Another feature I want to start adding to this blog as I evolve it into a serious journalistic output is a "Five Facts" section after every Alabama game. These will usually end up being some epiphanies I have uncovered from the game itself or from some other facet related to the ongoing season. So here goes with my Five Facts from the Tennessee game:
1) Alabama is improving as the season goes on
This should be a no-brainer for any other school, but for Alabama fans it's just a blessed sigh of relief. It's easy to say after the fact that maybe Tennessee isn't that good, but the simple truth is, Alabama went out last Saturday and defeated a rival with superior talent in a dominating fashion. A rival that had, in fact, demolished a team Alabama had lost to earlier in the season (Tennessee beat Georgia 35-14 two weeks ago). If Saturday is any indication, no longer will Tide fans be subjected to a promising start only to fade away to mediocrity by the arrival of November.
2) Saban isn't content with $4 million per year
Quick. Name the last Alabama coach you saw go as nuts as Saban did at the end of the first half on Saturday. If it takes you more than the last three coaches, that's a good sign. Don't see it as some coincidence that an obviously infuriated Saban took his team into halftime, likely gave them a wholesale ass-chewing, then came out and held a potent Tennessee offense to no points in the second half. This man will not sit on his laurels; he wants to win every game because he has the fire of a champion.
3) Saban is starting to trust Applewhite's offensive playcalling.
Calling a draw on third and goal from the eight yard line is not a Pendry move. That was Major's call. And it worked to perfection. It's just a small example, but it shows that maybe the players arent' the only ones becoming more comfortable with the offensive system.
4) The Fourth Quarter Program really, really, works.
Think fast; which team this year has beaten Alabama in the fourth quarter? The only one that comes to mind is Houston, and Alabama still won that game. The results, however, seem to indicate the Houston game was an anomaly. So far this season, Alabama has scored 77 points in the fourth quarter through eight games. To give you something to compare it to, the 2006 Alabama squad put up 79 points THE ENTIRE SEASON in the fourth quarter. If you don't believe, especially on the offensive side, our mental and physical conditioning has improved dramatically, you aren't really paying attention.
5) This team CAN beat LSU
Preseason, this game was marked down as an almost universally sure defeat for Alabama. However, no one expected Nick Saban to work as quickly as he did. Alabama is perched, as we near the start of November, in one of the last places we expected them to be; tied for first in the SEC West. Only three more victories keep Nick Saban from achieving what was deemed impossible to do in his first season; take the Crimson Tide to Atlanta. The next obstacle in that path is that monstrosity of talent, depth, and athleticism that Saban himself built; the Bengal Tigers of LSU. The 28-14 tally of last year didn't indicate how much LSU really dominated that game. Nick Saban has made it abundantly clear this year his teams will not be dominated. Alabama's two losses have come by a combined 10 points, or less than the 15 point deficit Alabama had against Florida last year. It will not be easy. A perfect game will need to be played, and LSU will have to make some dumb decisions, but in this year of the upset, can anyone really count Alabama out? Only November 3rd can tell us for sure. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that Saint Nick will have the boys ready to play. So come on, Les Miles, bring it on. But I can tell you one thing; our defensive line won't let you go five-for-five on fourth down conversions.
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