Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Saturday, September 2
Tuscaloosa, AL
6:30 PM
Middle Tennessee
at
#4 Alabama
PREVIEW: Q&A with Alabama Beat Writer Charlie Potter
9/1/2023 10:07:00 AM | Football
The Blue Raiders will have a huge task ahead of them against the No. 3 Crimson Tide
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — There wasn't much that needed to be said by players or coaches about the challenge Middle Tennessee faces this weekend, when the Blue Raiders travel to No. 3 Alabama for the first game of the 2023 season.
When you're facing a program that claims 18 national titles, including six since the arrival of head coach Nick Saban to the program, the details of the strength of the Crimson Tide don't need to be made explicit.
"It goes without saying, they're a well-coached team," quarterback Nicholas Vattiato said. "They know what they're doing."
"I didn't even talk about it one time during camp," head coach Rick Stockstill said of the gameday environment the Blue Raiders will face in Tuscaloosa. "They know who we play."
Coming off an 11-2 season with no SEC Championship Game or College Football Playoff appearances, the Crimson Tide are ready to show that 2022 was an anomaly. Though as Stockstill pointed out in his weekly press conference, the fact that dropping two games by a combined four points is a sky-is-falling moment in the Yellowhammer State only speaks to how strong the program has become, a far cry from where they were in MTSU's first meeting against the Tide, where the Blue Raiders fell 39-34 in Week One of the 2002 season.
Dustin Royston remembers the most recent meeting between Middle Tennessee and Alabama well, though from the other sideline than the one he's on now in an off-the-field roll working with the Crimson Tide defense.
The Week Two contest in 2015, a 37-10 win for the Crimson Tide, was just one game in an eventual national championship season in Tuscaloosa, but at the time, Royston said, he and the rest of the defensive staff at Alabama were worried about one question.
"I remember us not knowing who the quarterback was going to be," Royston said. "And it ended up being our now quarterbacks coach Brent Stockstill. We were kind of worried about him. I think at some point we may have even pulled up his Siegel tape and saw how good of a player he was."
Jalen Rayam was almost certainly at that game too. The son of former Crimson Tide defensive end Thomas Rayam, who is an Alabama legend for his blocked field goal against Penn State in 1989 lovingly called the "Desperation Block," Jalen estimates he's seen over 100 games in Bryant-Denny Stadium during his lifetime.
"It's going to be crazy," Rayam said of the Blue Raiders' trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend. "Throughout my childhood (I was there) pretty much every weekend on Saturday."
With both Rayam's mom and dad being alumni, there's always a threat of split allegiances in the house. But not this weekend, Rayam said.
"My parents, my sister, everybody is going to be there," Rayam said. "(With) no Alabama stuff."
To give an insider's look at the fairly new-look Crimson Tide, GoBlueRaiders.com Staff Writer Sam Doughton spoke with Charlie Potter, who covers Alabama as the Senior Team Writer for BamaOnLine, the On3 Alabama team site. Potter and Doughton discussed the Tide's quarterback battle, new coordinators and names that have stood out ahead of Week 1.
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1. I loathe to spill more ink on a situation that's gotten the lion's share of national coverage out of camp in Tuscaloosa this summer, but after all the reps, is there any clarity on who the quarterback will be when the Crimson Tide take the field on Saturday? Do you expect multiple signal callers to play? And why hasn't anyone run away with the job in camp?
Barring something unforeseen, I expect Jalen Milroe to get the first snap in the season opener. Will he be the starter the rest of the season? That remains to be seen, but he has been the first guy up throughout the Tide's spring and summer practices and scrimmages. Milroe also is the only quarterback on the 2023 roster with a start in an Alabama uniform under his belt, which happened last year against Texas A&M when Bryce Young was dealing with a shoulder injury. So the redshirt sophomore getting the nod here doesn't come as much of a surprise.
What remains a mystery is if another quarterback will see the field Saturday, and if so, just how many. I imagine we'll see at least one more, and my money is on redshirt freshman Ty Simpson, who was Milroe's top competition in the spring before Nick Saban added a transfer to the mix via the portal. Simpson has a high ceiling, but like all of the quarterbacks, hasn't been consistent enough up to this point to make a move. That's been the holdup, in my opinion, in terms of no separation. But I suspect we see Milroe, Simpson and possibly even Tyler Buchner.
