Alabama football did not play defense at a level matching expectations against Colorado State. The Tide gave up 391 yards and 13 fourth-quarter points to the Rams. Neither fans or players were pleased with the performance. Senior linebacker, Shaun Dion Hamilton spoke out,
“We’ve got to get back to the drawing board because that was just pathetic”
On Monday, Nick Saban said the defensive problems were not a reason to panic. On a team relying on a former walk-on and a true freshman, growing pains are inevitable. While Saban counseled patience, players showed a sense of urgency.