Tide Tidbits – September 23, 2009

Classic matchup’ pits Tide’s Javier Arenas against Razorbacks’ Ryan who?
The marquee material is marvelous: If Alabama vs. Arkansas doesn’t say enough about Saturday’s game, how about Nick Saban’s defense vs. Bobby Petrino’s offense? “It’s a classic matchup,” Alabama senior cornerback Javier Arenas said. “Two awesome coaches.” And two standout players. Arenas vs. Ryan Mallett. The Crimson Tide’s little big man vs. the Razorbacks’ Ryan Mallett. Ryan who? “I didn’t know of him before this point,” Arenas said. That is, before he tuned in Saturday night on ESPN and watched Mallett throw for a school-record 408 yards and a school-record five touchdowns in a 52-41 loss to Georgia.

Offensive line off to nice beginning
It’s hard to accurately describe the effectiveness, but the numbers don’t lie. Alabama’s offensive line, at least to this point, appears to have answered all of its critics with a rebuilt unit that features three newcomers and a new identity. “Obviously, everyone is getting a little more comfortable in their roles,” said the offensive line’s leader and fifth-year senior Mike Johnson. “We’re happy with where we’ve come from and how we’ve clicked and gelled together. But we know we’re just getting to the tough part. I’ve been talking to those guys and telling them, this is the hard part of the schedule now. These defenses are going to be like nothing you’ve seen so far. Just get your mind ready.” Few could have expected Alabama to perform at this level this fast. The Crimson Tide ranks fifth nationally in rushing offense, 36th in passing offense and ninth in total offense with a unit that includes a new quarterback, two new starters at tight end and three new starters on the offensive line.

Crimson Tide likes to keep the ball on the ground
The University of Alabama football team has run the ball on first down more than it has passed by a better than 3-to-1 ratio. What the Crimson Tide has done most of all on first down is move the ball. Alabama is averaging better than 7.8 yards per play on first down through the first three games of the 2009 season. ‘We’ve always felt like it was real important here to be able to run the ball … and create positive down and distance situations, but there’s more ways to create positive down and distance situations than just to run it, and I think you have to have that kind of balance with the passing game to keep any defense off-balance,’ UA coach Nick Saban said.

Jordan getting used to defense
Last year, Chris Jordan said he missed his old position “a lot.” “It was rough last year, making that fast transition,” Jordan said. “But if you work hard at it, you’ll eventually do it.” A star prep running back at Brentwood Academy in Tennessee, Jordan ran for more than 1,600 yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons. But he switched to mid dle linebacker upon arriving at Alabama as a member of its touted 2008 signing class. Other than “a couple of snaps,” Jordan had never played linebacker, much less in the kind of complex defense used at the collegiate level. “I’d played running back all my life, pretty much,” Jordan said. “I got here and made the transition because coach (Nick) Saban wanted me to play linebacker. It was better for the team. We were short on depth at linebacker, and I told him if it was going to help the team, then I’ll do it.”

There’s plenty to think about …
If Rich Rodriguez had come to Alabama, Ryan Mallett never would have gone to Arkansas, which would have denied us the intriguing matchup Saturday between the Crimson Tide and the Hogs. Mallett leads the nation in passing efficiency and lit up Georgia for five touchdowns last weekend. But he doesn’t leave Michigan if Rodriguez goes there and frankly, Alabama wouldn’t be ranked No. 3 in the country if he’d opted for Tuscaloosa. Then again, if Gus Malzahn had stayed at Arkansas instead of leaving after one season, Mitch Mustain would probably be at quarterback instead of being buried on the bench behind a couple of youngsters at Southern Cal. And Auburn still might have the nation’s 110th-ranked scoring offense.

Roll Tide!

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