I have taken an extra day to think about this game. While some will complain and say that I am hunting things to call "bad", it wasn't hard to find some....3 tries for 1 inch and can't get it...but actually, I saw a few things and wanted a second set of eyes (impartial ones at that) tell me what they saw. I will try to respond to any of your comments, but it being Tuesday morning, I will be golfing with John Smoltz, and no I won't take a picture or doing anything to embarass myself (outside of play golf) for the cause...
OFFENSE
The Good....
AJ continues to develop
I am not a stat hound. I could care less about most stats. I care about 3 things on the stat sheet when talking about QBs. Completion percentage, number of interceptions, and number of sacks taken. The rest is just fodder, including touchdowns. If a QB hits above 65%, has 1 or fewer INTs a game, and 3 or fewer sacks a week, then you are gonna take care of touchdowns, yards, and all that crap. So, on Saturday he hit all 3 and has for the most part all season. The only thing he needs to work on is his timing with Maze on the outs and slants to the sideline. He's still a little off. Outside of that, he's doing all the right things. He is managing the game well. You don't see a lot of confusion and you don't see a lot of blown plays. He isn't putting the D in bad positions and he continues to progress forward and look a little better each week. He is becoming a game manager.....heh....
Running Game gets going....sorta
I preface this because this is the thing I wanted other eyes on. Not because they ran the ball better, it is Arkansas and they gash to anyone. I wanted it because I wanted someone else to tell me that I wasn't seeing things. For 3 weeks, it has been a lot of passive plays- traps, delayed hand offs, zone reads- and not a lot of downhill helmet on helmet play. The biggest upgrade to Bama's run game was that they went more power with counters and more to the tackles plays. That goes more into the style that I am more comfortable with because it gets the OL in the game and gets them motivated, and it also wears down the defense when they are always having to hold their ground. It was the interior's best game of the year and it also was one that probably asked a lot less of them. There were more runs outside, and more quick pass plays to keep them from getting in trouble. That's a good thing when it works.
Richardson is starting to get in his zone
It is always a football truth that a great running back can make any offensive line look good. Richardson's awakening has also improved the look of the line. Richardson loves to kill Arkansas, they hate to tackle and he dares you to. Richardson and Lacy are really stepping up to carry the load and take the pressure off everyone else. With the short passes, and both backs getting yards in bunches now, it makes the game more one on one where Bama should win that battle most times. The biggest change in Richardson is that he's getting patient and he's seeing the gaps a little better because he is patient with the play.
Having Hanks back is good for business
Darius won't catch your eye on the stat lines, but he is in there. He is sealing corners on screens, sealing running lanes to the outside for Richardson and Lacy, and clearing out zone covers to get a matchup for Maze. Does it show up on the stat line? No. Does it win ball games? Yes. Hanks is a big part of this offense and the 2 weeks without him exposed that. He will do all the things that the team needs to get first downs and touchdowns. Perhaps they should line him up on goal line at TE....
More looks for opponents to digest
Bama again used the Wildcat with McCarron at QB. They used a lot of trips this week and used a host of player packages that will make life fun for the scouts. Bama used the pistol after scrapping it some earlier. Bama used a lot more pulling guard plays this past week than in the last 3. As I mentioned earlier, they were going outside the tackles more now and it seemed to work better than trying to maul it over the middle. My favorite play of Saturday's game was the Wildcat screen. It was the 2nd TD pass that Richardson took to the house. The play started with WR motion to the wide side and drew the D to the right, they slipped Richardson off a block and set the screen up and the rest was just Trent being Trent.
The Bad....
Play Calling left a lot to be desired
Don't bother telling me that the team had however many yards or scored 38 points. That is all well and good, but Bama didn't score an offensive touchdown until the 3rd quarter. In fact, the special teams almost beat the offense in scoring (17-14, Defense 7). The issue I had with the calls were that they didn't have any flow or plan to them. You start out running and it goes well to start the game, then you start throwing and kill the momentum. That got lost because Williams is still running with the ball, but it doesn't go unnoticed that they continue to stall. The goal line series was just junk. 3 plays, nothing that had a shot of working, and a field goal. It took a good while before the offense got hitting, and once it did, it was a run away, but it wasn't great for a while. Bama's first 5 drives stalled and out of those only 2 had more than 4 plays.
Here's an example. Bama in the 2nd was driving down the field. Lacy and Richardson were taking up chunks of yards running outside the tackles. Bama gets to the 9 and they decide on 2nd and 7 to run trips right with a TE to the strong side along with Richardson. The TE is Smelley who has yet to block a soul all 4 years. The play is designed to rub him off a defender after he initiates a block and slides off and Richardson is to pick him up. Smelley misses and the defender is downhill so fast that Richardson cannot get to him before he's blown the play up and flushed AJ out. Now, pre-snap, Arkansas puts 6 on the line and only 1 deep safety (his foot is on the goal line), this is a sure fire blitz package. It is goal line and they aren't worried about White, Maze or Hanks. They were right. The play call wasn't right with what was working. I will say that AJ should have caught this pre snap and called timeout or audibled to get to a play that was better suited like the slip screens they had ran with success or the HB dump passes.
The Ugly...
