There is a lot to learn from losing, but you hope that your veterans have learned enough that this kinda thing doesn't happen a whole lot. This loss wasn't on a player or a position group. No. This loss was on everyone from top down. South Carolina outcoached Bama, and Spurrier smiles because his golfing addicted ass can mail it in each year and now beat you, South Carolina outmuscled Bama, and they out wanted Bama. That is what has me still pissed about the loss. It isn't that they lost, and it isn't that USCar was just better, they are right now, it is that they wanted to play and wanted to make a statement and Bama's whole team and staff let them without much more than a whimper.
OFFENSE
The Good....
McElroy hanging in and making plays sometimes...
I know a lot of folks are trying to spin this loss on Greg and how he holds the ball, more on that soon, but really the only thing holding the Tide in the game was McElroy. The offense had basically given up on running and being balanced. That was a bad start to things, and being down 21-3 had a part in that, but this loss wasn't on McElroy. This loss was lessened by his efforts. For the "Play AJ" jort wearers, you got 2 good examples Saturday of why he won't see real PT.
Julio's grab
Jones had the ceremonial drop a few plays before, but he stepped up big and made a huge grab on a good throw in the back of the endzone. Yes, you are supposed to put it up high to where your WR is the only one who should be able to get it. My worry now is that with Jones down and out for a few weeks, can this team find a go to playmaker?
Hanks continues to make the big plays
Hanks is quietly having a great season and is probably McElroy's 3rd favorite target behind Jones and Dial because he makes about 9 out of every 10 snags he gets. It was a good job on Hanks part to create separation on the route and make one additional move to get to the end zone.
The Bad...
Hey, when you get a thumpin like this, there aren't many good things going.....
Running?
I guess the score and the way USCar schemed Bama just baffled Saban and McElwain to the point that running the football is what other teams do. 17 carries between Ingram and Richardson is about 10 to 15 too few. That's just poor playcalling and poor management from top to bottom really. You don't sell out to who you are just because you are down, if anything, you settle in and let the running game slow the game down and take the Cock offense off the field for long chunks.
Tick Tick Tick Tick Tick
The thing with McElroy's refusal to ditch the ball is hard to figure out. You can tell he just doesn't want to make a mistake, but in doing so, he's gonna make 5 or 6 mistakes. Granted, the sacks aren't as damaging as interceptions are, but they take the air out of the sails too. To be fair, some of the sacks on McElroy were on the OL, the fumble was, but some were on him not getting rid of it, at least 2 sacks were on the playcalling/route running of the WRs and the WRs not ditching their routes to help Greg out. Lots of guys sitting on routes. For those who will say there was a wide open guy....the one play where they show the routes and Maze was open on the other end of the field, that's a 40+ yard throw when throwing across the field and down field 20. That's a low, LOW, percentage pass play. I'd rather see him eat it than try to make that play because the ball is gonna hang up there and defenders can make up the gap in that time frame.
Offensive line gets down right offensive to watch
They just flat out get too high off the snap. I keep mentioning it because it is why they get bent back so much and can't just line up and go on these teams. They have to live on counters and misdirection because those plays are more about backfield execution and reading than OL plowing and digging. Carpenter and Fluker are slow off the edge and have a real hard time containing a good rush. They are at their best when just running behind them, but when you have to throw, you almost have to do a max protect because one or the other, or both will lose their man on a consistent basis. For Fluker, it is just about learning, and for his part, he plays hard and I can see his improvement from game 1 to now. For Carpenter, it is the same ol, same ol, no improvement, no emotion, no nothing football he plays each week. It is amazing how Johnson made him look so much better compared to now. Warmack and Jones do ok but Warmack is guilty of at least 2 penalties or missed assignments a game. Jones when pulling is great, but one on one he gets shoved around too much. Vlachos is tough, but it is hard for him to cover when so many guys are either out of position or trying to compensate for another guy missing. The fumble was a busted play somewhere on the line assignment.
When McElroy was hit and fumbled from the blind side, Warmack pulled and went outside Fluker. Williams moved from outside to inside to cover that gap, or was trying to get there, hard to tell with it looking like junk from snap to end. Either Carpenter or Vlachos had to slide in to that gap because even with Williams moving inside, it takes a few seconds and a lineman can shoot the gap faster than a TE can swing inside and more than likely won't have position to do anything but hold him. The play was busted before it had a chance and was a good example of the way the day was going up front. Lots of confusion and a lot of missed assignments.
The Ugly...
Preparation, Game plan, and Playcalling
There were some who said that Bama was having a great week of preparation. Ummmm, no. Great week of prep doesn't come out with deer in the headlight expressions. They were flat and didn't look like they had thought through what all was ahead. Part of this may just be that they had gone through 2 emotional games and just didn't have it in them to pull a 3rd act. That's not an acceptable answer if true. The game plan, wasn't much of one. You have a Heisman winner, a future Heisman candidate, and a status quo that follows them that if you feed them, the wins will come. The game plan was to basically starve them and try to establish the passing game. I don't mind getting the QB going with some screens and such, but get your linemen and running backs in the game too with some good down hill running. Even if you are down 2 scores in the 1st or 2nd Qtr, grind it out and take your shots on offense, don't throw it all over creation and wonder why things are not improving. This team isn't built or made to be successful when you call 47 pass plays (34 attempts by GM, 12 runs by GM all scrambles or sacks, and 1 by AJ). That's really on Saban too. He always says he has the veto power to change a play, but they got lopsided in the style and philosophy that had won all those games. All the way around, it was not a situation that looked like they were comfortable and it was a game where they did all the things that went against what won ballgames for them for the last 2 years.
DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS
The Good...
