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Monday Morning QB: Steve Sarkisian shines in fill-in performance

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No Nick Saban, no problem. Even without its head coach on the sidelines over the weekend, No. 1 Alabama experienced little difficulty in its 42-13 win over Auburn.

Now that we’ve had enough time to process the victory, let’s break down what went right and what went wrong. Welcome back to Monday Morning Quarterback where we revisit key sequences, evaluate players and analyze trends in Alabama’s performance.

GOOD: Steve Sarkisian’s fill-in performance

“Marvelous.”

That’s the word Saban used to sum up his staff’s coaching performance during his absence.

Sure, “Thunderstruck” had a different feel to it as offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian led the Tide onto the field in Bryant-Denny Stadium in replacement of Saban. Senior Day was a little weird too without Saban in attendance. However, from the time the first whistle blew, the head coach’s absence wasn’t too noticeable.

“Sark did a nice job of managing things, and I sat here and felt a little hopeless,” Saban said from his home following the game. “But I could see things and yell at things and listen to Miss Terry cheer downstairs. It’s a little different. But it still feels good to win.”

With Saban out of the picture, Sarkisian was tasked with typical in-game duties such as calling timeouts and making key situational decisions. Those were few and far between in a game that was all but over toward the end of the second quarter. The added workload didn’t get in the way of Sarkisian’s offensive play-calling as the Tide scored touchdowns on three of its first four possessions before putting things into cruise control in the second half.

Don’t get it wrong, Alabama players still missed Saban. Mac Jones said as much, stating the head coach has a way of keeping him calm on the sideline. Although, whatever Sarkisian told the quarterback must have worked just fine as Jones ripped apart the Tigers’ secondary for 302 yards and a career-high five touchdowns through the air.

“Sark did a really good job,” Jones said. “I mean, it’s not easy to go in there calling plays and managing a rivalry game, and I think he obviously did a great job too. Kudos to him. We were really fired up before the game and our energy was good. Everything seemed decently normal.”

BAD: Alabama’s time of possession 

After his response following the game against Kentucky, no one dared ask Saban about time of possession over the weekend. Although, for a second straight game, Alabama found itself without the ball for long periods of time.

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Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian walks around Bryant-Denny Stadium before the game with Texas A&M. Photo | Imagn
Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian walks around Bryant-Denny Stadium before the game with Texas A&M. Photo | Imagn
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