Les Miles eats inches of grass better than Bama's goal line offense does
Ok, Bama has 2nd and 7 that is the sack described above. They dump it to TR and get to the 1. So it is first and goal. The play gets reviewed so you are getitng a free timeout to make a play call. Bama runs a QB sneak with a 180 pound QB.... I do agree that you should trust your All Conference Center to make that couple of inches he needs, but Vlachos hasn't blown away anybody in a while. Also, someone needs to take time to teach the linemen to get lower and take the legs out. First down the snap is exchanged and you can see a ton of red jerseys as McCarron is trying to wedge forward. Second down, they go with the muscle. I agree with the play call but would have liked it better on 1st down. Bama again is too high and loses the battle up front allowing a surge back to Fowler who had no chance once because Steen and Fluker never got down on their blocks. Vlachos did get down on his and had made a lane, but because the right side was peeled back so, it vanished by the time AJ handed the ball off. Third and goal is just ugly folks. They have their power to the left with Williams, Jones, and Underwood. They run a counter right with Steen and from LG to RT you can see their numbers when snapped. If Vlachos gets lower, he holds his ground in the middle and the linebacker never gets to Richardson, but because he is too high for goal line blocking he is moved right and because Warmack also is getting taken out by a lower drive, there is about a 2 and half shoulder to shoulder gap between C and LG. Now, it may be that Underwood didn't slide in for his block. It may be that they were slide right and Fowler misses his block because he doesn't know blocking-he knows running and tackling. Between the counter, the defeat up front, and the missed fullback lead, when Richardson gets the handoff a Hawg LB is 1 yard from him. The play lost 3 yards.
Some will bitch that I took time to talk about that in detail, but you think LSU hasn't noticed???? Florida is bound to be feeling good that they can man up.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
The Good....
Maze goes and goes and goes
He had a few good returns before this one, but Arkansas made 2 mistakes that cost them. First, they out kicked the coverage. Second, there were at least 2 that got out of their lanes and were too far inside. As such, when you do that with an athlete as gifted as Maze has become, you have given him all he needs to break a big play. Sunseri made his weekly big play by sealing a block late in the play.
Upshaw jaws and Menzie reaps the reward
Menzie is one of those guys that we are just now seeing how talented he is because he's healthy finally. On his TD, the play before Upshaw and Wilson start to bark. Arkansas called time to regroup. It didn't work. The pass was off and Menzie makes a great play by keeping it alive and getting it for the score. The more enjoyable part is that Upshaw hunted Wilson to get him some blockin......linebackers love to block QBs.
Hightower is well....that damn good
I don't know where he will be at the end of his career in relation to the greats. I do know that he deserves to be mentioned in their breath. I thought this was his best game in a long time. The 3rd down tackle on a ARK WR coming across the field was shades of his form pre-injury. He is a rare player too. McClain could cover and manage, but he couldn't rush as well. Hightower can cover, he manages things, and he is the teams best rush specialist. I just can't believe that he has come this far after injury, but he's been special since he hit the campus.
A year later, the McCarron special teams pass works
Last year, the fake was just as obvious, but it just wasn't a good play for a player who had maybe 15 snaps total. This year, it was obvious they weren't kicking. The scouting report tells you Bama isn't good from beyond 43 yards or so. However, they did something that was better than last year- they stood AJ up. Getting him upright and seeing how Arkansas reacted to the play helped him decide who his read was. It also was interesting they ran a slip wheel route with Williams across the formation to get him loose. It was probably the best play of the season to date.
Lots of individual performers step up
Dre Kirkpatrick had talked a lot this week. He wanted this game. He had a sub-par game last year against them and it was motivating him. I thought he did a superb job of shutting his side down and making a lot of key tackles. I also thought Hubbard had a good game filling in for Mosley. Jesse Williams was getting into a lot of plays and was a silent reason why Arkansas was zilch for running most of the day. Ed Stinson also had a solid day in reserve.
The Bad...
Arkansas 1st score
Bama had the momentum but didn't keep it. They allowed Arkansas to march them down for a 12 play 5 and a half minute drive. While they did a good job all day of keeping Arkansas from making big passes, they did let ARK get too many 3rd down conversions on this drive. ARK converted a 3rd and 12, allowed a a slip screen to go more like a reverse and make a 1st, after a 2nd and 20- ARK was allowed to convert 3rd and 11, and the worst play of the series was the TD play where about 4 players lost their composure and were out of position and it was an easy score. Half of Arkansas 3rd down conversions came in this drive.
The Ugly....
Is it really called punting when they just go a minimal distance?
When you average 37 a punt, you aren't getting it done. Now, last week his average was 35 or so and that got them inside the 20. This week wasn't one of those moments. They also weren't all coverage kicks because only half were fair caught. Bama has been fortunate because they aren't returning them. How can they? The thing doesn't go far enough to out kick the coverage. The issue isn't just distance, it is consistency and the fact it isn't a weapon to use for this team. If they had a good punter, imagine how much more dominating the defense would be? Putting them back farther and flipping the field is a great weapon to use when you know you can. It takes the pressure off the offense somewhat and keeps the defense from having to defend short fields.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
The Internets thinks Les Miles is stupid. It is a Sith Lord Mind Trick....
Folks have predicted the end of Miles for years. First it was that he couldn't last after Saban's players left. Then it was that the SEC would pass him by and he wouldn't meet the standard. Then it was the game management would be the end of him. Now it is that they are good but not that good. Don't fool yourself about LSU folks. They are good and well deserving of the number 1 ranking. Their defense is as good as Bama's and has been road tested well. Their offense is not flashy or exciting, but they are like Bama and improving each week. Jarrett Lee isn't that guy we remember any more. Gone is the guy who couldn't control himself enough to keep from making mistakes and in his place is a confident winner. He isn't going to win any games on his arm, but when he plays smart, they can win on his decision making now. Did you think that was possible 3 years ago? I didn't. For all the "neaner neaner" that comes with fandom, the reality is that Miles is a master at distraction. He wants you to think and talk about him and his quirks and quotes. I love me some Les Miles quotes just as much as anyone. However, he isn't as dumb as folks think. He's crazy, but crazy has been known to win. So, when you are going around telling folks you don't think much of LSU, beware. You are falling into the trap that Miles sets up year after year.
