A few Alabama-Clemson thoughts
By Tim Cottrell
Sports Writer/Designer
Published: August 31, 2008
There’s not much more to say than ‘Wow, Alabama was pretty impressive Saturday night’.
But what, exactly, was going on there in the Georgia Dome?
From about January until July I was pretty bullish on the Tide’s chances for a good season, but changed my mind after the Jimmy Johns arrest.
I’m just about ready to change my mind again, but let’s take a look at a few tidbits from that game.
You could probably say the game really turned on Clemson’s first possession, when Jamie Cumbie fumbled and the Tide recovered. But what was Cumbie doing taking Clemson’s first handoff of the year? You have two of the best running backs in the nation and you’re handing off to a true freshman?
Clemson coach Tommy Bowden, in true Tommy Bowden fashion, panicked way too early. How can a team with the aforementioned two best running backs have only 14 rushing attempts on the night? How can you give James Davis eight carries and C.J. Spiller two?
But really, even with those burning questions, the Tide was the story of the night.
The offensive line, long thought to be the team’s strength, was dominant. The bevy of Tide running backs were never hurting for running room.
John Parker Wilson looked poised and fantastic. It’s definitely better for him when Bama can run the ball as well as they were, and the pass protection was pretty good as well.
The defense was so much better than anyone - even Nick Saban - could have anticipated it’s really hard to describe.
So there’s definitely reason to think the Tide may have risen a little earlier than we all thought, but don’t bring out the anointing oil yet. The Tide has three pretty solid wins coming up (vs. Tulane and Western Kentucky, at Arkansas) but then goes to Georgia.
I still can’t see this team winning at Georgia or LSU, but you have to put the Tennessee and Auburn games back into the toss-up category at this point.
Football in this state definitely got a little more interesting last night.
