As far as excitement goes, this was your typical Bama/LSU game with a lot of big plays and tough gritty football for 4 quarters. It was interesting to see how some of the players looked sharp after the off week and how some seemed out of sorts from it. It apparently affected some of the coaching staff after some of the bizzare play calls.....
OFFENSE
The Good....
Mark Ingram gets the damn ball and good things happen.
Here's the thing that it doesn't take playing D1 football to know, when you have a player that is a Heisman candidate, you feed him the damn ball. Starving your star running back with something like 8 total touches (6 rush, 2 rec) is not going to make things happen. However, in the second half, the light came on and the playcalling went with the guy they knew could win the ball game. He did. Ingram continues to make the plays time and time again when called upon. Watching him play this year compared to last is amazing because he's nothing like he was last year. He's more confident, he's focused, he finds the right lanes on each touch and gets more than he should on about every carry. That's really the difference in 08 and 09 is that Ingram changes the game and controls it whereas Coffee plodded and chewed up 3 to 5 per carry.
Finding the endzone and shutting up the no passing TDs since puberty...
That's sarcasm at CBS not McElroy folks. Anyways, he missed a big play earlier in the game, but after they started running the ball, it allowed Greg to do what he is more comfortable in doing, play action waggles, and it lead to a near perfect pass to Hanks (who miracled his ass by catching one) . McElroy as a whole had a good day, nothing spectacular or would warrant all SEC nominations, but it was a game that he was more in control of and that in itself was a good sign for the road ahead. LSU's defense was nothing to sneeze at and if he can do what he did to them each week from here on in, the path is golden.
1 bad missed tackle = 73 yards to victory
Nobody was happier to see open field than Julio Jones. He's not been that open since high school and he was sprinting like a guy trying to keep the lil bulldog (Saban) off his heels. If he felt the bark as he ran, he should have, he played like crap up until that play. It was a redeeming play and will be what folks remember 5 or 10 years from now, but if he drops that pass, we'd all remember the chewing....
Digging down deep and finding the will to overcome
There were 2 points in the game where if the former/past Tide had been there, defeat would have been likely. There was the safety and subsequent march down the field to take the lead 15-10, and there was the INT at the end of the half that took the wind out of the sails going into the half. A Shula or Fran led Bama would have rolled up into the fetal and took it like a prison girlfriend, last year's team didn't exactly react well when behind for long periods of time. This year's team seems to almost enjoy that down at the 4th feeling because they play better from behind in the 4th than they do when leading.
Maze's 1st half
About the only thing going on the passing game in the 1st half was Maze and McElroy's connection with each other. When Bama went run in the 2nd half, it pretty well ended his day because he doesn't play on any of the run formations (2 TE, Wildcat, I, etc), but he was a big reason they were able to keep the ball and keep drives going in the 1st half.
The Bad...
General play calling
I almost had to buy a new tv when Saban said before the game he didn't think Bama could run on them. Regardless of how much he really meant it, the whole idea of passing to win vs. LSU was not the best gameplan they could have had. Whether it was trying to get McElroy confident or get the WRs confident, or getting Julio into the game more, etc., it wasn't working. There were some things they did that I did like in the passing game, getting Williams involved, getting Maze into the game to expose a speed difference, getting the ball to the backs on screens, and things like that were nice plays. The problem that occured though was all the spread field situations left McElroy naked and LSU was committed to blitzing off the ends with their rush end and corner/safeties regardless so it was causing some hurries (see the INT at the end of the half). When Bama tried to run in the 1st half, those drives were the best looking drives of the day to that point.
Julio's day pre- the catch.
Needless to say, two catches for 19 yards, a penalty, and probably the biggest dropped catch in his career all had lead to a day where if Calgon could take him away, he'd let them. With Julio it is about focus, and when he's focused, he's as good as anyone. The problem is getting him dialed in. The drop before the safety was another in the long line of drops that he's had and they all are him trying to catch it with his body and not his hands. The play that has no excuse though was the penalty. Bama would have punched it in on the play, but for whatever reason he wasn't in the game mentally and cost them 4 points. (7-3) One person on BOL said "I don't think that was Julio's fault", um no. When you see Cody coming on the field, you know there won't be a WR in sight.
The Ugly...
Whomever called and ok'd the late game pass needs a come to Jesus meeting....