Clemson is overrated
They beat Auburn and Florida State. Auburn is in rebuild mode and has survived on luck. Their luck ran out when they went to Death Valley. Florida State was overrated all year. They gave OU a run for their money, but they aren't ready for primetime. Clemson goes to Va Tech this week. Don't be surprised if you don't see them fall back to earth Saturday. Dabo has coached well in the 2 games, for the most part, but this is still the team that had to play 3 quarters to remove Wofford from the game. The Clempson faithful will try to talk up their team, and they have a right and resume (sorta) to do that. However, this is another one of your Daddy's Clempson Tigers that underachieve in the end. Now, if you want to see a team in the ACC that isn't overrated, visit GA Tech. They aren't a BCS contender and they weren't talked about being one, but they are good enough to beat most on their schedule.
The potential loss of Mosley will not be as big an impact as some think
The Tide has to find CJ's replacement fast because this is a week they needed him most. However, I don't buy into the impact that some have said. Bama has played so much dime and nickel this year that a few adjustments in schemes will cover his loss fairly well. I don't think they intend or want to move Hightower back to replace CJ, but they can and put Hubbard/Stinson in his place. When they play as much dime as they do, they can slide Barron up and ask him to fill that role. DePriest and Hubbard both looked suitable in short duty replacing him. Harris did fill in the role as well, and looked ok, but his track record scares me with the better half of the schedule coming up. If it was Barron or Hightower, I would probably worry a lot more. The bottom line is that Bama has a lot of options to work with to replace Mosley if needed, so it will be interesting to see if they experiment or just move a player over for his role in the passing situations.
September 26, 2011
September 18, 2011
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- North Texas
The annual scrimmage that counts before the Arkansas game has now came and went, and Bama came out pretty well all things considered. I agree with many that we (the fans) won't know the potential of this team until next week, but this week was a good week because they could empty the depth chart, show some new looks, and work on some things (like the offensive line) without any major issue.
OFFENSE
The Good....
Arkansas will be drinking from a fire hose when doing film study
Bama flung a lot of looks both in formations, plays, and personnel. Some may have missed it, but the following did occur during the game Saturday.....
I know as I type this, some of you will piss your drawers and wet my leg along with it. While it was good for the team to see itself make plays, it was one of the worst D's against the run in the nation. But, like I said, they needed to see themselves make the blocks and see the runners make the plays. It took a while and a few adjustments in how they ran the ball- lots more stretch runs and getting outside the tackles than the 1st 2 weeks- but once they did make the adjustments, the offense looked much improved.
AJ continues to make strides
I don't care what his stat line says. That isn't the end all be all. What I did see was better reads, and a better control of the offense from week to week to week. You don't see any confusion in the formation, or shuffling around pre-snap. You see a group that seems to have a little more focus now and while I am sure this will not please some, he is checking down better. That was one of the biggest complaints about AJ was that he tunneled in and wanted to zip it.
WR Core getting better
Get over the Carter stuff, he wasn't going to contribute if he hadn't played by now. The return of Hanks did a lot this week. He was solid on his routes and always catches the ball. The bigger upgrade he brings is that he's a very good blocking WR. Maze had a better game this week, but he missed one really big pass early in the game. Jones has the work ethic, and he plays the game well. I am really surprised at how well he's adapted to his role. Bell had his best game and will provide some time in some 4 and 5 wide sets. Norwood played well last week but was missing this week, however he will play a lot. Gibson will play a lot, but he's gotta work on separating better. His blocking is solid though.
Good to see Richardson and Lacy get big plays
Both young men are running neck and neck in about all categories. Both have a shade over 300 yards rushing. If you missed it, Lacy is second in rec. yards and has been over 90 yards in all three games in all purpose yards. Even more important, they aren't having to do anything real exotic. Lacy's first TD was all him. It was a shitty snap, McCarron did a good job reeling it in, and Lacy made one cut and was gone.
Always good to see the 4th stringers find the field.
This is one of 3 games that Bama has that you expect to see the walkons and forgotten few. Needless to say, the participation chart for this one was pretty long. That's always a good thing for the good guys because it never hurts to see the future and build experience.
The Bad....
Enough with the rotating door at QB
I like Sims, but the momentum is killed every time they have done the switch. I will disclaim that I do not like 2 QB systems and never will. With that said, once they finished with the exercise, McCarron was cold and out of rhythm. I get why they want to throw Sims in early, but keep in mind, AJ hasn't had that many reps on the field either. I guess it would be different if Sims was playing better than he has, but he has yet to show he can motor the team to the endzone really.
Too many misses up front again....
North Texas D Line was small and really flaccid. Yet, they did create pressure and sacked the QB 2 times. The individual struggles have been documented here enough that you know where it is. The constant shuffling that will make teams pay attention, wasn't exactly bona fide when you get down to it. Granted, I know the genius that looks like Captain Kangaroo will say I'm just picking on things because they had 300 plus yards rushing. They did, and North Texas swallows as well as suck. It wasn't a terrible performance, or a horrible or really bad performance, but there were just too many misses and it took way too long to establish themselves to be a good performance. If you need validation minus my lack of insider status, denote the total of 5 different sets of linemen lineups. They weren't experimenting, they were searching.
The Ugly....
1 TD in the redzone
1 for 5 in the redzone touchdown ratio, 3 for 5 overall thanks to 2 missed kicks and 4 stalled drives. If this were Arkansas, I probably don't point to it, but this was North Texas and they didn't have Sinbad at DT. Just as seeing Bama run with purpose was good for the team to see for growth, this is one of those things they need to do better because teams like Arkansas, Florida, and LSU will capitalize on these kinda issues.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
The Good.....
