Grading Alabama's Performance in the Vanderbilt Upset
The Crimson Tide's 21-20 loss to Vanderbilt on October 21st sent shockwaves through the college football world. While the upset was a stunning development, it's important to analyze Alabama's performance to understand what went wrong and what needs to be addressed moving forward.
Offense: C-
The Good: Alabama managed to rack up 422 total yards, showcasing their offensive firepower even in a disappointing result.
The Bad: Turnovers were the biggest issue. The Tide coughed up the ball three times, including a critical interception in the red zone that ultimately sealed their fate. Inconsistent play-calling also hampered the offense, with Alabama failing to establish a consistent running game and struggling to create explosive plays downfield.
The Ugly: The lack of a consistent ground game put too much pressure on quarterback Jalen Milroe, who threw two costly interceptions. The offensive line failed to create enough push, and the running backs were unable to find open running lanes.
Defense: D+
The Good: The defense did manage to create pressure on Vanderbilt quarterback AJ Swann, forcing him into two interceptions.
The Bad: The defense struggled to contain the Commodore's run game. Vanderbilt ran for 213 yards, with several big runs that put Alabama on their heels. Communication issues and missed tackles resulted in several big plays for Vanderbilt, including a key fourth-down conversion that allowed them to maintain possession for a game-winning drive.
The Ugly: The inability to shut down Vanderbilt's running game, a unit that averages just 137 rushing yards per game, is a major concern. The defense also allowed Vanderbilt to convert 10 of 18 third downs, a testament to their lack of defensive consistency.
Special Teams: B
The Good: Alabama's special teams unit had a solid performance, with Will Reichard converting both of his field goal attempts.
The Bad: The return game didn't provide any spark.
The Ugly: Nothing alarming occurred in this area.
Coaching: D
The Good: The coaches did a good job preparing the team for the game, as evidenced by the offense's ability to put up points.
The Bad: The poor play-calling on both sides of the ball was perplexing. The offensive play-calling was predictable, while the defense seemed to be a step behind Vanderbilt's offensive schemes.
The Ugly: The failure to adjust to Vanderbilt's offensive strategies, particularly their success running the ball, is a major concern. The coaching staff needs to find a way to correct these issues, or the Tide could be vulnerable to more upsets.
Conclusion:
While Alabama's loss to Vanderbilt was a huge upset, it's important to note that the game wasn't a complete disaster. The offense still showed some offensive firepower, and the special teams were solid. However, the Tide's performance was characterized by poor decision-making, inconsistent play-calling, and a lack of defensive intensity. The coaching staff needs to address these issues, and quickly, if they want to avoid further upsets and continue their quest for a national championship.
