The Alabama football program is moving into uncharted waters this season. Legendary head coach Nick Saban retired after last season’s playoffs concluded, and the Georgia Bulldogs are threatening to take over the role of top dog in the SEC.
Kirby Smart’s players over in Athens are hungry to start a dynasty of their own, and after spending so many years playing second fiddle to the Tide in the SEC, they are ready to flip the script. Alabama's football team has long been considered the crown jewel of college football dynasties, but they are in for a fight to maintain that status.
Alabama hired former University of Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer, who will now have to face the unenviable challenge of filling the massive shoes Nick Saban left behind.
Justice Haynes is Alabama's X-factor
The Alabama Crimson Tide are at their best when they are relentlessly running the ball and physically punishing the defense.
This style of play perfectly encapsulates the mentality that Nick Saban instilled over many years as the Alabama football coach. Alabama brings the mentality to every game that they will physically dominate their opponents. This achieves multiple goals. First, Alabama is able to physically wear down the other team. This approach pays dividends, especially late in the fourth quarter when everything is on the line. It also allows Bama to control the clock and limit scoring opportunities for the other team.
Saban’s rosters frequently feature at least two if not three running backs who are capable of churning out yards on the ground. Most defenses only have one starter and one quality backup. This means that when the defense is worn out and tired towards the end of the game, Bama can bring in a fresh running back to continue delivering punishment.
Icing the game in the fourth quarter by dominating on the ground is a crucial capability and one of the hallmarks of championship contenders. It has also become a hallmark of Alabama football during the Saban era. Haynes will be critical to maintaining that dominance as Alabama football transitions to a new era.
The new Alabama football coach also likes to run the ball. While at Washington, the style of offense DeBoer emphasized helped star running back Dillon Johnson secure a 1000-yard rushing season.
DeBoer gave Johnson enough opportunities to tote the rock to reach 1000 yards, despite having one of the most prolific passers in all of college football. Michael Penix Jr. was lethal through the air and a much better passer than Milroe. Yet, the team still relied on Johnson to set the tone early and take some pressure off of Penix Jr. and the team's star wide receiver room.
Hayes does exactly what the Alabama football program wants from their running backs: He runs with aggression and sets the tone for his team. This is imperative to the style of offense Alabama wants to employ. The Crimson Tide want to hit the opponents in the mouth early and often, establishing their dominance right from the outset. Along with discipline, one of the cornerstones of Alabama football is to be the most physical of the two teams on the field.
With Haynes leading away, Alabama can play their preferred style of smashmouth football.
Haynes was buried on the depth chart last year
Haynes has talent, but he didn’t get to demonstrate his ability for long stretches last season. He was buried towards the bottom of the team’s depth chart, typically at the third or fourth spot and sometimes lower. He didn’t get a ton of carries or opportunities to make plays out of the backfield.
In terms of yards per carry, though, Haynes was the best running back on Alabama's roster. He’s a compact player who stays low to the ground and has a very physical style of running. He’s at his best running between the tackles, with the power to break tackles from linebackers and even linemen. He has the speed and shiftiness to cut to the outside when a running lane presents itself and break away from the defense for an explosive gain.
Because he was buried deep on Alabama’s depth chart last season, Haynes didn’t get a ton of opportunities to carry the ball. Despite this, he made the most of his chances. When his number was called, though, he racked up 168 rushing yards on just 25 carries, good for an average of 6.7 yards per carry. He also recorded two touchdowns on the ground.
Milroe is a talented quarterback, but he’s inconsistent and struggles at times in the passing game. However, a dynamic running back can be a quarterback's best friend. Haynes will be able to take some of the pressure off of Milroe by running the rock with consistency and giving the defense something else to think about.
Together, Milroe and Haynes will make the game easier for each other. While Milroe is talented, he struggles at times when he’s too much on his plate. A struggling quarterback who commits turnovers is not something that any team wants, which is why it’s imperative that Alabama does everything possible to make the game easy for their signal caller.
Haynes will go a long way toward achieving this goal, which is another reason why he is a critical x-factor for Alabama's offense this season.
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