10 Takeaways: Alabama Crimson Tide through five weeks of play

The Alabama Crimson Tide will have two bye weeks this season and today, Kyle Henderson of BamaInsider.com provides 10 takeaways from Alabama's first five games of the season.

Looking at the overall metrics from five games completed to 15 games last season, a lot of the numbers are going to be skewed because there is a difference of 10 games played, however, we can see right away that the offense has been more productive through the air throwing for 57.0 yards per game compared to last season and from this, the rushing game yardages has taken a dip.

The Crimson’s Tide’s 2019 offense is also scoring 51.8 points per game through five weeks compared to the season average of 46.60 through 15 games last season, then again, the Crimson Tide’s 2018 offense was scoring 54.2 points per game during their first five games of the season. Overall from the offense, there really is not too big of a difference year over year.

When we look at the defense Alabama’s offense overall is allowing just 5-yards more per game, allowing three points less per game, and the overall rushing, as well as the passing defense, is floating around the same averages, nothing to get to worked up about.

However these last two categories are very interesting: The 2019 team is averaging 8.13 more penalty yards per game compared to last year’s team which is not good, but the red-zone offense scoring touchdown average is up by seven percent, which is very important.

Through the first five games of the 2019 season, Tua Tagovailoa has put up a performance for the ages and college football fans have almost come accustomed to his greatness. In just five games this season, Tagovailoa has thrown for 1,718-yards with 23 touchdowns and 0 interceptions and has a passer rating of 95.9.

Tagovailoa just threw six touchdowns against Ole Miss which was a school record and is now accountable for the most touchdowns scored in a career at Alabama with 86 surpassing former Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron who is now second on the list with 80. The most mind-blowing stat, Tagovailoa scored 86 touchdowns in 27 games, McCarron scored 80 in 77 career games.

Can anything slow down this Alabama offense?

In total, Alabama is averaging 555.0-yards per game and scoring 51.8 points per game. To pair with Tagovailoa, his three go-to receivers are a nightmare for the opposition. Jerry Jeudy has hauled in 38 receptions for 488-yards with six touchdowns, DeVonta Smith has 31 receptions for 537-yards with eight touchdowns, and Henry Ruggs II has 17 receptions for 361-yards with four touchdowns.

While the offense as a whole is responsible for the offensive efficiency through five games, it's the receiver's playmaking ability that is putting big points up on the scoreboard.

The vulnerabilities of this team are Shane Lee and Christian Harris, the two freshmen that now start at inside linebacker for Alabama’s defense. Losing senior Joshua McMillon and junior Dylan Moses both to ACL injuries before the start of the season were monumental blows to the defense. Moses was the defensive leader, the signal-caller, the leading tackler during the 2018 season, and the Alpha on defense.

While Lee and Harris have continued to improve weekly, Saban has mentioned several times this season that there is no substitute for experience and learning to play in big-time football games on the fly is tough to do. On the season, Lee has 30 tackles which is second on the team, Harris has 24 tackles with three tackles for a loss.

In case you missed it, earlier this week we compiled a complete snap count overview for the entire freshmen class. Click here to view that story. Below is a look at the snap counts and stats of the seven true freshmen that have started this season.