Reality Bites
The reason this post is on Tuesday and not Monday is simply to take extra time and not be quite as emotionally pissed as I was Monday. The reality is that his Defense has a lot of potential and a steaming pile of hype to it, but very little in tangible substance. They have 1 good to great pass rusher in Upshaw and when he goes down every other game, every other game is a struggle for this defense to create dissruption. Dareus has not shown any of the hype and potential that we all thought we would see. It really is more or less a reality check that now that he's a known name, he's not able to handle the doubles that come with it. The rest of the D Line is either overhyped or underdisciplined. Square and Sentimore show flashes that they are playmakers, but Square gets lost in translation at times and Sentimore is always good for at least 1 lost containment per series. Both are things that will keep them in rotation and not every down players. Nose had a bigger drop off then anticipated as Murphy and Chapman have yet to establish themselves as guys that could replace Cody. Both just don't have the drive in them to be great nose tackles. For a guy as big and as old as Murphy is, it is really disappointing that he cannot translate all that into a great ball player.
The linebacker core has been a sore spot all year really, but we've ducked the bullet until Saturday and now their undiscipline ways and other issues have come front and center. They don't have a Mike LB they like. Donta isn't going to be utilized to his best at it. Johnson looked good at it last week but the staff apparently felt otherwise. Mosley will be a good Mike in the future, but he's way too green for such a role against great offensive minds like Spurrier and Malzahn. Harris is a bust and has now returned to the bench and the schemes will never let Chavis Williams play enough to contribute more than 5 to 10 times a game. The biggest problem is that Donta isn't healthy. They want him to be ready to roll, but you can tell each week that he just can't move well enough to do the things he is being asked to do. He also lacks confidence in his knee. There were 3 or 4 times Saturday where he had a chance to snuff a play out and stop the running backs at the line or behind it and let them drag him forward 3 yards because he just won't plant the bad knee and drive with it.
The secondary is very green and very average. Kirkpatrick is their only cover guy, but he's very undisciplined and loses containment too often. Millner has yet to show that he's ready. Menzie like Hightower is not healthy enough to play substantive downs. I think if he were, this secondary would be much better. He at least shows that he can read the play. He just can't move to it. Lester is fine in cover 2, but against the run and when in man coverage, is average at best. The loss of Robbie Green is really showing itself now. Barron is only one man and he cannot be asked to do it all, and he too suffers when asked to cover a WR. The biggest villian going against the secondary isn't the players, it is the coaches though.
The coaches continue to try and cover and live in a false assumption that if you cover it, you can win. The 1st half vs. ARK, the 2nd half vs. UF, and all of the USCar game show that covering all day is how you get beaten up and worn down. All 3 examples have the same theme. Bama sends 3 or 4 and drops the rest, the QB has plenty of time and makes his progressions. Each example, Bama cannot get the D off the field fast enough. Florida made enough mistakes that it didn't show up as substantively as it did in the other two.
So how is this good? In re-reading it, it seems rough, but that's really what needs to be done. Fans and player got too high on the product and didn't spend nearly enough time realizing that this defense isn't as good as last year's. It is more of a mirror to some of Kines defense. Lots of bending and the hope of not breaking, but it works at times and doesn't others. Still, while it isn't the most optimistic thing, you know what you have, and if Saban does what he usually does, he'll start making roster moves and trying to find the best 11 in each situation to win. Folks in the BJ Scott breakout game camp, your chant may come soon enough. I'm starting to wonder how he's that far behind the others. Same for Fulton, I get they may not do the best in zone, but have you seen the finished product? Nobody plays well in zone except for Lester. To me, that's kinda good news that we'll see what Bama has over the next few weeks at several positions. In the meantime, it will do the fan base good to quit talking shit all day.
The Ugly...heck, it was so bad it got ugly....
Special Teams are just dysfuncionally special....
I hate watching special teams mistakes. So, you can bet that there was a lot of times where I was hating life Saturday with each blunder. I'll start with the fake FG. There are three things about the FG that were bad from the start:
1. If you call timeout, you almost have to fake it because otherwise, you wasted a timeout or just iced your own kicker.
2. Everyone in the lower 48 states knows by now that Shelley is the short yardage FG kicker and a 42-45 yard try is out of his range, so the fake is on.
3. Using a Jack Linebacker as the safety valve is about as bad an option as any imaginable. The old addage held true, if you can't catch, you play linebacker.
AJ also showed 2 times on special teams that he gets rattled quick. He was in such a hurry to get rid of the ball that he just needed to wait about 2 more seconds and Underwood would have been angled and separated enough to put it over his shoulder for a 1st down at least. The missed EXP was really on him. If the snap hits your hands, it is yours to bring down and plant, it doesn't really matter if it is high, low, right or left of target, if it doesn't hit the ground first, its on the holder to put it laces out. Laces out DAN.
The snapper isn't without fault though. His snaps have been earth diggers all season and Bama will have a punt blocked due to the timing delays from the snaps before the year ends. Maybe 3 or 4 at the rate it is going. The whole thing stinks.
Defensive Theories of Macro Proportional Ineptness
Despite the special teams blunders, and the offense having the sputters at times, the loss really falls on the defense. They had 2 stops the whole day. The safety and the interception were the only stops they made, and really the defense didn't cause the safety. As a whole, if any defensive decision maker thinks that the best way to protect this team is to cover it, they've only assured themselves of an 8 or 9 win season. This team has to be ready to play a lot more man with the corners and prepare to put more than 3 or 4 men on the rush against the meat of the SEC schedule. They can't zone out Ole Miss, and UGA proved that UT is just one blitz away from disaster, LSU same thing, and Auburn same thing. You must be ready to give up the big play once or twice to get 5 or 6 bigger plays. They just aren't good enough to play the amount of cover they do. That isn't a player issue, or a talent issue, it is a coaching realization issue. They also really really need to think about how this team's packages are going to be used. They got caught more than once trying to late sub and Spurrier caught them each time. That is just a sign of lack of preparation on the coaching staff's part. They need to find the best 11 potentially and grow with them and do the things that they do well and be ready for the parts they don't do well. Of course, if the offense can run the ball and keep the defense off the field, this kinda lessens the concern.....
