The rat traps did not matter as Alabama football had worse than a let down game.
Vanderbilt gave the Crimson Tide all it could handle and more at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
Alabama drops to 4-1 on the season and it has as a lot of work to do.
Initial reaction
Alabama’s coaching staff was outdone by Vanderbilt. Clark Lea had his guys ready to go, and Alabama had no answers for quarterback Diego Pavia as he dominated. The Commodores took it to Alabama all game, and the Tide had no response.
Coach Lea and his staff outperformed DeBoer and his staff. Vanderbilt earned a 40-35 victory.
Now, the takeaways.
1. Alabama lacks energy and physicality
-Vanderbilt dominated in the trenches. Alabama did not get a push at all in the game.
The Commodores had over 100 rushing and two rushing scores. Alabama had no energy at all throughout the game.
Vanderbilt took the game to them and desired it more.
2. Diego Pavia backed up his talk
-He came in confident and Pavia was right.
This is not the same Vanderbilt team from the past. Clark Lea has a group that plays with confidence, swagger, energy, and enthusiasm. Pavia and his teammates wanted this game more than Alabama did. It showed in their toughness, execution, and overall focus. Pavia had 252 passing yards, 49 rushing yards, and two touchdown passes. He made several plays that kept drives alive, Vanderbilt fans engaged, and Alabama’s defense frustrated. The Crimson Tide no answer for him and that was really bad.
3. Alabama’s defense failed on 3rd down
-Third down hurt Alabama’s defense again.
Georgia came back in the second half because of success on fourth down, but Vanderbilt destroyed Kane Wommack’s group on third down. The Commodores covered 12 of 18 attempts on third down, which helped it own time of possession. Alabama’s failure to get off the field on third down showed Vandy’s execution and heart, but it also showed the Tide’s lack of excellence.
4. Alabama lacks an elite pass rusher
-Alabama did not record a single sack of Pavia.
The Tide does not have that pass rusher it can count home to hit home every time to help its secondary.
Alabama has some talented players, but no one with that mentality to punish a quarterback every time. If it can not get a pass rusher soon, it will be a long season for the defense.
5. Alabama lost the turnover battle
-Vanderbilt recorded a pick-six off Jalen Milroe in the first quarter.
The Commodores returned with a strip sack of Milroe in the fourth quarter and recovered the fumble.
When you don’t win the turnover battle, you lose the game.
6. Kalen DeBoer got out coached
-Kalen DeBoer got flat out coached by Clark Lea and his staff.
Vanderbilt does not have better talent than Alabama, but the scheme, design, and execution was better than the Crimson Tide.
Lea had a game plan entering the matchup and it worked. Alabama could not stop it.
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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.