Ok, here's the scenario so that you get why that play call just sucked. Bama runs it burns clock down and has the ball at midfield, they elect to punt and get a running into the punter call. This puts the ball 4th and inches. Bama now inside LSU territory sees that a punt nets them very little and putting faith (finally) in Ingram and the defense, they go for it and make it. On the next first down, they run again, and get 3 yards. The clock is ticking down and things are good. On a 2nd and 7, Bama calls play action and throws towards Jones and are blessed to get an incompletion call (more on that in a minute), but if it is called an interception, they give the ball, momentum, and maybe the game back to LSU. There is no real good reason why that play is called when you have successfully ran the ball all half, and you have no need in doing anything but bleeding the clock and getting what you can whether it is a FG, punt or TD. If it is called an INT, and they score, we are all here wondering why Jim McElwain still breathes air in the state of Alabama. It was a bad play call and one that Saban should have cut short and said no, run it.
Now, as to why I said blessed. I'm not going to get into the is it a pick or not debate, but what I will say is that if the side judge calls it an INT, the replay wouldn't have reversed that call either. There was not enough evidence either way to reverse the play and all these "the rule book says in article x section up the tight ass" crowd should know that the refs and coaches are not throwing out the book and reading it during the game. Instant replay is not about that anyways, it is about possession of the ball, feet in or out, etc. The bottom line is that Bama was blessed to get the call in their favor prior to the replay because they weren't going to get help from the video. Karma has a way of paying you back I guess.
Defense/Special Teams
The Good...
The rest did some folks good...
I thought that the defense looked a little faster and had a lot more wind in its sails this week compared to the Tennessee game where they were gasping from fatigue. The week off had several hungry to hit people (Deaderick, Woodall, McClain). The week off came at a good time because they had to be fresh for the speed that LSU throws at you.
Giving up 7 tough points for the night
The 6 they gave up after the safety was a short field situation, but really the defense only allowed one drive of substance all day. I thought they did real well at keeping LSU deep all day. There weren't a lot of 3rd and shorts, and when Bama had them backed up inside the 10, they did a good job of not letting them out with the exception of the TD drive. After the 91 yard drive, LSU went
3 and out- 6 yards
3 and out- 5 yards
12 and out- 29 yards
6 and score after safety 59 yards
3 and out- 9 yards
3 and out - loss of 8
5 and Turnover- 8 yards
They gave up a net of 108 yards on 35 plays (3.1 per). That is a marked improvement from the UT game where they let UT bleed them over and over again on long drive after long drive.
Making the plays when they had to
I'll give LSU credit where it is due, they were ready for Bama's defense. They had decided that they had to go outside as much as could and expose Bama's power to their speed. Bama fans will remember this is what caught Bama in the Sugar Bowl was the hurry up, late subs, quick plays and fast routes. LSU, however, was not prepared for Bama's ability to contain the talented freshman and big time WR duo with their dime formation. All three corners had good games and only allowed one big play on them all night, and that came from a slip.
Tiffin in the books
The game clinching FG was also his mark in the record books for points scored at the U. The player that had the scats earlier has dissappeared and the guy who has confidence and clutch going for him has appeared. Thank God.
The Bad...
Tackling
The off week had a good bit to do with the poor tackling across the board. They had not been as physical in the down time, and with good reason, and it reflected when Charles Scott ran. I don't know how many arm tackles he got, but it was a baker's dozen if it was one. The tackling issues led to a lot of the problems they were having with containing LSU. They would have LSU hemmed up and then the tackling would allow them into a 3rd and managable.
3rd and 32 visions of Kines dancing in the sky
Again, here's the scenario and why it wasn't good. The poor tackling had allowed 2 first downs and that's when Nico nailed Jefferson and knocked him out of the game. Lee throws an incompletion and it is 3rd and what should be forever. LSU calls time out to scheme the play. Bama goes prevent, which is only preventing victory nine out of ten times, and LSU dumps it in the soft zone and gets 20. Now, for most a 4th and 12 is instant punt. However, the play allowed 2 things to be entered into the discussion. First, it let LSU get in that no man's land where they are too far for a FG, and too close to get a punt by percentages. Second, it let the Mad Hatter go to the bag of tricks. The 4th down play is a conversion, but Bama is saved by a false start. (the second saving grace from a false start of the day) LSU has to punt because the 5 yards knocks them out of that zone. However, if Bama does what it had done all day, they probably don't even flinch or have to sweat the details.
