Paul Finebaum on Alabama bounce-back since Week 1 loss: ‘They are back’

After Alabama suffered 31-17 loss to Florida State in its season-opener, fans were wondering if disaster was ahead for the Crimson Tide. Alas, Alabama has bounced back from the loss with two straight wins. During an appearance on SportsCenter on Monday, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum revealed whether he’s still worried about Alabama.

“They are actually fine,” Finebaum said. “I know some will say, ‘Come on, 73 to nothing over Monroe? A win over Wisconsin?’ But they are looking really sharp. I don’t know what Kalen DeBoer did after that terrible loss, but they are back. And, I think they have a week off before they go to Georgia — watch out.”

Alabama didn’t take the Week 1 loss to Florida State lightly. The Seminoles went 2-10 last season and most analysts didn’t expect them to be an ACC contender this season. Thus, fans sounded the alarm when the Crimson Tide’s defense gave up 230 rushing yards in a loss.

Alabama fans’ concerns didn’t go unnoticed. The team reportedly held a players-only meeting following the loss. Alabama played with noticeably more passion in Week 2, dominating UL Monroe in a 73-0 blowout.

Alas, some fans still weren’t convinced Alabama had fully recovered from the loss, considering the quality of the competition in the lopsided victory. In Week 3, Alabama silenced its remaining critics with a convincing 38-14 win against Wisconsin.

In the win, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson completed 24-of-his-29 pass attempts for 382 yards and four touchdowns, without throwing an interception. Wide receiver Ryan Williams was Simpson’s go-to target.

Williams logged five catches for a game-high 165 yards and two touchdowns against the Badgers. It was a bounce-back performance for Williams, who received an avalanche of criticism following his performance in Week 1.

Evidently, Finebaum isn’t the only one who’s noticed the change in Alabama’s effort. After the game on Saturday, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer praised his team for their intensity.

“Don’t let off the gas. That’s just where we’re at right now. We’re just very intentional,” DeBoer said. “We’ve been intentional. And when I say that, everything we do has purpose. And so moving with purpose and just how we operate within the building.

“The guys have an energy right now that’s becoming contagious. They see, and they’re reaping the rewards of it. They see what we’re capable of. They know we’re still so far from being where we need to be. But we’ve taken a couple of steps here in the last two weeks.”