NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

We have finally made it.

After nine long months, the Alabama Crimson Tide are back playing football this upcoming Saturday.

With a new look on the defense, and a new quarterback, head coach Kalen DeBoer and his roster have the opportunity to silence the critics.

After a disappointing showing at the Rose Bowl in January, many pundits and fans wondered about the fit with DeBoer and the Alabama program.

How Alabama looks in Week 1 could go a long way toward determining whether this team is ready to compete for the SEC and College Football Playoff.

Standing in Alabama's way will be the East Carolina Pirates.

In what is supposed to be a record-setting heatwave in Tuscaloosa, here are the three keys to Alabama's Week 1 matchup against East Carolina.

Run the Ball

I don’t care if the gameplan gets stale, just run the damn ball.

While East Carolina is no slouch, coming fresh off a 9-4 season and a Bowl win, this isn’t an away game in Tallahassee.

Alabama has a luxury it didn't have in Week 1 of last season.

DeBoer’s squad has the flexibility to see what it has in the run game without having to abandon the ground too quickly.

And after posting one of the worst rushing seasons in program history last season, starting the game on the ground is imperative.

Alabama needs to see what it has in returning backs like Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley. However, it also needs to see what it has in true freshman EJ Crowell, who’s expected to be available for Week 1.

Allowing the run game to set the tone will also help ease some pressure off redshirt freshman starting quarterback Keelon Russell.

Let Russell Get Acclimated

Which brings us to the next point: slow the game down.

Russell is supposed to be the program's quarterback of the future. The last thing Alabama needs is to put unnecessary pressure on him in his first start.

Let him keep moving the chains with short passes and the run game. If he has the big shot available, take it.

The most important thing for Russell is to get reps.

The quicker he gets those reps in, the more prepared he is come October when the stakes are even higher.

Take the Pirates' Offense Seriously

This may not be an opponent like Florida State, but one false move, and the Pirates can make you pay.

East Carolina’s offense took a hit when its offensive coordinator John David Baker left to take the OC job at Ole Miss.

But new OC Jordan Davis can run a competent offense as well.

Davis was hired in December of last season, after leading North Texas’ offense to have the highest scoring offense in the FBS last season.

The Mean Green averaged 44.2 points per game, a number that should get Alabama's attention.

The biggest question for the Pirates may be at quarterback.

East Carolina sounds like it’s rolling out sixth year quarterback Mitch Griffis, who spent four years at Wake Forest, and then one year at Texas Tech.

In the one season that Griffis threw more than 200 passes, he posted a 9-to-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio and completed just 60% of his passes.

Alabama’s defense is expected to continue to be a strength this season, with returning starters like Zabien Brown, Yhonzae Pierre, and Bray Hubbard in the fold.

So, putting the pressure on Griffis will be critical. The last thing Alabama needs is to let a veteran quarterback with plenty of experience settle into the game and find a rhythm.

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos