SEC Notebook: Rolling With Tide

Alabama coach Nick Saban certainly likes the Crimson Tide's offensive efficiency.

Alabama has stepped it up through the first five games this year, compared to the first give games in 2008. Alabama is averaging three points more points per game more and 86 more total yards per game above last season. The passing offense is where the major improvement has been, with the Tide throwing for 1,173 yards and nine touchdowns compared to 808 yards and six scores last season.

That's not all. For the first time since 1979, and just the third time in school history, No. 3 Alabama has opened the season with five straight games of 30 points or more. The Tide looks to extend that streak to six games on Saturday at No. 20 Mississippi.

"I think we've had good balance offensively," Saban said.

"I think we have been efficient in throwing the ball, which is important. We have been effective enough running it and I think the balance that we've created has probably been the key to our success and think it's going to be a key to future success that we continue to do that. If we can do both things equally well it will keep people off-balance and we have a multiple number of guys that are contributing to do that and making plays."

While Alabama still has an outstanding ground game, the passing game behind new quarterback Greg McElroy and a more seasoned group of receivers, tight ends and running backs has given the Tide more offensive punch. Alabama is averaging 228.2 rushing yards (10th nationally) and 234.6 passing yards (48th nationally) Overall, the Tide has completed 40 passes to receivers, 28 to backs and 19 to tight ends.

"We have good guys and that's just another opportunity to get them the ball in space," Saban said.

"I think the tight end is probably the best mismatched player on the field. I've always said that, in terms of who is covering him, where he lines up and how he gets defended. All these things are positives in my opinion. The quarterback makes good decisions and gets the ball in the right places and he's got the patience to do it and that's one of the reasons we have not turned it over a lot is we're not putting the ball where it shouldn't be going."

And, in case anyone is counting, McElroy has now won his last 21 starts at quarterback, going 16-0 as a high school senior in 2005 and 5-0 for the Tide in 2009.

Alabama also has beaten Ole' Miss five consecutive games, including the last two played in Oxford, Miss. But both of those games were decided on the final play.

"When you watch Alabama you don't see many weaknesses – offense, defense and special teams – they are playing excellent football right now," Ole' Miss coach Houston Nutt said. "They have excellent athletes and they don't make mistakes. They feed off of their opponent's mistakes. They are very physical and their guys can run."

Rise and Shine

The SEC has deals with CBS and ESPN, and every team in the league will be on television this weekend. Of course, that means some teams wills start earlier than others.

Better keep the pancakes and eggs warm for the Arkansas-Auburn showdown. It's slated for an 11AM CT kickoff.

"We'll get them off the field a little quicker on Thursday, so we try to get their legs back," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said.

"We'll get out of our meetings a little bit earlier on Friday night, get them in bed a little earlier, and then obviously they have to get up early and get going. I've always enjoyed early games and I think our players do too -- where you don't have to wait around and sit around in the hotel all day."

Auburn coach Gene Chizik admits the early kickoff alters the Tigers' routine -- at least he thinks it will.

"This is uncharted territory for us," he said.

"All of our games have been night games so far and it will be interesting. For early games we get up, eat, then play, but it shouldn't really affect us. This does create a new series of things that we will encounter, especially with such a young team."

Repeat Performance?

Last season, Arkansas beat No. 20 Auburn 25-22 in Alabama. Running back Michael Smith carried the ball 35 times for 176 yards and one touchdown.

Will Smith have another big game?

At the moment, Smith just wants to contribute.

Smith, who finished with 1,072 yards and eight touchdowns last season, has only 32 carries for 180 yards and one touchdown through the first four games this season. That's a dramatic decline from this time a year ago when, despite being suspended for the season opener, he had 54 carries for 295 yards and two touchdowns through the first four games of the season.

He's on pace to finish the regular season with 540 rushing yards.



"I need to run better," said Smith, who led the team in receptions with five for 65 yards and a touchdown in last week's victory over Texas A&M. "If I begin to run better, then the amount of touches won't matter because I'll be gaining more yards with each game."

Praising Garcia

South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is slow to praise his quarterbacks, particularly Stephen Garcia. But in his first full season as a starter, Garcia is playing well. The Gamecocks are third in the SEC and 14th nationally in total defense (264.4 yards per game).

"He's doing some better things," Spurrier said.

"We certainly hope and believe that he can continue advancing and throwing the ball more accurately here and there, but he did throw some good balls in the second half last week [in the win over South Carolina State]. That was encouraging. We need to throw some perfect passes.

"Receivers are running some decent routes, but that can get better. Pass protection can get better certainly ... fortunately we have a really good defense and we don't have to score every time we touch it. We've had one turnover per game -- five turnovers. Heck we had four in the first half of a game last year so we've come a long way."