HawgBeat - Know the Foe: Gaining Alabama insight with Tide Illustrated
See what Tide Illustrated Managing Editor Tony Tsoukalas had to say about Alabama ahead of its matchup with Arkansas.
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As we have done throughout this football season, HawgBeat went behind enemy lines to gain insight on the Alabama Crimson Tide with Tide Illustrated's Tony Tsoukalas.
Here is what he had to say about Saturday's matchup between Arkansas and Alabama, which is set to kick off at 11:00 a.m. CT at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama...
With a new offensive and defensive coordinator on staff, what is the overall identity of this Alabama team through six games of the season?
Tsoukalas: If you ask Alabama this question, it would say that its identity is to play physical, well-disciplined football and control the line of scrimmage. While the defense is beginning to live up to that expectation, the offense is still a work in progress.
When everything is clicking for Alabama’s defense — and it has been lately — it’s really hard to move the ball against it. The Crimson Tide has arguably the nation’s top edge-rushing duo in Dallas Turner and Chris Braswell. The pressure those two provide makes life easier for a secondary that is equally stacked with talent.
Offensively, I don’t think Alabama has an identity. Against Mississippi State, the Tide didn’t even throw a pass in the first quarter as it leaned on its running game. Last week, the offense managed just 23 rushing yards on 26 attempts but saw Jalen Milroe record his first career 300-yard game through the air.
One thing that has been a constant for the offense is its success with the deep ball. Jalen Milroe has completed 17 of 25 deep-ball passes, eight of which have been caught by receiver Jermaine Burton.
Could you speak to the Rebels’ defensive line and if they’ll be able to take advantage of a weak Arkansas offensive line?
Tsoukalas: I think Milroe has grown more confident in the pocket in recent weeks. He is still a work in progress, but we’re slowly starting to see him go through his progressions and have a bit more success in the intermediate passing game. There are still times when he either stares down his target or floats a pass, and those have led to turnovers. However, you can see the momentum beginning to form in terms of his improvement as a passer.
Alabama appears to have one of the best defenses in the SEC. Who are the top playmakers for the Tide on that side of the football and how does the unit differ from last year's defense, if at all?
Tsoukalas: I kind of mentioned this when talking about the identity, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better pass-rushing duo than Braswell and Turner. I’d say the heart of the unit is signal-caller Deontae Lawson, who has the athleticism to chase down ball carriers from sideline to sideline while also offering a pass-rushing threat of his own at times.
Most people are familiar with Kool-Aid McKinstry in the secondary. However, Terrion Arnold has been equally strong at the other cornerback position. Meanwhile, five-star freshman Caleb Downs has begun to play up to his potential in recent weeks.
I would say overall this unit is just tougher than last year’s. We aren’t seeing many missed tackles, and the unit plays with more of a mean streak.
Arkansas' defense has been a surprising strength through six games of the season. Do you think the Hogs have any advantages against the Tide's offense?
Tsoukalas: It starts with getting to the quarterback. Arkansas has had a decent pass rush this season, and Alabama is tied for fifth-worst in the nation, allowing 4.33 sacks per game. Lately, that’s been due to Milroe holding onto the ball too long. If he does that against the Hogs, he’ll be spending more time on his backside.
How do you think the game will play out and what is your score prediction?
Tsoukalas: This is an 11 a.m. kickoff coming off a hard-fought win at Texas A&M. I could see it being a bit of a hangover game for Alabama as it comes out a bit sloppy in the first half. That being said, I don’t see how Arkansas is going to score much on this defense.
Score prediction: Alabama 30, Arkansas 10
