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3 Alabama Players Who Sparked the Crimson Tide Comeback Against Kentucky
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- 3 Alabama Players Who Sparked the Crimson Tide Comeback Against Kentucky
(Jordan Prather-Imagn Images)
The Alabama Crimson Tide entered Week 2 with a rare early SEC duel against the Kentucky Wildcats .
In what was a raucous Kroger Field in Lexington to start the game, the Crimson Tide hushed Big Blue Nation, leaving the Bluegrass State with a 45-17 victory.
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Alabama started the game rough. Jitters were evident, after Keelon Russell threw a pick-six on the Tide's first offensive drive, and Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey looked in control of the Wildcat offense.
Kentucky entered the half with a 17-13 lead, a position that Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has not fared well in.
Through his career at Alabama, any time DeBoer entered the second half down, he has gone 0-7.
That made Alabama's halftime deficit against Kentucky even more daunting.
Not this week though.
The Tide scored 32 unanswered points in the second half, pulling away with an improbable victory.
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Throughout the game, there were several stars, but there were three that stood out.
Caleb Woodson
Transfer linebacker out of Virginia Tech , Caleb Woodson was seemingly everywhere against Kentucky.
Whether it be communicating with the rest of the defense or following his reads, it was clear that Woodson was the biggest star of this defense.
We heard a lot about Woodson from spring camp, as well as the fall, with defensive coordinator Kane Wommack praising him as one of the defense's leaders.
Overall, he finished the game with 12 total tackles, including four solo tackles and two sacks.
Alabama's defense took a hit when they lost Deontae Lawson , Justin Jefferson , and Nikhai Hill-Green to the NFL, so bringing an alpha back to the middle of the field was paramount.
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Woodson became the guy that Alabama needed to stifle the Kentucky offense.
Devan Thompkins
One of the biggest plays of the game was from defensive tackle Devan Thompkins , the transfer out of USC.
In the third quarter, with 5:47 left, Kentucky was held to 3rd and 6 at its own 29 yard line.
As Kentucky QB Kenny Minchey took the snap, Alabama came in hot with pressure. Thompkins came around the right edge, and strip-sacked Minchey, with Isaia Faga recovering it.
The turnover set up Daniel Hill 's 32-yard explosive run, which quickly led to a touchdown and gave Alabama a 31-17 lead.
Outside of that play, Thompkins continued to make his presence felt, posting six total tackles (four solo) and two sacks, including the previous forced fumble.
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The senior was the biggest acquisition from the Crimson Tide over the transfer portal, and he's already paying massive dividends after Alabama's first conference game.
Daniel Hill
In Week 1, the run game was run by a committee.
While Hill amassed the majority of the carries, it wasn't by a lot. Backup running backs Trae'shawn Brown and EJ Crowell got a lot of action in Week 1 against East Carolina.
But as the elder statesman in the running back room, this was a game for Hill to shine – and ultimately post the best game in his collegiate career.
Prior to this season, Hill's career high in rushing yards was 60 yards in a Week 10 game against Oklahoma . However, Hill shattered that career high with 104 yards, and his work after contact was even more impressive, generating 85 yards after contact.
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One of the big concerns about Hill was how he would be able to use his frame to his advantage, but also his speed in open-field situations.
Hill turned to a well-known running back trainer in the offseason , and thus far, the work has paid off handsomely.
Honorable Mention: Luke Metz
It's hard to go through this game without mentioning linebacker Luke Metz . The sophomore helped spark Alabama's turnaround with the first pick-six of his career and finished with eight tackles.
Additionally, Metz tallied eight total tackles, including three solo tackles.
Metz had won over Wommack during training camp, and it's not hard to imagine why. After watching most of last season from the sidelines, the sophomore shined the brightest in a conference matchup.
