in Bleacher Report’s most recent mock draft. He was the only member of the Alabama offense off the board in the first round.
Fans have grown used to Alabama reloading every year after losing its best players to the NFL. Head coach Nick Saban has been more than willing to dip his toe into the transfer portal as well. Ohio State transfer Jameson Williams made an immediate impact during his lone season in Tuscaloosa in 2021.
Whether it’s down to coaching or a relative lack of talent, the 2022 Alabama offense simply lacks its usual explosion.
At times, Young’s singular creativity has been the team’s saving grace.
His 20-yard run inside the final minute set up Will Reichard’s go-ahead field goal in a 20-19 win over Texas. Last Saturday, he somehow evaded the LSU pass rush to find Ja’Corey Brooks for a 41-yard touchdown pass, which gave Alabama a 21-17 lead over LSU in the fourth quarter.
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Young’s value was evident in the Tide’s 24-20 victory over Texas A&M. With the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner sidelined, Jalen Milroe went 12-of-19 for 111 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Saban was questioned about offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien on Monday but declined to offer much insight. Blaming O’Brien for the state of the offense would be a bit harsh because the comment from the NFL GM speaks for itself.
There isn’t a wealth of game-breaking talent in the passing game. This isn’t 2019, when Alabama had a wideout room that included DeVonta Smith, Henry Ruggs III, Jerry Jeudy and Jaylen Waddle.
All Saban can do is course correct once the season is over.
When it became clear a run-heavy pro-style offense wasn’t cutting it any more, Saban hired Lane Kiffin and watched as Alabama adapted to an uptempo spread style. In this case, it may not be a strategic shift but rather taking a different approach toward recruiting and the transfer portal.
