Happy Thursday, everyone. After the long wait, a full 1/6 of the college football regular season is behind us. For its third act, Alabama will take on Wisconsin. Michael Casagrande notes that this team had better not fail to show this week as they did in Tallahassee.
A week later, the Badgers beat Middle Tennessee State, 42-10. That game was 14-10 at halftime, and the Blue Raiders are far worse than landlocked Miami. They are No. 135 of 136 in the CBS Sports ranking, 131st in the power ranking and 180th in the Sagarin ranking that also includes FCS teams.
Arguably bad.
Yet competitive in Madison for a half before the Badgers scored four straight touchdowns in the final 30 minutes.
It’s the kind of performance that can create the same sense of comfort that contributed to what happened in Tallahassee.
Like Florida State, Wisconsin has a new offensive coordinator in Jeff Grimes. Playing teams like the Miami in Ohio and MTSU likely allowed Grimes to hold back some of the new looks he was hired to implement.
Kalen DeBoer seems to feel good about the team’s preparation this week, but we’ll see what it looks like on Saturday.
— DeBoer says Keelon Russell’s best throws were a glimpse at what the Tide sees in practice. Notes that the other two quarterbacks remain well ahead of Russell when it comes to knowing the offense and what it demands from them. Says the team was extremely excited to see the true freshman get his chance in a game.
— Stewart asks about the defense’s shutout performance. DeBoer says the group is doing much better doing its job. Says players took a step mentally and physically.
— Peewee from Grand Bay is in-person and asks how Alabama can keep up the intensity after a big win. DeBoer says he told players not to let the pain of the Florida State go, and channel it into preparation for the coming games.
Or as a very wise man once said, “Never waste a failure.”
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Ryan Williams should be OK for the game on Saturday it seems, but some other players are game-time decisions.
“Ryan Williams, we expect him to play,” DeBoer said on Wednesday.
Outside linebacker Jah-Marien Latham (lower body), running back Jam Miller (collarbone) and defensive tackle Tim Keenan (ankle) did not play last week, and Miller and Keenan have not played in any of Alabama’s first two games. However, Miller went through pregame warmups last weekend. The status of all three injured players is still up in the air for Saturday.
“Jah-Marien Latham and Jam Miller and TK are all gonna be game-time decisions,” DeBoer said. “They’re getting their work in, making some progress. And so not much difference between all three of them, even though they are different injuries.”
If Jam and Keenan aren’t 100%, I’d just as soon rest them again and give them two more weeks to heal ahead of Georgia.
Bubba Hampton apparently left the team a while ago.
“Bubba has not been with us for quite a while, going to early fall camp,” DeBoer said on the SEC coaches teleconference.
DeBoer did not provide any further details as to why Hampton is no longer with the program.
That can’t be too surprising, considering the logjam at the receiver position.
Last, this Saban clip has been making the rounds.
Great stuff. Dude has been coaching ball since he was 15 years old.
That’s about it for now. Have a great day.
Roll Tide.
