Alabama OL aiming to build off last week's dominant rushing attack

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama ran the ball as well as it has all season against Missouri last weekend. The Crimson Tide totaled 271 yards rushing and four rushing touchdowns, with four different runners recording at least 50 yards.

Running backs Justice Haynes, Jam Miller and Richard Young all had productive days, and quarterback Jalen Milroe got back to doing his thing on the ground as well. The performance from the backs was notable, but the way was paved by the Alabama offensive line, who dominated the Tiger defensive front and wore them down over the course of the 60 minute game.

It was different than the style we’ve seen from Alabama’s offense for much of this year, as the downfield passing game has been much more of the Crimson Tide’s go-to through eight games. The run game was thought to be a strength of this team entering this season, but we’re just now getting a glimpse of what it could look like in SEC play.

“It’s something to build off of,” Alabama offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic said. “I think we’re capable of running the ball at a high level, and we were able to show some of that. It’s just like anything else, you’re gonna have some runs that aren’t great, sometimes just good defense, sometime on us. But if you can start to wear people down, and those smaller runs become bigger runs, I thought we were able to do that on Saturday. Which is something as an o-line, that’s what you love to do. That’s what it’s all about.”

Alabama’s offensive line was essential in establishing and maintaining the ground attack over the course of the game against Missouri. The line played with a uptick in physicality, and it gave the unit more confidence in being able to replicate that performance moving forward.

“Really, we’re trying to do that every single week,” center Parker Brailsford said. “All we want to do is run the ball. We obviously have to pass, too, but we want to run the ball.”

In order to do that, though, Alabama has to be able to avoid little mistakes that put the team out of position to run the ball effectively.

Penalties have been a notorious issue for the Crimson Tide this season, and many times penalties on first down set the team behind the chains, rendering the ground attack either unadvised or ineffective. Left guard Tyler Booker, one of Alabama’s team captains and the leader of the offensive line, pushed the importance of being penalty-free when aiming to get the ground game rolling.

“Just understanding what we have to do in order to have success in the run game like that,” Booker said. “It’s hard to run the ball when you’re in 1st-and-20 because somebody jumped offsides or in 2nd-and-10 because we didn’t pick up any yards on the first play. We just have to be mindful of staying ahead of the sticks to allow that run game to be able to build a rhythm and for us to have success like we did in the second half against Missouri.”

If the line is able to avoid those mistakes, the run game gets a lot easier, and this Crimson Tide unit is able to wear an opponent down and make runs easier as the game goes on.

Brailsford said they’re able to tell when an opponent is getting worn down, and that propels them even more.

“It’s definitely a good thing,” Brailsford said. “One of our things, we like to impose our will so that the man across from us can’t beat us. It’s definitely a good thing when you know all you’re doing is running the ball and they can’t stop it. Sometimes it’ll be their demeanor, sometimes guys will slump, or aren’t trying as hard, you can tell. If we see some things we like, [the coaching staff] asks us what plays we like.”

Alabama still has a shot at making the College Football Playoff this year even with two losses, but if it wants to keep its season alive, a win at LSU on Nov. 9 is of the utmost importance. If the Crimson Tide is able to carry over this rushing attack as this season continues, it raises its chances of imposing its will on each and every game.