The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- UTC

I picked a good one to make the annual trek down to Tuscaloosa for my once a year game ritual. I was real pleased with about everything but the student section. The students seem to have more important things. It looked more like a UTC student section than a National Championship contender's. I digress...

(going back to old format for one week since this was a snoozer)


The Good...


Senior moments....


No not those where you piss yourself and forget you did. Moments like Javy returning a punt for a TD in his last BDS game, Reamer snagging the pick, Upchurch scoring late, etc. I always like seeing the Rudy's of the world come out for these kinda games and get a few snaps as a reward for being a 3 1/2 year tackle dummy.


Quick work = quick rest = quick shift of focus to Auburn


The game was over after Reamer's pick basically, but getting the game salted away by the end of the 1st and the starters (for the most part) out of the game by halftime, is always a good start when your rival is sitting at home eating bon bons and watching you play. The objectives were pretty clear once met. Ingram was going to get about 10 carries and do what he needed to there. McElroy had 1 half and that was it (no shock to either of those). The defense would start subbing quickly to rest up the starters and keep injuries low. McClain got 1 half to do his thing and then by that point the backups could handle the business.


Nice work turned in by...


It was good to see the guys who haven't played much, like Goode, Upchurch, Alexander, etal. get some looks as primary guys. Goode looks ok as a guy finishing off a worn out defense, but I don't think he's gonna get any major PT without disaster happening. He's not fast enough to get snaps as a speed back and not physical enough to be the pounder that the others are.

Even in a route, Saban's chewing...

The peanut gallery was chuckling with me as Saban used about every "coachable moment" that came along to kick and snort in spite of it being a total blowout. He chewed Star Jackson for a few decisions. He chewed Baron Huber for being in Knoxville and not Tuscaloosa mentally. He chewed on PJ for shanking a punt (net 20ish from where I was) that could have pinned them deep. It was a good reminder for the players and fans that even though the game is in hand, they use every minute of the game to get better and execute the playbook. I think there were a couple out there that probably thought it was ok to just ho hum through and enjoy the sunshine, but those people are running laps and hearing it in film this week.

The Bad...

Nothing major bad, but they still have a hard time getting used to the spread

One thing that seems to be a common theme this year is that the defense has a little bit of trouble adjusting to the spread. UTC wasn't a threat to do major things to them, we all know it, but if you watch the first 2 or 3 drives, they had a bit of trouble getting in position and adjusting to the motion. The only reason this raises a flag is because Florida has 3 times the athletes that a MSU or UTC or Auburn have, and can punish a team that is out of position whereas the 3 mentioned can't.

The Ugly...NONE it was UTC

Random Thoughts....

A little depth chart watching...

The news that AJ McCarron is now 2B on the chart is nothing new really, but it is always amazing to see the amount of bullshit that comes from fans about the backups and how great they are. Especially ones that have never played a meaningful down. The "I didn't want to say anything before because it was a secret" insider crowd is well worth the amusement and is always at face value just that, entertainment, but I don't delve in entertainment, I delve into real thinking and discussion. So let's have fun shall we with actual real discussion of some player battles looming....

At QB, you will not see any jockying for the starter. McElroy will be the starter come hell or high water. Only a career or season ending injury will change his status on the depth chart. He has the playbook under control, he has the ability to manage the job, and he's talented enough to fit what Saban/McElwain want him to do. He wins games, plain and simple, and won't lose his job if he loses a game or has a bad game in that loss. There is room for battle in the 2nd position. The gap between Greg and the backup is still quite noticable and Star didn't really do anything Saturday to improve that opinion. Star is very talented. He has the arm, he can move with the ball, and he can do things that none of the others on campus can do, but he is very raw as a college level QB. That means he doesn't understand how to be a full service QB that walks up to the line, sees the blitzes, sees the coverages, etc and commands the line to cover those situations and think through his progressions based on what he's seeing to make the play. He also is Major's QB and not McElwains. He would be more suited for a spread offense like the one Major used at Rice than what McElwain does. However, he has the snaps and practice lead on his biggest challenger this spring, AJ McCarron.

McCarron is the highly touted QB and is a protype of what McElwain uses and wants. He has been well coached and his mechanics, based on HS film, are good for the most part. If he has earned commentary from Saban in his press conferences, he is doing the right things. However, we can't tell how close he is to Star because he won't play. Sorry Mr Insider wannabes, this year is a sit year regardless of what happens. Watching Star play in the spring and during the season, it is understandable why they are high on McCarron, but I want to see him in pressure situations before I jump on the AJ is the number 2 for sure bandwagon.

Phillip Sims and Thomas Darrah also have a chance to compete for number 2, but Sims is a redshirt in waiting and Darrah is what he is. I think Sims needs the redshirt for the same reason that AJ did, there aren't many reasons to throw him out there unless he just proves he needs to be out there. Darrah is a walkon and looks like one. He has the fan club of belivers and all, but 1 pass in a spring scrimmage against 4th string corners doesn't impress when you are trying to run with the Floridas, Texases (is that the proper plural use?), USCs, and other powers of the world. I really don't see him being around in the major discussion after the spring to be honest.

Running back has no real discussion. Ingram will be back for what will be his last year likely. Richardson will be his backup. Grant and Lacy are the front runners for the Upchurch spot in the rotatation. Goode is the 5th guy in the rotation who could be fourth if Grant continues to flounder and stay dinged up. The coaches are all very high on Lacy and speak well of him as he runs the scout team tailback spot. The truth is that he probably would have played this year if there weren't 2 guys with experience above him.

None of the WR core changes really. McCoy is gone after this year, but has anyone missed him?

