Domination of Michigan State Indicates a Bright Future for the Crimson Tide

Alabama began the 2010 season ranked number one in America.  At one point they were universally expected to go back to the national title game. 

Then the injuries, the apathy, the unprecedented scheduling anomaly that allowed most of the SEC to have a two week run at the Tide took their toll and it seemed Alabama was only a shadow of what they could have been.

For Sixty minutes Saturday the Crimson Tide showed what could have been if they had been healthy, and if they had been mature enough when the season began.

It was a sweet end to a difficult season in the spotlight for the defending national champions.

The seniors along with juniors who are leaving early can leave Alabama knowing they achieved every goal they likely arrived with years ago.  They also won 10 or more games three straight years,  something not seen in the land of Tide since 1980.

We also saw what kind of havoc Courtney Upshaw and Marcel Dareus could have wreaked if things had gone differently.

Health was one reason we saw such domination but Alabama's defense has been improving in all three areas most of the season and the total shutdown of Michigan State may be more indicative of what is to come in 2011.

Before that can happen however Alabama must determine how to replace Marcel Dareus who is likely headed to the NFL this year.  Dareus started out slowly due to a suspension and injury but was still far and away the best defensive lineman on the roster. 

No other lineman showed much spark this year.  So ineffective was the output from the fourteen other scholarship defensive lineman that Nick Saban made it a priority to sign a top defensive lineman from the Junior college ranks.  Just recently Alabama signed Jessie Williams from Arizona Western and they are counting on him to make an immediate impact.

One thing that can't be ignored however is the physical beating Alabama's defense applied to the Michigan State Spartans.    Starting quarterback Kirk Cousins was knocked out of the game and his backup had to be helped from the field at one point.

The Michigan State running backs got absolutely nothing and the Michigan State receivers and tight ends were struggling to pull themselves off the turf on mulitple occassions. 

This was not a Michigan State team that came in unprepared or made mistakes.  They were physically manhandled, and it wasn't close.

If Alabama can carry forward this sort of physical play into the spring they could make a serious run next year at a championship.

Unfortunately any such championship run will not include Greg McElroy and most likely not Mark Ingram as well.  "Gmac" leaves Alabama as one of the winningest quarterbacks in the programs history. 

Mark Ingram hasn't announced his intentions for next year but because running backs tend to have shorter careers than other positions most believe he will have to take this opportunity.  There is little left for him to prove at the college level.

After a long touchdown run by Eddie Lacy in which he darted through the heart of the Michigan State defense and outran everyone to the end zone Ingram, Richardson and the other running backs greeted him at the sideline.  Mark Ingram must have been thinking in that moment that his Crimson Tide will be in good hands.

No matter who wins the quarterback battle this spring or who is running out of the backfield,  the biggest question mark going into 2011 is the offensive line. 

Alabama has already proven it can win it all with a less than incredible quarterback.  They have also shown they can't do it when the offensive line doesn't get the job done.  No doubt this off season will not be a pleasant one for anyone at that position as they will certainly be targeted for overhaul.

In the end the 2010 Crimson Tide was only a few plays here and there from another championship.  But such is the case for several teams every year.  Champions make those key plays more than the rest. 

Talking about winning it won't help, its about doing whats needed to be prepared succeed.  Its got to be a personal commitment and its got to start in the coming weeks.  The players who remain in Tuscaloosa will need to have a different attitude this winter.

No trips to the white house,  No ESPN cameras in the locker room.  Those things have all moved on with the bright spotlight.  This winter it's about Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran and the cold hard steel in the Crimson Tide weight room.