Should Alabama Football Go After Garrett Riley For Offensive Coordinator?

Even with an 8-2 record and a top-10 ranking, anyone who follows college football realizes that 2022 has been a down year for Alabama Football. One of the reasons for this has been the inconsistency on the offensive side of the ball.

It’s obvious that Bryce Young is missing Jameson Williams and John Metchie at wide receiver, as the WR’s the Tide have now have not developed as quickly as many expected.

Another reason for the off year, has been the play-calling of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Now in his second year in Tuscaloosa, O’Brien’s offense, while averaging 40 points per game, has been a major reason for the fall off from dominance for Nick Saban’s squad.

Alabama has gone three consecutive games without going over 31 points scored, and against Ole Miss and Mississippi State, the Tide totaled less than 320 yards of total offense.

It’s obvious that Coach Saban has to make a change at OC, because Alabama clearly isn’t the same program we’ve seen the last several years, benefiting from a high-flying offense who can put up points with ease.

The Crimson Tide flourished with coordinators like Steve Sarkisian and Mike Locksley, who paired their spread, up-tempo schemes with Alabama’s athletes at the skill positions. With O’Brien’s pro-style, NFL type offense, they’re not creating favorable matchups for those players at receiver or running back.

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If Bama wants to get back to that place of domination, hiring an OC with a modern offensive approach is the first thing Saban will have to do.

While some have claimed for Dan Mullen, I think Garrett Riley should be who Alabama targets for their next offensive coordinator. In just his first year as OC at TCU, Riley has transformed the Horned Frogs offense and program as a whole, into a top-5 team with serious national championship hopes.

Should Alabama Football go after Garrett Riley for Offensive Coordinator?

Though most assume Riley is a strictly air-raid offense type of guy, TCU’s balanced attack has made them one of the more effective squads in the nation. The Horned Frogs are averaging 40 PPG, 486 yards of total offense, 272.5 passing yards and 213.6 rushing yards per game.

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Riley’s gameplay doesn’t change week to week, and his approach is very simplistic, which helps out his quarterback plenty, as Max Duggan has thrown 25 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions.

Duggan has thrown for 2,531 yards, completing 65% of his passes on 273 attempts. Though Bryce Young has thrown for 2,443 yards, completing 63% of his passes on 305 attempts. Duggan is accomplishing more by throwing less, which is a testament of Riley’s gameplan and simplistic approach.

Then on the ground game, Riley uses his 1-2 punch to perfection. Kendre Miller has rushed for 1,147 yards so far, while Emari Demercado has been effective as well, with 407 yards himself.

While Alabama Football is averaging 273 passing yards per game, thanks to the mastery of Young, their run game (193 YPG), could be doing so much better. Jahmyr Gibbs has 774 rushing yards, with 55 less carries than Miller at TCU.

While Saban is known for bringing on older and more experienced coordinators, Garrett’s brother Lincoln, now head coach at USC, is just 39 years old, with Garrett 33.

Going back to Bill O’Brien’s elementary play-calling in the ever-evolving game of college football, has forced Young to play hero ball at QB, desperately trying to create plays when they’re not there.

O’Brien’s stubbornness and unwillingness to adjust his offensive scheme has resulted in Alabama not taking full advantage of Young, perhaps the most gifted QB to ever come through the program. Even after coming off a Heisman Trophy season in 2021, Young has not progressed as a quarterback, and he’ll leave Tuscaloosa without a national championship.

I think it’s fair to say O’Brien won’t be with Alabama Football in 2023, whether he’s fired, or is hired on as head coach at another program. With a decision looming on who to replace him with, this is going to be a crucial moment for Coach Saban, and one that’ll determine the future status of the dynasty in Title-Town.