Matchup: Florida State RB Ousmane Kromah vs. Alabama Defense
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As the
Florida State Seminoles (1-1, 0-1 in ACC) continue preparations for their road
game with the No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0, 1-0 in SEC) on Saturday, coach Mike Norvell
and his offensive staff are racking their brains over how best to attack the suffocating
Crimson Tide defense.
One matchup that could be top of mind is star running
back Ousmane Kromah running the ball through the crimson tidal wave of angry
Alabama defenders.
Coming off
a bye week, Kromah leads the Seminoles in rushing with 231 yards and two
touchdowns, and averages 115 yards per game through the first two games of the
season. That is good enough for No. 2 in the ACC.
He is averaging
6.42 yards per carry. Against New Mexico State in Week 0, Kromah rushed for 115
yards, one touchdown, and averaged 8.21 yards per carry. That was good enough
for Kromah to make the Pro Football Focus (PFF) Team of the Week for Week 0.
Against
SMU in Week 1, Kromah rushed for 116 yards and a score. He averaged 5.27 yards
per carry against the Mustangs.
As a team,
Florida State has averaged 208 yards per game on the ground, and ranks No. 39
in the FBS in that category. Right now, that is the most productive aspect of the
Seminoles offense.
For the
Alabama defense, running the football for positive yardage is frowned upon,
downright prohibited. They are ranked No.4 in rushing defense nationally,
allowing a paltry 32.50 yards per game.
In their
first two games, against East Carolina and SEC opponent Kentucky, the Crimson
Tide has allowed just 65 yards rushing, and a 1.20 yard per carry average. East
Carolina rushed 22 times against the Crimson Tide and gained only two yards
(for a 0.09-yard average).
In the
Kentucky game, the Crimson Tide allowed the Wildcats to rush for just 63 yards
on 32 tries (for a 1.97 average), led by Alabama linebackers Caleb Woodson and
Luke Metz. Both received high marks from PFF for their performances: Woodson
graded at 80.1, and Metz graded at 86.4. Metz was the highest-graded Alabama
defender in Week 2.
Kromah, with
his 6-foot-1, 200+pound frame, and by extension, the Florida State offensive
line will be challenged at every snap. The offensive line must hold their
blocks and open up the running lanes for Kromah to bust through and move the
ball downfield for positive yardage.
Make no mistake,
the Florida State offense must be a balanced attack running and throwing the
football against Alabama. Against this defense, one-dimensional is not the way
to be.
But if Kromah cannot leave scorched earth in his wake on his way to the
end zone, and the Seminoles are forced to live and die by the forward pass
alone, then it could be a long day on Saturday for the Seminoles.
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