Alabama's Offense Finds Itself in Second Half Against Ole Miss
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The first half clock hit triple zeros, and Bryant-Denny Stadium had an eerie sense of dread and worry filling it.
The score: Ole Miss 7, Alabama 6.
The Alabama offense had struggled mightily. A turnover in the red zone, four sacks given up, just 22 rushing yards, all among many other miscues in a mistake-filled 30 minutes of football.
Was Alabama about to suffer its second loss before the calendar turned to October? It certainly seemed not only possible, but probable before the second half began.
Then, a switch flipped.
Alabama received the second half kickoff and settled for a field goal, taking its first lead in the game. It followed that up with two consecutive touchdown drives, the second of which came after an Ole Miss field goal trimmed the lead down to one score.
In total, the Crimson Tide outscored the Rebels 18-3 in the second half.
"I thought the team did a fantastic job in the second half," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "We played hard, guys competed, we played really physical and dominated the line of scrimmage. [...] I was really proud of how the team played in the second half."
Quarterback Jalen Milroe, playing for the first time since Alabama's loss to Texas, threw for 225 yards on 81 percent completion in the game. He threw an interception in the red zone in the first half, but came back in the second half to throw a 33-yard strike to freshman Jalen Hale for Alabama's first touchdown of the day.
"You have to learn that you have to go play the next play. You can't let one play lead to several bad plays," Saban said. "Just keep executing and believing and trusting in what you need to do, so you can distribute the ball where you need to. I think [Milroe] is growing and is doing a very good job of that."
"It's all about our mental toughness," Milroe said. "It's all about playing one play at a time, and it's all about how you're going to respond. That was key, no matter what play it is. [...] I try to approach it like that, when I play the game."
Toughness is the perfect word to describe Milroe's performance, specifically on his touchdown pass in the third quarter. He took a big hit as he delivered the throw, and couldn't see the completed catch. He said he had the wind knocked out of him, and even had to be replaced briefly for the 2-point conversion.
Backup quarterback Ty Simpson entered the game for the conversion, and ran through a facemask penalty to get into the end zone. On the ensuing kickoff, running back Jam Miller delivered a huge hit that fired up not only the crowd, but the Alabama sideline.
"I think the momentum of the game [in those plays] really shifted for us," Saban said. "The energy went up, and I think that was demonstrated by how we continued to play the rest of the game. I'm always happy to see guys make those kinds of plays."
Ole Miss answered with a field goal, cutting the lead down to one possession again.
How did the Alabama offense respond? A 75-yard, ground-and-pound, third-consecutive touchdown drive to essentially ice the game.
The drive looked like vintage Alabama, squeezing the life out of the opponent methodically, showcasing its dominance with every snap. It looked like the Alabama team we were promised before the season began.
Of the 75 yards gained on the drive, 54 of them came on the ground. That was just about half of the 109 rushing yards Alabama accumulated in the second half, a massive increase from the mere 22 in the first half.
The offensive line, which has been met with a lot of scrutiny over the course of the season so far, came to play when the game needed to be put away.
"I think that was one of the most critical drives in the game," Saban said. "Changes the game a lot when it's a two-score game, especially in the fourth quarter. [...] That drive was the drive that was the difference in the game."
Running back Jase McClellan, who led the team with 107 yards on the day, was the player to punch in the game-icing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
"It was just, we had to come back and answer," McClellan said of the touchdown drive. "Getting in the end zone, at that point was the game. I feel like we were wearing them out."
In addition to the increased toughness and intensity in the run game, the Alabama offensive line allowed zero sacks in the second half, compared to four in the first.
When you put all these improvements together, it's a recipe for success for the Crimson Tide, who now has some much-needed momentum staring down the barrel of the SEC slate.
What will Alabama look like on offense the rest of the way? If the second half today was any indication, it could be a hint of some good, old-fashioned joyless murderball.
See also:
What Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss said about Alabama's Offense, Jalen Milroe
