WE PITCHED A SHUT OUT! STOP BITCHING! (Western Kentucky Recap)

TJ being TJ.

My prediction of 55-7 was clearly an overestimation on my part and that was evident at halftime when the score was only 21-0. I was one of the many who blindly ignored Saban's rant and didn't have respect for Western Kentucky. 

I also didn't expect our offensive line to save their pass blocking skills for another day. AJ was sacked 6 times. Most of what I saw in this game after the second quarter was obviously Bama just going through the motions. That's not an excuse. It's just the truth. Like alot of fans, I sometimes wish we would just throw for 400 yards in a game and score 50 something when we can.

But I have learned, more and more, to just trust in our coach and that's what I'm going to do here. The defense was very vanilla. They weren't really showing anything beyond basic coverages and still didn't allow a point. Forced several turnovers. Didn't really even attempt many blitzes. 

I guess there was no reason to show anything or try anything crazy in this one. So all in all, it was a good day. 

There was a huge bit of bad news though.



Jalston Fowler, our very Jerome Bettis-like bruiser of a RB/FB was lost for the season with a knee injury. He is pretty much the reason for the installation of the I-formation and if we are to continue running out of that set this year, it will take a combination of players to fill that role. Look for Kelly Johnson, for starters. Fowler is eligible for a medical redshirt like Hightower received in 09, so we should see him back next year. That'll be fun 

Hell, for his lack of his past explosiveness, I think Eddie Lacy could do a fine job in that role, blocking for TJ Yeldon on a regular basis and getting a few carries and receptions along the way. That's the direction I would like to see it go. And I think Kenyan Drake, the other stud true freshman will see more and more action as the year goes on. I'm really not sure of Dee Hart's role but perhaps he'll get more carries also. Thank God for the amazing depth that we have now, and in the future with the studs we continue to recruit. RB will always be a position of strength for us, but it's never NOT a bad thing when you lose one that is vital to several of your plays that you want to run.

Even though it sucks that we lost Fowler, and at the end of a game like this, I do take issue with the complaints from fans that he shouldn't have even been in the game at that point. Well, he is the damn 3rd string RB! We can't help that ALL our guys are great. Who are we supposed to have in there at that point? Perhaps we could've had Drake or Hart at that point, but still. It's not like it was Eddie or TJ being counted on that late. I do wish AJ hadn't had to play so late in the game. Losing HIM to a late game needless injury like this would be truly detrimental. So we are lucky.