Alabama Football: The key to Michigan’s aspirations is Disclosed!
Regarding the four quarterbacks in the CFB Playoffs, opinions are divided. Not in the proper order, at least. Fans of Alabama football may debate that Jalen Milroe is the best player overall out of the four.
Fans of Washington will vehemently disagree. Most supporters of Texas and Michigan will probably vote for their team as the best.
What can be fairly claimed is that Michigan must have a strong game from J.J. McCarthy, to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Wolverines live off a strong defensive team and a strong rushing attack. The problem for Michigan is that the Alabama Football defense has experienced a renewal during the 2023 season.
The season did not start that way. In game three against South Florida, the Bulls’ quarterback and top running back rushed for over a 4-yard carry average against the Crimson Tide.
Most of Alabama’s problems in that nightmare game came from the Tide offense. But the Crimson Tide defense looked porous against what should have been an outmatched USF offense.
Alabama Football Defensive Renewal
The Alabama Football defense improved more rapidly than did the Crimson Tide offense. Against Texas A&M, Arkansas and Tennessee, the Tide’s run defense was superb.
The Aggies averaged just 1.9 yards; Arkansas averaged 2.8 yards. The Tennessee Vols boasted one of the SEC’s top rushing attacks.
When the Vols came to Tuscaloosa, Jaylin Wright was averaging over seven yards per carry. After the Third Saturday in October, Wright rushed for over eight yards per carry in four November games. Against the Bama defense, Wright’s carry average was two yards. In the same game, Alabama held Jabari Small to a 3-yard average.
Michigan has a 1,000-yard running back in Blake Corum. He is Michigan’s most important offensive weapon. As good as Corum is, the SEC had 21 running backs average more yards per carry than Corum.
The two Tennessee running backs discussed above were not the only ones stuffed by the Tide defense. Two more of the SEC’s other 19, ‘better than Corum’ backs are Georgia’s Kendall Milton and Kentucky’s Ray Davis. Alabama held Milton to 3.2 yards and Davis to 2.2 yards.
Michigan cannot depend on Blake Corum unless J.J. McCarthy has a great game. McCarthy is capable of big games. On the season, his passing accuracy has been 74.2%. But in the last third of the season, Michigan’s pass protection has been leaky. Against a not-outstanding Maryland team, McCarthy completed just over half of his passes.
McCarthy possesses a pair of reliable tight ends that are capable of upsetting Alabama. If not, the exceptional secondary player from Alabama will reduce the size of his passing openings. McCarthy might not have enough magic in the face of consistent pass-rushing pressure to keep the Wolverines in the game.
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