What happened to the heart of Alabama football?

Alabama Football: Searching for Answers

Prior to its 17-3 loss to Alabama last Saturday, you might have had a solid case for arguing that South Florida was perhaps the least impressive team in the entire country. Now, don’t take this as a low blow; there was actually some pretty compelling evidence to back that claim up.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s been going on with the sacrificial Bulls:

It’s been a while since South Florida managed to defeat an FBS opponent, specifically two seasons ago. In 2022, their only victory was against Howard. The previous year, in 2021, South Florida went through a brutal 2-11 season, with wins over Florida A&M and Temple. And just to round things off, in 2020, South Florida wrapped up a 1-8 season with a win against The Citadel.

This season, they kicked off with a not-so-great 41-24 loss to Western Kentucky, and last week, they even struggled against Florida A&M. That’s just five total victories since the pandemic started, and to make matters worse, three of those were against teams in a lower division. Comparing it to ancient times when the Greeks sacrificed oxen to the gods, South Florida’s football program might have been described as a “hecatomb” of the horrendous.

Now, here’s the head-scratcher – Alabama was actually tied 3-3 with South Florida at halftime. That alone should raise some serious questions about what’s going on with Alabama football these days. I mean, there’s just no rational explanation for this baffling mess on the field. Someone seriously needs to find the thief who swiped Alabama’s soul during the offseason. After all, Alabama is supposed to have more blue-chip NFL prospects than any other team in the country. But when you look at their offense, it’s like watching someone who took the bus to work and then forgot where they parked it by the end of the day – helpless and confused.

Let’s just come out and say it – it’s starting to feel like the beginning of the end for Nick Saban’s time at Alabama. Now, I’m not saying he won’t go out on his own terms, but for the first time since he returned to college football, Saban’s team looks more like one of those joyless pro squads he coached in Miami.

It’s almost as if the college players are finally getting paid like professionals, and suddenly Saban is the clumsy magician who can’t seem to fool the kids anymore. In the grand scheme of things, Saban’s eventual retirement might just be the price college football pays for finally allowing players to make some money.

Saban himself noted after the game that he was proud of how his players competed. Strangely enough, that sentiment feels somewhat discouraging when you consider the game we just witnessed.

But maybe, just maybe, I’m being a tad too cynical here. I certainly hope so. However, there’s no denying that something needs to change before next week’s home game against Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss. We all know Kiffin has been dreaming of dethroning Saban ever since Saban fired him before the 2017 national championship game.

Coincidentally, the 2017 title game took place at the very same venue where Alabama struggled against South Florida. Here’s a friendly suggestion to Alabama’s schedule makers – do your best to steer clear of that place in the future. For the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Raymond James Stadium is a blast with its pirate ship. But for the Crimson Tide, it’s feeling more like cursed pirate treasure.

There are going to be plenty of questions about Alabama’s quarterback situation going into the game against Ole Miss. From what we’ve seen, Jalen Milroe seems to be the best option as they head into conference play. At least Milroe managed to move the ball in the loss to Texas. Against South Florida, Alabama’s offense was virtually non-existent, and quarterbacks Tyler Buchner and Ty Simpson seemed like they were just one hit away from a serious injury. It’s truly inexplicable.

To give you a sense of how rough Alabama’s offense was against South Florida, Buchner and Simpson combined for just 107 passing yards. Keep in mind that South Florida’s defense allowed Florida A&M quarterback Jeremy Moussa to throw for a whopping 374 yards last week.

Saban’s decision to bench Milroe for Buchner made sense – it was time to see what the other quarterbacks could do. It was either Buchner or bust. Saban didn’t waste any time pulling the cord on that parachute.

Next up was former third-string quarterback Simpson. Why did Simpson get the nod this week? Saban mentioned at halftime that “Ty was the guy who practiced the best as a backup quarterback.” That comment certainly suggests that Milroe might not have been putting in the best effort in practice, especially following his uneven performance against Texas. That’s just another concern piled onto the growing list.

One thing is clear after three weeks into the season – this Alabama team is far from being a national championship contender. Honestly, I’m not even sure if they’re good enough to make it to a bowl game. Alabama started the season ranked No. 4 in the AP Poll, but that ranking seemed to be built more on reputation than reality. After their loss to Texas, they slipped to No. 10, and after the South Florida game, they might as well kiss their Top 25 ranking goodbye.

That win was more in name than in actuality. It felt like showing up to sacrifice a bull and instead catching a horn straight to the heart. Alabama football is in some wild times, and it’s got people scratching their heads, reaching for answers, and perhaps a little bit of rum to ease the confusion.

By: M Z Hossain, Editor Sky Buzz Feed