Bama Central

All Things CW: 5 Things About the 2022 Crimson Tide No One's Talking About

Alabama could significantly improve in some important statistical areas, the Tide is poised for another great NFL draft, and 5 things that got our attention this week.

Christopher Walsh

In this story:

When it comes to the 2022 college football season, there's one thing in particular that Alabama and Crimson Tide fans should be flat-out mad about. 

The Week 2 game at Texas has about as much hype as possible. Not only is it the beginning of a home-and-home showdown between two of the game's biggest traditional powers, but a preview of what it'll be like when the Longhorns join the Southeastern Conference. 

The game will also pit Alabama head coach Nick Saban against his former offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian, plus other former Crimson Tide coaches and players.

Being that this is the first time Alabama has made a regular-season appearance on Fox, the network will go all out.  

However, the game will kick off at 11 a.m. 

August is the hottest month overall in Austin, Texas, especially during the first two weeks. The average daily high temperature for the month is 97.8, but is above 99 those first two weeks.

Anyone who was at the Texas A&M game in 2013 knows just how brutal it can be playing under the Texas sun. That game was played on Sept. 14, and the official temperature at kickoff was 95. 

Saban and the Crimson Tide have learned a lot from that game. The visiting locker room had no working air conditioning so Alabama brought in its own portable air conditioners to try and overcome the conditions.

Depth could be crucial against the Longhorns, which is in part why the coach has been talking so much about the second-team units during the scrimmages. Those players have to be ready to go. 

It just seems unnecessarily dangerous to make players perform in those conditions when they don't have to, but there's been little to no talk about Alabama having to play in brutal heat in 20 days.  

Here are some statistical things about the Crimson Tide that are being widely overlooked or ignored: 

• Pass defense: Opponents completed 296 of 470 attempts, for 3,270 yards, with 25 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. A lot of it had to do with the direction of college football and the SEC becoming more offensive- and tempo-oriented, but the yards, touchdowns and completion percentage (63) allowed were all program records.  

• Sacks allowed: Alabama's quarterbacks were sacked 42 times last season, an average of 2.8 per game (third most in the SEC). It yielded just 19 the previous season, and 12 in 2019. 

• Penalties: Crimson Tide players were penalized 107 times for 1,005 yards. It tallied the second-most in program history in both categories behind the 2002 team that had 121 flags for 1,024 yards under head coach Dennis Franchione. In comparison, Alabama had just 78 flags for 625 yards in 2020. 

• Turnovers: In 15 games last season, Alabama had just six lost fumbles and seven interceptions, and three of the picks were in the College Football Playoff. Previous to that quarterback Bryce Young had just one interception over seven games, which played a big part in his winning the Heisman Trophy 

Here's why everyone should take note of all four of those statistical areas: The 2022 Crimson Tide could be appreciably better in all of them. 

Even though there was some significant turnover on the roster, and with the coaches, the coordinators are back along with numerous key leaders. 

There should be a decrease in penalties, one of the areas that Saban was referring to when calling 2021 a rebuilding season. Having a more veteran team, should lead to fewer flags. 

Between the fierce pass rush and veteran secondary, the pass defense and turnovers figure to be better as Alabama has the potential to have another great defense.

How well the tackles fare could go a long way in determining the Crimson Tide's ultimate success. Yes, Alabama will miss Evan Neal at left tackle, but he wasn't the problem in terms of the sacks allowed.

Young still won the Heisman as a sophomore, but imagine what he might do with just a little more time in the pocket? 

Fewer interceptions is obviously a goal for him this season, and Alabama might see a decline in fumbles as well. During his two years at Georgia Tech, running back Jahmyr Gibbs didn't lose a single fumble. 

Alabama led the SEC in turnover margin last season. Factor in the fierce pass rush and veteran secondary and it could lead the nation this season. 

Another Promising Sign for Alabama

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay put together his preseason prospects lists for the 2023 NFL Draft and it shouldn't surprise anyone that he had Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. at No. 1 overall, with Young fourth. 

