TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — When Alabama needed a big play to pull away from a pesky South Florida team, it called on its youngest player — and he answered. With under six minutes to play, quarterback Jalen Milroe looked left and found true freshman Ryan Williams for a 43-yard touchdown that sealed the Crimson Tide’s eventual 42-16 win.
Alabama prevailed over South Florida in a game that was eerily similar to last year’s contest, where the Bulls gave Alabama everything it could handle. A sloppy game with over 20 combined penalties left much to be desired, but Milroe’s four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) paced Alabama to a win.
4️⃣➕2️⃣ 🟰6️⃣@Jalenmilroe @Ryanwms1
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/nI3SmoiOm2
— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) September 8, 2024
Alabama advances to 2-0 and travels to Wisconsin next week for its first road game of the season. Here are four takeaways from the win:
1. A few personnel observations:
• Alabama revamped its offensive line with starting left tackle Kadyn Proctor still out (shoulder). Left guard Tyler Booker moved to left tackle and Geno VanDeMark moved into Booker’s place from the second unit. Parker Brailsford (center), Jaeden Roberts (right guard) and Wilkin Formby (right tackle) remained in their spots.
• Outside linebacker Qua Russaw earned the start on Saturday and was listed as the No. 1 Wolf on Alabama’s pregame depth chart. Senior Que Robinson worked at Wolf as well, recording a sack in the first half.
• Cornerback DaShawn Jones, the Wake Forest transfer, returned to game action after an injury limited him last week. However, freshman Zabien Brown earned the start opposite of Domani Jackson.
2. The prevailing story out of Saturday’s game was the offensive line, which had a rough day amid the changes across the front. The group was responsible for eight penalties, allowed a pressure that caused an intentional grounding and had another holding call which offset a 50-plus yard completion from Milroe to Kobe Prentice when the defense was called for pass interference. Overall, the penalty count went as follows: VanDeMark (three), Formby (three), Booker (two). VanDeMark and Formby each had a holding penalty that negated touchdowns in the first half.
South Florida’s defensive game plan of sending pressure on nearly every snap proved effective against an offensive line in flux. Three sacks, six tackles for loss and a flurry of quarterback hurries kept Milroe off rhythm. On the ground, Milroe proved to be the most effective runner with two rushing touchdowns.
In the decisive drive that put the game away, Elijah Pritchett, last week’s starter at left tackle, was inserted at right tackle for Formby. Two good run plays ensued before Milroe found Williams for the score. He remained in the game for the final two possessions which resulted in two more touchdowns.
Overall Alabama’s offense was out of sorts. Last week, the Tide had six touchdown drives of three plays or less. On Saturday, 10 of Alabama’s 16 drives were three plays or less — seven resulted in a punt or turnover. Alabama had two drives of at least 10 plays, which resulted in touchdowns, but overall the group couldn’t find a rhythm until the final four possessions, which all ended in touchdowns.
3. Conversely, Alabama’s defense had its hands full with South Florida’s run game (5.1 sack-adjusted yards per rush) but held up admirably in winning situations. South Florida converted just two third downs for the game (2-for-18), was held to three field goals in three red zone opportunities and was held without points when Kendrick Law fumbled the second-half kickoff to set South Florida up inside Alabama territory.
In the game’s biggest swing moment, the defense forced a three-and-out after Milroe’s fumbled snap at the South Florida goal line, which paved the way for a 30-yard Jaylen Mbakwe punt return to put the offense at South Florida’s 34-yard line. Four plays later, Milroe found Prentice for a 16-yard touchdown. Alabama carried that momentum for the remainder of the game, outscoring South Florida 21-0 after that point.
The defensive line in particular shined. Tim Keenan III was the catalyst with 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one QB pressure, Tim Smith recorded one sack and two pressures and LT Overton led all Alabama defenders with four pressures.
4. For the first time on Saturday, Alabama played a game at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The retired coach was on-hand Saturday for a few separate ceremonies: one before the game with the new nameplate outside of the stadium and then at halftime where “Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium” in bold, Crimson letters appeared above the first level concourse on the East and West sides of the stadium.
Saban walked out of Alabama’s home tunnel, presumably for the last time in front of a packed crowd, with Thunderstruck blaring over the speakers. As he spoke a few words, chants of “Saban, Saban, Saban!” rained down. With players like Blake Sims, Julio Jones, Mark Barron and more in attendance, Saban thanked the fans for the chance to coach “the greatest traditional program in college football history.”
5. Wide receiver Cole Adams left the game with an injury in the third quarter and did not return to the game. Later, linebacker Justin Jefferson was flagged for a targeting penalty via a hit on USF quarterback Byrum Brown. As a result, Jefferson is suspended for the first half of next week’s game at Wisconsin.
(Photo: Gary Cosby Jr. / USA Today)
