Alabama Crimson Tide likely to face first SEC test without key offensive starter following latest injury update out of Tuscaloosa
The Alabama Crimson Tide will be facing its first true test of the season as they kick off SEC play against the Kentucky Wildcats this week, and it looks like they will be without a key cog in their offensive machine.
The Alabama Crimson Tide could be without arguably their best offensive lineman when they open SEC play against the Kentucky Wildcats in Week 2 of the college football season. Starting right guard Michael Carroll is listed as doubtful, and the timing could not be worse for an Alabama offense that leaned heavily on its ground game in its Week 1 win over ECU.
Micahel Carroll Facts
- Height-weight: 6-6, 324 pounds
- Class: Sophomore
- Birthplace: Doylestown, PA
Why Carroll’s absence matters
The bottom line is that most of Alabama’s touchdowns came from running the football against ECU, and the tape tells a clear story about where those runs succeeded. Alabama ran a lot of inside zone in the opener, and the All-22 film shows the Crimson Tide were far more effective running off the right side of the offensive line than the left.
That right side, led by Carroll, was denting at the point of attack all game long. One play in particular stands out: the massive hole that the right side of the line opened up for running back Trae’shawn Brown on what should have been a touchdown, if not for a holding call on Racin Delgatty.
Losing your best run blocker is problematic for any team, but it stings a little more for an Alabama offensive line that appears better suited for athleticism than raw power at this stage of the season. Without Carroll, the Crimson Tide may need to get their guards and tackles out in space more, leaning into that athleticism rather than trying to win in phone-booth blocking situations.
Don’t sleep on Kentucky
The natural counterargument is that it’s just Kentucky, a program in the middle of a rebuild under new leadership. The Wildcats have a new head coach in Will Stein, a new-look roster, and are not expected to contend for the SEC title. Alabama manhandled ECU in Week 1, so why worry?
I wouldn’t be so sure. Kentucky is going to be hungry, especially in a new era with Stein, who made it clear at SEC Media Days that he believes he’s the reason people should buy into the Wildcats. When asked why people should believe in Kentucky, Stein said, “Well, because of me.”
That’s the kind of confidence that can fuel an early-season upset bid on the road. I’m not here to say this should put Alabama on full upset alert, but Carroll’s absence is at least a little bit concerning for the Crimson Tide heading into a conference opener where Kentucky will be out to prove it can compete.
What to watch
Carroll is only doubtful at this point, not officially ruled out, but being doubtful with just a few days to go is never a good sign. If he cannot suit up, Alabama will need to find a way to generate the same push on the right side of its offensive line that made the ground game so effective in Week 1. In my opinion, that is easier said than done.
Early-season adversity has a way of revealing how deep a team truly is up front. Alabama’s run game showed real promise against ECU — the question now is whether that production can hold up without the lineman who was driving it.