Mandell finally hit a good punt!
He totalled 35 yards but it was inside the 5 which is more than ok.
Third and punt
Bama's D had a very solid showing in that even if it was a bad team and an overhyped tailback, they still took care of the business and for the most part didn't let NT breathe. Giving up only 5 3rd or 4th down conversions for the night is what you want to see, especially in these games. It keeps them off the field, and keeps the offense building, and it ensures that you can keep the ears pinned back and play your game.
Tarnishing the Doak Contender
Dunbar probably looks good in the Sun Belt world. In the real world, he was not real impressive and the Bama defense was a big reason for that. As Auburn and Ole Miss can tell you, if you give a team life, they can make plays- see Utah State and Jax State- but when you defeat them mentally and physically early, things are easy.
Don't just make their ass quit...make them say OH SHIT
If you haven't payed attention, or watched the telecast, there is one of the more amusing moments in this game. Williams broke free on a rush and had a free shot at the QB. It was like watching Unneccesary Roughness where the backup is screaming blow the whistle, but the mic picked up the Quarterback as he looked up and yelled "oh shit!"
Nice look at the future
I am still very pleased to see guys like Hubbard and Dickson step up and play meaningful minutes. They both have looked good in their moments and I really like both. Trey DePriest is a starter in a lot of schools. He sees the field well and while he will make some freshmen mistakes, he is well ahead of where he should be. Vinnie Sunseri makes a big play every week it seems and with time, he will be a full time player. He had 2 great plays- one sprung Maze, the other saved a score.
The Bad...
Missed FGs
Shelley has a slight case of the shanks starting up. Nothing gets in Saban's nose worse than blowing scoring opportunities. He already is pissed because they didn't score a touchdown, but to miss the field goals to boot......I wouldn't answer my phone on Sunday if I were Shelley.....
Still not creating turnovers
3 and outs are great, don't misconstrue this as a complaint but it is an issue that I know the staff is on them about, but 0 turnovers against a lousy offense and very few turnovers created year to date will keep the staff barking. Maybe that is a good thing.
The Ugly....
NONE
Random Thoughts.....
I would love to have a heart to heart with the 2 percent of voters who said Darby was the Tide's best running back.
While I won't say he sucked or anything to that degree, I wouldn't have even put him in the conversation with great runners like Musso, Humphrey, Alexander, or Ingram. Heck, I would probably take Circle Button or Trent over him. My vote went to Humphrey by the way. My dad voted Musso.
SEC Expansion and the Super Conferences start to shape.....
I was guessing 2 weeks ago when I posted my thoughts on expansion. So far, so good minus I never thought the ACC would charge 20 big stacks to leave. Most fans are gonna be disappointed in the way this thing shakes out for the SEC. They've set their mouth on FSU or OU, or some great football school. That isn't the SEC to begin with and history says they won't go looking for big fish but more diamonds in the rough that round out the big diamond. Remember back to 91 when they were expanding before, Arkansas was more of a basketball school at that point with Nolan's 60 minutes of Hell and a football team that was rich in history but short on wins over the last few years. USCar was a middle of the road football program at the time too. So, if you are expecting more than the West Virginias, Texas A&Ms, Missouris, and more than likely South Florida (if they will up their academic standards) or Louisville, well Santa ain't bringing any ponies for Christmas folks.
I personally like getting a program with more upside to it than one that is going downhill like a Penn State or Notre Dame would be. Speaking of the last dancer on the dance floor, Notre Dame is probably gonna have to join the Big 10.2 to stay alive. They will have to model the Pac12's pact with Texas. That or NBC can work a deal with the Big10.2.
I will probably always wonder what life would have been like if Menzie was healthy for 2 years instead of 1.
It probably would have changed the outcome of at least one of the 3 losses.
More Offensive Line Thoughts....
They looked their best when they stretched the field and worked into more zone block schemes (which most of you know I don't prefer) but continued to struggle when asked to grind between the tackles. Right now, if it wasn't for Lacy and his mix of power and ability to get real small at the box, they really would be a net neutral between the tackles.
To be fair, they are pass blocking better. That seems to be the line that they recruited is a pass block/finesse style of line. Yet, they want to still maul it out and ground and pound. It is kinda like asking your Honda Accord to 4 wheel like a F150 or Silverado. I get the feeling that we will see more 2 TE sets and more back to basics as the SEC schedule wears on because that is really the only way they will establish the line is keeping Williams and Underwood/Smelley in to block. Jones and Fluker will need support throughout the season too as Jones is overperforming out of position and Fluker just lacks the first step to catch rush ends. The "When will Cyrus Start?" threads will start to slowly dominated message boards now that the "Carter Update" threads should be about over. I don't know that anyone knows that answer yet. I think fans have a bit of an unrealistic opinion about CyKo because of Andre Smith. They want to see him do what Smith did, but this isn't Shula at the helm and Smith was a natural left tackle and CyKo is learning how to be a LT.
I like that on the eve of SEC play, they had their best showing, but I really would have liked to have seen the O Line leaning forward more and asserting themselves more. I also know that I hope to never see Jones at RT again. If he has practiced it, it was 2 years ago because that is how he played it.....
There are just so many things that are confusing about how this Offensive Line plays and how/where it should be. Granted, the death of Douglas and lack of progression by various other LT candidates have forced longer looks at less than ideal candidates, it shouldn't be this hard to run and enforce will on defenses. Not having Jones at guard has proven to be a bigger issue than anticipated, but that is just part 1 of the issue really. Warmack and Steen are 3rd year players. Warmack has enough starts under his belt and enough PT to be a leader on the line. Steen has not played as much, but he has practiced enough to know how to play and know the plays. I had hoped that Steen would use the Auburn game to grow and progress from, but he continues to miss an assignment here there and yonder and against PSU, there were a lot of heres. He is in shape, but is very slow off the snap. For the record, while on the subject, the reason I know Warmack is out of shape (without being an insider) is that for starts he's been seen puking on the sideline this year, and he looks and acts winded during long series. Stoutland has a lot of work to do and no time to do it in now. He will earn his paycheck this year.
