Leading up to December 20, Bama247 is dissecting the most recent intelligence from a hectic week or weeks on the recruiting path.
On December 20, the Early Signing Period opens. In an attempt to put the closing touches on the 2024 class, Nick Saban and a number of assistant coaches have been traveling the nation, following up with pledges and remaining prospects.
There is a lot to monitor, from verified early enrollees to top targets that are still in the cycle. Keep your eyes closed to avoid missing anything.
Bama247 put together 12 things you need to know just 12 days from the start of the Early Signing Period, in no particular order:
Bama247 put together 12 things you need to know just 12 days from the start of the Early Signing Period, in no particular order: Alabama has one, maybe two, games left this season, but now is as good a time as any to look back at how the Crimson Tide stacked up statistically during the 2023 season. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama has at least one, and possibly two, games left on its 2023-24 schedule, but now is as good a time as any to look back at where the Crimson Tide finished statistically after 13 games this season.#
Alabama is ranked 54th nationally in total offense at 401.2 yards per game, but the Tide are also ranked 19th nationally in 35.1 points per game. Those marks rank 8th and 3rd in the SEC, respectively. Alabama leads the nation in fourth-down conversion rate, at 83.33%, and has also attempted the fewest fourth-down tries in the country, with just six. The Tide converted once against Texas and twice against both Auburn and Georgia. All five conversions led to points.
The one time they didn’t convert? Against Texas A&M in October, on the final play of the game, a 4th-and-8 where Jalen Milroe rolled out and launched the ball skyward to kill the final seven seconds. Alabama has also converted 46.75% of its third-down attempts (79-of-169), the 14th-best rate nationally. The Tide have scored on 94% of its red-zone possessions (47-of-50), the 7th-best rate nationally. They’ve scored touchdowns on 35-of-50 red-zone trips, a 70% rate, which ranks 20th nationally.
With a 177.48 passer rating, Milroe is fourth in the nation behind only Oregon’s Bo Nix (186.24), Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (54.5%), and LSU’s Jayden Daniels (208.01) in terms of total offense yards and touchdowns. Through 13 games, Milroe has amassed 3,448 total yards of offense and 35 total touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Milroe is third in the nation with a 53.1% completion rate on deep passes (20-plus yards downfield), behind only Daniels (63.6%) and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (54.5%). Additionally, Milroe has the third-most deep pass touchdowns in the nation with 16, behind Daniels (22) and Salter (19).
Milroe has ten rushes of twenty yards or more and thirty rushes of ten yards or more. Jase McClellan has 24 runs for more than ten yards as well. Alabama’s team average of 172.69 run yards per game is 49th best in the country, but their average of 4.33 yards per carry is only 70th.
With just 35 catches overall, Jermaine Burton has the fourth-best average in the nation at 22.2 yards per reception. The only players with higher average yards per catch are Nic Anderson of Oklahoma (23.39), Chris Lewis of Troy (22.97), and Javon Baker of UCF (22.47).
This season, Alabama has allowed 43 sacks, which is tied for the eighth-most in the country. After conceding 35 points through the first eight games, the Tide has only allowed eight in its past five games. However, from Week 2 against Texas to Week 8 against Tennessee, they conceded at least four sacks in each of those seven games.
With 18.4 points allowed per game, Alabama’s scoring defense is ranked second in the SEC and 17th overall. With 313.3 yards allowed per game, the Tide are third in the SEC and 18th overall in total defense. This season, Alabama limited six opponents to less than 300 total yards of offense. Just two more teams, Texas A&M and Ole Miss, managed to crack 300 (301 and 306, respectively).
According to PFF, the Crimson Tide have 261 total quarterback pressures, which is also the ninth-most in the country, and 38 total sacks, which is tied for ninth place nationwide. Miami (Ohio) and James Madison were the other two colleges where three players finished with seven or more sacks. They were one of the three institutions.
According to PFF, Dallas Turner, the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, has nine sacks, which ranks him 17th nationally, and fifty-two pressures, which ranks him 14th nationally among edge rushers. Chris Braswell ranks 12th among edge rushers with 8 sacks and 54 pressures. Justin Eboigbe has 28 pressures and 7 sacks.
