Alabama had 173 yards rushing and three touchdowns against Georgia, but it did not continue the run game at the consistency it needed to last week.
Nick Sheridan’s scripted play-calling had the Crimson Tide out to a 30-7 lead at halftime.
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Alabama had success running the ball, but it connected on several explosive plays. In the second half, the Tide could not put the game on the back of the offensive line, run the football, and limit Georgia’s possessions. Alabama could not convert on third down, which allowed Carson Beck an opportunity to get the Bulldogs back into the game with the vertical attack.
The Tide earned a 41-34 victory, but fans wanted to know why Sheridan did not have a counter for when Kirby Smart adjusted.
Alabama has to be able to put games away with sustained drives. Sheridan has created explosives with Jalen Milroe and the wide receivers, but there has to come a moment when the Tide can put games away in the rushing attack. He mentioned to reporters that the communication on the offensive line was not up to the standard versus Georgia in the run game.
“I thought some of the issues we had with the run game were we did not block or communicate well up front as we could have,” Sheridan said. “I don’t think it was the rhythm of the running backs, but I thought some of the issues we had running the football were more on the communication and fundamentals up front than the backs hitting the right spots or getting into the feel of the game.”
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Alabama wants to have multiple players involved offensively; however, what made the Tide a powerhouse program was its ability to line up and wear defenses down in the run game to finish matchups. The Crimson Tide has to find balance in running Milroe and the running backs too.
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Stephen M. Smith is the senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
