This year’s Alabama football team is much different from last year’s.
People will point out obvious details such as Bryce Young and Will Anderson being gone, but the mentality of this group for Nick Saban is different. The Crimson Tide lost two games in 2022; however, they avenged both defeats by shutting down Tennessee (zero points) and LSU (seven points) in the second half. Anxiety, due to a lack of preparation, confidence, and trust in the play callers, doomed last year’s team to the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This unit has no anxiety and is playing with high confidence.
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The indicator of this came before the Tide took the field versus LSU. Alabama players came out of the tunnel chanting, talking smack, and being the enforcer. Roydell Williams, a senior running back, led the chant as the players emerged from the locker room. It felt like old-school Tide football had returned. The players were energized, locked in, and ready to dominate for 60 minutes. Coach Saban watched his group earn a 42-28 victory last week at Bryant-Denny Stadium, gifting him a wonderful present for his 72nd birthday. Alabama had an intense focus all game, but it started with how they came out for the Tigers.
POV: You’re running out with the Tide!#RollTide pic.twitter.com/yYWxQSVRGi
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 5, 2023
Hopefully, the team will continue with this energy for the rest of the season.
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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.
