Alabama vs. FSU: 5 x-factors for the Crimson Tide to beat the Seminoles

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TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 09: Running back Bo Scarbrough #9 of the Alabama Crimson Tide on a running play during the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game against the Clemson Tigers at Raymond James Stadium on January 9, 2017 in Tampa, Florida. The Clemson Tigers defeated The Alabama Crimson Tide 35 to 31. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

2. How will Brian Daboll use his stable of tailbacks?

Alabama lost not one, but two offensive coordinators from last year’s team. Could you blame them? Both Lane Kiffin and Steve Sarkisian got some pretty sweet gigs from their time working under Nick Saban.

Kiffin is leading the Florida Atlantic Owls and could have them as one of the best Group of 5 teams in a year or so. Sarkisian left after one game calling plays for the Crimson Tide to replace Kyle Shanahan as the Atlanta Falcons’ new offensive coordinator. He is another disciple of the Pete Carroll coaching tree like Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is.

So who’s calling plays for the Crimson Tide? Former New England Patriots tight end coach Brian Daboll. While he will like to use those two-tight end sets he loved so much while working for Bill Belichick in the NFL, how Daboll works in the running back rotation in Tuscaloosa will have a lot of say in how this game goes.

Daboll has a bell-cow in Bo Scarbrough, but two other great backs in Damien Harris and Joshua Jacobs that need touches. He could opt to use Harris to set up Scarbrough and have Jacobs as a solid change-of-pace back. Either way, it’s likely that ground and pound will be the offensive game plan for Daboll in his first game calling plays for the Crimson Tide.

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