October 12, 2010
October 3, 2010
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Florida
The best part of Saturday's game was that the team came out and executed a business as usual ass kicking. It wasn't hyped up or emotional, it was controlled, physical, and methodical. With that said, this will be a longer GBU because there is a good bit to talk bout with the game and around the SEC. So, for those who hate long posts, this was the warning....
OFFENSE
The Good...
First half game plan
As you know if you read old posts on here, I often get irritated by the game plan that Bama goes with at times because it is often too cute and sometimes has issues with consistency. This week's 1st half game plan was really really well thought out and did a great job of keeping Florida's defense back peddling. They didn't execute perfectly, but they did score at will early on and each play lead to a future play. There was great balance and good execution as they scored on all of their first 4 drives of the game.
Amazing play
The one thing I often wanted to see when Bama went to the "Wildcat" was a pass. After 18 games of it, it finally came on the 19th tried. Maze has a ton of talent and has matured a lot from the Sugar Bowl to now, and I really wish they would get him more involved in the game plan because he's got the ability to make big plays every time he gets the ball. The thing that now happens with Maze's pass to Williams is that it will make defenses finally back off the line. Florida was stacking 8 and 9 when Bama went cat Saturday, and they did on that play and they even released Williams selling out on the run. It was also nice to see them continue to incorporate Williams and Dial into the offense.
Combined rushing effort...
Ingram and Richardson had ok nights individually as Mark had the TDs and TR had the yards, but together they had a very nice night with 22 carries for over 100 yards and 2 scores. The Gators spent a lot of time making sure they weren't going to be posterized by Ingram the way they were 10 months ago. Instead they let Richardson do it with some of his big runs. The shotgun off tackle play was a great execution on Florida's nickel formation and Richardson hit the 2nd gear and flipped the field. Ingram's first TD was a great effort by Fluker and Dial and Ingram to have the patience to let everything happen. I see so many running backs rush the lane and try to create before the moment is there when I watch games on Saturdays, and to see Ingram just let the play happen even with the game playing as fast as it does, he slows it down and makes a 4 yard play into an 8 or more play with ease.
McElroy leads the way
I'll be honest. I am getting pretty damn tired of reading threads and opinions about how "poorly" McElroy is playing. Perhaps I missed the game those folks saw???? He didn't have a great 2nd half, but he didn't turn it over, he kept the offense out of trouble, and for all his flaws that some can point to, there are 2 things he'll bring that nobody in America can: First, he is just a winner. Second, he is so smart and such a coach in the huddle, it is rare that he makes mistakes and when it does occur, they don't kill the team the way most QBs do. Saturday, that was the status quo. He plays to his strengths and the game plan was simple. They were going to play short on the passes and make quick passes to keep the pressure on Florida and not the OL or McElroy. His first 3 drives were very nice drives, and he moved the offense up and down the field with very few glitches. As a whole, he played well, hit the passes he needed to, got rid of it when he needed to, scrambled and made things happen (Florida got frustrated each time he made a dash for it and made a first down). I get it that folks want the QB to throw for 200 plus and have 3 TDs and all the ESPN fantasy football stats, but with Ingram and Richardson and the style that this OL has, that's not who they really are going to be this year. He can do it, but they don't have to ask him to do it because they have great weapons that are safe options in Saban's mind.
The Bad...
Too tight playcalling in the 2nd half....
I was disappointed that they took the foot off the gas at the half. I thought when Saban started talking about 60 minutes and such, they would keep pushing the gas and control the time of possession. Instead, they got tight and didn't do much of anything the rest of the night. The best plays that occurred for the offense were off McElroy's hustle. In fact, the only 10 plus yard plays Bama had were McElroy runs. That's not what anyone wants to see because those are guaranteed busted plays or poor plays. Some will fuss because they wanna talk about the complete win. This wasn't a complete win. This was a 30 minute win and 30 minute go through the motions.
The Ugly...
The return of Julio Drops...
Fans want Jones to be the best in the SEC and you can go out on the Internets and find a thread here there and yonder that argues that. Saturday was not that day for those proponents. He had two or 3 plays where he just flat dropped passes he has to catch and the rest of the night he let Florida's corner just shut him down. Here's the part where the proponents wanna say the knee. Bullshit, he just flat got beat back again. Julio will get a 1st round pick because he's freakishly talented, but he needs to start showing the concentration and capacity to make plays consistently before he even deserves "best" monikers. Right now, I wouldn't put him as best on the team. Hanks probably is their best through 5 games. Argue away there....
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
The Good...
Funny how pressure makes them look better
When Bama plays man and plays with a mix of blitz and pressure packages, they look like a different team than the team that hee hawed through the first 3 and a half games. This defense isn't going to be as good as last year's, but they can win 14 games too. Bama is starting to get full speed finally with Upshaw and Dareus getting close to healthy, and Nico and Square's emergence have helped round the defense out. Hightower looked a lot more like the Hightower of old because he wasn't having to bark plays and get everyone in position. Nico made probably the key play of the game on 4th and goal because he is more comfortable in the Mike position getting folks in position and looking for tips on the play pre-snap. As a result, Bama could go with Square/Murphy/Chapman/Gentry and Dareus in the middle and putting Upshaw and Hightower/Stinson at the ends. These down four created a lot of pressure and kept Brantley uncomfortable all night.
Great efforts
I thought this was Upshaw's best game of his career. He played with purpose and looked like the guy that fans have imagined. Dareus looks much more comfortable playing inside than he does at rush end, and played inside most of the night. Dre Kirkpatrick also had his best night yet. He had been abused by Arkansas for most of the game, but he returned the favor for the most part Saturday. Even when he gave up a reception, he was on the guy like velcro. Chavis Williams in limited duty had a very nice night on his assignments. His contribution on 4th and goal won't get a lot of mention, but he cut the primary option off on the jump pass and as a result when Burton jumped, he only had 1 play, and it wasn't the right one because Williams had shut him down.