Before you start.....
Last week, I read a lot of comments directed at me that put a lot of assumption or injected comments that I haven't said...ever. Folks, this blog shouldn't be viewed as me being better than you or whatever stupid ass idea some of you get. The blog is my vehicle to actually say what I want without having to overfilter. It isn't even my choice to be honest. However, if you click on it, that is a personal choice. So, I know some of you out there will always click because you want to find something to complain about or argue about. I get that. I do get to see who and how many of you read. It isn't hard to figure out.
However, for the record, I have never said or believed that:
This Bama team is mediocre
This Bama team is not a BCS level team
This Bama team is below standard
Just because I talk about parts of the game that were bad or ugly, which is more theme than harshness more often than not, doesn't mean the world is ending. It means there are areas of the week's game that needed work. I can guarantee that as I type this that when I post it Monday that some will say that I was too negative in light of a shutout. That would probably be a true statement if Bama beat Arkansas 41-0, but really, it is what it is folks.
In all honesty, the culture of many boards has become less about real discussion and more about how great things are and if you can't say so, piss is coming for you. Now, I do go back and read most boards on Sunday and Monday to see what was said Saturday, and some things that are said are pretty off the wall. I would lie if I said I hadn't said a thing or two over 10 years that was over the line, but just as much as we talk about improvement for our favorite team, I apply that and try to work on improving what I produce each week too. Hey, it's free, enjoy that, but don't mistake that this is just opinion and it says so at the very top of the page you read each day. It also is an opinion versed in experience and practice and has a better track record than most of your betting percentages. The fact that we have to have this discussion really says a lot about the culture these days...don't it?
OFFENSE
The Good....
Arkansas will be drinking from a fire hose when doing film study
Bama flung a lot of looks both in formations, plays, and personnel. Some may have missed it, but the following did occur during the game Saturday.....
- Bama ran the Wildcat. AJ's handoff to Maze was the same set and personnel, but they kept AJ at QB instead of lining him up in the slot.
- Chris Jones played at WR and HBack once. His first catch came as he lined up behind Smelley in a 2 TE set.
- Bama used a slew of shotgun formations that will be hard to read. Bama flashed a counter shotgun play that was used as playaction to Maze.
- They used about 5 different WR/TE sets in the shotgun.
- They highlighted Smelley and how they can use him. Last week it was Williams.
- They reminded folks they have 2 running backs that can carry the mail.
- Bama flashed a zone read option early on.
- Bama again introduced Brandon Lewis and his road blocking fullback skill
- They displayed about 3 different OL sets with the starters and key reserves.
- Jones/Warmack/Vlachos/Steen/Fluker
- CyKo/Warmack/Jones/Steen/Fluker
- CyKo/Warmack/Vlachos/Steen/Jones
I know as I type this, some of you will piss your drawers and wet my leg along with it. While it was good for the team to see itself make plays, it was one of the worst D's against the run in the nation. But, like I said, they needed to see themselves make the blocks and see the runners make the plays. It took a while and a few adjustments in how they ran the ball- lots more stretch runs and getting outside the tackles than the 1st 2 weeks- but once they did make the adjustments, the offense looked much improved.
AJ continues to make strides
I don't care what his stat line says. That isn't the end all be all. What I did see was better reads, and a better control of the offense from week to week to week. You don't see any confusion in the formation, or shuffling around pre-snap. You see a group that seems to have a little more focus now and while I am sure this will not please some, he is checking down better. That was one of the biggest complaints about AJ was that he tunneled in and wanted to zip it.
WR Core getting better
Get over the Carter stuff, he wasn't going to contribute if he hadn't played by now. The return of Hanks did a lot this week. He was solid on his routes and always catches the ball. The bigger upgrade he brings is that he's a very good blocking WR. Maze had a better game this week, but he missed one really big pass early in the game. Jones has the work ethic, and he plays the game well. I am really surprised at how well he's adapted to his role. Bell had his best game and will provide some time in some 4 and 5 wide sets. Norwood played well last week but was missing this week, however he will play a lot. Gibson will play a lot, but he's gotta work on separating better. His blocking is solid though.
Good to see Richardson and Lacy get big plays
Both young men are running neck and neck in about all categories. Both have a shade over 300 yards rushing. If you missed it, Lacy is second in rec. yards and has been over 90 yards in all three games in all purpose yards. Even more important, they aren't having to do anything real exotic. Lacy's first TD was all him. It was a shitty snap, McCarron did a good job reeling it in, and Lacy made one cut and was gone.
Always good to see the 4th stringers find the field.
This is one of 3 games that Bama has that you expect to see the walkons and forgotten few. Needless to say, the participation chart for this one was pretty long. That's always a good thing for the good guys because it never hurts to see the future and build experience.
The Bad....
Enough with the rotating door at QB
I like Sims, but the momentum is killed every time they have done the switch. I will disclaim that I do not like 2 QB systems and never will. With that said, once they finished with the exercise, McCarron was cold and out of rhythm. I get why they want to throw Sims in early, but keep in mind, AJ hasn't had that many reps on the field either. I guess it would be different if Sims was playing better than he has, but he has yet to show he can motor the team to the endzone really.
Too many misses up front again....