2. On a broader note offensively, Alabama brought in Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees this offseason to take over for Bill O'Brien. After seeing a bit of the offense in the spring game and hearing from a variety of players and coaches this August, what are your expectations for Rees' offensive style with the Crimson Tide's personnel?
I don't think it will be a drastic change. After all, Rees came in and learned Alabama's offense, not the other way around. But I do think there was a desire to be more balanced on that side of the ball, especially with a talent like Young moving on to the NFL. All offseason long, the Tide's offensive linemen have talked about wanting to be more dominant and physical up front this fall. Alabama certainly has the beef along the line to be bullies, and it has a loaded stable of backs to be able to have a more run-first approach. Now it's time to prove it on the field.
I do think there will be an emphasis on the ground game, and that makes sense with having a new starter behind center. But there are also some talented wide receivers and tight ends that Rees will want to feature this fall. Drops have been a bit of an issue for the wideouts, but I expect this group to take a step forward after a so-so showing last fall. At Notre Dame, Rees wasn't shy about getting his tight ends involved, and with a room full of different body types, I think that group could see more targets in the passing game than in recent years.
3. Kevin Steele joined the Alabama staff at defensive coordinator after a year in the same role at Miami, a year that saw MTSU drop 45 points on his Hurricane defense a season ago. While this being a return to Tuscaloosa will help Steele get up to speed with a defense that nearly always reloads rather than rebuilds, what have folks around the program said so far about his return at defensive coordinator?
I think some fans were scratching their heads a bit when the hire was initially announced, but it's been clear that Steele's return – this will be his third stint at Alabama, and second as defensive coordinator, since Saban took over in 2007 – has energized the players. Or at the very least, he knows the standard of the program, especially on that side of the football, and has been holding players to that since he came back to Tuscaloosa. He's a disciplined, hard-nosed coach, which is something the Crimson Tide apparently needed on defense after Pete Golding.
He is in a different position than past coaches who have held the same post, though. Steele isn't working with one specific group but rather overseeing the entire defense. In the past, Alabama's defensive coordinator has typically coached the inside linebackers. There have been a couple of exceptions to fit the rest of the defensive staff, but Saban brought in Robert Bala to coach that group while Steele has looked over all levels of the defense. For a unit that has to replace a lot from last year's team and is looking to re-establish its identity, that makes sense.
4. While the Alabama defense only returns four starters, that unit always seems to be one that has a plethora of new names step up each year to be somehow even more pro-ready than those that came before them. Who are some of the new faces that have earned a lot of praise in fall camp?
There are the usual suspects like Kool-Aid McKinstry, Dallas Turner, Justin Eboigbe, Jaheim Oatis and Malachi Moore who have all started a lot of games for Alabama. Then there are guys like Deontae Lawson, Chris Braswell and Terrion Arnold, who played with the ones last season but should see expanded roles this fall. And then there are some players that were reserves that seem to have worked their way up the pecking order. I think of linebacker Jihaad Campbell and defensive lineman Tim Keenan for that category as a couple of camp standouts.
Alabama also added players this offseason that are expected to contribute right away. The three transfers on defense, Jaylen Key, Trezmen Marshall and Trey Amos, could all make impacts in their new home, but of that group, Key seems like the most likely to be in the starting lineup on Saturday, followed by Marshall. True freshman Caleb Downs is also a player who has generated a lot of buzz since he joined the program and could prove to be an every-down starter in Year 1, which is something we haven't seen a freshman defensive back do under Saban.
5. The Crimson Tide are heavily favored in this matchup, but also have a lot of parts of their team in transition at the start of the season. What will you be looking for to consider this weekend a success for Alabama?
Starting off with the quarterbacks, I think consistency is something that will make Saban, Rees and company happy. Taking what the defense gives, distributing the ball to the playmakers on offense and taking care of it at the same time will be a success for whoever plays. I also believe consistent execution will be a welcomed sight. It's the first game, sure, but can Alabama as an entire team play without making mental errors or committing unnecessary penalties that will put it behind the sticks? Penalties were an issue last year, so that will be watched.
I think being dominant on both lines of scrimmage will be an encouraging sight for the coaches – and fans. The offensive line has talked a lot this offseason, but can it back that up in the run game? The same goes for the defensive front seven. Can it suffocate the MTSU backfield and generate negative plays? Really, can the entire defense do that? Fly to the ball, be disruptive and force turnover(s). But a successful weekend will truly be to get a win that did not prove to be costly because of any significant injuries, especially with a huge matchup on deck.
