Former Crimson Tide WR Announces Return: ‘I’ve Returned to Finish What I Started….
We’ve focused plenty on the negative from Alabama Football’s 42-16 win over South Florida on Saturday night, but we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the positives as well. It’s true that it was far from a flawless performance by the Crimson Tide, but there were still plenty of standout performances on both sides of the ball that allowed Alabama to move to 2-0 on the young season.
We’ll hand out game balls each Sunday of the college football season. There will be multiple on offense and defense, as well as at least one special teams game ball each week.
It was a forgettable day on the ground for most of the night for both junior Jam Miller and sophomore Justice Haynes. The offensive line struggled to open up running lanes, and any time they actually did there was typically a holding penalty that brought back a big gain.
Alabama had two touchdowns taken off the board in the first half, one by Haynes, and a long 74-yarder by Jalen Milroe. But in the fourth quarter, Alabama’s running game came to life, spearheaded by the talented junior stepping into a featured role for the first time in his career.
Making up for a third quarter fumble, Miller rushed for 140-yards on 15-carries, and delivered the touchdown that officially put the game away against the Bulls in the fourth quarter. Miller took a carry to the right and sprinted down the sideline, kept his balance, and exploded for a 56-yard touchdown to put the Crimson Tide up 35-16.
It figures to be a time-share between two backs for the Tide this season. Miller will rotate frequently with Haynes, but there will be opportunity for both to make explosive plays. With the impending return of LT Kadyn Proctor, running lanes should be more and more open for the Tide running backs.
Elijah Pritchett
Perhaps the biggest impetus for the Tide’s offensive explosion in the fourth quarter was Kalen DeBoer’s decision to replace struggling redshirt freshman Wilkin Formby with redshirt sophomore Elijah Pritchett at right tackle.
The two spent the preseason battling for the job, but a pre-game injury to Pritchett before last week’s season opener led to Pritchett filling in at left tackle. Pritchett suffered a minor injury himself against Western Kentucky last week, which led to a shakeup on the offensive line.
After struggling mightily to move the football for 53-and-a-half minutes, the move to Pritchett paid immediate dividends. Pritchett was on the field for six plays, and in those six plays the Tide mustered 42% of their total offensive production for the night and scored three touchdowns.
Both touchdown runs were to the right, and Pritchett did well to open up a hole and help spring Miller and Haynes for back-breaking touchdown runs.
