The circled week on the calendar has finally arrived. Since the SEC announced the dates of this season’s schedule last December, the countdown has been on for this week’s game between No. 4 Alabama and No. 2 Georgia. We’ll have all week to discuss the upcoming marquee matchup in Bryant-Denny Stadium. But before the Crimson Tide begins preparations for the Bulldogs, it’s time to take one last look in the mirror.

It’s been smooth sailing for Kalen Deboer, as Alabama rolled to blowout wins over Western Kentucky (63-0), South Florida (42-16) and Wisconsin (42-10) during his first three games at the helm. Heading into this weekend, the Crimson Tide ranked in the top 25 in total offense (No. 25, 466.7 yards per game), scoring offense (No. 7, 49 points per game), total defense (No. 19, 248 yards per game) and scoring defense (tied for No. 12, 8.7 points per game).

Those are the stats of a playoff-caliber team, especially in this year’s expanded field. But will DeBoer and company be able to navigate the harsher waters that lie ahead in Alabama’s SEC slate?

In this week’s column, I'll grade each of the Tide’s position groups before the team moves into the meat of its schedule. With that said, pull out your red pen, pour yourself a drink and let’s dive in.

Those big guys up front are going to be a pain to get past, so be patient and make sure to stay in your lanes.

Alabama will have its hands full dealing with Nazir Stackhouse, Mykel Williams and the rest of Georgia’s fearsome defensive front. That’s a scary bunch, but the most intimidating line next weekend will be the one outside of Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Alabama’s campus will be flooded over, as national pregame shows buoy their sets between seas of crimson and white and incoming waves of red and black. However, it’s the tinge of orange that will truly stir up the storm.

Former president Donald Trump’s decision to attend next weekend’s game will bring even more chaos to an already-hectic pregame environment. So prepare carefully. And if you’re planning on making it inside Bryant-Denny Stadium by kickoff, come early.

I’m not looking forward to dealing with next weekend’s security, but we’ll tackle that nightmare when the time comes. Today, I’m enjoying my last few moments of serenity with a refreshing, classic — the Aperol Spritz.

This Italian cocktail features a bittersweet blend of flavors and is a perfect way to wash away your worries. Even better, it’s a breeze to stir up.

Our friends at Session Cocktails make it by adding 3 ounces of prosecco, 2 ounces of Aperol and 1 ounce of soda water into a glass with ice. From there, give it a stir and garnish with an orange slice.

Cheers!

(Commercial break: My drink of the week section is now sponsored by my friends at Session Cocktails in Tuscaloosa. Session has been a mainstay in Tuscaloosa’s cocktail scene since 2019 and offers some of the tastiest drinks in town. Stop by and tell them I said hi!)

QB — B+

He still has room to grow, but where would Alabama be without Jalen Milroe? Well, probably still 3-0. Nevertheless, the redshirt junior is a touchdown machine and has played a part in 14 of the Tide’s 21 trips to the end zone this season.

Milroe still needs to mature as a passer. And maybe we’ll never see him dominate in the intermediate passing game. But that doesn’t mean he can’t still be effective.

Heading into this weekend, he ranked No. 3 in the nation with a 213.39 passer rating. That comes as he’s completed 67.3% of his passes for 590 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception. Those numbers, paired with his 156 yards and six scores on the ground, present plenty of problems for opposing defenses.

Backup quarterback Ty Simpson has looked solid in his limited reps. However, he hasn’t done anything to influence the unit’s grade one way or another.

RB — A

A combination of shared reps and Milroe scrambles have limited the Tide’s rushing totals, but Alabama’s backs have made the most of their opportunities with the ball.

Jam Miller is practically averaging a first down per carry with a team-high 9.14 yards per attempt. Justice Haynes isn’t far behind, averaging 8.68 yards per carry. Together those two have seven combined runs of 20 or more yards.

Haynes also leads the team with an 84.0 pass blocking grade, according to Pro Football Focus. Miller is a bit behind him, but still has a respectable 67.5 grade, a vast improvement over last year’s 50.8 mark. The duo has yet to influence heavily in the receiving game, but that’s largely due to lack of targets.

WR — A

Alabama’s receiving corps has been celebrated for its big-play ability. And with its top three targets all averaging 15 or more yards per catch, that’s a good place to start. Freshman Ryan Williams leads the SEC with 28.5 yards per catch. Washington transfer Germie Bernard is averaging 15.63 yards per reception, while fellow junior Kobe Prentice isn’t far behind at 15.4 yards per grab.

The unit has also done an excellent job of holding on to anything thrown its way. According to PFF, Alabama’s wide receivers have recorded just one dropped pass 49 targets this season. The lone blemish was from backup Rico Scott, who failed to secure an inconsequential pass from Ty Simpson during the fourth quarter of the opener against Western Kentucky.

Alabama’s receivers have also been effective without the ball. The unit has adopted first-year assistant JaMarcus Shephard’s blue-collar approach and has utilized that in the blocking game. According to PFF, Williams ranks third on the team with a 75.5 run-blocking mark. He’s joined by Bernard (63.7) and Kendrick Law (61.1), who have both done well to open up running lanes on the perimeter.

TE — B+

Speaking of solid blocking, Alabama’s tight ends earn a nice grade despite accounting for just six combined receptions this season. While the Tide hasn’t targeted its tight ends much, the unit has handled much of the dirty work on offense.

