Sure, Alabama football’s offensive line performance was much improved at Wisconsin. That’s not saying much after a rough showing against South Florida, but a healthier group played well in the 42-10 drubbing of the Badgers.
Still, it wasn’t enough to satisfy offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic. He invoked a famous Nick Saban line while chatting with reporters on Thursday.
“The minute you start feeling good about yourself, you’ve heard the Rat Poison word around here, right?” Kapilovic said. “You got problems. A lot of the same people that were telling them they weren’t any good, are patting them on the back right now. None of that means anything.”
The Alabama offense looked mostly stagnant against USF until late in the game. That changed against Wisconsin, as the Crimson Tide was able to break the Badgers with explosive plays throughout the game.
Rather than having to deal with constant duress, quarterback Jalen Milroe had time to operate, and the results showed. Alabama put up 407 yards of total offense, avoided the penalties that plagued it against USF and looked far more competent across the board.
Health was a big reason for the improvement. After injuring his shoulder in pregame warmups for the season opener, Kadyn Proctor made his first appearance of the year at left tackle.
That allowed Tyler Booker to slide back over to left guard. Elijah Pritchett took over at right tackle.
“It’s great to have those guys,” Kapilovic said. “We’re getting close to 100%. A couple guys went out there and played through some pain and injury, and we appreciate that from them. But, it was good to get those five together and get them playing together, for sure.”
Next up, Alabama’s toughest challenge yet. After a bye week, Georgia, ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll and No. 2 in the AP media top 25, is coming to Tuscaloosa.
The game is a measuring stick for the Tide, a first demonstration of whether Kalen DeBoer’s team is still among the elites of college football. Kapilovic praised the Bulldogs, noting how good UGA’s defensive personnel and coaching are.
But in the leadup to the game, he’s more focused on the Tide’s group.
“The opponent matters, but ultimately it’s about us,” Kapilovic said. “How hard we work every day. How hard we work to improve our technique in all the different schemes we have. How much time do I put into it so I make sure that I know what I’m doing and I’m prepared to do it. And if you’re constantly pushing yourself, like I said, striving for perfection, to play at a high level, then game day will take care of itself.”
Alabama and Georgia are scheduled to face off at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The game will be aired on ABC.
