W
Wes Mitchell
Guest
Some thoughts on Alabama's team after watching some of their first two games and using Pro Football Focus' analytics as a guide.
** Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the frontrunner for the Heisman all last season for a reason. He gets the ball out quickly and seems to have a good feel for where he's going with the football pre-snap and excels when making one-read then delivering the football to his long list of playmakers. He's got great ball placement and puts the football where his receivers can catch the ball in stride and then get upfield.
From a scheme standpoint, the offense is evolving under Steve Sarkisian to involve more pro-style concepts and is going to supposedly be less reliant on the RPOs, though that's an area that Tua has excelled in the past.
This is a multiple offense with lots of different formations, but personnel-wise they mostly stick to three-wides with a tight end and a back with some two-tight end mixed in and of course heavy formations on short yardage.
But this isn't the traditional Nick Saban run-first philosophy that we used to see. Alabama wants to spread the formation and get the ball out to their strength - their incredible receiving corps in space - with easy throws from Tua. In a small sample size this season, I saw a lot of quick outs, quick receiver screens to the perimeter, and lots of crossing routes to get their speed receivers separation against man coverage. It's more of a true dropback passing scheme now. A lot of their big plays come from underneath routes becoming a chunk plays because their receivers are so good in the open field, a sure concern for South Carolina's defense when you consider the number of missed tackles.
As you can see from his chart below, Tua does a lot of damage down the middle of the field in the intermediate areas where he's 6-for-7 for 139 yards and two touchdowns, again with a small sample size for this season.
Tua is a plus athlete at the quarterback position, but he's going to pick his spots when he actually runs the football with few actual designed QB runs. Usually he shows off his athleticism by escaping pressure and keeping his eyes down the field and making big plays in the passing game. When he does take off and run, though, he does have a knack for making those back breaking first-down runs that can frustrate a defense, much like Connor Shaw used to for the Gamecocks. A high percentage of his runs (4 of 7 attempts) do go for first downs, so if he sees a chance for 4 yards on 3rd and 4, he will take what's there.
Tua does a great job of keeping the ball out of danger in the passing game and has never been one to throw many interceptions. There is a slight vulnerability in his game in that he's somewhat prone to fumbling, but that's more in comparison to the rest of his game where there are few flaws. I do wonder how the change in OC has and will affect his game and if there are some aspects that Carolina can exploit there that Duke and New Mexico State weren't capable of.
** Alabama's receivers get a ton of hype, but it's well deserved.
Jerry Jeudy took home the Biletnikoff last year and has picked up this season right where he left off. Jeudy is one of the best route runners in the country, though he has a bit of an unorthodox style both in his route running and with the football in his hands. He sets defenders up with hesitation and head fakes and then quick explosions down field or out of his breaks and actually reminds me a bit of running back Le'Veon Bell, just in his unique style. One he gets the football, he's patient but sudden, and has a habit at times of running backwards to try and create bigger plays, but is athletic enough to get away with it. He's a receiver with the vision of a running back in some ways and Alabama will line him up all over, usually starting him on the outside, but he'll also take a bunch of snaps in the slot.
Jaylen Waddle is the first-teamer in the slot where he'll be matched up with South Carolina's nickelback, R.J. Roderick or Jammie Robinson. Waddle is a prototypical slot receiver with the ability to accelerate and make defenders miss in the open field. It's a cliche, but he absolutely can take a short reception and turn it into a big play if you give him space and don't get multiple hats to the football. Waddle is also one of the best punt returners that Carolina will face, making it very important for Joseph Charlton to neutralize that ability with his hang-time, which is currently ninth in the conference.
Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith round out a foursome that's one of the best in the country and the best in the SEC. Ruggs is the fastest among the four and any of the four would probably be a No. 1 on most teams.
** As good as Alabama's running game has been throughout the Saban era, it hasn't quite been up to the Alabama standard through the first two games. Against Duke, the Tide struggled to consistently take over up front and in particular struggled to get first downs on short-yardage, clear-run situations. Running back Najee Harris is a former five-star player, so it's not like they're devoid of talent but there are less proven options as far as the depth with Brian Harris and Jerome Ford spelling Harris. The Tide rushed for just 3.5 yards per carry, proving that it can be slowed down, though it's obviously a small sample size.
** Alabama runs a defensive scheme under Saban that's very similar to the one that Muschamp runs, which is no surprise given the obvious connections there. Based on the Duke game, the Tide appear to play more man coverage than the Gamecocks have under Muschamp, likely due to having the skillset at cornerback to man up against most of the teams they play. They'll certainly force the Gamecocks' receivers to go make plays against them. Alabama does a good job of disguising its coverages (whether there in a single-high or two-high safety look) as they time the safety rolling down very well. Their safeties also appear to do a good job of running the alleys and pursuing the football in the running game. South Carolina will probably need to use various tempos in order to try and get Alabama's defenders to go ahead and show their hand presnap.
** Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was the frontrunner for the Heisman all last season for a reason. He gets the ball out quickly and seems to have a good feel for where he's going with the football pre-snap and excels when making one-read then delivering the football to his long list of playmakers. He's got great ball placement and puts the football where his receivers can catch the ball in stride and then get upfield.
From a scheme standpoint, the offense is evolving under Steve Sarkisian to involve more pro-style concepts and is going to supposedly be less reliant on the RPOs, though that's an area that Tua has excelled in the past.
This is a multiple offense with lots of different formations, but personnel-wise they mostly stick to three-wides with a tight end and a back with some two-tight end mixed in and of course heavy formations on short yardage.
But this isn't the traditional Nick Saban run-first philosophy that we used to see. Alabama wants to spread the formation and get the ball out to their strength - their incredible receiving corps in space - with easy throws from Tua. In a small sample size this season, I saw a lot of quick outs, quick receiver screens to the perimeter, and lots of crossing routes to get their speed receivers separation against man coverage. It's more of a true dropback passing scheme now. A lot of their big plays come from underneath routes becoming a chunk plays because their receivers are so good in the open field, a sure concern for South Carolina's defense when you consider the number of missed tackles.
As you can see from his chart below, Tua does a lot of damage down the middle of the field in the intermediate areas where he's 6-for-7 for 139 yards and two touchdowns, again with a small sample size for this season.
Tua is a plus athlete at the quarterback position, but he's going to pick his spots when he actually runs the football with few actual designed QB runs. Usually he shows off his athleticism by escaping pressure and keeping his eyes down the field and making big plays in the passing game. When he does take off and run, though, he does have a knack for making those back breaking first-down runs that can frustrate a defense, much like Connor Shaw used to for the Gamecocks. A high percentage of his runs (4 of 7 attempts) do go for first downs, so if he sees a chance for 4 yards on 3rd and 4, he will take what's there.
Tua does a great job of keeping the ball out of danger in the passing game and has never been one to throw many interceptions. There is a slight vulnerability in his game in that he's somewhat prone to fumbling, but that's more in comparison to the rest of his game where there are few flaws. I do wonder how the change in OC has and will affect his game and if there are some aspects that Carolina can exploit there that Duke and New Mexico State weren't capable of.
** Alabama's receivers get a ton of hype, but it's well deserved.
Jerry Jeudy took home the Biletnikoff last year and has picked up this season right where he left off. Jeudy is one of the best route runners in the country, though he has a bit of an unorthodox style both in his route running and with the football in his hands. He sets defenders up with hesitation and head fakes and then quick explosions down field or out of his breaks and actually reminds me a bit of running back Le'Veon Bell, just in his unique style. One he gets the football, he's patient but sudden, and has a habit at times of running backwards to try and create bigger plays, but is athletic enough to get away with it. He's a receiver with the vision of a running back in some ways and Alabama will line him up all over, usually starting him on the outside, but he'll also take a bunch of snaps in the slot.
Jaylen Waddle is the first-teamer in the slot where he'll be matched up with South Carolina's nickelback, R.J. Roderick or Jammie Robinson. Waddle is a prototypical slot receiver with the ability to accelerate and make defenders miss in the open field. It's a cliche, but he absolutely can take a short reception and turn it into a big play if you give him space and don't get multiple hats to the football. Waddle is also one of the best punt returners that Carolina will face, making it very important for Joseph Charlton to neutralize that ability with his hang-time, which is currently ninth in the conference.
Henry Ruggs III and DeVonta Smith round out a foursome that's one of the best in the country and the best in the SEC. Ruggs is the fastest among the four and any of the four would probably be a No. 1 on most teams.
** As good as Alabama's running game has been throughout the Saban era, it hasn't quite been up to the Alabama standard through the first two games. Against Duke, the Tide struggled to consistently take over up front and in particular struggled to get first downs on short-yardage, clear-run situations. Running back Najee Harris is a former five-star player, so it's not like they're devoid of talent but there are less proven options as far as the depth with Brian Harris and Jerome Ford spelling Harris. The Tide rushed for just 3.5 yards per carry, proving that it can be slowed down, though it's obviously a small sample size.
** Alabama runs a defensive scheme under Saban that's very similar to the one that Muschamp runs, which is no surprise given the obvious connections there. Based on the Duke game, the Tide appear to play more man coverage than the Gamecocks have under Muschamp, likely due to having the skillset at cornerback to man up against most of the teams they play. They'll certainly force the Gamecocks' receivers to go make plays against them. Alabama does a good job of disguising its coverages (whether there in a single-high or two-high safety look) as they time the safety rolling down very well. Their safeties also appear to do a good job of running the alleys and pursuing the football in the running game. South Carolina will probably need to use various tempos in order to try and get Alabama's defenders to go ahead and show their hand presnap.