Three of Alabama’s top five run-blockers come from the tight end unit, as Danny Lewis Jr. leads the team with a 79.7 grade, while starter C.J. Dippre is in second with a 77.1 mark and Robbie Ouzts sits at fifth with a 70.6 rating.

As for receiving production, Washington transfer Josh Cuevas reeled in a 37-yard touchdown against Wisconsin last weekend. Look for Alabama to get him and the rest of the unit more involved as it opens its offense a bit more during SEC play.

OL — C+

The disasterclass performance against South Florida (eight penalties and 10 allowed pressures) tanks this grade quite a bit, but Alabama’s big uglies were able to bounce back against Wisconsin last week. The Tide was flagged for just two false starts against the Badgers and only allowed Milroe to face 3 pressures.

Kadyn Proctor missed the first two weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, while Elijah Pritchett was heavily limited during the Tide’s Week 2 struggles against South Florida. Now that the five-star tackle duo is back to full health, we should begin to see steady improvement from the line.

DL — A

I debated whether to include LT Overton here or with the edge rushers. Since the Texas A&M transfer practices with the rest of the defensive linemen, they get to claim his production on the grade sheet.

After a slow start to his career with the Aggies, Overton has lived up to his five-star potential following his move to Alabama. The 6-foot-5, 283-pound defender leads the team with 13 quarterback pressures, and has recorded a sack and a forced fumble.

Tim Keenan III is tied for second on the team with six pressures, and that comes despite having to fend off double-teams at the nose tackle position. Keenan, 6-foot-2, 326 pounds, has the bulk to eat up running lanes but is still quick enough to disrupt passers up the middle. The extra attention he and Overton draw, opens up pass rushing opportunities for the rest of Alabama’s front seven.

Alabama’s depth also contributes to its dominance up front. Jah-Marien Latham, Tim Smith, Damon Payne and Jehiem Oatis form a solid rotation which keeps the unit fresh throughout games.

Edge— B+

Redshirt freshman Qua Russaw has started all three games at the Wolf position, but redshirt senior Que Robinson has been the alpha of the unit when it comes to pass rushing. Robinson leads the team with three sacks despite taking part in just 29 pass-rushing stats. That’s contributed to a team-high 90.3 defensive grade from PFF.

Meanwhile, Russaw has excelled at setting the edge, posting a solid 80.9 grade in run defense. Russaw suffered an ankle injury against Wisconsin. If he’s forced to miss any time, Alabama will need to find another Wolf capable of chasing down ball carriers on the perimeter. That being said, the unit has shown it has several quality options at its disposal.

ILB — B+

Jihaad Campbell has been Alabama’s most consistent defender, leading the Tide in tackles in all three of its games. The junior has 28 stops, including 2.5 for a loss with 0.5 sacks. He also leads the team with an 81.0 coverage grade from PFF.

Fellow starting inside linebacker Deontae Lawson has also been solid, tallying 21 stops to go with a pair of pass breakups and a forced fumble. Like Lawson, he’s also been solid in coverage in addition to chasing defenders down.

Still, the unit has some room for improvement before I’m ready to hand out an A. While Alabama’s inside backers have racked up tackles, they’ve missed their gaps a few times which has led to some big gains on the ground. Backup Justin Jefferson has also racked up a team-high four missed tackles, according to PFF. Mistakes like those will become more obvious if they continue to occur against SEC opposition.

CB — B+

Alabama leads the nation, allowing opponents to average just 3.2 yards per passing attempt. That’s not bad for a secondary that lost both of its starting cornerbacks to the NFL this offseason.

Southern California transfer Domani Jackson is putting together a quietly impressive start to the season, holding opposing passers to one reception for 7 yards on seven passes thrown his way. True freshman Zabien Brown has also impressed in his three starts, allowing two receptions for 24 yards on seven targets. Alabama has also been able to rotate heavily at the position, as Wake Forest transfer DaShawn Jones and true freshman Jaylen Mbakwe have also performed well in meaningful snaps off the bench.

This unit has the potential to rise to the A-range by the end of the season, but it’s already performed above expectations.

S — A-

Caleb Downs’ transfer to Ohio State hasn’t stung as much as expected. In fact, through three weeks, the five-star safety’s replacement, Michigan transfer Keon Sabb, has put up better numbers. Take a look for yourself.

Keon Sabb: 11 tackles, 0.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions (87 yards), three pass deflections, 75.1 PFF defensive grade

Caleb Downs: 9 tackles, 0.5 tackles for a loss, 0.5 sacks, one pass deflection, 75.8 PFF defensive grade

This isn’t intended as a knock on Downs, but rather proof that Alabama hit a home run by bringing in Sabb from the portal.

Outside of the Michigan transfer, graduate safety Malachi Moore has been equally solid at the backend of Alabama’s secondary. Meanwhile, redshirt junior DeVonta Smith and true freshman Red Morgan have held up well in the Husky role.

ST — A-

Graham Nicholson’s missed field-goal attempt against Wisconsin last week is the only real knock against Alabama’s special teams unit this season. And it would be foolish to hit the panic button on the reigning Lou Groza Award winner after one miss.

Punter James Burnip has been among the nation’s best, averaging 46.53 yards per attempt while dropping eight of his boots inside the opposing 20-yard line. He’s also skyed his punts high enough to limit opponents to just one return for 4 yards.

Alabama has shown some sparks in the return game, as Mbakwe had a 28-yard punt return against South Florida while Williams returned a punt 20 yards against Wisconsin. Law also had a kickoff return of 52 yards against South Florida.

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