The University of Alabama football program hired Lane Kiffin as their offensive coordinator so he would implement the hurry-up no-huddle offense in Tuscaloosa. With the talent that the Tide has returning on offense, this is the wrong time to deviate from their pro-style ways.
The Tide had a disappointing season according to Alabama standards in 2013, finishing with an 11-2 record and a Sugar Bowl loss to Oklahoma. Their offense was led by senior quarterback A.J. McCarron who passed for 3,063 yards and 28 touchdowns.
Why 2014 Is The Wrong Time For Alabama To Go To The No-Huddle Offense
McCarron has graduated and now head coach Nick Saban and Kiffin are tasked with finding his replacement. Whoever lines up under center in August when Alabama takes on West Virginia will be surrounded by as much skill position talent as any team in the country.
The Tide will have possibly the top running back duo in the nation in 2014 in TJ Yeldon and Derrick Henry. Yeldon rushed for 1,235 yards in 2013 while Henry added 382 yards. Henry averaged 10.9 yards per rush in 2013. The 6’3″, 238-pound running back had 100 yards rushing on eight carries and a 61 yard touchdown reception in the Sugar Bowl.
O.J. Howard returns for his sophomore season at tight end, after catching 14 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns in 2013. He will be one of the top tight ends in the nation in 2014 and will compete for All-SEC and All-American honors.
The Tide returns wide receiver Amari Cooper, Christian Jones, Kenny Bell and DeAndrew White. The four receivers combined for 127 receptions for 2,005 yards with 11 touchdowns.
The Alabama offensive line returns four of their starters off a unit that paved the way for 205 rushing yards per game. The Tide offense is ready for a quarterback to step in and take the reigns.
When McCarron took over the starting job in 2011 Saban eased him into the position with 23 passing attempts in his first start. The Alabama offense would run the ball and pass when needed. It success or failure of the Crimson Tide was not dependent on the quarterback.
Saban cut his teeth in the NFL were games were won by running the ball and playing tough defense. He has molded the Alabama program in the image of a successful NFL franchise. The Tide consistently wins games because of their tremendous defense and dominant running game.
That should not be any different in 2014 with Yeldon and Henry returning. Yeldon is already recognized as one of the top running backs in the country. Henry has the potential to be the Heisman Trophy winner in 2014. He is a collegiate version of Steven Jackson.
Alabama can win games in 2014 by handing the ball off to their talented running backs and throwing the occasional play-action pass. There is no reason to try to change what has been working for years. Saban’s philosophy is to control the line of scrimmage, control the clock and wear teams down.
The no-huddle offense is on the opposite side of the spectrum from that philosophy. It emphasizes increasing the pace of the game in order to generate as many offensive snaps as possible. No-huddle or hurry-up offenses excel at lightning quick scoring drives that take less than a minute. Saban prefers to bleed a clock down and shorten the game.
With a brand new quarterback under center, it behooves an offense to control the number of offensive snaps and limit the opportunities for a mistake on offense. The Tide would be best served by sticking with their roots and riding their running game to victory.
In 2015 when Alabama has a quarterback with a year of experience under his belt and Yeldon has moved onto the NFL, then a hurry-up spread offense will accentuate Alabama’s strengths by spreading the field for Henry to work. That is not the case in 2014 though. Alabama should stick with the pro-set while they allow their quarterbacks to gain some experience.
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