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Saban, Tide players pleased with Kent State crushing
There have been plenty of occasions in which Alabama demolishes an overmatched opponent on the football field but Crimson Tide coaches and players aren’t happy.
That was not the case Saturday, as the top-ranked Tide made quick work of Kent State in a 48-0 win.
“We came out and wanted to get it going early,” Alabama senior tight end O. J. Howard said Saturday in a news conference. “We needed good tempo going in. Everyone did their assignment and came out here to dominate.”
Alabama bolted to a 21- 0 lead after the first quarter and led 41- 0 at halftime in stretching the longest winning streak among Football Bowl Subdivision teams to 16 games.
The Crimson Tide have racked up 189 points in four games, which is the highest such total for the program since 1921, when Alabama used a 95- 0 win over Bryson of Tennessee to build a 221point total. Saturday’s outcome could have been worse had Saban not emptied the benches against his alma mater, and he was pleased with what he considered the cleanest performance of the season.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to emphasize,” Saban said. “I think we only had one false start today, which was monumental.
“It was tough — I’m not going to lie. Like Coach Saban says every day, ‘It’s not the opponent we are playing. It’s playing against ourselves.’ We just have to keep getting better and better and challenging ourselves.”
– KEITH HOLCOMBE, REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE LINEBACKER
I thought we did a nice job of controlling the line of scrimmage, had good balance on offense and did a pretty good job executing overall.”
The Crimson Tide tallied 502 yards of total offense while allowing just 166 to the Golden Flashes. Alabama did so mostly without starting tailback Damien Harris, who left the game because of an injury on the first series and did not return.
Alabama’s defense pitched a shutout, marking the sixth consecutive season in which the Crimson Tide have turned that trick. Tide players said last week they would be treating Kent State just like any other foe, and their coaches apparently made sure of that in practice.
“It was tough — I’m not going to lie,” redshirt sophomore linebacker Keith Holcombe said. “Like Coach Saban says every day, ‘It’s not the opponent we are playing. It’s playing against ourselves.’ We just have to keep getting better and better and challenging ourselves.”
Xavian Marks continued Alabama’s stellar play on special teams with a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the second quarter. That marked the 52nd non- offensive score of the Saban era and the sixth already this season.
Alabama will begin a stretch of six straight games against Southeastern Conference opposition Saturday night when it hosts Kentucky. The Tide opened Sunday as 31-point favorites.
“The only injury that we really have is Damien Harris,” Saban said. “He has an ankle sprain, so he’ll be day to day. ArDarius Stewart will probably start doing some work this week, but it’s still questionable as to whether he’ll be ready for this game this week. Robert Foster will be questionable as well.
“That’s basically the injury report. I know we had a couple other guys come out of the game, but they all went back in and really didn’t have a problem.”
Tide tidbits
Alabama holds a 36-21 series advantage over Kentucky. … Senior kicker Adam Griffith amassed 10 points against Kent State and now has 268 in his career, which is good for ninth in school history. Former Tide tailback Trent Richardson had been ninth with 260.