On3 Primer: Previewing Alabama’s Week 6 road game at Texas A&M
No. 11 Alabama will travel to College Station, Texas to take on Texas A&M on Saturday, Oct. 7, for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff at Kyle Field. The SEC West matchup between the Crimson Tide and Aggies will air on CBS with Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson and Jenny Dell on the call. Check out this three-section preview to get ready for the sixth game on Alabama’s schedule.
THREE STORYLINES TO MONITOR
1. Tide readies for trench warfare
The Crimson Tide offensive line, as a whole, was much better in pass protection this past week, especially at the tackle positions. True freshman Kadyn Proctor, who mans the left tackle spot, had his best outing to date after a rocky start to his collegiate career. The upward trend for the offensive line comes at an ideal time ahead of a tough matchup against a Texas A&M defensive front that has caused havoc next up. The Aggies have recorded 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks in each of their first two SEC games, making for a difficult road test.
“This is the kind of challenge that defines who you are as a competitor, as a player, as a person, and you should embrace these kinds of challenges when you play against really good players like this,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Thursday. “And then we’ve got to do some things to help them.
“We can’t always leave open edges for people to just get two yards outside the tackle that can speed rush and beat him up the field and all that. And the quarterbacks got to do a good job of managing himself in the pocket, when he steps up, how fast he gets rid of the ball. So all these things are important, but it’s gonna be important that we have a solid pocket in this game.”
2. Homecoming game for Milroe
Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe will make the sixth start of his career, but Saturday will be the Katy, Texas, native’s first game action back in his home state. Milroe has, however, faced A&M before, earning his first start against the Aggies last season in place of an injured Bryce Young. This year’s team has been effective at pressuring the quarterback (20 sacks) and is second in the SEC in passing defense (157.6 ypg), but Milroe has been efficient to begin league play, completing 81.8 percent of his passes the last two weeks. It will be key for him to continue to play well, take care of the football and also make plays with his legs.
“I just met with Jalen, and I told him the same thing,” Saban said on The Pat McAfee Show. “I said, ‘Just because you’re going back to Texas, that doesn’t mean you’ve got to do something different. You’ve just got to play your game fundamentally, do what you’re supposed to do so that gives you the best chance to be successful.’”
3. Familiar foe following QB change
Texas A&M lost its starting quarter, Conner Weigman, to a season-ending injury, and that led to Max Johnson making his first start as an Aggie last week against Arkansas. He threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 57 yards, all of which were career-highs, in the win in Arlington, Texas. Johnson transferred to A&M last year after two seasons at LSU, and in those first two years, he saw the field against Alabama, combining for 270 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while completing 55 percent of his passes in a pair of losses to the Tide. Even with a change at quarterback, though, the Aggies’ offense hasn’t.
“He’s a good player,” Saban said of Johnson. “He’s got a lot of experience. He’s smart. He makes good decisions. He’s been in the system with Jimbo (Fisher) for a long time. So he’s a veteran player. The quarterback that got hurt was a very good player, but he’s a very, very good player. He’s played well against us in the past. We have a lot of respect for him.
“I don’t really see a lot of a difference in their ability to be productive and use their weapons they have to run the ball effectively as well as do a good job of passing it.”
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH
1. Trezmen Marshall, LB
Marshall was the signal-caller for the Alabama defense this past week at Mississippi State with Deontae Lawson (ankle) missing the game. Lawson’s status is still to be determined, although the linebacker has been able to practice this week. But regardless of his teammate’s availability, Marshall will see plenty of the field as the Mike linebacker. He’s coming off a successful road start and will be key in not only pressuring Johnson but keeping the A&M run game, which uses three backs – Le’Veon Moss, Amari Daniels and Rueben Owens – in check.
2. Jase McClellan, RB
McClellan is another Texas native, though he made it clear that “fortunately” no one in his family has ties to A&M. A product of Aledo, Texas, three hours north of College Station, McClellan is Alabama’s leading rusher through the first weeks of the season and ranks eighth in the SEC in rushing yards with 326 on 67 carries. He and the rest of the Tide running backs will be facing a formidable Aggie front, but a lot of these same players gave up 286 yards a season ago. Jahmyr Gibbs led the way in 2022, but McClellan is the top back now.
3. Malachi Moore, DB
Through the first month of the 2023 campaign, an argument can be made for Moore as the UA defensive MVP. The senior has been all over the field in addition to relaying the calls to the rest of the secondary. But he will be challenged this week as he is likely to match up with Texas A&M wideout Ainias Smith, who missed last year’s meeting due to injury but has had plenty to say this week. Smith is a Swiss Army Knife that can cause problems for a defense, and Moore has played well. This could be one of the top individual matchups of the game.
THREE NOTES TO KEEP IN MIND
1. October dominance under Saban
Alabama head coach Nick Saban has been dominant in the month of October during his time in Tuscaloosa. Saban has compiled a 55-4 (.932) mark, including a 31-0 record at home and a 24-4 mark on the road. His first October loss at the helm of the Crimson Tide came in 2010 at South Carolina, followed by a loss in 2014 at Ole Miss. His third October loss came at Texas A&M on Oct. 9, 2021, with a fourth loss at Tennessee on Oct. 15 of the 2022 campaign. For his career, Saban is 84-19 (.816) in October, including a 3-1 mark at Toledo, a 12-8 record at Michigan State and a 12-6 stretch at LSU in addition to his time with the Crimson Tide.
2. Cornerback duo locking it down
Cornerbacks Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold are two of the top-graded defensive backs, according to Pro Football Focus. Among players who have been in coverage on 80 percent of their snaps this fall, McKinstry has graded out eighth nationally, with Arnold close behind in 19th. McKinstry has been targeted 16 times in five games, allowing 81 total yards. Arnold is fourth nationally in forced incompletions (6) while allowing 11 receptions on 24 targets (45.8 percent). His 45.3 passer rating on targets is also 11th in the country.
3. A&M defense keeping it (under) 100
The Aggies’ defense has not allowed an opponent to get over 100 yards through the air and on the ground in the same game this season, most recently limiting Arkansas to just 172 yards of total offense, including 42 yards on the ground. A&M ranks 21st in the nation in rushing defense (96.2 ypg) and has given up just one rushing touchdown all year. In addition to holding down the Hogs, the Aggies were successful in limiting the run game early this season, holding both New Mexico (91) and Miami (77) to less than 100 rushing yards.
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