The conversation surrounding Alabama’s Southeatern Conference opener against Arkansas Saturday focused on how the Crimson Tide would stop the potent Razorback offense.
Defensive coordinator Kirby Smart had his defense primed and ready for the Razorback spread attack, and looked like professionals doing it.
“I think Kirby did a really good job today,” head coach Nick Saban said. “I’m telling you, that is hard. I’ve been through that many, many times. To do those things where you show one thing and do something else, it’s a great job by the players, but it’s hard to implement in a game.”
The defense was dominant against the run, holding its opponent to less net rushing yards than they had carries for the second straight week.
“We just tried to stick to our goal,” defensive lineman Jesse Williams said. “We shut down the run, made them one dimensional. We have great defensive backs back there and they know how to shut them down, so everything went well today.”
When Arkansas was forced to go to the air in hopes of sustaining drives, the Alabama secondary kept the Razorbacks from making big plays.
“It was just being in the right position,” cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. “It’s nothing special that I did, I was just in the right position. Coach put me in the right position, I just made the play.”
Those defensive plays were made only when the defense allowed the ball to reach the Razorback receiver’s hands. That didn’t happen on what ended up being the biggest play of the game, the interception by DeQuan Menzie in the second quarter that was returned 25 yards for a touchdown.
“When we had the ball inside the one and didn’t score and had to settle for a field goal, I think the momentum of the game changed right there,” Saban said. “So on the very next series on defense, it was huge. That was a big turning point in the game from a momentum standpoint and we need to make more plays like that.”
Another big deal for the defense was the injury to C.J. Mosley, who suffered an elbow injury and did not return to the game, but will be day-to-day going into practice next week.
“Jerell Harris came in and he knew he was already going to have to play a little bit,” linebacker Dont’a Hightower said. “He came in already knew the gameplan, he made the check and was able to go along with the game. Jerell did a very good job.”
Alabama showed its own offensive firepower in this game as well, starting from the very first drive when the Tide shocked many by going with a hurry-up offense look on the first possession of the game.
“That was really important,” offensive lineman Barrett Jones said. “That’s something we had planned on, to come out quick and catch them on their heels and I think we did a good job of moving the ball early at that tempo.”
After the hurry-up offense look in the first possession, the Tide slowed things down and started relying on running backs Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacy, who combined for 30 carries, 189 yards and a touchdown.
