Box Score and Such: Alabama vs FIU

1st Downs	26	13
3rd Down Efficiency	3-10	7-17
4th Down Efficiency	1-1	1-3
Total Yards	516	214
Passing	241	213
Comp-Att	18-24	18-38
Yards per Pass	10.0	5.6
Rushing	275	1
Attempts	42	26
Yards per Rush	6.5	0.0
Penalties	7-65	8-54
Turnovers	0	1
Fumbles Lost	0	0
Interceptions Thrown	0	1
Time of Possession	31:38	28:22

Snap Judgements:

• The pass coverage was horrendous in the first half, but after we came back out FIU could hardly move the ball.  How much was the fact that this was FIU's first game and we had no film on what they might be doing in this game, and how much is it that we just really miss Rashad Johnson back there?
• Pass rush?  Yes, please.  Marcel Dareus had a monster of a game with two sacks and four total tackles (most of the down linemen), while we managed five total sacks in the game along with nine QB hurries.
• Greg McElroy has his first school record with 14 straight completed passes.  John Parker Wilson previously held that record with 12 straight against Tennessee and Arkansas State last year.
• Third down efficiency is still poor on our end.  We were at 35% against a stout Hokie D, but we dropped to 30% against a Sun Belt D.  Not shooting ourselves in the foot on early downs with penalties and digging ourselves into a hole would probably help in that regard.
• We were pretty even so far as time of possession goes (unlike last week when we held about a +15 minute edge), so getting off the field was a problem for the defense.  Not good.
• Another solid, balanced outing for the offense, though the total yardage stats are a little padded from the big runs by Richardson and Grant late in the second half.  
• The penalties?  The penalties!  7 for 65 yards is an improvement over 10 for 83, but the line is still making me nervous with the false starts and holding calls.

Players of the Game

Offense:

Greg McElroy

Honorable mentions have to go to Mike McCoy (5 catches for 100 yards and the lone receiving TD of the night) and Trent Richardson (15 rushes for 118 yards and 2 TDs) for stepping up big time early on in relief of other guys, but McElroy continues to look like the kind of kid we need running our offense right now. His second half against Va. Tech was apparently no fluke.

Defense

Marcell Dareus

Young Dareus leads the team with 3.5 sacks so far this season (two of those coming last night) and is quickly becoming a super star on the defensive line.