Alabama Crimson Tide Football: Slightly Beyond Midseason Grade Report

Slightly beyond the midpoint of the 2011 season, seeing as how nobody issued them a report card last week, exactly how is the Alabama Crimson Tide doing so far?

Really?

Well, let's see now. Alabama enters Saturday night's annual tussle with Tennessee at Bryant-Denny Stadium undefeated at 7-0 and tied atop the SEC West with its next opponent, No. 1 LSU, whom it trails in the initial BCS rankings by an infinitesimal .0003 percentage points.

That would make them the nation's No. 2 team, just in case you're thinking a little slow on your feet today or you've been out of pocket since Sunday afternoon. In the minds of 'Bama fans, computers must know more football than than the humans participating in the polls—at least in this instance. The composite of the computers involved in determining BCS standing rank the Tide slightly higher than the Bayou Bengals.

Beyond the sense of awesome-ness that typically makes Tide fans feel all warm and fuzzy when they think of Saban and the boys and how they are playing, let' take a look at the stats at this point in the season to assess how the Pachyderms are doing in different facets of the game compared to their SEC brethren and to the rest of the FBS nation. Let's see if the numbers substantiate the awesome-ness.

I'm thinking that I know how this is gonna shake out, but...? Let's do this.

After a Bit of a Slow Start, the Tide "O" Be Rolling Now

Let's begin easy. As a team, Alabama ranks first in the SEC and 12th in the nation in rushing offense. The Tide is cranking out 241.57 yards rushing per game, about 45 yards per game more than East leader South Carolina. Running backs Trent Richardson, Eddie Lacey and Jalston Fowler forge what is arguably the biggest, baddest stable of hosses in the country. They have been punishing to opponents thus far.

Though he got off to a bit of a slow start—for him—Trent Richardson has now bulldozed through, blasted by and shaked and baked his way to becoming the nation's fourth-leading rusher, averaging 130.29 yards per game at a 6.91 yards per carry clip.  Richardson is also fourth in the SEC in "points responsible for," accounting for 13.71 points per game. He is steadily gathering momentum towards possibly becoming the second Tide running back within three seasons to win the Heisman Trophy.

At quarterback, AJ McCarron, after dusting off a brief challenge from redshirt freshman Phillip Sims, has settled into the starting job. Though television commentators still frequently label him with the label "good game manager" (analyst speak for unspectacular but not mistake prone enough to beat his team), as he gains experience with each game, however, McCarron is becoming a bit more dangerous each week.

In terms of how the Tide passing attack has fared to this point, Alabama ranks fourth in the SEC and 72nd in the FBS in passing yardage, averaging 219 yards per game. Passing efficiency is a stat that looks at what you do with your passes besides just the number of yards you gain. In this area, Alabama ranks fifth among SEC teams and 44th in the FBS. Tide QBs have completed 67 percent of their passes, thrown interceptions (four) on only two percent of their attempts and scored TDs on 4.5 percent of their throws. Nationally and within the conference, this puts the Tide air attack in the upper echelon of mediocre.

McCarron's prime target, Marquis Maze, ranks fourth in the SEC in catches per game with seven and eighth in reception yards per game with a shade under 54. Veteran Darius Hanks, suspended early in the year, freshman DeAndrew White, the tight ends and running backs are slowly helping McCarron to make the passing game a bigger weapon to supplement the Tide's dominant rushing attack.

The offensive line, led by senior Barrett Jones, is evolving the chemistry necessary to open gaping holes for Richardson et al. and to give McCarron the time to grow into his job.

Alabama ranks fist in scoring offense and 14th nationally, putting 39.71 points per game on the scoreboard.

All things considered, including filling the shoes of two-year starter QB Greg McElroy and freak of nature receiver Julio Jones, the offense's grade for the first half of the season (let's face it, with any luck they will likely play 14, so play along) is:

A-

The run game and points offsetting a steadily-improving passing game to garner the superlative.

The Immovable Object

A+  

OK. I just wanted to get that over with. No need in attempting to be suspenseful. 

To me, Alabama's season on defense thus far was epitomized by the first series of the fourth quarter against Ole Miss last Saturday night. Ole Miss completed consecutive passes that took them to a 1st and 10 on the Alabama 2-yard line. My wife, a rabid Alabama alum, cried out, "Oh no, they're going to let 'em score."

Against most teams, even the hapless Rebels would have punched the ball in for a score with four downs from the two. But Alabama's defense is not like most other teams' defenses. It is way, way better. Four plays later, as we all know, the Tide took over on downs at the 1-yard line. There you go.

