What’s not to like?

August 31, 2008

By Ken Rogers

Tough to find fault with a season-opening 34-10 win over the No. 9 team in the nation.
Alabama outprepared Clemson and certainly outexecuted the Tigers.
While it’s easy to say questions were answered Saturday, its probably better to say anxiety was relieved. Alabama certainly showed improvement where things were up in the air coming into the season.
The inexperienced front seven was far faster and more physical than I expected. Mammoth Terrence Cody will require at least double-teams from anyone who watches tape of this game. That’s good news for ends Brandon Deaderick, Bobby Greenwood and Lorenzo Washington. It also should make things easier on the edge, not to mention keep an extra person off linebackers Rolando McClain and Don’ta Hightower.
Cory Reamer was very effective taking on blockers and disrupting off-tackle carries from Clemson’s C.J. Spiller and James Davis. I’m still at a loss to explain why Jamie Harper got the start at tailback and Thunder and Lightning were on the sidelines. Harper’s fumble on Clemson’s first possession handed Alabama three points.
As the lead grew and the Tigers became more one-dimensional, the threat of the running game disappeared and Alabama could rush quarterback Cullen Harper. Brandon Deaderick, Chavis Williams and Charlie Higgenbotham each recorded a sack. Rashad Johnson broke up a pass and barely missed on an interception. Marquis Johnson was the beneficiary of Rolando McClain’s deep drop and tipped pass. Marquis Johnson got the pick.
Offensively, the veteran line took the fight directly to Clemson, which seemed more comfortable running around blocks than taking them on.
I loved the no-huddle run package in which Mark Ingram was so effective. Glen Coffee is a load. Roy Upchurch did a nice job of running and catching the ball. Terry Grant ran four times for minus-3 yards. Alabama outrushed mightly Clemson 239 yards to 0. Yep, 0.
Tommy Bowden said he thought his team could start covering “No. 88 sometime by the end of next week.“ Nick Walker was spectacular as a receiving tight end. The other tight end, Travis McCall, is a devastating lead blocker. As Saban said in camp, an athletic tight end is a tough guy to cover because tight ends are usually matched against either linebackers, who are too slow, or safeties, who are too small. Any opponent watching tape of this game is going to have to deal with these tight ends. That should make things better for either the line, which will have one fewer man to block, or the outside receivers like Mike McCoy or Julio Jones. Both of those scenarios are good news for John Parker Wilson. 
Two more observations: Any quarterback is more effective throwing when he wants to instead of throwing when he has to. And Alabama’s third-down conversions—11 of 17—were probably the most encouraging stat of the night.
It’s going to get tougher for Alabama, but the Crimson Tide sent a pretty powerful opening salvo that it will be ready to play 60 minutes in every game this season. That alone is an encouraging sign.