Mary-Kathryn 'MK' Strickland · Alabama Insider · College Debut · Week 8
Meet Your Insider
Roll Tide, darling, and I mean that as a greeting. Mostly. I'm Mary-Kathryn Strickland, but everyone from the Quad to the press box calls me MK. I rode for the Tide equestrian team, I read blitz pickups the way some girls read Southern Living, and I can quote a legendary coaching maxim for every situation, perfectly, usually at dinner. My family has asked me to stop. I will not stop. I travel with this team and I live with this team, and every week you'll get the players, the matchups, the history and the storylines with a little belle-of-the-ball polish. When we win, you'll hear "Roll Tide" in seventeen different tones, each more satisfied than the last. When we lose, I'll say "We will not speak of it," and I will not speak of it. This week, I'll make an exception.
The School in 60 Seconds
Alabama claims 18 national championships, 13 of them wire-service titles from the poll era. Paul "Bear" Bryant won six from 1958 to 1982, and Nick Saban won six more between 2007 and 2023. The Tide's Heisman winners are Mark Ingram II (2009), Derrick Henry (2015), DeVonta Smith (2020) and Bryce Young (2021). Alabama has 30 SEC championships, an NCAA-record 79 bowl appearances and 46 bowl wins, also a record, plus a record 16 straight 10-win seasons from 2008 through 2023. Bryant-Denny Stadium seats 101,821 and opened in 1929. Coach Bryant has a maxim for this, and I'll save it for dinner.
The Coach and the Scheme
Kalen DeBoer was hired Jan. 12, 2024, and his first two Tide teams went 9-4 and 11-4. This season's offense started like a debutante's waltz: 48, 45, 50, 49 and 56 points in the first five wins. Then came 17 against Georgia and 10 at Tennessee. Overall, Alabama scores 39.3 points a game (12th) and throws for 252.7 yards (48th). The defense allows 107 rushing yards a game (30th) and is plus-5 in turnovers (15th), with 16 takeaways. The weak spots are pass defense, 230.9 yards allowed (101st), and red zone defense, where opponents score 95.7% of the time (134th). Every ball gown has a loose thread, darling. We sew.
Players to Know
QB Keelon Russell: 129 of 191, 1,746 yards, 12 TD, 4 INT. At Tennessee he was 19 of 29 for 147 yards with two interceptions and scored on a 19-yard run.
RB Trae'shawn Brown: 313 yards on 57 carries, 5 TD.
WR Ryan Coleman-Williams: 23 catches, 415 yards, 4 TD. He missed Tennessee with several injuries, including a concussion, per AP, and an aggregator lists him out with a knee injury as of Oct. 17. Status for Saturday: not official.
LB Caleb Woodson: a team-high 53 tackles. LB Yhonzae Pierre: 3.5 sacks. DB Bray Hubbard: 2 interceptions.
The Conference Picture
Alabama is 5-2 and 3-2 in the SEC, 3-1 at home, and No. 13 in both polls. The losses were 20-17 to Georgia and 26-10 at Tennessee. We have lost back-to-back regular-season games for the first time since 2007. After this game comes an open date, then a Nov. 7 trip to LSU. Homecoming against an SEC visitor is precisely the right occasion to straighten our pearls.
This Week: Texas A&M (4-3) at No. 13 Alabama (5-2)
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 3:30 p.m. ET · Bryant-Denny Stadium · ABC. Homecoming.
Last week: we lost 26-10 at Tennessee with 201 yards, 54 rushing, and four turnovers. "The key was they were able to run the football," Coach DeBoer said. Texas A&M beat The Citadel 41-0.
Our offense vs. their defense: the Aggies are good on defense, 17.1 points allowed (27th), 164.1 passing yards allowed (10th) and 29.8% on third down (11th). Their pass rush has just 5 sacks, which should give Russell time.
Their offense vs. our defense: Texas A&M averages 356.9 yards (97th) and 195.7 passing (103rd). In two SEC road games, it scored 6 points each time. Marcel Reed has 7 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. Our run defense, 30th, wants to make him throw.
Series: Alabama leads 13-3 and is 7-1 against the Aggies from 2016 through 2025. The last meeting was a 26-20 win in College Station in 2023. The only Aggie win in Tuscaloosa came in 2012, and we've won five straight at home since.
Availability: per an aggregator dated Oct. 17, Coleman-Williams (knee) and WR A.J. Walker are out and TE Jay Ford is questionable (arm). For A&M, WRs Mario Craver and A.J. Bethel-Roman are questionable. The SEC's first official report comes Oct. 21.
What decides it: (1) Ball security: four turnovers at Tennessee can't happen twice. (2) Red zone defense, our weakest number. (3) Whether our receivers are healthy enough to stretch a top-10 pass defense.
And Colt Wendeborn, Texas A&M's insider: Howdy right back, sugar. Bryant-Denny is lovely this time of year. Roll Tide.
Local Flavor (unsponsored, not an ad)
In Tuscaloosa for homecoming? Brown's Corner on University Boulevard is a nice place for brunch before the parade.
My call: Alabama Crimson Tide 33, Texas A&M Aggies 20.