Coach Kalen DeBoer has been talking physicality in the trenches all offseason, but Alabama’s run game is still a major work in progress, and their first SEC test against Kentucky this week could get real ugly if things don’t change fast. This isn’t just about winning a game, it’s about whether DeBoer can shed that “finesse” label his offense picked up the last two seasons.
The Numbers Are Getting Hard to Ignore
After finishing as the No. 126 rushing offense in the country last year, Week 1 against East Carolina was supposed to show progress, right? Nope. The Crimson Tide’s revamped run game got mixed reviews. They only averaged a paltry 3.9 yards against last week on carries by players not named quarterback Keelon Russell. And get this, the only explosive run the entire game, a 23-yard play, came from Russell scrambling. Only LSU had more rushing attempts last weekend with 58 to Alabama’s 49, so it’s not like they aren’t trying.
DeBoer knows it, too. “In the run game, there was consistency; you just want to keep raising the level,” he said. He pointed out issues like getting “underneath of us” on goal line plays. While he praised backs for running “hard down in the red zone,” he stressed they “got to keep our pads low.” He even showed the team clips, diagnosing “what is it that makes an explosive run?” He saw “pictures were clean and the guys were padded up,” so now it’s “just a matter of having your guy and taking care of business.” Sounds like execution is still a huge problem.
Kentucky Isn’t Playing Around
Now comes Kentucky, and this isn’t some easy tune-up. The Wildcats might have gone just 5-7 last season, but new coach Will Stein has them in “win now” mode. He brought in 32 newcomers, including the 10th-best transfer haul. They looked stout against the run in their Week 1 45-13 beatdown of FCS Youngstown State, giving up just 59 yards and 2.1 per carry. They won’t be the toughest run defense Bama sees all year, but it’s a huge opportunity for DeBoer to finally show some “proof of concept” for all that offseason talk.
As DeBoer put it, “Week 2 SEC game, that’s an interesting thing. Can’t say I’ve played too many conference games this early in the year. Doesn’t matter, it’s on the schedule, we gotta be ready to go.” This isn’t just another game. This is Alabama’s run game putting up or shutting up against an SEC opponent that means business.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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