Alabama Run Game Blasts Arkansas in Relief of Bryce Young

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When the Heisman Trophy winner goes down, you want somebody to step up.

Following Bryce Younger’s exit on account of a shoulder damage, Alabama had its 28-0 lead rapidly minimize right down to 28-23 because the fourth quarter started. Backup quarterback Jalen Milroe had simply over 60 yards passing and Alabama’s run recreation had 75 yards on 30 makes an attempt.

As soon as the fourth quarter started, Alabama’s speeding assault exploded, and with it, the lead.

The Crimson Tide had 12 carries within the fourth quarter that went for an astounding 247 yards, together with three completely different makes an attempt that went for over 70 yards.

“The fourth quarter got here, maintain up them ‘fours’ like we do day by day,” Alabama operating again Jahmyr Gibbs mentioned. “We simply saved it calm and performed soccer.”

Alabama’s 317 speeding yards as a crew weren’t solely a season-high, however had been probably the most speeding yards in a recreation for a Crimson Tide crew since Alabama recorded 318 speeding yards in September of 2019 towards New Mexico State.

Gibbs led the way in which for Alabama within the speeding division, carrying the ball 18 instances, a excessive for him in an Alabama uniform and simply two wanting his career-high of 20. Gibbs’ earlier excessive for carries at Alabama was 9, and he surpassed that within the second quarter.

“He does a fantastic job of urgent the opening,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban mentioned. “He will get the protection to commit, will get the linebacker to commit, makes a fast minimize and hits the opening. He is actually good at that.”

The Georgia Tech switch averaged 11.4 yards per keep on his 18 makes an attempt, setting a career-high of 206 yards within the recreation. He additionally scored two touchdowns, each of which got here within the fourth quarter and had been for greater than 70 yards apiece.

“The road has been doing a fantastic job all week with their calls and blocking,” Gibbs mentioned. “Once we ran outdoors zone towards a five-man field it is nearly a assured landing. Now we have extra individuals to dam than they’ve within the field.”

Final season at Georgia Tech, Gibbs led the nation in all-purpose yards. Since coming to Tuscaloosa he has bee an extremely versatile operating again, exhibiting his explosiveness as a runner and even main Alabama in receiving yards in its win over Texas earlier in September.

“I did not know what my function [coming in] was going to be,” Gibbs mentioned. “I am simply making an attempt to be in one of the best place for my crew to win and to get to a nationwide championship and win it.”

Milroe was an enormous issue within the speeding recreation as properly, racking up 91 yards and a landing on six makes an attempt. Milroe took his first speeding try for a rating instantly after changing Younger, and routinely prolonged performs together with his legs when the pocket broke down.

The largest play of the sport for Milroe and presumably your complete crew was a 77-yard scramble on Third-and-15 that arrange the landing to place Alabama forward by two possessions within the fourth quarter.

“It stopped the bleeding for positive,” Saban mentioned. “It is a Third-and-long in dangerous area place. If we do not make a primary down there they get the ball again down by 5 with all of the momentum within the recreation. That was an enormous momentum swing within the recreation for my part. After that we performed higher.”

Milroe credited the offensive line for his or her assistance on the scramble.

“The largest factor was wanting on the chains, seeing what one of the best factor is that I can do for the crew,” Milroe mentioned. “I used to be ready to make use of my legs on that play, however the offensive line made a gap to make it doable for me.”

Operating again Jase McClellan added a landing of his personal, however he missed a lot of the center portion of the sport after struggling an damage to his higher physique earlier than returning. Younger additionally added a landing of his personal on the bottom earlier than his damage, bringing Alabama’s complete to 4 speeding touchdowns on the sport. 

The offensive line moreover suffered some pregame turmoil, with beginning middle Darrian Dalcourt having to overlook the sport with again spasms. Seth McLaughlin crammed in for Dalcourt and the transition was seamless.

“We expect Darrian is a very good participant, however we’ve got lots of confidence in Seth,” Saban mentioned. “He needed to play down the stretch final yr in some massive video games. He bought three or 4 begins, within the playoff, within the SEC championship recreation.”

It stays unclear whether or not Alabama may have Younger or Milroe beneath middle subsequent week when Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher come to city, however regardless Alabama has woke up a powerful operating again that both quarterback can depend on.

See Additionally:

We’re Beginning To Discover Out What This Alabama Staff Is Made Of Following Bryce Younger Harm

Alabama Quarterback Bryce Younger Leaves Arkansas Recreation with Harm

No. 2 Alabama Outlasts Razorbacks in Gutsy Street Win

After Shut Name at Arkansas, Depth is the Identify of the Recreation for Alabama’s Protection 

How Jalen Milroe’s 77-Yard Run Shifted Momentum in Arkansas Win

Prompt Evaluation: No. 2 Alabama 49, No. 20 Arkansas 26

What Jalen Milroe mentioned to Bryce Younger in Harm Tent

What Alabama Coach Nick Saban Stated After 49-26 Win At Arkansas