Jedrick Wills has Tua Tagovailoa's back on blindside protection
Free 30-day free trial subscription to BamaInsider.com!
10 things we learned about Alabama after it rolled past Louisiana-Lafayette
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama’s offensive line still needs work, but Tua Tagovailoa’s blindside is in better shape than ever. The Crimson Tide has failed at times to generate the necessary push in the run game although, when it comes to protecting its prized passer, the line has had his back.
Alabama is tied for No. 9 in the nation allowing just four sacks through its first five games. That production is a testament to a recent improvement from the Crimson Tide’s starting offensive line. After allowing a combined 13 quarterback hurries and 16 quarterback pressures over its first three games, the starting line gave up just two hurries and four pressures combined against Texas A&M and Louisiana-Lafayette.
Nowhere has that improvement been more noticeable than at right tackle where sophomore Jedrick Wills Jr. hasn’t allowed a pressure or a hurry the past two weeks after giving up a combined seven pressures and seven hurries in back-to-back games against Arkansas State and Ole Miss.
“He's a physical, aggressive player,” head coach Nick Saban said. “I think he's much more confident in knowing what to do, how to do it, why it's important to do it that way. His mental errors have gone way down and he's played very physical. I think both of our tackles have played really well so far this year.”