It didn’t feel like a 35-0 victory as the Million Dollar Band played its victory song and the Alabama players and coaches headed off the field. The Crimson Tide won its home opener in shutout fashion, but Alabama made more mistakes than it would like to against an undermatched Western Kentucky opponent. “This game ended up a little like I expected it to be. Probably a lot different than people in here expected,” head coach Nick Saban said. Alabama struggled to find consistency on offense as quarterback AJ McCarron was sacked six times throughout the course of the afternoon, and running backs Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon combined to rush for just 73 yards on 15 carries. The times McCarron was able to stay on his feet, however, he was deadly efficient, completing 14 of 19 passes for 219 yards and four touchdowns, but was sacked six times. But the sacks were what concerned center Barrett Jones the most, who said the offensive line saw a lot of different looks from the Hilltoppers’ defensive front. “I think we had a rough day. The energy wasn’t bad, it was just the execution. I feel like we didn’t execute well in a couple of spots,” he said. “Any time we don’t bring our best, we’re pretty average. That goes for really any unit on the field.” The Tide defense more than made up for the offense’s struggles however, forcing four turnovers including three fumbles. Western Kentucky moved the ball up the field efficiently at times, with a mix of runs and short throws, but couldn’t sustain a scoring drive with the numerous turnovers. “That’s one thing our defense prides itself on,” wide receiver Kevin Norwood said. “Getting turnovers and putting the ball back in our hands.” The game started as well as Alabama could have planned it – a four-play touchdown drive that ended with wide receiver Christion Jones hauling in an 18-yard dart over the middle from McCarron for the score. Jones and Norwood each finished the day with two touchdown receptions. Western Kentucky converted a third and nine on the subsequent drive, but two plays later, linebacker Nico Johnson blew up running back Marquis Sumler to force the first fumble of the game. After two sacks in three plays stalled Alabama’s next drive, the Hilltoppers gave the ball up once again, this time on a fumble forced by Adrian Hubbard. The Alabama offense wasted no time getting back in the endzone as McCarron found a streaking Norwood for 33 yards, his second touchdown throw of the game. “We were fortunate to hit a couple of big plays today,” Saban said. “[McCarron] threw it to the right guy and read the coverage correctly and the receivers did a good job of getting in the right place and getting open.” McCarron continued his surgical passing performance early in the second quarter, hitting Jones for a 22-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone that was reviewed, but stood as a touchdown. The Tide continued its defensive stand in the second half, forcing an interception that led to McCarron’s fourth touchdown of the game. The Hilltoppers never threatened again in the second half, and Alabama came away with its second win of the young season. “They played us like I thought they would,” Saban said. “Just run the ball, shrink the game, complete a lot of short passes and pressure like crazy on defense to try to give you negative plays. And every time they gave us a negative play, we didn’t overcome it very well. But when we executed properly, I thought we did a pretty good job and made some big plays.” Saban will have plenty to preach to his players in practice this week, as Alabama travels to Fayetteville to face the Arkansas Razorbacks in its first SEC game of the season. Despite the impressive numbers, Saban said the passing game had a lot of improving to do. And the defense will only be motivated even more to keep its scoreless streak alive. “It gives us confidence going into next week to see that goose egg up there,” Johnson said. “It motivates everybody to want to do that every week.”