The Tide defense is ranked first in the nation (and therefore in the SEC) in rush defense, total defense and coring defense. They are yielding one paltry touchdown and PAT per game. Their weakness (cough, cough) is in defending the pass. Against the pass, the Crimson Tide ranks second in the SEC and fifth nationally in pass defense (yardage) and first and second, respectively, in pass efficiency defense. Against the Tide, opposing quarterbacks are completing but 48 percent of their passes, while throwing picks on 3.56 percent of their throws and TDs on only 1.76 percent. 

Alabama is ranked 10th in tackles for losses. Perhaps their lowest defensive ranking is in sacks at 46th nationally.

Some may argue that these numbers have been achieved while playing only the 32nd toughest schedule in he nation and that LSU's defense is better, stronger, faster and more aggressive while playing a tougher schedule (10th toughest).

That argument will likely be settled on November 5th. Meantime, the Tide D is teacher's pet.

Special Teams: They Gotta Be Human Somewhere, Right?

Though we think little about them unless their results are on the extremes, everyone knows that special teams can win or lose games.

Being a glass-half-full person, let me address the pros first. Alabama's return teams have been very effective to this point. 'Bama ranks first in the SEC and 11th nationally in kickoff returns, averaging 26.33 yards per return. This strength helps the Tide offense wage and win the field position battle.

Alabama is third in the conference and 17th nationally in punt returns with a 13 yard-per-return average. Putting that in perspective, the punt return team turns an average 40-yard punt into a 27-yard net advance of the ball by the opponent. Again, in the battle for field position, this provides the Tide with a huge advantage. 

These effective return units also helped to make both Richardson (kickoffs) and Maze (punts) nationally ranked all-purpose runners.

The kicking game, however, has been less effective, especially in regard to punting. Punter Cody Mandell is averaging just 39.2 yards per punt. Not good. Though the Tide's punt coverage team is giving up slightly less than five yards per return, that combination with the mini-punts has the Tide ranked 10th in the SEC in net punting at 36.48 yards per punt. No Tide punts have been blocked, however.

On kickoffs, Cade Foster has demonstrated a penchant for kicking short. Only one in eight kickoffs has been for a touchback. The kickoff team has yielded one return for a touchdown so far this year.

Jeremy Shelley is making 75 percent of his kicks, while Foster, who attempts the longer kicks, has made 77.8 of his. The longest field goal has been from 49 yards out, and no field goals have been blocked.

The short punts and kickoffs are potential problem areas as 'Bama moves through the remainder of its schedule and field position becomes even more crucial in big games.

Because he's under 40 (again, very week) and it is uncertain if the Tide could convert a field goal beyond 50 if and when it became critical (and maybe so as to not look like a sycophant), let's go with an...

A -

Coaching: Really? Do I Have To?

You gotta' be kidding, right? As a college coach, Nick Saban is 141-53-1, and he owes a lot of the 53 to having accepted a job at Michigan State. He has, of course, won two national championships and is, of course, the only coach to ever win national championships at two different schools, LSU in 2003 and Alabama in 2009.

After the 2009 national championship, Saban's Tide, hoping to repeat, went a disappointing 10-3 (disappointing by Saban and Alabama standards and because the Tide collapsed to Auburn, the eventual national champion in Tuscaloosa) in 2010.

A similar scenario comes to mind for comparative purposes. After finishing second in the final polls in 2007, the University of Georgia was ranked the preseason No. 1 team in the nation. The Bulldogs disappointed with a 10-3 season. How did they respond to the letdown? They followed up with 8-4 and 6-7 seasons, respectively.

Instead, Saban responded to his team's "slip" by getting his Crimson Tide right back in the hunt for the SEC and national championships. So far, it appears that Saban and his staff have made all of the right moves in terms of tweaking schemes and replacing personnel to retool this team right back to the top of the heap. Alabama appears focused, determined, driven, hungry and businesslike in their drive back to the top of the college football world.

With today's athletes, this is no small feat. Saban's vision, his professionalism, his preparation, attention to detail, his disciplined approach and high expectations regarding striving for excellence are evidenced in the product produced on the field by this team.  

His grade?

A   

I don't think he would want an A+. It wouldn't leave any room for improvement or a goal to strive for.

Overall: What Else?

Alright, let's cut to the chase in this somewhat pointless endeavor at grading the Tide. At this point, Alabama deserves an overall grade of:

A

Honestly, what other grade are you going to give a team that is undefeated on the season while scoring almost 40 points a game (first in the conference and 14th nationally) and yielding but a touchdown and a nightcap (first and first).

The Tide will dispatch with the Tennessee Volunteers in similar fashion this Saturday. Following that, they are going to take a week off to rest up weary minds and tired bodies and heal up their various bumps an bruises. 

Then they are going to begin an intense week of study and preparation. Why prepare so intensely in the aftermath of Halloween?

Final exams are coming early this year. Roll Tide.