Hurts, defensive front have rolled all season
Alabama has been college football’s most dominant program for much of the last decade, which not coincidentally coincides with Nick Saban’s tenure as coach. Not only has Saban cemented himself as one of the game’s all-time greats by winning four national titles in the last seven years, but he also has shown a willingness to adapt to the game’s changes as well as an ability to win in very different ways.
The best example of that? True freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose skill set would not have worked nearly as well in older iterations of the Alabama prostyle offense — or even in the evolving versions in place just two or three years ago.
Under third-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, this offense has implemented more run pass options, zone read and other spread elements that force defenses to account for every single playmaker on the field instead of zeroing in on one star running back or dynamic wide receiver.
Because Hurts is such a phenomenal athlete, he makes things even more difficult for opposing defensive coordinators. He’s able to extend plays with his legs even when all of his receivers are covered. But if an opponent emphasizes stopping his scrambling or designed quarterback runs, that likely opens up opportunities for the passing game.
It turns into a pick-your-poison situation, all because Hurts is built perfectly for Kiffin’s spread system — and he’s good at limiting his mistakes.
But the greatest and most obvious strength of this Crimson Tide team is the part of the Alabama identity that hasn’t evolved in recent years: its defense.
Saban’s team again has one of the most dominant defensive units in the nation. Once again, there are plenty of future professional players littering the field, highlighted by defensive end Jonathan Allen and linebacker Reuben Foster, who could both go in the top five of next year’s NFL draft. And, once again, it seems difficult to imagine anyone — in this case, Washington — being able to get much offensive production against this Alabama front seven, the nation’s most terrifying unit of its kind.