North Texas D Line was small and really flaccid. Yet, they did create pressure and sacked the QB 2 times. The individual struggles have been documented here enough that you know where it is. The constant shuffling that will make teams pay attention, wasn't exactly bona fide when you get down to it. Granted, I know the genius that looks like Captain Kangaroo will say I'm just picking on things because they had 300 plus yards rushing. They did, and North Texas swallows as well as suck. It wasn't a terrible performance, or a horrible or really bad performance, but there were just too many misses and it took way too long to establish themselves to be a good performance. If you need validation minus my lack of insider status, denote the total of 5 different sets of linemen lineups. They weren't experimenting, they were searching.
The Ugly....
1 TD in the redzone
1 for 5 in the redzone touchdown ratio, 3 for 5 overall thanks to 2 missed kicks and 4 stalled drives. If this were Arkansas, I probably don't point to it, but this was North Texas and they didn't have Sinbad at DT. Just as seeing Bama run with purpose was good for the team to see for growth, this is one of those things they need to do better because teams like Arkansas, Florida, and LSU will capitalize on these kinda issues.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
The Good.....
Mandell finally hit a good punt!
He totalled 35 yards but it was inside the 5 which is more than ok.
Third and punt
Bama's D had a very solid showing in that even if it was a bad team and an overhyped tailback, they still took care of the business and for the most part didn't let NT breathe. Giving up only 5 3rd or 4th down conversions for the night is what you want to see, especially in these games. It keeps them off the field, and keeps the offense building, and it ensures that you can keep the ears pinned back and play your game.
Tarnishing the Doak Contender
Dunbar probably looks good in the Sun Belt world. In the real world, he was not real impressive and the Bama defense was a big reason for that. As Auburn and Ole Miss can tell you, if you give a team life, they can make plays- see Utah State and Jax State- but when you defeat them mentally and physically early, things are easy.
Don't just make their ass quit...make them say OH SHIT
If you haven't payed attention, or watched the telecast, there is one of the more amusing moments in this game. Williams broke free on a rush and had a free shot at the QB. It was like watching Unneccesary Roughness where the backup is screaming blow the whistle, but the mic picked up the Quarterback as he looked up and yelled "oh shit!"
Nice look at the future
I am still very pleased to see guys like Hubbard and Dickson step up and play meaningful minutes. They both have looked good in their moments and I really like both. Trey DePriest is a starter in a lot of schools. He sees the field well and while he will make some freshmen mistakes, he is well ahead of where he should be. Vinnie Sunseri makes a big play every week it seems and with time, he will be a full time player. He had 2 great plays- one sprung Maze, the other saved a score.
The Bad...
Missed FGs
Shelley has a slight case of the shanks starting up. Nothing gets in Saban's nose worse than blowing scoring opportunities. He already is pissed because they didn't score a touchdown, but to miss the field goals to boot......I wouldn't answer my phone on Sunday if I were Shelley.....
Still not creating turnovers
3 and outs are great, don't misconstrue this as a complaint but it is an issue that I know the staff is on them about, but 0 turnovers against a lousy offense and very few turnovers created year to date will keep the staff barking. Maybe that is a good thing.
The Ugly....
NONE
Random Thoughts.....
I would love to have a heart to heart with the 2 percent of voters who said Darby was the Tide's best running back.
While I won't say he sucked or anything to that degree, I wouldn't have even put him in the conversation with great runners like Musso, Humphrey, Alexander, or Ingram. Heck, I would probably take Circle Button or Trent over him. My vote went to Humphrey by the way. My dad voted Musso.
SEC Expansion and the Super Conferences start to shape.....
I was guessing 2 weeks ago when I posted my thoughts on expansion. So far, so good minus I never thought the ACC would charge 20 big stacks to leave. Most fans are gonna be disappointed in the way this thing shakes out for the SEC. They've set their mouth on FSU or OU, or some great football school. That isn't the SEC to begin with and history says they won't go looking for big fish but more diamonds in the rough that round out the big diamond. Remember back to 91 when they were expanding before, Arkansas was more of a basketball school at that point with Nolan's 60 minutes of Hell and a football team that was rich in history but short on wins over the last few years. USCar was a middle of the road football program at the time too. So, if you are expecting more than the West Virginias, Texas A&Ms, Missouris, and more than likely South Florida (if they will up their academic standards) or Louisville, well Santa ain't bringing any ponies for Christmas folks.
I personally like getting a program with more upside to it than one that is going downhill like a Penn State or Notre Dame would be. Speaking of the last dancer on the dance floor, Notre Dame is probably gonna have to join the Big 10.2 to stay alive. They will have to model the Pac12's pact with Texas. That or NBC can work a deal with the Big10.2.
I will probably always wonder what life would have been like if Menzie was healthy for 2 years instead of 1.
It probably would have changed the outcome of at least one of the 3 losses.
More Offensive Line Thoughts....
They looked their best when they stretched the field and worked into more zone block schemes (which most of you know I don't prefer) but continued to struggle when asked to grind between the tackles. Right now, if it wasn't for Lacy and his mix of power and ability to get real small at the box, they really would be a net neutral between the tackles.
To be fair, they are pass blocking better. That seems to be the line that they recruited is a pass block/finesse style of line. Yet, they want to still maul it out and ground and pound. It is kinda like asking your Honda Accord to 4 wheel like a F150 or Silverado. I get the feeling that we will see more 2 TE sets and more back to basics as the SEC schedule wears on because that is really the only way they will establish the line is keeping Williams and Underwood/Smelley in to block. Jones and Fluker will need support throughout the season too as Jones is overperforming out of position and Fluker just lacks the first step to catch rush ends. The "When will Cyrus Start?" threads will start to slowly dominated message boards now that the "Carter Update" threads should be about over. I don't know that anyone knows that answer yet. I think fans have a bit of an unrealistic opinion about CyKo because of Andre Smith. They want to see him do what Smith did, but this isn't Shula at the helm and Smith was a natural left tackle and CyKo is learning how to be a LT.
