Desmond Howard explains why Alabama is 'absolutely' on upset alert vs. Texas

Texas and Alabama are set for one of the biggest games of the season on Saturday when the Longhorns take the field in Tuscaloosa. And ESPN’s Desmond Howard thinks the Crimson Tide should be ready for a Texas squad that can hand them a loss.

Howard’s main reason for concern is that Texas has an elite crop of receivers and the Alabama defensive backs are both banged up and, beyond star corner Kool-Aid McKinstry, somewhat unproven. He thinks it could be a big stage for quarterback Quinn Ewers and the Texas weapons to shine.

“So I think they’re going to come in here in Tuscaloosa knowing that they let one slip away in Austin a year ago, back when Ewers got hurt. So I believe, when you look at Alabama’s defensive backs, too, they’re a little banged up and you’re looking at this Texas receiving corps with AD Mitchell, the receiver who came over from Georgia, a transfer, and of course Xavier Worthy. They got some firepower, serious firepower out there on the perimeter,” Howard said on “First Take” on Friday morning.

Along with Worthy and Mitchell, Texas also features Johntay Cook, tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders and a cadre of running backs.

But it starts with Ewers for Howard. The quarterback fine-tuned his diet and shaved off his mullet this offseason, a sign of an increased dedication to the position and excelling at it, Howard thinks.

“This is a young man who came to Austin, transfer from Ohio State with a mullet. And had the season he had a year ago. Didn’t go the way they expected. So he changed his body, changed his diet, cut off his mullet, which is very serious for a young man of his age to cut off his mullet,” Howard said. “And now he has a different perspective not only on football but on life.”

On the other side, Howard isn’t sold on Jalen Milroe as the quarterback for Alabama after just one performance.

Milroe was effective against Middle Tennessee State, completing 13-of-18 pass attempts for 194 yards and three touchdowns. But Howard isn’t sold on his downfield passing ability with just one outing. He was a punishing runner, carrying seven times for 48 yards and two more touchdowns.

With that in mind, Howard wonders if Milroe’s top-shelf rushing ability and questions in the passing game can provide some easy answers for the Texas defense.

“He’s a great dual-threat quarterback but his default is to run and you don’t want that for your quarterback if he’s going to be the starter throughout the season because defenses, they’re going to prepare of that and I think Texas is going to be ready,” Howard said.