Could we truly see Alabama’s offense return to a balanced attack in the fall?
Nick Saban is hoping to accomplish it with new offensive coordinator, Tommy Rees. Heather Dinich, a College Football Reporter for ESPN, had an interview with Coach Saban on Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, Ala. He discussed the state of the Crimson Tide’s program after going two years without a national championship. Everyone within the organization is hungry to return to the top; however, how will the Tide look without Bryce Young at quarterback? Dinich stated Alabama was a heavy running team during its stretch of national championships under Saban, averaging 200 rushing yards per game. Young and Tua Tagovailoa changed the optics at quarterback, but Saban wants to return to more consistency running the football.
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“He wants a more balanced offense,” Dinich said to ESPN on Wednesday after hearing from Saban what he wants from Alabama’s offensive attack. “With a new starting quarterback, we are going to see them put more emphasis on the run game.”
Saban brought Rees in as an offensive play-caller, but Dinich said Saban sees the 30-year-old as more than that.
“Saban looks at Rees as the total package because of what he’s been able to do in developing the players at that position,” she said. “I think it all starts there. I think Alabama fans will see more of a running game while they get those rookie quarterbacks going.”
Rees showed at Notre Dame he can develop quarterbacks. He now works to produce the best from Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson with the Tide going through spring practice. Alabama has a cast of running backs that are prepared to run behind leaders on the offensive line. Jase McClellan returns as a senior and the leader of the running back room. Roydell Williams, Jam Miller, Justice Haynes, and Richard Young are behind McClellan. JC Latham, a junior on the offensive line, said his expectation for the Crimson Tide’s offensive front is for the group to be ‘ruthless’ and have opponents ‘scared of them.’
Alabama’s linemen beat teams up in 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2020 to the tune of two Heisman Trophy winners at running back (Mark Ingram, Derrick Henry), seven 1,000+ yard rushing seasons, and six national championships.
We will see how the Tide puts it all together in the fall.
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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.
