Daniel Hill carried 18 times for 104 yards at Kentucky as Alabama won 45-17. Hill alone exceeded Alabama's entire rushing output in last year's Florida State game. The Seminoles won that opener 31-17, outrushing the Tide 230-87. Saturday offers Alabama a chance to reverse that disadvantage with a back who just delivered against an SEC defense.
Alabama hosts Florida State on Saturday, September 19, at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC, with an 89% chance to win. Expect a home victory, and watch whether the blocks and quarterback decisions let the running game help deliver it. Alabama's playoff chances are 43.3% with a win versus 29.1% with a loss. This nonconference game cannot supply an SEC victory, but avoiding a defeat matters substantially to the playoff outlook.
Keelon Russell won the starting job and threw no interceptions in his debut against East Carolina. Alabama ran for 227 yards that day, with Russell contributing 86. At Kentucky, Hill supplied 104 of Alabama's 155 rushing yards, while Russell threw two interceptions and lost a strip-sack fumble. The backs provided meaningful help; the quarterback still gave away possessions. Russell himself identified a forced throw, ball security and finding throwing lanes among his mistakes. Those are specific corrections to look for against FSU.
The blocking needs a closer look, too. With Michael Carroll unavailable at Kentucky, Alabama started Mal Waldrep Jr., Jayvin James, Racin Delgatty, William Sanders and Jackson Lloyd along the line. Russell took four sacks. DeBoer also identified missed edge blocks on sprintouts and run-pass options on which Russell should have handed the ball to the back. Better rushing totals cannot settle those separate problems. Watch for the edge blocker keeping a defender out of Russell's path and for Russell giving the back the ball when the read calls for it.
Alabama's defense offers firmer encouragement. Caleb Woodson and Devan Thompkins each recorded two sacks at Kentucky, and the Wildcats converted only one of 14 third downs. After the ECU opener, Kane Wommack had credited improved run fits and linebacker support while identifying call, reroute and coverage-communication failures on a 68-yard completion. Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels rushed for 108 yards against Alabama as Auburn's quarterback in last year's Iron Bowl. Keep him contained, then finish the coverage when he extends a play.
DeBoer also reported that coordinator-to-quarterback communications failed during the third quarter at Kentucky. Alabama plays eight consecutive weeks before its October 31 bye, including Georgia, a trip to Tennessee and Texas A&M in Weeks 6-8. Alabama has to fix its blocking and reads while playing every week, without an early open date to regroup.
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Enjoy a productive handoff this week. Hill's Kentucky performance gives Alabama a concrete reason to trust that choice; DeBoer's criticism gives Russell a concrete reason to make it more often when the read warrants it. Against the team that controlled the ground last year, letting the back do his work would be a satisfying way to win.