When you're facing a program that claims 18 national titles, including six since the arrival of head coach Nick Saban to the program, the details of the strength of the Crimson Tide don't need to be made explicit.
"It goes without saying, they're a well-coached team," quarterback Nicholas Vattiato said. "They know what they're doing."
"I didn't even talk about it one time during camp," head coach Rick Stockstill said of the gameday environment the Blue Raiders will face in Tuscaloosa. "They know who we play."
Coming off an 11-2 season with no SEC Championship Game or College Football Playoff appearances, the Crimson Tide are ready to show that 2022 was an anomaly. Though as Stockstill pointed out in his weekly press conference, the fact that dropping two games by a combined four points is a sky-is-falling moment in the Yellowhammer State only speaks to how strong the program has become, a far cry from where they were in MTSU's first meeting against the Tide, where the Blue Raiders fell 39-34 in Week One of the 2002 season.
Dustin Royston remembers the most recent meeting between Middle Tennessee and Alabama well, though from the other sideline than the one he's on now in an off-the-field roll working with the Crimson Tide defense.
The Week Two contest in 2015, a 37-10 win for the Crimson Tide, was just one game in an eventual national championship season in Tuscaloosa, but at the time, Royston said, he and the rest of the defensive staff at Alabama were worried about one question.
"I remember us not knowing who the quarterback was going to be," Royston said. "And it ended up being our now quarterbacks coach Brent Stockstill. We were kind of worried about him. I think at some point we may have even pulled up his Siegel tape and saw how good of a player he was."
Jalen Rayam was almost certainly at that game too. The son of former Crimson Tide defensive end Thomas Rayam, who is an Alabama legend for his blocked field goal against Penn State in 1989 lovingly called the "Desperation Block," Jalen estimates he's seen over 100 games in Bryant-Denny Stadium during his lifetime.
"It's going to be crazy," Rayam said of the Blue Raiders' trip to Tuscaloosa this weekend. "Throughout my childhood (I was there) pretty much every weekend on Saturday."
With both Rayam's mom and dad being alumni, there's always a threat of split allegiances in the house. But not this weekend, Rayam said.
"My parents, my sister, everybody is going to be there," Rayam said. "(With) no Alabama stuff."
To give an insider's look at the fairly new-look Crimson Tide, GoBlueRaiders.com Staff Writer Sam Doughton spoke with Charlie Potter, who covers Alabama as the Senior Team Writer for BamaOnLine, the On3 Alabama team site. Potter and Doughton discussed the Tide's quarterback battle, new coordinators and names that have stood out ahead of Week 1.
---
1. I loathe to spill more ink on a situation that's gotten the lion's share of national coverage out of camp in Tuscaloosa this summer, but after all the reps, is there any clarity on who the quarterback will be when the Crimson Tide take the field on Saturday? Do you expect multiple signal callers to play? And why hasn't anyone run away with the job in camp?
Barring something unforeseen, I expect Jalen Milroe to get the first snap in the season opener. Will he be the starter the rest of the season? That remains to be seen, but he has been the first guy up throughout the Tide's spring and summer practices and scrimmages. Milroe also is the only quarterback on the 2023 roster with a start in an Alabama uniform under his belt, which happened last year against Texas A&M when Bryce Young was dealing with a shoulder injury. So the redshirt sophomore getting the nod here doesn't come as much of a surprise.
What remains a mystery is if another quarterback will see the field Saturday, and if so, just how many. I imagine we'll see at least one more, and my money is on redshirt freshman Ty Simpson, who was Milroe's top competition in the spring before Nick Saban added a transfer to the mix via the portal. Simpson has a high ceiling, but like all of the quarterbacks, hasn't been consistent enough up to this point to make a move. That's been the holdup, in my opinion, in terms of no separation. But I suspect we see Milroe, Simpson and possibly even Tyler Buchner.
2. On a broader note offensively, Alabama brought in Notre Dame offensive coordinator Tommy Rees this offseason to take over for Bill O'Brien. After seeing a bit of the offense in the spring game and hearing from a variety of players and coaches this August, what are your expectations for Rees' offensive style with the Crimson Tide's personnel?
