Alabama Football: 3 takeaways from tight homecoming win over Arkansas

2. Alabama Football was dominant defensively

The score was close only because Arkansas hit a couple of big plays, and Alabama’s offense went three-and-out on three of its last four drives of the game. The Crimson Tide offense totaled -6 yards on those drives. Alabama’s offense could not flip field position. Fortunately for the Tide, James Burnip’s punting was outstanding today.

Arkansas’ first touchdown was due to a facemask penalty and a 22-yard run by KJ Jefferson. The Razorbacks’ second touchdown draft was aided by another big run by Jefferson and two pass plays. Arkansas did not do much offensive outside of those plays, and the numbers don’t lie.

The Razorbacks averaged about 4.5 yards per play, Jefferson completed under 60 percent of his passes, and the running game averaged under three yards per rush attempt. Led by Dallas Turner, the Crimson Tide sacked Jefferson four times, and he was under pressure most of the game.

One of the reasons Jefferson was under duress so often was the coverage by the Crimson Tide secondary. Alabama manned up on Arkansas’ receivers most of the game, and the Razorbacks could not separate. The Tide were dominant on a down-by-down basis. They allowed six first downs in the first half, and Arkansas was 4-for-14 on third down.