Following an open week, No. 1 Alabama returns to action Saturday as it travels to No. 24 Texas A&M for its first game against a ranked opponent this season. The Crimson Tide (5-0, 2-0 in the SEC) is currently a 17-point favorite over the Aggies (3-2, 1-1), according to VegasInsider.com.
Today, we will break down where Alabama stands heading into this week’s game by providing three observations, two questions and one prediction.
THREE OBSERVATIONS
Alabama needs to improve its QB contain against Kellen Mond
Alabama has experienced both sides of Kellen Mond’s dual-threat ability behind center. During his freshman season in 2017, the Texas A&M quarterback completed 19 of 27 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception against a stout Crimson Tide defense. Last year, he flashed his running ability, gashing Alabama for 98 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
“Kellen Mond does a really, really good job of executing their offense,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. "He’s very capable of making every throw that he needs to make as well as can make plays with his feet as a runner. He played really well against us last year, so we have a lot of respect for him as a player. I think that his total understanding of what they’re trying to do has enhanced his performance to some degree.”
Mond’s running ability is especially concerning for Alabama considering it allowed Ole Miss freshman quarterback John Rhys Plumlee to rush for 109 yards and a touchdown two weeks ago.
“It’s obviously something that we need to do better,” Saban said of his team’s ability to contain the quarterback. “I think it’s player awareness. We certainly try to do those things on a daily basis and try to emphasize those things on a daily basis, but it still comes back to that same word that we talked about earlier.
“Players have to be disciplined in doing their job. If you’re a contain rusher, you’ve got to contain the quarterback. You can’t be coming underneath. You’ve got to keep the proper leverage on the guy. Give the opportunity to push the pocket in the middle. That’s something that we definitely have focused on and need to improve on.”
