Every team that desires greatness may encounter a wake up call or two along the way.
For the University of Alabama, its football program got a reality check last week.
In facing one of his former assistant coaches, Nick Saban watched his defense get embarrassed and exploited by Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss.
Regardless of a 63-48 victory and an entertaining game, one cannot deny the frustration on the faces of Saban, current players, former players and fans as well.
When it comes to the success Mississippi had, it posted two 100-yard running backs (Snoop Conner, Jerrion Ealy), two 100-yard receivers (Elijah Moore, Kenny Yeboah), a 300-yard passer (Matt Corral) and 647 total yards offensively.
Its output for yards was the most given up by a Saban-coached defense to an unranked team in his tenure and since the start of the AP Poll era in 1936.
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In all the rage, disappointment, anger and confusion, many fans of Tide football blamed Pete Golding.
Through 16 games as a full-time defensive coordinator at Alabama, he has not had the group clicking like it needs to.
However, Saban said the calls made on the field aren’t the issue… but the execution of plays is.
“Sometimes, we coach players for what we want them to be and not what they are,” he said on Monday.
He knows that no one was happy about the performance versus Ole Miss.
“Maybe a game like this will wake us up a little bit and we can take the mistakes that we made and try to improve,” Saban said after the game.
Having a strong competitive nature saved the Tide in this fight, but it faces a team on Saturday that boasts the best defensive unit in the Southeastern Conference. Of the Saban’s assistants, Kirby Smart arguably spent the most time under the six-time national champion (nine years). He was at Alabama from 2007 to 2015 as a defensive backs coach, defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. Smart was on Saban’s staff for four national championships and four SEC Championships with the program.
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He has come close to defeating his former boss twice, but Smart fell short both times.
As an alumnus of the University of Georgia, Smart will set foot onto Bryant-Denny Stadium for the first time since 2015.
Defensive stats for Bulldogs in 2020 (nationally and SEC)
-12.3 points/game: tied for fifth nationally, first in SEC
-236.7 yards/game: second in nation, first in SEC
-38.3 rush yards/game: first in nation, first in SEC
-99.03 pass efficiency rating allowed: third in nation, first in SEC
-28.3 percent conversion rate on third down: tenth in nation, first in SEC
-10 sacks: 14th in nation, first in SEC (3.3 sacks per game)
-43 first downs allowed: ninth in nation, first in SEC
– +3 in turnover margin: tied for 10th nationally, first in SEC (seven takeaways, four giveaways)
Can Smart finally pull the trigger? This is the question Georgia fans want answered.
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The Bulldogs have a different style offensively than Mississippi; nevertheless, Saban’s concern is making sure he gets Alabama’s issues figured out quickly.
“We are going to have to play defense a lot better,” Saban said. “They (Georgia) have a great defensive team and it will be a challenge.”
Kiffin woke the Tide up, but will we see a much more focused defense this week?
It will all depend on the energy shown throughout practice for Alabama.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
