Duke Grades

                In January, 1849, the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote about the University of Alabama football program: “plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose”. .. OK, OK, for all readers of this blog who are hung up on things like “facts” and “stuff that really happened” I will admit Monsieur Karr probably was not writing about Crimson Tide football since William G. Little would not bring the game to Tuscaloosa for another 43 years.

He could have been. Or at least the inherent truth of Karr’s observation certainly applies to the Tide football program. The more the program changes, the more it remains the same.

Just consider some of the changes we have witnessed over the last few seasons: Wholesale turn over in the coaching staff. Record-setting departures of players to the NFL. Six true freshmen were on the field in the championship winning overtime play against Georgia in January 2018. In the game to open the 2019 regular season, ten Alabama players made their first career starts, five of whom were freshmen. Through all this change though, Alabama football remains the standard to which all other programs aspire.

To be sure, Alabama’s performance against Duke, particularly on offense, and especially along the offensive line, left much to be desired. Nevertheless, Alabama’s defense looked better than last year, and the offense played well enough to amass 512 total yards, and score 42 points. Although kickoffs appear to be much improved, the rest of the kicking game is a “wait and see” proposition.

Because the season opener is in the books, and our Correspondent From The Tire Store has circulated his annual homage to Lewis Grizzard, here is how I grade the first game of 2019:

Offense:          B         Alabama gained 512 total yards of offense, earned 30 first downs, converted 8 of 12 possession downs (2 on 4^th down), and possessed the football for 36:37. Tide QBs combined to complete 30 of 36 pass attempts for 367 yards and 4 TDs. The ground game accounted for 145 net yards rushing.

Tua played almost three full quarters, he was replaced by Mac Jones late in the 3^rd. Tua attempted 31 passes, completing 26 for 336 yards and each of the Tide’s passing TDs [Jerry Jeudy, DeVonta Smith, Miller Forristall, Major Tennison].

Jeudy was Alabama's leading receiver with 10 receptions for 137 yards. Jaylen Waddle gained 90 yards on 5 catches, and DeVonta Smith contributed 54 yards on 5 receptions. Nine different players caught passes.

RS Fr. Jerome Ford led all Alabama rushers with 64 net yards on 10 carries. Najee Harris gained 52 net yards on 12 rushing attempts. Brian Robinson, Jr. added 9 yards on 9 runs. Robinson and Ford each scored rushing touchdowns. Ford started the game while Najee Harris and Brian Robinson sat out a first quarter suspension for missing a team event earlier in camp. They were joined in the offensive doghouse by DeVonta Smith.

The offense mounted seven drives that gained 40 or more yards [62, 80, 76, 65, 90, 57, and 49] producing 5 TDs and 2 missed FGs. After opening the game with a punt, a fumble, and a missed field goal, the offense settled down and the remainder of its opportunities generated 6 TDs, another missed FG and a single punt. Disregarding Ford’s lost fumble on Bama’s second possession of the game, the Tide only had two offensive “3 and out” possessions. Five drives ran 9 or more plays [12, 12, 9, 9, 13]. In the third quarter, the Tide scored three TD’s and never faced a third down. In the post-game presser, Tua complimented Duke for making the Tide offense “work for it”.

Defense:          A+       The Defense played exceptionally well. The season ending injury to Dillon Moses and the disciplinary suspension of Terrell Lewis were serious worries going into the game. Could the Defense recover from losing so many 2018 key players to the NFL? Could the defensive secondary improve its substandard performance over the last few games of 2018? The Tide answered these questions and more with an emphatic statement. True freshman Shane Lee [6-0, 246; Burtonsville, MD] was stellar at middle linebacker, replacing the injured Moses.

Duke could muster only 204 total offensive yards. The Blue Devils made only 11 first downs, and converted only 3 of 12 possession downs.

Xavier McKinneny led all defenders with 8 tackles. Lee and fellow LB Anfernee Jennings each made 6 tackles as did Christian Harris [Fr. DB; 6-2, 244; Baton Rouge, LA] and Raekwon Davis [who actually looks bigger than 6-7, 312].

Collectively, the Tide Defense booked 2 tackles for lost yardage, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, intercepted two passes [Trevon Diggs, Jordan Battle (Fr. DB; 6-1, 201; Fairhope)] and forced two turnovers on downs. For those keeping score at home, that’s 5 turnovers.

Five times, the Defense forced Duke to punt after only 3 downs. After Alabama lost a fumble setting Duke up at the Alabama 26 yard line, the Defense allowed the Blue Devils only 19 yards, and forced a turnover on downs. Duke’s offensive drives went: punt, downs, punt, punt, punt, FG, downs, fumble, punt, int, punt, int.

If The Grades named a game MVP the award would go to Shane Lee. He played like a veteran.

Special Teams:

Kickoffs:         A         Will Reichard [Fr. 6-1, 180; Hoover] handled all of Bama’s kicking duties against Duke. His seven kickoffs averaged 65 yards and all resulted in touchbacks. Henry Ruggs, III returned the opening kick of the game for 22 yards.

Punting:           A         Reichard averaged 40 yards per punt on his two punts. He dropped one punt inside the Duke 20 yard line and the coverage team allowed Duke only 3 return yards.

Place Kicking:  D+     Reichard was called on to attempt a 49 yard FG which struck the right hand upright. His second attempt, later in the game from 48 yards struck the left upright. Both kicks would have been good from 55 yards if they had been 8 or 10 inches straighter. He was perfect on 6 PATs.

Coaching:        B+       Alabama was penalized 8 times for 88 yards. Most of those penalty yards were assessed against the offensive line for holding. Coach Saban accounted for 15 yards for “unsportsmanlike conduct”. In another context I might say that Saban was merely “speaking truth to power”. But the guy with the power also had a yellow hankie in his pocket and he decided to pull it on Coach Saban. I think this crew is from the PAC 10, so it is certainly possible the particular official is just not used to the game day environment in the SEC. For whatever reason, it cost the team 15 yards of field position. It should not happen, as Coach Saban correctly acknowledged in his post-game comments.

The participation report lists 57 players who saw action in the game.

            I think it is safe to conclude despite all of the changes Alabama has endured over the last few years, Alabama remains the premier college football program in the country. The 2019 Defense appears to be improved over 2018. The offense has work to do to achieve consistency of performance, but the pieces are all in place. Special teams are still a work in progress, but the potential for excellence clearly exists.

            Most Tide fans are probably agonizing over the first quarter. Bama fans are never happier than when we have something to kvetch about. But the sun is shining. Monday is Labor Day. The College Football season is here, and you are not a Tennessee, Ole Miss, or South Carolina fan.

            So check out Jermaine “Funny Maine” Johnson, and SEC Shorts. We all have lots to cheer us up. And remember: one more thing remains the same, the most important game of the season is this coming Saturday against New Mexico State.

Roll Tide, Y’all

The Commissioner

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