The really impressive part, though, was that among his position breakdowns the only ones he didn't have a Crimson Tide player in the mix was at offensive tackle, defensive end and center. 

It's too early to speculate on how much graduate student Tyler Steen might improve his draft stock by playing this final year at Alabama, and senior center Darrian Dalcourt missed the end of last season with an injury. 

He also had Byron Young and Justin Eboigbe listed as defensive tackles, which makes sense because most Alabama defensive linemen are considered interior linemen at the next level. 

That's it. He's already projecting double-digit draft selections for the Crimson Tide, including five first-round picks (No. 19 Jordan Battle, No. 27 Jermaine Burton, and No. 32 Gibbs) and two more in the top 50, before Alabama plays a single down. 

Odds and Ends 

If you saw this week's Just A Minute on how the preseason polls are pretty inconsistent this year, SportsBetting.ag pointed out a lot of disparities between the bookies and rankings as well. 

For example, Southern California has the fifth-best odds in the country at 14-1, but the Trojans are ranked No. 14 in the poll. Texas has the 10th-best odds yet the Longhorns are unranked. 

Pittsburgh and BYU have high odds compared to their rankings while Auburn, LSU Florida, Penn State, Tennessee and Florida State are among the leading teams for odds but absent from the AP Top 25.

AP Top 25 (with odds)

  1. Alabama (+210)
  2. Ohio State (+350)
  3. Georgia (+475)
  4. Clemson (+800)
  5. Notre Dame (+5000)
  6. Texas A&M (+2500)
  7. Utah (+6600)
  8. Michigan (+8000)
  9. Oklahoma (+5000)
  10. Baylor (+15000)
  11. Oregon (+10000)
  12. Oklahoma State (+15000)
  13. NC State (+10000)
  14. USC (+1400)
  15. MSU (+15000)
  16. Miami (+6600)
  17. Pittsburgh (+30000)
  18. Wisconsin (+10000)
  19. Arkansas (+15000)
  20. Kentucky (+15000)
  21. Ole Miss (+10000)
  22. Cincinnati (+20000)
  23. Houston (+25000)
  24. BYU (+50000)

5 Things That Got Our Attention This Week

1) The Big Ten finally showed its hand 

The Big Ten announced its new media rights deal with FOX, CBS, NBC and Peacock, which will run through 2029-30. Every football and basketball broadcast on CBS and FB broadcast on NBC will also be streamed through Paramount+ and Peacock, respectively. Peacock also has the exclusive streaming rights to eight FB games, as many as 47 MBB games and 30 WBB games per season. Sports Illustrated's Pat Forde noted that the deal is "worth more than $7 billion plus escalators. The back-loaded deal, which begins in 2023, averages out to more than $1 billion annually. The agreement with Fox, CBS and NBC comes with this caveat from a Big Ten source: "We are not done expanding." 

Now the SEC has a better idea of what it's dealing with, and can begin to adjust and counter. That could be in a number of ways, and not just with potential expansion. 

Also from Forde: “It is believed that one of the [SEC’s] reasons for slow-playing its decision on whether to add an extra conference football game (from eight to nine) was that it was waiting to see what the Big Ten’s rights were worth. Could adding another layer of league play to the TV inventory be worth enough for the SEC to reopen its own rights agreement and seek more money? That remains to be seen. For today, the Big Ten schools are the ones counting their money and laughing all the way to the bank.

2] Built by 4,842

Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne revealed that there were "4,842 donors who chose to support Alabama Athletics this past fiscal year with a philanthropic contribution to the Crimson Tide Foundation." 

"Each gift, regardless of donation amount, is critical to our ability to provide the resources necessary for our teams to compete at the highest levels."

He didn't mention what the donations totaled. 

3] The streaming wars are over?

MoffettNathanson Senior Managing Director Michael Nathanson made the argument to CNN: “The streaming wars are over because subscriber growth has come to a halt. You’re fighting a war in a land that has no more resources in it.” 

CNN’s Frank Pallotta noted: “Streaming itself isn’t going anywhere — it’s the present and future of Hollywood — but the spend now, ask questions later days look to be coming to an end as these services mature and media companies cleave to what makes money."