The OL has some discussion worth mentioning though. You have Carpenter returning and some seem to think that he has to move. Folks, I sometimes wonder if people ate out of their own diapers when I read stuff like that. He is the best LT this team has and will be next spring. Tyler Love is his backup and DJ Fluker has been at RT all year. Love will never push Carpenter for PT. I know some folks spent hours dissecting his high school film, but he's about as mean as a Hallmark card. That's all that a lineman has to be dissected to is how mean are they? You can build technique, but you can't make mean. Carpenter is mean. Fluker is mean, but very raw. A lot of folks keep living in this world that says he's the LT of the future. That may be, but the future isn't 2010. He needs to be exposed to live action before he gets moved over. He is a lot farther behind the learning curve than a Andre Smith or Chris Samuels was. Everything I have heard about Fluker says he's going to be there someday, but they seem more content with him at RT for now, and that's the first opening, to let him learn and make the formation support easier. IE- he can have the H Back or TE lineup with him to help him out when he gets beat. A name folks need to keep in mind at RT is McCullough. Alfred has been a coach's dream since he arrived and has paid the dues.

The second area will be LG. Bama has two really good options that I like in Boswell and Warmack. Both have a mean streak and play downhill. I noticed them both on Saturday just hunting people at the 2nd level to hit. That's what I like to see. I can't tell you how many times it pisses me off to see a lineman standing around at the end of a play when there were 2 or 3 guys they could have put a helmet on to keep a play going. I think the race between the two of them will be fun to watch because there isn't a good or bad between the two. Both are very sound blockers and won't make the line weaker to use either.

Tight End has a little interesting twist occuring as the season has progressed. Peek is a senior and Smelley was supposed to progress to replace him. That hasn't happened and Brad really has regressed a bit in his play. He never was a great blocker before, but he's been such a liability at it that he lost his "starting" job to Preston Dial. During Peek's injury, Michael Williams has really came along to show his potential. This offense won't use 3 TE's often, so somebody is on the outside looking in as far as the bulk of the snaps go, and right now the odd man out looks like Smelley with the two more physical blockers being ahead of him. It will be worth watching in the spring to see if Brad turns the corner as a junior and displays his ability and potential or if he continues to avoid contact.

The D Line gets a big overhaul as all 3 starters graduate, but there is experienced depth in waiting. I get a lot of flack for this, but I haven't seen anything that makes me think otherwise, Bama will not miss a beat when Cody and the ends graduate because Chapman, Dareus, Murphy and others seem more than ready to go right now. Will it change how they do things? Yeah, you don't do things when you aren't physically the same, but the change could be better than some think. Chapman and Murphy can be pass rushing tackles, and getting Dareus in the game on an every down basis is a good thing any way you cut it. The other end spot does need some clarity/competition because Davis is servicable, but no where near the hype he carried around.

Linebacker has some holes to fill, especially if McClain goes pro as expected. Harris is most likely the next Sam. He is aggressive, but I can see why Reamer beats him out each year. He lacks the understanding that not every play requires you to chase around like a bat out of hell. Sometimes holding your spot and being in position counts. It is coachable though and is probably a result more of the lack of real practice this year due to his suspension. Hightower will be back to man either Mike or Will next to Nico Johnson. Nico has gotten enough PT to be a starter as is and has played well in the base defense. Hightower, if he comes back 100% and nothing says he won't from what I saw Saturday in pre game, should be able to fill McClain's role well enough that it shouldn't be an issue. Jack is probably still a rotation between Upshaw and Stinson and maybe Hill or Hightower. Upshaw looks his best in the dime defense because he has 1 objective. When he plays in the base, he has the same issues that Jerrell has. There is more to linebacker in the 3-4 than running wild. The issue is that there has been little depth building here and the learning curve seems to be on going.

In the secondary, things are really interesting to me anyways. They will have to replace Woodall, Arenas, and Johnson for sure. I don't buy into the Kareem will go pro rumors, he hasn't been that kinda good this year. I think Barron and Green are fine as the starting safeties with Woodson coming in or someone coming in as the other safety in coverage sets. I am guessing that Kirkpatrick is the heir to the Arenas spot and the Star is up for grabs. I get the hunch that it is Green, and he's made for that kind of spot, but he has never been asked to play from the star. Phelon Jones will have a little to do with some of that, but don't expect to see Lester around as much more than a special teams player. The BJ Scott drama will come to a climax for fans this year. If he is still behind on the learning curve after spring, you just as well should be ready to cut bait. There is way too much talent coming in the summer to take time away from them to teach a guy who has had a year and a half to know it. The gut hunch is that he gets it, but we'll see. I do know that the fans have made it harder to set the bar for him with all their expectations and "breakout" discussions.

I pray that whomever the coaches bring in to play punter and or kicker this year has more leg than the backups on display Saturday. I like a dying quail just as much as the next guy, but I like mine be a result of my 870 Remington, not from a foot. So that spot is completely empty. How it got that empty, I don't know, but it is bare.

Drinking Leswisers for dinner...

Miles is crazy, we know that and see that when you watch him. He's arrogant and sometimes rude, but most coaches are when you get down to it. Those things slide when you win games and have your team in the BCS or Cap 1/Cotton every year. That isn't the case this fall is it? It is a failure of coaching to say the least when you don't have your gameplan for the last drive of the game. To let 15 seconds run off the clock is just inexcusable, but what is worse is that even in spite of that, they had no plan beyond the 4th down. Not to mention the drive from the FG range on was pure insane. You always, ALWAYS have the kick team ready so that if the play is good, you have 15 to 25 seconds of dead time as the chains and ball get spotted correctly. That's practiced from High School up. He was man enough to take the blame, after he fumbled to explain it on television, but this is a loss that may have Les calling his agent and feeling out the waters up north. Notre Dame may be calling.....