I don't think it will be a drastic change. After all, Rees came in and learned Alabama's offense, not the other way around. But I do think there was a desire to be more balanced on that side of the ball, especially with a talent like Young moving on to the NFL. All offseason long, the Tide's offensive linemen have talked about wanting to be more dominant and physical up front this fall. Alabama certainly has the beef along the line to be bullies, and it has a loaded stable of backs to be able to have a more run-first approach. Now it's time to prove it on the field.
I do think there will be an emphasis on the ground game, and that makes sense with having a new starter behind center. But there are also some talented wide receivers and tight ends that Rees will want to feature this fall. Drops have been a bit of an issue for the wideouts, but I expect this group to take a step forward after a so-so showing last fall. At Notre Dame, Rees wasn't shy about getting his tight ends involved, and with a room full of different body types, I think that group could see more targets in the passing game than in recent years.
3. Kevin Steele joined the Alabama staff at defensive coordinator after a year in the same role at Miami, a year that saw MTSU drop 45 points on his Hurricane defense a season ago. While this being a return to Tuscaloosa will help Steele get up to speed with a defense that nearly always reloads rather than rebuilds, what have folks around the program said so far about his return at defensive coordinator?
I think some fans were scratching their heads a bit when the hire was initially announced, but it's been clear that Steele's return – this will be his third stint at Alabama, and second as defensive coordinator, since Saban took over in 2007 – has energized the players. Or at the very least, he knows the standard of the program, especially on that side of the football, and has been holding players to that since he came back to Tuscaloosa. He's a disciplined, hard-nosed coach, which is something the Crimson Tide apparently needed on defense after Pete Golding.
He is in a different position than past coaches who have held the same post, though. Steele isn't working with one specific group but rather overseeing the entire defense. In the past, Alabama's defensive coordinator has typically coached the inside linebackers. There have been a couple of exceptions to fit the rest of the defensive staff, but Saban brought in Robert Bala to coach that group while Steele has looked over all levels of the defense. For a unit that has to replace a lot from last year's team and is looking to re-establish its identity, that makes sense.
4. While the Alabama defense only returns four starters, that unit always seems to be one that has a plethora of new names step up each year to be somehow even more pro-ready than those that came before them. Who are some of the new faces that have earned a lot of praise in fall camp?
There are the usual suspects like Kool-Aid McKinstry, Dallas Turner, Justin Eboigbe, Jaheim Oatis and Malachi Moore who have all started a lot of games for Alabama. Then there are guys like Deontae Lawson, Chris Braswell and Terrion Arnold, who played with the ones last season but should see expanded roles this fall. And then there are some players that were reserves that seem to have worked their way up the pecking order. I think of linebacker Jihaad Campbell and defensive lineman Tim Keenan for that category as a couple of camp standouts.
Alabama also added players this offseason that are expected to contribute right away. The three transfers on defense, Jaylen Key, Trezmen Marshall and Trey Amos, could all make impacts in their new home, but of that group, Key seems like the most likely to be in the starting lineup on Saturday, followed by Marshall. True freshman Caleb Downs is also a player who has generated a lot of buzz since he joined the program and could prove to be an every-down starter in Year 1, which is something we haven't seen a freshman defensive back do under Saban.
5. The Crimson Tide are heavily favored in this matchup, but also have a lot of parts of their team in transition at the start of the season. What will you be looking for to consider this weekend a success for Alabama?
Starting off with the quarterbacks, I think consistency is something that will make Saban, Rees and company happy. Taking what the defense gives, distributing the ball to the playmakers on offense and taking care of it at the same time will be a success for whoever plays. I also believe consistent execution will be a welcomed sight. It's the first game, sure, but can Alabama as an entire team play without making mental errors or committing unnecessary penalties that will put it behind the sticks? Penalties were an issue last year, so that will be watched.
I think being dominant on both lines of scrimmage will be an encouraging sight for the coaches – and fans. The offensive line has talked a lot this offseason, but can it back that up in the run game? The same goes for the defensive front seven. Can it suffocate the MTSU backfield and generate negative plays? Really, can the entire defense do that? Fly to the ball, be disruptive and force turnover(s). But a successful weekend will truly be to get a win that did not prove to be costly because of any significant injuries, especially with a huge matchup on deck.
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