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Najee Harris noticed the change. The University of Alabama football team made a concerted effort to play the game more against Southern Miss. He added that after the match, it was more than just a match decision.
"The offensive line, they took up the challenge and did a great job," said Harris. "The O-Line did the best job she has ever done. If they maintain this level of play, we will be straight. "
It was a week after the AU gave its half to six races in the first half in South Carolina. The explanation was a hefty RPO offense combined with South Carolina's game plan to create more passes than races, but the coach of the AU Nick Saban I knew there would come a time when a strong, hasty attack was needed.
The offensive line took up the challenge. There will be more to come.
"The offensive line, I think, has improved," Saban said. "I thought we played best last week. I think we were more efficient in the running, the protection of the passes was pretty good for most. I think we will be much more challenged this week, so it will be interesting to see if we can continue to progress. "
The next challenge comes at 2:30 pm Saturday against Ole Miss, and this will only be the beginning of more difficult challenges ahead. UA is one day away from his first game with the SEC West, two weeks away from a trip to Texas A & M and a little over a month from his long-awaited date with LSU, each offering a blocking challenge more difficult than the previous one. All eyes will be on the offensive line Saturday for this reason, and for others.
Among the other reasons is Deonte Brown, who started a few games in the left guard last season before being hit by a six-game suspension in the NCAA – the two games of last year's College Football playoffs and the first four games of this season . This week is his return to eligibility; He served as the right guard of the second string during media watch periods this week.
"Deonte is excited to play," said Saban. "It looks like he's working hard. It certainly adds depth and will create competition inside the guard posts, one or the other, and will give us a little more flexibility to the inside of the players .
"Well, the plan for every player on our team is that the guy has to beat someone he wants to play. I mean, nobody has the right to play. When he gets in shape, he does what he is supposed to do, he shows that he is better than someone who plays, that 's the plan. As if it was the plan of all the other members of the team. It's really nice with him. It's not mine. "
The offensive line will remain a subject of intrigue, the staff aside.
Turning to more designed runs last week meant more catchy line players. Right guard Landon Dickerson was the most common shooter but there was a running game that saw the right tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. shoot inside as lead blocker.
"First of all, I think if you have good initial speed, explosive power, good balance and good control of your body, that's what will help you shoot, move, be in control" said Saban. "I think one of the main things that we currently see in the players who are struggling in these areas is that they do not bend down their bodies, so they tend to be too much heavy, to bend at the waist, not to have a very good balance and a good control of the body. so if the target moves, especially when it's moving, it's hard to adapt. The guys who can bend and hit are usually the best who can shut up and block in space. "
The fact that UA has used more traction guards indicates its attachment to the traditional game, outside the RPO structure, but this is not possible without Crimson Tide solving a constant problem in its first weeks: stunting .
Duke in particular has caused problems to Alabama's new offensive line with stunts and forward movements. Whatever the defense does, it is on the offensive line to make sure a defender does not unlock. The offensive line eventually accepted that it would be staged and adapted accordingly.
"We know that every team we play will receive all sorts of things. We are preparing for everything and we are not surprised by anything. Chris Owens I said. "I'm not really a defensive wizard, I just know that if they do it, we have to deal with it.
"We can do a lot of things. Basically, when you enter someone, you have to take it, you can not rely on someone else to take your man just because he's left out. . So, as long as you just take your responsibilities and everyone takes care of his responsibilities, we have 10 hats on other hats, the ball carrier will be fine. "
Owens, as a center, is responsible for organizing the AU line of attack against abnormal pressures. It's a tough job for the first player, but he says he's surrounded by a group of smart players who make it easy.
This work is changing as UA shows the first signs of its dedication. This dedication will be put to the test in the coming weeks, just as it will test the courage of the group responsible for establishing it.
"If (offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian) wants to focus on it, we want to focus on it because we can not always rely on two discs, three players, sometimes you have to scramble it, "Owens said. "When this situation arises, we will have to be ready to throw the ball and take care of it so that it opens up the passing game even more."
Contact Brett Hudson at 205-722-0196 or [email protected] or via Twitter, @Brett_Hudson
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