We reached the point of the year where news is hard to come by. Both the basketball and football transfer windows have slammed shut, and barring a couple of roster additions by Nate Oats, most of Alabama’s offseason business has been handled.
Oats and Kalen DeBoer are both on the docket for next week’s Regions Tradition Pro-Am. Outside of that, you’ll need to tune into podcasts and radio appearances if you want to hear from the two head coaches over the next few weeks.
Most of those interviews won’t produce many needle-moving items. Still, every now and then, a coach might say something that makes my ears perk up.
That was the case this past week when DeBoer subtly noted some discontent with the way his receiver room performed last season.
First came a Monday interview with Seattle radio station 93.3 KJR, when the head coach was asked his thoughts on why quarterback Jalen Milroe struggled as a passer late last season.
DeBoer said there are areas of Milroe’s game that need improvement, but he also noted a few things that could “justify” the quarterback’s poor performance down the stretch. One of those was a receiving corps that “had just a couple of receivers who were consistent week in and week out for him.”
I didn’t think much of that comment until later in the week when DeBoer brought up the unit during an interview with CBS Sports podcaster Josh Pate. During the interview, Pate asked DeBoer which area of his team he felt was in line for the most improvement this fall. Without hesitation, the first position groups to come out of the head coach’s mouth were receiver and defensive back.
Secondary was a given. Alabama had to replace all but one of its starting defensive backs from the year before and was forced to throw true freshman Zabien Brown into the first-team fire at the cornerback position.
But the receivers? There weren’t many fingers pointed in their direction when it came to questioning why Alabama missed out on last season’s College Football Playoff. Instead, most people faulted Milroe for a pedestrian passing offense that ranked 56th nationally, mustering up just 236.4 yards per game through the air.
I’ll be the first to admit, I was one of them.
But was I wrong to place the bulk of the blame on Milroe? It’s something DeBoer’s comments made me take a second look at this week.
Before I begin, this column isn’t a get-out-of-jail-free card for Milroe. He didn’t do himself many favors with his accuracy and decision-making last season. And he’s got a long way to go before he’s ready to lead an offense at the next level. But maybe he shouldn’t be the only one shouldering the blame.
According to Pro Football Focus, Alabama ranked seventh in the SEC with a 75.9 receiving grade. As one might expect, Ole Miss led the way with an 85.9 rating. The Rebels were followed by LSU (78.5), Arkansas (78.4) and Texas (78.0). All four of those programs had a pass catcher selected by the end of Day 2 in this year’s NFL Draft.
But Alabama was also behind the likes of Florida (76.8) and Vanderbilt (76.0). That’s not a good look, especially considering the talent DeBoer produced at wide receiver during his two seasons at Washington.
The PFF grading system rewards receivers for creating big plays through consistently beating coverages and winning contested catches. It also punishes them for things such as drops and poor route running. Like any judged scale, it’s subjective. But there’s also a few areas where the stats speak for themselves.
According to PFF, Alabama recorded 19 drops over 337 pass attempts last season. That’s a drop rate of 5.63%, which tied with Mississippi State for fifth-worst in the conference.
Despite leading the Tide with 865 yards and eight touchdowns through the air, Ryan Williams was the team’s guiltiest culprit when it came to drops. According to PFF, the five-star freshman let seven balls slip through his hands. That’s the most by an Alabama player since John Metchie III tallied eight drops in 2021.
Germie Bernard led Alabama with a 79.2 receiving grade last season. That marked the first time since 2016 that the Tide didn’t have at least one player record an 80.0 rating or above. To be fair, Jahmyr Gibbs was the only Alabama player to reach the mark in 2022, while fellow running back Josh Jacobs was the only Tide player to do so in 2017.
Still, maybe DeBoer has a point when it comes to last season’s receiving production.
Once again, Milroe isn’t off the hook here. As one unnamed AFC executive said before the draft, “He’s got a fastball that’s not very accurate. He doesn’t know when to take it off the ball.” A little more touch would certainly have gone a long way when it came to Alabama’s ability to pull in passes.
So what did this exercise show me?
While the numbers were pretty damning at times, they offer up plenty of optimism for the coming season. Whether you blame Milroe or his receivers for last season’s lack of production, the Tide should fare better through the air this fall.
Alabama’s three options behind center are all pass-first quarterbacks. While they might lack Milroe’s playmaking abilities in some areas, they should all be better at distributing the ball accurately in the short and intermediate games.
That should allow the Tide’s receivers to take a step forward as well.
Now that Williams has found his footing at the college level, he should have an easier time finding his grip on the ball in Year 2. The Tide also returns Bernard’s steady hands while bringing in a potential breakout star in Miami transfer Isaiah Horton. Add in reliable slot options such as Cole Adams and freshman Lotzeir Brooks, and the receiver position seems like one of Alabama’s strengths.
How’s that for good news heading into the summer?