Off day for Reamer and Barron
To say they played bad might be an overstatement, but they didn't put in their standard performances. Reamer was picked on a lot, and part of that was by design. LSU had a WR that played TE and knew that was a matchup problem. They were making late subs to get that confusion and mismatch on occasion and the TD was one of those. Bama wouldn't have typically let Reamer cover a guy like that, he would have been on the back and Barron or Green would have been on him, but the subs caught them. Charles Scott was not a good matchup for Reamer either. He gives up too much size and bulk to that bulldozer. Barron was late on his cover duties too. He got away with one because Bama had called cover 2 on 3rd down, with Bama getting LSU deep in their own endzone. The WR goes over the middle and up the field, Reamer releases (might have released a little early) and Barron hesitates before stepping up to stop the play. He was bailed out on a false start. There were a few others that did count where he was a step late and a lot of it is probably from being off the week before. It will be interesting to see how the 2 respond from practice this week. However, for the "put Jerrell Harris in" crowd.... keep the dream alive because that's about all it is right now. He won't see a real down unless there is an injury or the 2010 season starts at this point.
The Ugly...
Gary Danielson sucks it
I tend to not get too drawn into the commentators or the very lame and weak "they are out to get us" stuff. Danielson has it out for Bama though. While both Meyer and Saban are tops at what they do and very good at it, they aren't confusable to the average joe. Good job Gary, you confuse the two on live tv and it takes your producer screaming at you to catch it. He was on thin ice after the post game commentary from the UT game, he didn't let it stop him from more commentary this week with the profound "I'll state for the record I thought his foot was in". That's nice Gary, since when did color commentary need op ed? Dick.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
BCS and AP confusion...
Florida, Bama, and Texas are all in a win and in situation. However, in the AP poll where they are doing their own thing these days. They have made the same decision, but the track record seems confused. Last week, Bama's off and falls to 3rd because Texas beat OSU minus their 2 best skill men and UF keeps winning. This week, Bama beats a top 10 team and gains on TX by 12 votes, but is still 8 behind? I'll put it like this, if anyone thinks that Texas can beat either UF or Bama right now, they are smoking pot. Texas has yet to play anyone worth a crap on defense, the best they have seen is OU and that's not exactly special when you look at the SEC, and they won't play anyone until the BCS when it gets down to it. The truth is that TCU has played better teams (Clemson and BYU) than Texas. Cincy has as well by beating Oregon St on the road, and USF on the road. They also have 2 big games vs. WVa and Pitt.
If you have picked up on the hint that I'm not big on Texas, good, because I'm not. They need to show something before I'll think they are more than the typical Big 12, Big 10 pretender. Plopping 14 on UCF in the 4th to make it look good isn't impressive, plopping it on in the 2nd maybe. Beating a short squad Okie State isn't impressive either. Beating OU isn't special this year either, just ask Nebraska. I know the BCS and AP feel bad for last year, and Texas deserved to go to the BCS last year and get pounded by Florida. That was last year though. Texas is going to have a hard time keeping TCU fans and supporters from getting on them if they make it and get walloped by the SEC champ. TCU has a legit gripe and I would rather play Texas than TCU.
SEC Bowl Dreaming...
As a result of Saturday, we can pretty well start eyeballing bowls and guessing the locations:
BCS- Bama
Sugar- Florida
Cap 1- LSU
Cotton- UT
Outback- Ole Miss
Chick Fil A- Auburn
Music City- Arkansas
Liberty- UGA
Independance- Kentucky
Papajohns.com- USCar
How far has Spurrier's Gamecocks fallen to be in B'ham for the holidays when 2 or 3 weeks ago they looked like an Outback Bowl team? Also, how good of a job has Petrino done at Arkansas? Nobody had them winning 6 or 7, but now they look like they could at worst be 7-5 with Troy, MSU and LSU left. Of course, all of these estimates are based on teams not falling apart between now and the end of the month. UGA, UT, KY, and ARK have not won the qualifying 6th game yet. UGA stands in a perilous spot with Auburn ( I think UGA wins), Kentucky, and Ga Tech left (UGA probably loses both). With UT v. Ole Miss and Ark v. LSU still ahead, some of the already ins have some position movement possibly. UT is the biggest whomever is playing LSU fan there is. Ole Miss is the "kingmaker" so to speak of the non-BCS bowls because they play UT and LSU. Ole Miss could win out and be in the Cap 1, lose out and be in Nashville for the holidays, or keep LSU or UT from the Cap 1 bowl. Fun times for the diagram junkie that I am.....
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