What to know about Week 3 opponent Alabama
July 30, 2019
After South Carolina opens its 2019 football season against North Carolina in Bank of America Stadium and hosts Charleston Southern in Week 2, the Gamecocks start SEC play in Week 3 against juggernaut Alabama. The Crimson Tide will visit Williams-Brice Stadium for the first time since the Gamecocks defeated then-No. 1 Alabama in 2010. Today we continue our look at South Carolina's 2019 opponents.
• The offense should be loaded with playmakers - Heisman Hopeful Tua Tagovailoa returns to run the Alabama offense, but it's not just his ability to make plays that will scare defensive coordinators throughout the 2019 season. The lefty quarterback will have plenty of help on the other end of his passes as Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle make up one of the best receiving corps in the country. It should come as no surprise that Tagovailoa was the highest-graded quarterback in the conference last season, according to Pro Football Focus. While the Tide lose running backs like Josh Jacobs and Damien Harris, they'll be just fine at the position with Najee Harris, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2017 class, taking over as the top back.
• The preseason All-SEC team is littered with Bama players - Alabama's talent goes well beyond the players listed above as, count 'em, 19 Alabama players landed on the preseason All-SEC list that was voted on at last week's SEC Media Days. Perhaps more impressive than that: a record 11 Crimson Tide players find themselves on the first-team SEC list, six on offense and four on defense with Waddle checking in as a first-teamer as both a returner and all-purpose player. The Tide's uneven loss in the title game last year may have some questioning Nick Saban's dynasty, but the talent appears to be as strong as ever.
• There's a big question mark - No team is without question marks at this point in the preseason and Alabama's biggest may be on the sidelines rather than on the field. Steve Sarkisian's return to Tuscaloosa to run the offense has been met with a certain level of skepticism. Already his decision to go to a more pro-style scheme - and eliminate some of the RPOs that Tagovailoa was so successful with - has seemed odd. It's hard to question Saban with such decisions, but with the Gamecocks catching Alabama early, the change in offensive scheme could be a factor if they haven't worked the kinks out yet.
July 30, 2019
After South Carolina opens its 2019 football season against North Carolina in Bank of America Stadium and hosts Charleston Southern in Week 2, the Gamecocks start SEC play in Week 3 against juggernaut Alabama. The Crimson Tide will visit Williams-Brice Stadium for the first time since the Gamecocks defeated then-No. 1 Alabama in 2010. Today we continue our look at South Carolina's 2019 opponents.
• The offense should be loaded with playmakers - Heisman Hopeful Tua Tagovailoa returns to run the Alabama offense, but it's not just his ability to make plays that will scare defensive coordinators throughout the 2019 season. The lefty quarterback will have plenty of help on the other end of his passes as Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle make up one of the best receiving corps in the country. It should come as no surprise that Tagovailoa was the highest-graded quarterback in the conference last season, according to Pro Football Focus. While the Tide lose running backs like Josh Jacobs and Damien Harris, they'll be just fine at the position with Najee Harris, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2017 class, taking over as the top back.
• The preseason All-SEC team is littered with Bama players - Alabama's talent goes well beyond the players listed above as, count 'em, 19 Alabama players landed on the preseason All-SEC list that was voted on at last week's SEC Media Days. Perhaps more impressive than that: a record 11 Crimson Tide players find themselves on the first-team SEC list, six on offense and four on defense with Waddle checking in as a first-teamer as both a returner and all-purpose player. The Tide's uneven loss in the title game last year may have some questioning Nick Saban's dynasty, but the talent appears to be as strong as ever.
• There's a big question mark - No team is without question marks at this point in the preseason and Alabama's biggest may be on the sidelines rather than on the field. Steve Sarkisian's return to Tuscaloosa to run the offense has been met with a certain level of skepticism. Already his decision to go to a more pro-style scheme - and eliminate some of the RPOs that Tagovailoa was so successful with - has seemed odd. It's hard to question Saban with such decisions, but with the Gamecocks catching Alabama early, the change in offensive scheme could be a factor if they haven't worked the kinks out yet.