CJ Mosley again is gonna be the next Rolo
Honestly, he's probably gonna be better than McClain if he keeps playing and learning. The thing about Mosley that tells me he's gonna be great isn't that he scored a TD or that he gets x number of tackles, it is that he's always in the right position to make plays. His instincts to the play are just special and it isn't something that can be coached, he's gonna be a coach on the field eventually. I was really surprised that he didn't really play much, if at all, against ARK, but the staff recognized they needed more of him out there so that they can do more of the things with Hightower, Johnson, Dareus, and others.
Great job by specialists
Short of the 1st punt of the night for Bama that was a sorry snap that resulted in a shank, the special teams played pretty well. Jones had a tough night as a WR, but his 41 yard return shocked the Gators who probably had not given up 41 yards in the last 2 years on punt returns. Shelley continues to be money in his range and Foster got his kickoff leg back in line after 3 weeks of Wild Thingesque play. Overall, the special teams got the job done and kept Florida from having anything to work with short of the 3 points they helped with.
The Bad...
Too much junk given up
While in the 1st half, they pretty much shut down Florida's offense after the 1st series, the second half was not as productive. When you are on D, you have kinda a hierarchy of objectives. You wanna create turnovers or get off the field fast and get your O back on the field. Then it drills down to keeping the yards allowed low, not flipping the field, etc. Bama did the 1st a few times, but the second didn't happen. Bama only created 2 short 3 and outs after the half. They also let Florida chew up clock and yards. Bama only had 5 snaps in the 3rd Qtr. and 15 in the 2nd half. Now, that is on the O more than the D, but they did let Florida have 38 snaps in the 2nd half and 21 minutes on the field. It didn't catch up with Bama and it didn't hurt them on the scoreboard thanks to turnovers and red zone miscues on Florida's part, but you don't wanna live that way much.
The other thing that happened too much was Bama went zone or blitzed a corner and nobody covered once the corner released or blitzed. There were 3 or 4 times where that happened and it just kept Florida on the field and feeling like they had a chance. The 1st play of the second half and the 2nd down from the 4 yard line were both situations where that happened. The 2nd down play probably bothers me more because when you have gotten a punt downed at the 1, you don't let them loose like that. You just don't.
It's Millner time.....sure ain't the high life....
He's young and the potential is there, but geez he's gotta start playing right eventually. The holding penalty was silly and was a case where he panicked before he should have. They tried blitzing him and the guard just swatted him like a bug. Now, you are saying "yeah he's a lineman and Millner is a DB", yeah, but if he blitzes from the proper angle, he has a safety. He took a straight b line to the QB instead of executing the right angle and getting from Brantley's backside. If he had gotten to him, it would have been a highlight reel moment decleater probably, but they are rare in occurance because of what happened. I don't mind the pass interference as much because it beats giving up a TD. The Gators picked on him a good bit in the 2nd half, and he best get used to it until he proves to opposing OC's that he isn't the easy target.
The Ugly...NONE
Random Thoughts...
Fourth and Stupid strikes again....well almost....
Les Miles continues to live dangerously and if they had lost, you can bet the Bayou would have started sharpening pitchforks and lighting torches. As is, he survives another week til Florida gets them. While this year's Florida team is not a title contender team, they can beat the snot out of a severe underachiever in LSU. That's really the part that amazes me. They have plenty of talent and plenty of depth, short of QB thanks to the freshman going to the MLB. What they don't have is heart. Everything is a struggle, and everything is confused and unscripted. It is like a bad dinner theatre every Saturday for LSU and that won't fly long with their fans.
With that said, Derek Dooley is a bigger idiot today. You have your goal line D out there, you don't have to sub just cause LSU does. How they get 14 players on the field is beyond me. That's just poor coaching and to out poor coach Miles says something. They had the game won, but the coaches lost it. LSU made a poor move in sending a corpse cold QB out there and ran an option play that was stuffed. LSU panicked and ran out a new set of players and couldn't get set. Hebert had to quick snap and it went to the 30. All stupid on their part minus the center who did the right thing by snapping the ball to make sure they got the play off. However, because UT and the staff were lost in the moment or whatever, they bailed out the Hat again.
Of course, the Vol fans begin their annual recital of the NCAA rule book and bend it worse than a DC Politician. They wanna talk about the officals not letting them get set. Hell, they had 25 seconds and didn't get their guys out there right. How long are they supposed to have? The clock can't run either, I don't think, if the official is over the ball. Two, all the crap about slinging helmets is getting old. If you get a chance to watch the last play again, UT's players slung helmets when they thought they won, plus they were on the field before the play ended....all things the janitor fans missed.....They should take time to pray and give thanks, they could be
The Dawg Nation and their Delusional Drive to Dominance.....
Living here in the midst of Jawga fuuutbawwwwl, I can tell you that Dawgvent is a nice cross sample of how bizzare and lost the GA fans are now a days. The bottom line with the Bulldogs is that they have quit listening to Richt and he's not doing much about it. For those of you who have not paid a lot of mind to them, and rightfully so if you didn't, in the mind of UGA fans the first 3 losses really didn't count because AJ Green didn't play. I guess they are PS3 or XBox people and that whoopin MSU gave them didn't happen. Colorado was where they were gonna turn things around. Oops. Also, they will tell you that their D isn't that bad, it is just that AJ Green hasn't played. I guess he plays DB too and linebacker. Also, the coaching is getting used to the new QB and the 3-4 because AJ Green hasn't played. You get the hint.
