Squinting in the bright light atop the local TV camera Saturday afternoon, Najee Harris was brief.

Alabama had just whipped Southern Miss, 49-7 and the star junior recorded the Crimson Tide’s first 100-yard rushing game of the season. There wasn’t a whole lot to say.

“The O-line did a really good job, that’s what I want to put on camera,” Harris said, remembering his talking point after initially giving a second straight one-word answer. “The O-line did the best job they ever did. And if they keep up that level of play, we’re going to be straight. So, shout out to the O-line, man.”

For only the second time in four games, Alabama ran it more than passing with a concerted effort to establish the running game for which the program is known. With Tua Tagovailoa matching his school record with five passing touchdowns again Saturday, there were no concerns with the Tide’s ability to score and do it quickly against an overmatched defense.

It was in the third quarter when this offense hit the running game hard.

Going to halftime with just 60 rushing yards on 13 attempts, Alabama averaged 8.3 yards per carry in the third. The first touchdown drive of the half saw Harris hit consecutive carries of 12 and 13 yards, respectively.

“Once he hit a big run,” center Chris Owens said, “we just want to keep pounding them, keep pounding them.”

Then on the next drive, Brian Robinson had a 14-yard run over the left side before Harris broke one 17 yards. Robinson capped the drive with a six-yard score that was just the third between him and Harris through four games.

“They do a lot of stunting up inside,” Nick Saban said of Southern Miss’ defensive line. “I thought the offensive line did a really good job of getting hat on hat. I thought we had a lot of positive, effective runs. I thought Najee rolled it up in there, ran with a lot of toughness.”

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Up front, Owens said the offensive line’s chemistry is improving as time passes. His absence in Week 2, Owens noted, didn’t help with that cohesion with three new starters learning how to play together.

A combination of South Carolina’s defensive scheme and passing-game effectiveness led to just 76 rushing yards a week ago in Columbia. That was the lowest total for Alabama’s offense since getting just 66 at Arkansas in 2014.

That was not lost on the offensive line entering Saturday.

“Being in that meeting room, we all acknowledged we hadn’t run the ball as well as we wanted to, Owens said. “But like I said, we all know our flaws and we all know what we need to get better at. Just like everyone else sees it, we see it too.”

Harris finished with 110 yards on 14 attempts with a long of 17. In four games, the longest run between Harris and Robinson is a 19-yarder against New Mexico State. The 318-yard rushing total against the Aggies was padded by a lateral 75-yard throw to Henry Ruggs III called a rush and Keilan Robinson’s 74-yard run in the closing moments.

The 195 yards on 35 carries Saturday included 149 on 22 carries between Harris and Robinson.

“The offensive line took the challenge and they did a wonderful job,” Harris said, ready to move on from the 90-second turn in front of the cameras. “That’s why the O-line should be doing the interview right now.”

And that was it.

“Amen to y’all, though,” Harris said, walking off. “God is good.”

Michael Casagrande is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.