Alabama’s Tyler Buchner Supporters Furious That QB Was Benched for Ty Simpson in the Win Over USF
Nick Saban will have a lengthy journey back to Tuscaloosa even if his team won 17-3 if he was expecting to learn something about Alabama’s quarterback problems from Saturday’s game against South Florida.
Tyler Buchner, a true freshman, started in place of Jalen Milroe but didn’t stay in the position for very long. In five drives that garnered 78 yards overall and finished in five punts, he went 5-of-14 for 34 yards.
Ty Simpson entered the game late in the second quarter and the offense flourished, but the quarterback play did not improve appreciably. The 20-year-old rookie gained 73 yards on 5 of 9 completions.
The defense forced two crucial fourth-down stops in the second half, which allowed Alabama to hang on for the win, even though even they were occasionally outclassed by surrendering 177 running yards on 46 runs.
Social media users expressed their opinions regarding Buchner, Simpson, and the quarterback play for an Alabama squad that seems to be the most susceptible since head coach Nick Saban’s 7–6 campaign in 2007–2008.
While the quarterback play does leave a lot to be desired, the biggest issue facing Alabama’s offense right now is the protection for whoever is taking the snaps. South Florida’s defense totaled five sacks against the unit and were living in the backfield for most of the game.
Daquan Evans, in particular, was a menace for the Crimson Tide in this game. The senior cornerback had three sacks on blitzes.
Alabama’s first touchdown drive came midway through the third quarter. Simpson set it up by finding CJ Dippre for a gain of 45 yards on 2nd-and-10 from Alabama’s 16-yard line for the team’s lone explosive pass play of the game.
South Florida missed a chance to potentially tie the game late in the fourth quarter. The offense was driving after converting a 4th-and-2 and moved into Alabama territory, but Byrum Brown took a shot to the end zone into double coverage that was picked off by Malachi Moore.
Roydell Williams saved Alabama on the ensuing drive by carrying the ball seven times for 74 yards, including a 48-yard scamper to move the team deep into South Florida territory. Simpson capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to seal the win.
Even though the victory likely ensures the Crimson Tide will remain in the AP Top 25, it’s hard to envision a scenario where they stay in the top 10 after this performance. The last time Alabama wasn’t in the top 10 of the AP Poll was the week of Sept. 20, 2015 (No. 12).
Things won’t get any easier for Alabama next week with a showdown against No. 17 Mississippi at Bryant–Denny Stadium. The Crimson Tide have won eight consecutive games against its SEC rivals dating back to 2015.
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