Well, now the fans are about where we (the Bama fans) were 3 years ago and 7 years ago. They are starting to divide amongst the loyalist and those who see this turd won't float much longer and it is time to flush. Sound familiar? Looks familiar to that futile 6 and 6 team that didn't show up for Auburn 3 out of 4 years and lost to anyone directional. Feels like those teams that quit on the staff time and time again. The Dawgventers are having grand visions for the future though. The only coaches they haven't tied to the job, that isn't open yet, are Bryant, Rockne, and Landry. They are vastly convinced that Kirby Smart will jump on their opening and is on top of this situation already. More on that soon. If they can't get him because AJ Green hasn't played, Jim Harbaugh will surely leave Stanford for a lesser educational outpost. I can say that, I have a certification from UGA. It ain't Stanford educationally, athletically, and is less of a campus. Now, if either of them aren't up to the challenge, well, Jon Gruden could come because he wants in. Or Muschamp will balk at the millions he'll make and a sure fire job that waits for him at Texas for UGA. Keep in mind, they have never been big on finding big name coaches and botched Dooley's replacement moment by letting Erk Russell go to GA Southern in a snit.
So what happened? Well, this goes back a ways for UGA. When VanGorter (sp?) left for the NFL and other stops, so went the spine that Richt used. The UGA fans and staff are way too loyal to their coaches in a way that makes Shula and Croom look like they have a quick hook. They didn't want to make moves on some of their coaches that weren't SEC caliber like Willy Martinez until it was way too late. So, when they signed Grantham, there was this false optimism that came through the UGA nation. I told UGA fans it took Bama a year and a heck of a recruiting job to get the 3-4 working. Pish posh, this is UGA, they know next year is their year every year. Well, Richt is saintly and a great guy, blah blah blah, so much so that those silly 2 a days that never did nothing for nobody because AJ Green hasn't played, and now here we are. UGA is soft, has 0 drive, 0 leadership, and 0 hope because they skipped 2 a days, and skipped making tough staffing choices in 2005-8. Richt and the Dawgs are gonna be hard pressed to win 5 games right now. They have Vandy and Idaho St as probably wins, but the rest are teams that are either just better, or can run the ball and UGA can't handle the run because AJ Green...ok I now have over used that.
Don't feel bad for them Jawga fuuuutbawwwwl fans, they think they are better than you. Just ask em, Saban is that 4 million dollar jerk who yells and screams at people and is mean to folks on TV. They don't want that. They want a nice guy. That's why they never win. Nice guys suck in football. Visa vi, Georgia sucks.
Ever wonder why ClemPson and Old Piss suck?
Well, they staffed up with every Shula loser and former Bama staff dud you ever saw. Uncle Charlie Harbison................................................................................................................................ok, I edited the long cussing rant about that joke. He's there. Danny Pearman is there, he still can't coach. Brad Scott, who didn't coach on Dubose or Shula's bad staffs, but can ruin a steel ball is there too. Lots of junk on their staff, and when you watch them lose to Auburn the way they did, and lose horribly to the U, it is because they are infected with loser coaches.
Dave Rader is trying to ruin Masoli over in Oxford. Just ask JPW how great it was to get turned around sideways by the insurance salesman. Croyle is still wondering why he plateued after his sophomore year. That staff is full of duds, and they're ruining a guy that I thought was a great young coach in Tyrone Nix. It is what it is, and Houston Nutt is on life support with a staff of losers too.
BCS troubles ahead
Bama's schedule isn't easy. It will be a real testimony of Cochran's 4th Quarter work if they go 12 and 0 again, and to the grit of the players too. If they do, they will join a host of potentials out there that could or will. Boise State more than likely will. Utah and TCU have a date with undefeated again. The winner of that game is going to the Fiesta Bowl. Oregon has pitfalls but they control their destiny. They should be the favorite the rest of the way against Oregon State, UCLA, and USCal. Ohio State controls their destiny, but look like the typical Big 10 team. November will make or break them as they get PSU and Miiiiiichigan at home and go to Iowa. Circle that one. Boise has nothing on their schedule that should be an issue, after all, Fresno is supposed to be a game for them and Ole Miss pimp slapped them. What happens if Nevada beats Boise? Do they go to the BCS bowls like the others have? They have just as good a resume as Boise, Utah, and TCU. As you know, I hate the BCS because it leaves too much error to be made as fact. Bama, Oregon, and Ohio State all could be undefeated and then you have screaming over who should be where. Bama if they win out, they're in, no worries there.
However, what happens if Bama slips but still wins the conference? How can anyone say they aren't better than Ohio State? OSU has yet to play anyone worth mentioning. Miami isn't that special, and I gotta hunch FSU will expose them. Oregon probably is legit as the number 2 team out there in the BCS as is. But, the what ifs are gonna be a problem this fall, I can see that already unless there are some major letdowns ahead.
Looking ahead to USCar
This is the game that has worried me all summer and fall. Lattimore is a really good player and has a great future ahead of him. He's given Spurrier balance in their offense and with their WR core being as physical and tall as they are, they are gonna be trouble. However, if Garcia chokes again, Spurrier will yank him, and throw in a green QB that needs seasoning before he plays a Bama type team. However, as you remember last year, Spurrier can coach against Saban and throw wrinkles that frustrated a veteran D, he can do that and then some to a young but growing D. On the other side, USCar's D isn't anything to sneeze at. You can run on them, Cam Newton is still lumbering on them in their minds. Ingram and Richardson will have to have big nights and silence the crowd early. Colombia is a tough place to play typically too. They will be a louder and more distracting and disorienting crowd than Arkansas was. They also will come after Bama harder than Arkansas did because they can run and can play good D.
I hope to see Bama continue to dial up the heat and not try to protect the secondary so much. I hope to see Bama get Ingram and Richardson going early and get down hill fast like they have most of the year. They will need to get better play from the WRs and safeties than what they got this week, but I don't think the D will have to stretch and play so many assignments this time. I worry about this game because the let down factors are there with a young team, and Spurrier has got the week off and home field advantage for him. However, I can see Bama establishing a tone and controlling this game to a point where folks start talking bout the Iron Bowl being the real SEC Championship too.
