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Alabama has bigger games ahead, but this week is all about finishing. The Crimson Tide will look to wrap up a perfect regular season as it heads to Fayetteville, Ark. for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff Saturday. Alabama (9-0) is currently a 32.5-point favorite over Arkansas (3-6).
Today we will dive into some of the matchup’s storylines by providing three observations, two questions and one prediction.
THREE OBSERVATIONS
Saban expects full staff against Arkansas
Alabama was a bit short-staffed last week as cornerbacks coach Karl Scott, defensive line coach Freddie Roach, outside linebackers coach Sal Sunseri and receivers coach Holmon Wiggins were all unable to travel with the team to Baton Rouge, La.
When asked Wednesday night, Saban said he expects to have each of the assistants back in time for this week’s game against Arkansas.
“I think we’ll get a couple guys back before the end of the week, and I think we’ll get a couple guys back on Friday,” Saban said. “So I do think we’ll have the coaches back.”
Alabama managed just fine without the quartet of assistants, beating LSU 55-17. New NCAA rules allowed the Tide to promote some of its analysts to on-field roles as defensive analysts Charlie Strong and Nick Perry filled in. Still, Alabama linebacker Dylan Moses called the adjustment a “big challenge” following the game.
“You know, stuff happens, and everybody just keeps on keeping on because a lot of things happen,” Saban said following the game. “... I think when you have good culture on your team and you establish that culture with your team, they can adapt and adjust to things that don’t go exactly like they expect it to. We certainly had a lot of opportunities to learn how to do that this season.”
Saban, who missed the Auburn game due to COVID-19, also took time Wednesday to talk about the plasma treatment he received after testing positive for the virus. The head coach said the procedure worked wonders toward his recovery and that he plans on donating his own plasma to help fight the virus once he is eligible to do so.
“I think it’s important that people really understand how helpful this can be,” Saban said of the treatment. “And I know if you’ve had this disease and you have immunity to it or whatever, you can give your blood plasma. It might help some other people who are being affected by this, and I know that we don’t have enough of it to go around.
“As soon as I’m eligible to be able to do that, I’m going to do it. I’m going to give my blood plasma so it really can help somebody else so that maybe they don’t have the issues and problems that can create some really serious sickness, sometimes fatalities.”
Landon Dickerson discusses now-famous flop
Mac Jones might be labeled “The Joker,” but lately Landon Dickerson has been generating the laughs for Alabama. The blue-collared lineman, who sports a railroad tie as the front bumper of his car, was up to his typical antics against LSU.
Never shy to block until the echoes of the whistle, Dickerson has a way of getting under opponents’ skin during games. Against the Tigers, that came complete with a few gestures and some questionable acting.
