Jumbo Package: Avoiding sacks will be key in Knoxville

Happy Gump Day, everyone.

Theodore Fernandez has positively Gumpy grades for the Tide halfway through the regular season.

Alabama is 5-1. Repeat that over the second half of the season, and the Crimson Tide is back in the College Football Playoff.

That is the framework I entered the season under, yet it feels lazy now. Not all 5-1’s are created equal, and the flashes that the Crimson Tide has shown through six games have impressed me enough to throw most of my preseason conceptions out the window.

The offense has scored at least 45 points in every game not played against the No. 1 team in the nation. The difference in the run game from last year is night and day. The offensive line held its own against Georgia’s front, the tight ends are stalwarts, there are playmakers all over the field on both sides of the ball, the defensive transfers have worked out and sparked a new identity for Wommack’s unit, and the special teams issues from last year seem to be in the rearview.

Joel Klatt agrees with many that we may well have seen the nation’s two best teams on Saturday.

Despite the loss, Klatt believes Georgia and Alabama have strong cases as two of the best teams in college football so far this season.

He even went on to say that Alabama has the potential to win a national championship.

“Can you make a strong case that the two teams that we saw play in Tuscaloosa Saturday night are the two best teams that we’ve seen in college football? I think you can make a strong case for that.

“Bama can absolutely win the national championship.”

Zabien Brown said that Dijon Lee has responded well in practice, but he’s going to have to do better in coverage if they are to continue to run him out there, particularly in man coverage.

“He’s responded good,” Brown said during Tuesday’s practice. “He’s a very strong-minded dude, and he had a great practice out there today. We got his back no matter what. That’s my guy, that’s my brother. Great player, and he’s going to have a great rest of the season.”

Outside of the penalty, it’s been a trying season for the sophomore. After earning the trust of the coaching staff in his freshman season, Lee was rewarded with the starting corner position opposite of Brown.

In the first six games of the season, according to PFF, Lee has allowed 17 receptions on the 24 times he’s been targeted, and has allowed 254 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Ryan Grubb wants Keelon to get rid of the ball quicker in some situations.

Russell was sacked four times throughout the game, for 29 total lost yards. The sack and the end of the game was indicative of another issue that both Grubb and head coach Kalen DeBoer pointed out.

The Crimson Tide struggled on the fringes of field goal range. According to Grubb, when in those scenarios, Alabama can’t go backwards.

He emphasized the need for Russell to get the ball out/

“Pressure situation and it just, obviously can’t take a sack right there,” Grubb said. “There was a little bit of protection issue on the right side that should have been picked up a little bit better. But sacks are a quarterback stat, Keelon knew where the hot read was at.

“He just needs to get the football out of his hand and he would tell you the same thing. And for us, just, in that situation, there’s just,there’s no way that that can happen. You know, we gotta stop learning lessons on game day.”

Tennessee has been solid against the pass, but Auburn and Texas are the best two passing games they’ve faced. The Vols have been gashed on the ground, and effectively running the ball will keep Keelon out of third-and-long situations.

Last, Casagrande called out the people whining about DeBoer’s demeanor on Saturday.

Of course, there’s some hyperbole in the lip-read “you just cost us the damn game” message DeBoer delivered to his sophomore defensive back. His boneheaded penalty was the final blow in a night of shared blame.

But when games are decided on a knife’s edge, you can’t tolerate getting baited into a game-ending loss of discipline.

And that’s part of what Alabama fans criticized about DeBoer in his 2.5 years in Tuscaloosa. Especially in the wake of the most legendary winner/on-field rear chewer, they wanted more of that fire.

Agreed.

That’s about it for now. Have a great day.

Roll Tide.