OFFENSE
The Good...
First half game plan
As you know if you read old posts on here, I often get irritated by the game plan that Bama goes with at times because it is often too cute and sometimes has issues with consistency. This week's 1st half game plan was really really well thought out and did a great job of keeping Florida's defense back peddling. They didn't execute perfectly, but they did score at will early on and each play lead to a future play. There was great balance and good execution as they scored on all of their first 4 drives of the game.
Amazing play
The one thing I often wanted to see when Bama went to the "Wildcat" was a pass. After 18 games of it, it finally came on the 19th tried. Maze has a ton of talent and has matured a lot from the Sugar Bowl to now, and I really wish they would get him more involved in the game plan because he's got the ability to make big plays every time he gets the ball. The thing that now happens with Maze's pass to Williams is that it will make defenses finally back off the line. Florida was stacking 8 and 9 when Bama went cat Saturday, and they did on that play and they even released Williams selling out on the run. It was also nice to see them continue to incorporate Williams and Dial into the offense.
Combined rushing effort...
Ingram and Richardson had ok nights individually as Mark had the TDs and TR had the yards, but together they had a very nice night with 22 carries for over 100 yards and 2 scores. The Gators spent a lot of time making sure they weren't going to be posterized by Ingram the way they were 10 months ago. Instead they let Richardson do it with some of his big runs. The shotgun off tackle play was a great execution on Florida's nickel formation and Richardson hit the 2nd gear and flipped the field. Ingram's first TD was a great effort by Fluker and Dial and Ingram to have the patience to let everything happen. I see so many running backs rush the lane and try to create before the moment is there when I watch games on Saturdays, and to see Ingram just let the play happen even with the game playing as fast as it does, he slows it down and makes a 4 yard play into an 8 or more play with ease.
McElroy leads the way
I'll be honest. I am getting pretty damn tired of reading threads and opinions about how "poorly" McElroy is playing. Perhaps I missed the game those folks saw???? He didn't have a great 2nd half, but he didn't turn it over, he kept the offense out of trouble, and for all his flaws that some can point to, there are 2 things he'll bring that nobody in America can: First, he is just a winner. Second, he is so smart and such a coach in the huddle, it is rare that he makes mistakes and when it does occur, they don't kill the team the way most QBs do. Saturday, that was the status quo. He plays to his strengths and the game plan was simple. They were going to play short on the passes and make quick passes to keep the pressure on Florida and not the OL or McElroy. His first 3 drives were very nice drives, and he moved the offense up and down the field with very few glitches. As a whole, he played well, hit the passes he needed to, got rid of it when he needed to, scrambled and made things happen (Florida got frustrated each time he made a dash for it and made a first down). I get it that folks want the QB to throw for 200 plus and have 3 TDs and all the ESPN fantasy football stats, but with Ingram and Richardson and the style that this OL has, that's not who they really are going to be this year. He can do it, but they don't have to ask him to do it because they have great weapons that are safe options in Saban's mind.
The Bad...
Too tight playcalling in the 2nd half....
I was disappointed that they took the foot off the gas at the half. I thought when Saban started talking about 60 minutes and such, they would keep pushing the gas and control the time of possession. Instead, they got tight and didn't do much of anything the rest of the night. The best plays that occurred for the offense were off McElroy's hustle. In fact, the only 10 plus yard plays Bama had were McElroy runs. That's not what anyone wants to see because those are guaranteed busted plays or poor plays. Some will fuss because they wanna talk about the complete win. This wasn't a complete win. This was a 30 minute win and 30 minute go through the motions.
The Ugly...
The return of Julio Drops...
Fans want Jones to be the best in the SEC and you can go out on the Internets and find a thread here there and yonder that argues that. Saturday was not that day for those proponents. He had two or 3 plays where he just flat dropped passes he has to catch and the rest of the night he let Florida's corner just shut him down. Here's the part where the proponents wanna say the knee. Bullshit, he just flat got beat back again. Julio will get a 1st round pick because he's freakishly talented, but he needs to start showing the concentration and capacity to make plays consistently before he even deserves "best" monikers. Right now, I wouldn't put him as best on the team. Hanks probably is their best through 5 games. Argue away there....
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
The Good...
Funny how pressure makes them look better
When Bama plays man and plays with a mix of blitz and pressure packages, they look like a different team than the team that hee hawed through the first 3 and a half games. This defense isn't going to be as good as last year's, but they can win 14 games too. Bama is starting to get full speed finally with Upshaw and Dareus getting close to healthy, and Nico and Square's emergence have helped round the defense out. Hightower looked a lot more like the Hightower of old because he wasn't having to bark plays and get everyone in position. Nico made probably the key play of the game on 4th and goal because he is more comfortable in the Mike position getting folks in position and looking for tips on the play pre-snap. As a result, Bama could go with Square/Murphy/Chapman/Gentry and Dareus in the middle and putting Upshaw and Hightower/Stinson at the ends. These down four created a lot of pressure and kept Brantley uncomfortable all night.
Great efforts
I thought this was Upshaw's best game of his career. He played with purpose and looked like the guy that fans have imagined. Dareus looks much more comfortable playing inside than he does at rush end, and played inside most of the night. Dre Kirkpatrick also had his best night yet. He had been abused by Arkansas for most of the game, but he returned the favor for the most part Saturday. Even when he gave up a reception, he was on the guy like velcro. Chavis Williams in limited duty had a very nice night on his assignments. His contribution on 4th and goal won't get a lot of mention, but he cut the primary option off on the jump pass and as a result when Burton jumped, he only had 1 play, and it wasn't the right one because Williams had shut him down.
