re: Time to say goodbye to this thread - The season is here

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Alabama has led the nation with 52 and 54 sacks the past two seasons.

But the three players that helped accomplish that impressive feat and led the Crimson Tide in that statistical category the last two years -- Jonathan Allen, Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson -- have now played in their first NFL preseason games as rookies.

That’s a big reason why coach Nick Saban voiced some concern over his team’s current ability to affect the quarterback, after 12 preseason practices and ahead of its second scrimmage.

“It’s not where it needs to be,” Saban said following Wednesday’s practice. “Guys worry too much about getting sacks and not enough about affecting the quarterback. I’ve talked about this before, but there are about eight or nine things that affect the outcome of the game. Sacks don’t really do that. It does affect drives. But it does not affect the outcome of a game.

“I think affecting the quarterback, pushing the pocket, not letting a guy step up in the pocket to make throws down the field is really significant to playing good pass defense and being an effective pass-rush team. If you get pushed by the quarterback, you’re playing with 10. If you don’t push the pocket in the middle, the quarterback can step up and throw and see the field and do whatever he wants and attack the middle of the field.

“There are two things: the ability to rush, but also being a smart rusher, in terms of how do we affect the quarterback, which we need to improve upon.”

Ability might have been a bad word to use earlier. No one, not even Saban, is questioning the ability of Alabama’s outside linebacking corps, which is a deeper group than recent years. The defensive line is also developing solid depth during the preseason practices.

With Williams and Anderson both gone, it’s time for players like Christian Miller and Anfernee Jennings to step up in their place. Terrell Lewis will also see plenty of the field off the edge, as will Rashaan Evans, who will be moved around formations.

Then there’s defensive linemen like Da'Shawn Hand, Raekwon Davis and Isaiah Buggs who will be filling in around Da'Ron Payne to replace Allen and the disruptive Dalvin Tomlinson, who is also now one of 53 Alabama players on active NFL rosters.

Last Saturday’s scrimmage was a step in the right direction, as the defense put together a solid performance. But Miller -- who recorded a strip sack -- and company will look to settle down when they’re pinning their ears back and racing to get to the quarterback.

The redshirt junior linebacker and the rest of the pass rushers just need to continue to progress.

“Christian Miller has done a nice job,” Saban said Wednesday. “He’s doing a good job and had a lot of production points in the scrimmage. So, we’re really happy with his progress.”

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