Sports may be the exception for now as the NFL just launched the exclusive streaming subscription service NFL+. Games will also be on Amazon Prime Video, FuboTV, Paramount+, and Hulu+ Live this season.

Other options include FuboTV, Sling TV, Direct TV Stream, YouTube TV ... 

While viewers have more options than ever before, and most will subscribe to up to three services, they're still becoming more selective. 

How it all plays out with college sports remains to be seen, but there have been calls for Disney to spin off ESPN, which just lost out on the Big Ten media rights. 

4] Sports beyond the NCAA?

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the College Football Playoff Board of Managers “briefly discussed the possibility of restructuring how college football is governed, with the idea presented of major college football potentially being governed outside of the NCAA.

"Sources cautioned that these discussions are in such early stages that it could be considered the first steps of a complicated process that would resemble a marathon. The sources added that the group spoke about the idea for only about five minutes, as it was raised as something the group should think more about down the line. The conversation is significant, however, in that it's the first known discussion among a group that would seemingly have the power to put such a plan in action. And the CFP looms as the most likely destination for running major college football outside the NCAA. No action is imminent or known next steps planned.”

5] The latest in the facilities arms race  

Alabama used to have a distinctive advantage over Florida and Georgia in terms of training facilities, but the SEC East foes have more than closed the gap. Georgia recently completed its $80 million expansion of its football training facility, and this past week Florida opened the doors to its $85M Heavener Football Training Center. It even has a swimming pool.

No waterfalls, though. 

Tide-Bits

• While Alabama's defense gave up record-setting numbers in the air, the Crimson Tide offense completed 380 of 571 passes, for 5,073 yards and 48 touchdowns. The attempts, completions and yards were all program records. However, the completion percentage of 66.6 was down nearly a full 10 percent from 2020 (76.2).  

• This was tweeted out by @CFBNerds: 

Colleges ranked by NFL snaps (offense and defense) during 2021 season:

  1. Alabama 35,224 
  2. LSU 27,503 
  3. Ohio State 26,614 
  4. Georgia 18,727 
  5. Clemson 18,126 
  6. Michigan 17,220 
  7. Oklahoma 16,245 
  8. Notre Dame 15,666 
  9. Iowa 14,873 
  10. Florida 14,143

• It's about time someone did this story, which Sports Illustrated tackled this week: How Tua Tagovailoa Became the NFL’s Most Polarizing Player

• If you got caught up in the whole thing about Najee Harris saying he "felt belittled" by Saban in 2020, you missed the two best things about the Steelers running back this week. First check out Harris leading kids through drills for head coach Mike Tomlin, and then the extra work the running back is doing. 

Did You Notice?

Sports Illustrated did cover stories on the last two quarterbacks to beat Alabama and win national championships.

With His Doubters in the Rearview, Stetson Bennett Returns for More Postseason Glory The lightweight walk-on improbably led the Bulldogs to the national title last season. Now, the Georgia quarterback is back for an encore.

Joe Burrow and the New Normal. Last winter Burrow led the Bengals on a stunning Super Bowl run. With it came a new level of fame, even in small-market Cincinnati, as well as the expectation he’ll do it all over again this year. It’s a challenge he is uniquely equipped to take on.

• Nebraska coach Scott Frost is taking a lot of heat for his estimate that there are 15-20 total vomits per practice from offensive linemen under new position coach Donovan Raiola. Is it possible they all just wanted to throw up on Nebraska? (I know, but someone had to make the joke.) 

• Pat Forde’s Preseason Top 25 Ranking
• Examining Barnhart’s Message to Calipari, Stoops
• Nick Saban Prepping Alabama For Its Next Evolution
• How the ESPN–Big Ten Split Impacts College Sports

Published
Christopher Walsh
CHRISTOPHER WALSH

Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of BamaCentral, which first published in 2018. He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004, and is the author of 26 books including Decade of Dominance, 100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Nick Saban vs. College Football, and Bama Dynasty: The Crimson Tide's Road to College Football Immortality. He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.

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