CJ Mosley again is gonna be the next Rolo
Honestly, he's probably gonna be better than McClain if he keeps playing and learning. The thing about Mosley that tells me he's gonna be great isn't that he scored a TD or that he gets x number of tackles, it is that he's always in the right position to make plays. His instincts to the play are just special and it isn't something that can be coached, he's gonna be a coach on the field eventually. I was really surprised that he didn't really play much, if at all, against ARK, but the staff recognized they needed more of him out there so that they can do more of the things with Hightower, Johnson, Dareus, and others.
Great job by specialists
Short of the 1st punt of the night for Bama that was a sorry snap that resulted in a shank, the special teams played pretty well. Jones had a tough night as a WR, but his 41 yard return shocked the Gators who probably had not given up 41 yards in the last 2 years on punt returns. Shelley continues to be money in his range and Foster got his kickoff leg back in line after 3 weeks of Wild Thingesque play. Overall, the special teams got the job done and kept Florida from having anything to work with short of the 3 points they helped with.
The Bad...
Too much junk given up
While in the 1st half, they pretty much shut down Florida's offense after the 1st series, the second half was not as productive. When you are on D, you have kinda a hierarchy of objectives. You wanna create turnovers or get off the field fast and get your O back on the field. Then it drills down to keeping the yards allowed low, not flipping the field, etc. Bama did the 1st a few times, but the second didn't happen. Bama only created 2 short 3 and outs after the half. They also let Florida chew up clock and yards. Bama only had 5 snaps in the 3rd Qtr. and 15 in the 2nd half. Now, that is on the O more than the D, but they did let Florida have 38 snaps in the 2nd half and 21 minutes on the field. It didn't catch up with Bama and it didn't hurt them on the scoreboard thanks to turnovers and red zone miscues on Florida's part, but you don't wanna live that way much.
The other thing that happened too much was Bama went zone or blitzed a corner and nobody covered once the corner released or blitzed. There were 3 or 4 times where that happened and it just kept Florida on the field and feeling like they had a chance. The 1st play of the second half and the 2nd down from the 4 yard line were both situations where that happened. The 2nd down play probably bothers me more because when you have gotten a punt downed at the 1, you don't let them loose like that. You just don't.
It's Millner time.....sure ain't the high life....
He's young and the potential is there, but geez he's gotta start playing right eventually. The holding penalty was silly and was a case where he panicked before he should have. They tried blitzing him and the guard just swatted him like a bug. Now, you are saying "yeah he's a lineman and Millner is a DB", yeah, but if he blitzes from the proper angle, he has a safety. He took a straight b line to the QB instead of executing the right angle and getting from Brantley's backside. If he had gotten to him, it would have been a highlight reel moment decleater probably, but they are rare in occurance because of what happened. I don't mind the pass interference as much because it beats giving up a TD. The Gators picked on him a good bit in the 2nd half, and he best get used to it until he proves to opposing OC's that he isn't the easy target.
The Ugly...NONE
Random Thoughts...
Fourth and Stupid strikes again....well almost....
Les Miles continues to live dangerously and if they had lost, you can bet the Bayou would have started sharpening pitchforks and lighting torches. As is, he survives another week til Florida gets them. While this year's Florida team is not a title contender team, they can beat the snot out of a severe underachiever in LSU. That's really the part that amazes me. They have plenty of talent and plenty of depth, short of QB thanks to the freshman going to the MLB. What they don't have is heart. Everything is a struggle, and everything is confused and unscripted. It is like a bad dinner theatre every Saturday for LSU and that won't fly long with their fans.
With that said, Derek Dooley is a bigger idiot today. You have your goal line D out there, you don't have to sub just cause LSU does. How they get 14 players on the field is beyond me. That's just poor coaching and to out poor coach Miles says something. They had the game won, but the coaches lost it. LSU made a poor move in sending a corpse cold QB out there and ran an option play that was stuffed. LSU panicked and ran out a new set of players and couldn't get set. Hebert had to quick snap and it went to the 30. All stupid on their part minus the center who did the right thing by snapping the ball to make sure they got the play off. However, because UT and the staff were lost in the moment or whatever, they bailed out the Hat again.
Of course, the Vol fans begin their annual recital of the NCAA rule book and bend it worse than a DC Politician. They wanna talk about the officals not letting them get set. Hell, they had 25 seconds and didn't get their guys out there right. How long are they supposed to have? The clock can't run either, I don't think, if the official is over the ball. Two, all the crap about slinging helmets is getting old. If you get a chance to watch the last play again, UT's players slung helmets when they thought they won, plus they were on the field before the play ended....all things the janitor fans missed.....They should take time to pray and give thanks, they could be
The Dawg Nation and their Delusional Drive to Dominance.....
Living here in the midst of Jawga fuuutbawwwwl, I can tell you that Dawgvent is a nice cross sample of how bizzare and lost the GA fans are now a days. The bottom line with the Bulldogs is that they have quit listening to Richt and he's not doing much about it. For those of you who have not paid a lot of mind to them, and rightfully so if you didn't, in the mind of UGA fans the first 3 losses really didn't count because AJ Green didn't play. I guess they are PS3 or XBox people and that whoopin MSU gave them didn't happen. Colorado was where they were gonna turn things around. Oops. Also, they will tell you that their D isn't that bad, it is just that AJ Green hasn't played. I guess he plays DB too and linebacker. Also, the coaching is getting used to the new QB and the 3-4 because AJ Green hasn't played. You get the hint.
