Alabama quarterback Blake Sims talks with offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, left, during what has become an unprecedented early-season offensive display for the longtime national power.TIDE, TAKE THREE• 1. Alabama leads the series with Texas A&M 4-2, winning twice in College Station (1988 & 2013), once in Dallas (1941) and once in Birmingham (1985).• 2. The Crimson Tide have converted 51.8 percent of third-down opportunities while holding foes to a 32.5-percent success rate.• 3. Alabama has led the SEC in total defense six straight seasons and is first again this year, allowing 277.2 yards per game.
The Lane Train has slowed significantly.
After torching Florida for 645 yards in a 42-21 whipping on Sept. 20, the Alabama offense under first-year coordinator Lane Kiffin has managed 623 yards in the two games since. The Crimson Tide were held to 227 yards in Saturday's 14-13 escape at Arkansas, including 66 yards on 32 rushes (2.1 yards per carry).
Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Monday in his weekly news conference that offensive adjustments are needed all around.
"It wasn't that we weren't blocking the right guys," Saban said. "It's more that we weren't finishing the blocks. We would get on the guy and the guy would slip us, come off and make the tackle. That's the big thing we need to do up front, and it's the same thing in pass protection.
"We overset them, and we get beat inside. Basic fundamental execution needs to be better, and we need to finish better."
Four games into the season, the Crimson Tide were averaging 78 plays and 588 yards a game and were on pace to become the most efficient attack in Southeastern Conference history. Alabama's offensive output at Arkansas, however, was its worst since 2008.
"This was frustrating," sophomore tight end O.J. Howard told reporters after the game. "We had a lot of penalties and a lot of three-and-outs. We had a lot of long third downs and put ourselves in a lot of bad situations.
"We had a lack of an attention to detail, and we've got a lot of things to fix."
The No. 7 Crimson Tide (5-1, 2-1) host No. 21 Texas A&M (5-2, 2-2) this Saturday in a game that will be televised by CBS at 3:30 p.m. Saban started with the offensive line Monday when discussing the recent struggles but eventually included senior quarterback Blake Sims and the skill players.
"It's important we make good decisions in how we distribute the ball, where we distribute the ball and when it gets distributed so that we're not holding the ball in the pocket and stressing the protection," Saban said. "It's a team thing, because we've got to do a better job with the protection, the route runners have to do a better job of having the right timing and running the right routes, and the quarterback has to get the ball out on time."
Leading Alabama the first month of the season was junior receiver Amari Cooper with 43 catches for 655 yards. That was the best four-game start in SEC history, and he had a respectable nine catches for 91 yards in the 23-17 loss at Ole Miss.
Against Arkansas, Cooper had two catches for 22 yards.
"In the first three or four games of the year, we really had a lot of easy, fast, quick throws," Saban said, "and some of them turned into big plays. People now take those things away regardless of who's there. They basically challenge you to run the ball, which we have to do better, but we also have to be able to throw the ball more effectively in other ways and utilize as many people as we need to.
"We have confidence in all of our receivers, tight ends and backs that they can be effective in the passing game, but I think it's more important for us to go back to the basics of what we need to do to execute and make better judgments, choices and decisions of how we distribute the ball, and I think we'll be just fine."
Tide tidbits
Cooper and defensive lineman D.J. Pettway were limited in Monday's practice, but Saban said they would be fine for Saturday. ... Alabama's game next week at Tennessee will kick off at either 7:15 or 7:30 on ESPN, ESPN2 or the SEC Network. ... Bradley Bozeman continues to work at first-team center with Ryan Kelly out. ... Al.com reported Monday that 112 grams of marijuana and $4,661 were seized recently from the room of sophomore tight end Kurt Freitag.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.