I like that on the eve of SEC play, they had their best showing, but I really would have liked to have seen the O Line leaning forward more and asserting themselves more. I also know that I hope to never see Jones at RT again. If he has practiced it, it was 2 years ago because that is how he played it.....
There are just so many things that are confusing about how this Offensive Line plays and how/where it should be. Granted, the death of Douglas and lack of progression by various other LT candidates have forced longer looks at less than ideal candidates, it shouldn't be this hard to run and enforce will on defenses. Not having Jones at guard has proven to be a bigger issue than anticipated, but that is just part 1 of the issue really. Warmack and Steen are 3rd year players. Warmack has enough starts under his belt and enough PT to be a leader on the line. Steen has not played as much, but he has practiced enough to know how to play and know the plays. I had hoped that Steen would use the Auburn game to grow and progress from, but he continues to miss an assignment here there and yonder and against PSU, there were a lot of heres. He is in shape, but is very slow off the snap. For the record, while on the subject, the reason I know Warmack is out of shape (without being an insider) is that for starts he's been seen puking on the sideline this year, and he looks and acts winded during long series. Stoutland has a lot of work to do and no time to do it in now. He will earn his paycheck this year.
Before you start.....
Last week, I read a lot of comments directed at me that put a lot of assumption or injected comments that I haven't said...ever. Folks, this blog shouldn't be viewed as me being better than you or whatever stupid ass idea some of you get. The blog is my vehicle to actually say what I want without having to overfilter. It isn't even my choice to be honest. However, if you click on it, that is a personal choice. So, I know some of you out there will always click because you want to find something to complain about or argue about. I get that. I do get to see who and how many of you read. It isn't hard to figure out.
However, for the record, I have never said or believed that:
This Bama team is mediocre
This Bama team is not a BCS level team
This Bama team is below standard
Just because I talk about parts of the game that were bad or ugly, which is more theme than harshness more often than not, doesn't mean the world is ending. It means there are areas of the week's game that needed work. I can guarantee that as I type this that when I post it Monday that some will say that I was too negative in light of a shutout. That would probably be a true statement if Bama beat Arkansas 41-0, but really, it is what it is folks.
In all honesty, the culture of many boards has become less about real discussion and more about how great things are and if you can't say so, piss is coming for you. Now, I do go back and read most boards on Sunday and Monday to see what was said Saturday, and some things that are said are pretty off the wall. I would lie if I said I hadn't said a thing or two over 10 years that was over the line, but just as much as we talk about improvement for our favorite team, I apply that and try to work on improving what I produce each week too. Hey, it's free, enjoy that, but don't mistake that this is just opinion and it says so at the very top of the page you read each day. It also is an opinion versed in experience and practice and has a better track record than most of your betting percentages. The fact that we have to have this discussion really says a lot about the culture these days...don't it?
September 12, 2011
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Penn State
Well, it was the first road test for the Tide in 2011, and it didn't start out very well, but once the team as a whole got its legs under it, they began to slowly take the game over and finally put away PSU. From the staff's perspective, they have to be pleased because it had enough positives and negatives to build upon.
THE OFFENSE
The Good...
AJ gets adjusted
Despite all the hand wringing about AJ and Phillip, the bottom line thus far is that one has actual PT and the other has none. On the road, against 100,000 white outed, loud, Nits, there was one choice and it was McCarron to start. The difference in week one and this week was that AJ had reserved himself to the fact that he wasn't going to hesitate and he would let it fly. The results were much improved. While there were some passes that he will get scolded about in film and practice, most of them were on point. As a whole, he had better touch when he needed it, and better zip when he needed to press it. He also was a lot calmer in the pocket than he was a week ago, and at A Day, as he seemed to not let everything get to him as much.
Trent plugs away and finally gets his 100
While the OL does have issues, Richardson played much better and made a lot better cuts than he did in week one. They needed to just prove they could run with authority against an ok Penn State team. 2 bad weeks of running would have sent red flags across the BCS that would have had everyone stacking the line and daring Bama to throw.
Bama gets Hanks back!!!!
They needed him sooner, but it is what it is. While the WR play wasn't terrible, they have missed his ability to find the bubble in the defense and gives 2 young QBs a real steady and solid option to use. The other big upgrade is that Hanks is a very solid blocker on the outside. The run game has missed having him there to seal the outside.
Michael Williams has his breakout game....
A week after he was a bit of a goat for the muff, he stepped up and made probably the best catch of his career in the 3rd quarter. It was nice to see them dedicate to working him into the actual game plan. While he probably won't be as much if they get Hanks and Carter (more on that later), because they will take snags from him, but in the meantime I hope to see him showcased some more because he is a big weapon to use. Williams gives them a large target to drag over the middle to create mismatches with smaller DBs and LBs.
All the little things that I like....
I like seeing things like Lewis at fullback because Fowler has not shown he can lead block with any effectiveness, neither has Smelley. I liked seeing more stretch formations to create one on one mismatches. I liked seeing the counter used, but I would have liked to have seen the backside covered more. I liked seeing the use of pre-snap motion to get the defense confused and out of position more, not to mention show the QB what they were doing. One thing PSU did that I thought was good, just for reference, was when the backup QB faked the snap to get Bama to show their hand pre-snap. It is the little things in a game that make me happy sometimes....
The Bad...
There are liars, damn liars, and statisticians....