Evan Neal - Left Guard

Games started: 5

vs. Duke | Snaps: 68

vs. NMSU | Snaps: 55

vs. South Carolina | Snaps: 58

vs. Southern Miss | Snaps: 53

vs. Ole Miss: Snaps: 57

Season Stats: 288 snaps with 5 games started

Can he still red-shirt this season: No

Shane Lee - Inside linebacker

Games started: 3

vs. Duke | Snaps: 49

vs. NMSU | Snaps: 38

vs. South Carolina: 75

vs. Southern Miss | Snaps: 54

vs. Ole Miss: Snaps: 85

Season Stats: 30 tackles, 2 for loss, 1 sack

Can he still red-shirt this season: No

Christian Harris - Inside linebacker

Games started: 5

vs. Duke | Snaps: 39

vs. NMSU | Snaps: 14

vs. South Carolina | Snaps: 41

vs. Southern Miss | Snaps: 20

vs. Ole Miss Snaps | 65

Season Stats: 24 tackles, 3 for loss

Can he still red-shirt this season: No

DJ Dale - Defensive Tackle

Games started: 5

vs. Duke | Snaps: 34

vs. NMSU | Snaps: 31

vs. South Carolina | Snaps: 51

vs. Southern Miss | Snaps: 23

vs. Ole Miss | Snaps: 39

Season Stats: 10 tackles, 2 for loss

Can he still red-shirt this season: No

Will Reichard - Kicker

Games started: 4

vs. Duke | 0-2

vs. NMSU | 2-2

vs. South Carolina | 2-3

vs. Southern Miss | 0-0

vs. Ole Miss: DNP

Season Stats: 4 for 7 on FGs this season

Can he still red-shirt this season: Yes

Jordan Battle - Safety

Games started: 2

vs. Duke | Snaps: 9

vs. NMSU | Snap: 52

vs. South Carolina | Snaps: 30

vs. Southern Miss | Snaps: 38

vs. Ole Miss: Snaps: 22

Season Stats: 12 tackles, 1 int

Can he still red-shirt this season: No

Justin Eboigbe - Defensive End

Games started: 2

vs. Duke: Snaps: DNP

vs. NMSU | Snaps: DNP

vs. South Carolina | Snaps:34

vs. Southern Miss | Snaps: 34

vs. Ole Miss: Snaps: 48

Season Stats: 5 tackles

Can he still red-shirt this season: Yes

To view complete snap counts of the 19 freshmen that have played this season, click here

The Crimson Tide’s front end schedule has been soft which has allowed for freshmen starters to gain experience on defense and has allowed for Alabama to develop a strong rhythm on offense with first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. The Crimson Tide’s opponents record through five games is: 9-15 and the Crimson Tide has yet to face a top 25 team this season. Alabama will face their first top 25 team on October 12 taking on Texas A&M who is ranked No. 25 in the Country. Following that game, Alabama will host (1-3) Tennessee on October 19 and (2-3) Arkansas on October 26.

The back-end of Alabama’s schedule looks daunting. The first true test for the Crimson Tide will come from No. 5 ranked LSU on November 9 at Bryant-Denny Stadium. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has very comparable numbers to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa throwing for 1,520-yards with 17 touchdowns this season with just two interceptions and has a passer rating of 93.4.

The Tigers have not beaten Alabama since 2011, but throw out the records and everything you know when these two teams get onto the field as its an SEC rivalry with two of the best teams in the nation going head to head. The Crimson Tide then has what we’ll call a trap game against Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi on November 16, then has Western Carolina, before taking a trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium where they will face off with No. 7 Auburn in the 2019 Iron Bowl.

The Tigers beat Alabama just two seasons ago at Jordan-Hare winning 26-14. If Alabama should survive that back-end gauntlet, it's highly likely that an undefeated No. 3 Georgia is waiting for the Crimson Tide in Atlanta, Georgia on December 7 for another showdown for the SEC Championship game.

Here are the stats through five games regarding Alabama’s kickers. We’ll start with Skyler DeLong at punter. On the season, DeLong has punted eight times for 271-yards which is just an average of 33.0-yards per punt with two of those punts hitting inside the 20-yard line. Freshmen Will Reichard has punted three times for 119-yards which is an average of 39.7 per punt and has kicked off 29 times this season with 22 touchbacks.

Field goals continue to be an issue for Alabama. Reichard is 4 of 7 this season which is just 57%, he is 2 for 2 from 20-29-yards out, but is 2 for 4 from 40-49-yards out. Joseph Bulovas who kicked two field goals against Ole Miss in week five was 1 of 2.

It was a monster land for Nick Saban and Alabama football. Bryce Young is a very talented west coast quarterback that will add to the quarterback room in 2020, but the looming question for next season remains: Who will start at quarterback for the Crimson Tide once Tua has left the program. While Young will most certainly have an opportunity, so will Mac Jones, Taulia Tagovailoa, and Paul Tyson,

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