| FTBL Alabama's youth a reason for inconsistency

Experience means something. If you don’t believe that, look at the SEC this season. Of the four most veteran teams in the league, three are ranked in the top five of the AP and coaches’ polls. South Carolina has flamed out, of course, but Mississippi State, Auburn and Ole Miss are all legitimate playoff contenders.

Then there is Alabama.

According to Phil Steele’s annual Combined Experience Chart, the Crimson Tide entered the season in the bottom half of the SEC and 107th nationally in a formula that breaks down the returning experience of every two-deep depth chart in college football. With AJ McCarron, C.J. Mosley and others graduated or off to the NFL, it made sense. But pundits looked at the run of top-ranked recruiting classes and a coaching staff led by Nick Saban, and trusted it would all work out.

In a way, it has. Sort of.

Alabama is worthy of its current top-five ranking in the polls, but its journey to this point has been a rocky one. Looking at its season has required taking the long view on things, and that has been difficult to do considering all the ups and downs we have witnessed. One week you are looking at a flawed team, the next you are looking at a dominant one. Then it's simple: rinse and repeat.

It all goes back to youth. If you look at Alabama through the lens of a young team finding itself, then it all starts to make sense: the highs and lows, the mistakes, the struggles on the road. This isn’t the dominant, veteran Alabama team of years past, this is one dealing with growing pains and struggling to forge an identity.

Just look at the week-to-week themes:
  • Week 1: Nervousness sets in. The defense isn’t what we expected. During a closer-than-anticipated win against West Virginia, the secondary struggles and the front seven never can seem to get on the same page.
  • Weeks 2 and 3: Anticipation without resolution. Southern Miss and Florida Atlantic roll over, Blake Sims wins the quarterback competition, but we were still unsure about the whole of the team.
  • Week 4: Now we know. Alabama so thoroughly dismantles Florida, you would have thought the Tide had won the SEC. There were some concerning turnovers and penalties, but they were easily overlooked.
  • Week 5: The trumpets of greatness play throughout the bye week.
  • Weeks 6 and 7: Stop the music. Turnovers and penalties catch up with Alabama during a late loss at Ole Miss and a narrow win on the road against Arkansas. Sims is no longer sharp, the offensive line struggles, and special teams become an Achille’s heel.
  • Week 8: Utter confusion. The dynasty isn’t dead. Alabama belittles Texas A&M. Sims returns to form, the offensive line dominates and the defense never yields.

As you can see, it’s been something of a whirlwind following Alabama this season.

"This is as close to the Alabama football that we want to try to get from our players in terms of effort, toughness, emotional excitement and execution that we got throughout the game," Saban said following the 59-0 beatdown on Saturday. "Our approach to this game was that we wanted to find what exactly every position and player has to do, and see if you can go out there and dominate your box and do your job. I don’t think we had many penalties; we played with a lot of discipline. Our quarterback executed the system extremely well, and lots of guys made plays."

It was a championship-caliber performance, one that in itself says Alabama is back in the playoff conversation.

But if we are looking at the season as a whole, then we should know not to rush to judgement. This is a young football team, and no one ages overnight. That pendulum of greatness and mediocrity could swing back in the other direction at any moment.

What Alabama needs now is consistency. Starting with a trip to Tennessee on Saturday, the Tide can show that going on the road is no obstacle. Alabama can show maturity by putting together back-to-back good games against quality opponents.

The team is young, so be patient. The potential for Alabama’s players and coaches is certainly there, but there is no need to jump the gun. Haven’t we done enough of that already?
 
Back
Top Bottom