Well, now the fans are about where we (the Bama fans) were 3 years ago and 7 years ago. They are starting to divide amongst the loyalist and those who see this turd won't float much longer and it is time to flush. Sound familiar? Looks familiar to that futile 6 and 6 team that didn't show up for Auburn 3 out of 4 years and lost to anyone directional. Feels like those teams that quit on the staff time and time again. The Dawgventers are having grand visions for the future though. The only coaches they haven't tied to the job, that isn't open yet, are Bryant, Rockne, and Landry. They are vastly convinced that Kirby Smart will jump on their opening and is on top of this situation already. More on that soon. If they can't get him because AJ Green hasn't played, Jim Harbaugh will surely leave Stanford for a lesser educational outpost. I can say that, I have a certification from UGA. It ain't Stanford educationally, athletically, and is less of a campus. Now, if either of them aren't up to the challenge, well, Jon Gruden could come because he wants in. Or Muschamp will balk at the millions he'll make and a sure fire job that waits for him at Texas for UGA. Keep in mind, they have never been big on finding big name coaches and botched Dooley's replacement moment by letting Erk Russell go to GA Southern in a snit.
So what happened? Well, this goes back a ways for UGA. When VanGorter (sp?) left for the NFL and other stops, so went the spine that Richt used. The UGA fans and staff are way too loyal to their coaches in a way that makes Shula and Croom look like they have a quick hook. They didn't want to make moves on some of their coaches that weren't SEC caliber like Willy Martinez until it was way too late. So, when they signed Grantham, there was this false optimism that came through the UGA nation. I told UGA fans it took Bama a year and a heck of a recruiting job to get the 3-4 working. Pish posh, this is UGA, they know next year is their year every year. Well, Richt is saintly and a great guy, blah blah blah, so much so that those silly 2 a days that never did nothing for nobody because AJ Green hasn't played, and now here we are. UGA is soft, has 0 drive, 0 leadership, and 0 hope because they skipped 2 a days, and skipped making tough staffing choices in 2005-8. Richt and the Dawgs are gonna be hard pressed to win 5 games right now. They have Vandy and Idaho St as probably wins, but the rest are teams that are either just better, or can run the ball and UGA can't handle the run because AJ Green...ok I now have over used that.
Don't feel bad for them Jawga fuuuutbawwwwl fans, they think they are better than you. Just ask em, Saban is that 4 million dollar jerk who yells and screams at people and is mean to folks on TV. They don't want that. They want a nice guy. That's why they never win. Nice guys suck in football. Visa vi, Georgia sucks.
Ever wonder why ClemPson and Old Piss suck?
Well, they staffed up with every Shula loser and former Bama staff dud you ever saw. Uncle Charlie Harbison................................................................................................................................ok, I edited the long cussing rant about that joke. He's there. Danny Pearman is there, he still can't coach. Brad Scott, who didn't coach on Dubose or Shula's bad staffs, but can ruin a steel ball is there too. Lots of junk on their staff, and when you watch them lose to Auburn the way they did, and lose horribly to the U, it is because they are infected with loser coaches.
Dave Rader is trying to ruin Masoli over in Oxford. Just ask JPW how great it was to get turned around sideways by the insurance salesman. Croyle is still wondering why he plateued after his sophomore year. That staff is full of duds, and they're ruining a guy that I thought was a great young coach in Tyrone Nix. It is what it is, and Houston Nutt is on life support with a staff of losers too.
BCS troubles ahead
Bama's schedule isn't easy. It will be a real testimony of Cochran's 4th Quarter work if they go 12 and 0 again, and to the grit of the players too. If they do, they will join a host of potentials out there that could or will. Boise State more than likely will. Utah and TCU have a date with undefeated again. The winner of that game is going to the Fiesta Bowl. Oregon has pitfalls but they control their destiny. They should be the favorite the rest of the way against Oregon State, UCLA, and USCal. Ohio State controls their destiny, but look like the typical Big 10 team. November will make or break them as they get PSU and Miiiiiichigan at home and go to Iowa. Circle that one. Boise has nothing on their schedule that should be an issue, after all, Fresno is supposed to be a game for them and Ole Miss pimp slapped them. What happens if Nevada beats Boise? Do they go to the BCS bowls like the others have? They have just as good a resume as Boise, Utah, and TCU. As you know, I hate the BCS because it leaves too much error to be made as fact. Bama, Oregon, and Ohio State all could be undefeated and then you have screaming over who should be where. Bama if they win out, they're in, no worries there.
However, what happens if Bama slips but still wins the conference? How can anyone say they aren't better than Ohio State? OSU has yet to play anyone worth mentioning. Miami isn't that special, and I gotta hunch FSU will expose them. Oregon probably is legit as the number 2 team out there in the BCS as is. But, the what ifs are gonna be a problem this fall, I can see that already unless there are some major letdowns ahead.
Looking ahead to USCar
This is the game that has worried me all summer and fall. Lattimore is a really good player and has a great future ahead of him. He's given Spurrier balance in their offense and with their WR core being as physical and tall as they are, they are gonna be trouble. However, if Garcia chokes again, Spurrier will yank him, and throw in a green QB that needs seasoning before he plays a Bama type team. However, as you remember last year, Spurrier can coach against Saban and throw wrinkles that frustrated a veteran D, he can do that and then some to a young but growing D. On the other side, USCar's D isn't anything to sneeze at. You can run on them, Cam Newton is still lumbering on them in their minds. Ingram and Richardson will have to have big nights and silence the crowd early. Colombia is a tough place to play typically too. They will be a louder and more distracting and disorienting crowd than Arkansas was. They also will come after Bama harder than Arkansas did because they can run and can play good D.
I hope to see Bama continue to dial up the heat and not try to protect the secondary so much. I hope to see Bama get Ingram and Richardson going early and get down hill fast like they have most of the year. They will need to get better play from the WRs and safeties than what they got this week, but I don't think the D will have to stretch and play so many assignments this time. I worry about this game because the let down factors are there with a young team, and Spurrier has got the week off and home field advantage for him. However, I can see Bama establishing a tone and controlling this game to a point where folks start talking bout the Iron Bowl being the real SEC Championship too.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)