Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon (4) jumps for extra yardage against Michigan safety Thomas Gordon (30) and defensive end Brennen Beyer (97) during the second half Saturday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.TIDE, TAKE THREE
Three tidbits regarding Alabama as it transitions from last week’s rout of Michigan to Saturday’s home opener against Western Kentucky:• Alabama wound up scoring 70 unanswered points from the third quarter of last year’s Auburn game through the BCS title win over LSU until just before halftime against Michigan.• The Crimson Tide used eight true freshmen in the opener: running backs T.J. Yeldon and Kenyan Drake, receiver Amari Cooper, linbackers Denzel Devall, Dillon Lee and Reggie Ragland and defensive backs Geno Smith and Landon Collins.• Yeldon became the first Alabama true freshman to rush for 100 yards in his debut, gaining 111 yards on 11 carries. Saban said he would like for junior Eddie Lacy and Yeldon to develop into a tandem, with Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart contributing as well.
Perhaps the most difficult aspect to Alabama’s opening football game against Michigan will be the follow-up.
The Crimson Tide were the nation’s best team last season and were the nation’s best team this past weekend, scoring the first 31 points in a 41-14 thrashing of the No. 8 Wolverines. Alabama will play in the comfort of Bryant-Denny Stadium this weekend against Western Kentucky, which is 1-0 for the first time since 2005 after defeating Austin Peay.
“We were too young, too inexperienced, and we couldn’t handle success,” Tide coach Nick Saban said Monday. “Everybody was saying all those things about our team, and now everybody is saying something different, but my question is, ‘What is different?’ Nothing. We’re still young, we’re still inexperienced and we still have some things to work on.
“It’s going to be all about the maturity this team has to focus on what they need to do and correct the deficits we have, whether that is individually or collectively.”