Mark Twain knew football apparently. To listen to some, you would think this was a glorious victory that will be a Daniel Moore painting overnight. What if I said to you that Bama only went 2 for 7 in the second half on 3rd down? Or that Bama again struggled to put the ball in the endzone when in the redzone? They were 3 of 5 with 2 FGs. While they did almost amass 200 yards rushing, they had 102 yards and averaged less than 5 per carry. If you take out Lacy exposing a worn out D, it wasn't quite as awesome as some are trying to spin it. Remember, a great running back can make a mediocre offensive line look good. Shaun Alexander and Bobby Humphrey both did.
See it is easy to point to stats and do what you want with them. The bottom line is that Bama was just physically better than PSU. Penn State isn't the Penn State that many of us remember as kids, and they sure aren't a major victory given they are probably another mid-tier Big whatever they are now member. The team Bama out-manned is probably at best a 7 win team.
Lots of MIAs....
While the comment about White is a bit confusing and concerning, he wasn't the only one who was lost in transition. While the Internets wants to fight about Phillip Sims, his lack of PT doesn't worry me as much, nor do his tweets by the way, as Brad Smelley's blocking going MIA....again....or Steen's run blocking going MIA, or Warmack's cardio plan going MIA, CyKo's PT was a bit surprising especially as many issues as they were having during the game.
The Ugly...
Offensive Line regressions
While some want to have a fight over who should be where and what not, it isn't one player. It would be easy to target Steen, and some of it is painfully obvious, it isn't just him. Warmack isn't playing great either. Vlachos should be an anchor but the signs that he's only as good as his bookends are there. In 2009, he had Jones and Johnson that could cover for him. In 2010, he didn't have Johnson, and this year he doesn't have a Johnson or a Jones to bookend him. Now, he's on his own and he's struggled at times. Vlachos was lineman of the week for the team, which is good, but was there a runner up? You'd be hard pressed to name one with as many misses and gaffes as they had through the course of the game.
Alabama has a lot of work to do if any level of championship is going to be in sight. I think there is a little false optimism about pass blocking because PSU didn't really do that much, outside of the world record for swatted passes, and using them as a litmus test is dangerous. Remember, last year Bama trounced them and folks were sky high, but in the end, it was false optimism. Until this OL shows it can be both consistent and dominant, I don't believe in them enough to say they can win the West at this point. More thoughts on the Line and speculation by folks to come....
THE DEFENSE
The Good....
The White Stuff....
After the first 8 or so minutes of play, the Defense started to pretty well enforce its will upon Penn State and their mis-managed offense. Once they took Penn State's best shot, they pretty well took various angles to return the favor. Penn couldn't take the same shot, and Bama's defense feasted on poor QB play and having a physically advanced defense that over matched and overwhelmed a slower offense.
Great LB play
I thought most of the LBs played very well against a team that is built to run and grind on the LBs over time. Mosley, Johnson, and Hightower in particular had very good games even if their individual stat lines don't exactly say it. See, stats don't tell you everything. Anyways, the objective was pretty clear up front, don't let them behind you, and as a result, they didn't blitz as much, but they confused Penn State enough that they never were in trouble until the end of the game when it looked like Bama's defense was thinking about the bus.
Creating opportunities
I thought Dre had his best game in a while as he locked his guy down for the most part and created 2 fumbles. The rest of the secondary had a lot of chances as well. I think Lester now leads the nation in trapped interceptions and Menzie and Dre lead in Interceptions though the fingers. While at some point, they do need to get more picks, the fact they are getting on the ball better is a positive sign.
Good depth showing
Dial, Hubbard, Gentry, and others had a fairly good showing as reserves. I thought the defense looked its best when Dial subbed for Williams. He created more pressure and was collapsing the pocket consistently. I won't be surprised when he beats out Williams. I thought Hubbard gave them some good minutes while Upshaw was injured. I won't be surprised if he isn't used more down the road. Gentry is just one of those guys who puts in the work and gets the best of what time he gets it seems. I would almost call him a starter in the nickel right now. He gets better push than guys much bigger than him and seems to always be in the play.
8 drives of 5 plays or less
This is one of those things I look for. How many 3 and outs and how many less than 6 and outs. Last year, Bama gave up too many 3rd and make its. This year, the success of the team and the defense alike will be dictated by how often they can get off the field before 2 sets of downs. It keeps them fresh and keeps the offense on the field. Both are very good things if you like winning.
The Bad...
First drive is a dud
The game, unfortunately for the D, was bookended by bad drives for the D. The good in this is that Saban and Smart now have something to chew on them all week about. The first drive was just one of those things that seem to creep up with this team where they come out flatter than a 3 week old Coke and leave about the same aftertaste. The tackling was less than stellar in the first drive, and the next couple weren't much better, and it allowed State to get confidence and momentum for a brief period. It took Bama the whole drive to get its legs under it and actually make adjustments to stop Penn State.
The Last One stunk worse....
After a 14 play, slow bleeding drive to start the game, they ended the game with a 16 play slower bleed. They allowed Bolden to get confidence and lost their focus as they let Bolden get a first down on the first play, on third and long they let him get 15. From there it was just one after another and another. They got a holding penalty, and it should have broken PSU, but instead they beat Millner and Lowery in the corner and set up a TD.
The Ugly....
None
SPECIAL TEAMS
It was another good week for specialists like Sunseri and Depriest. Dix also joined in the hit parade and made his first big play of his career. Maze had another good punt return that flipped the field. Now, on to the part y'all give a shit about apparently....
While I prefer to see the ball sail in the endzone and force starts at the 20, I get what they are doing on kickoffs. Foster is still the same erratic kicker he's always been. So, they've taken him off his driver and put him with his 5 wood. Everyone hits their 5 good. So, he's putting it about 10 or so yards shorter than what he would, but the height on the kicks is allowing Vinni and Trey to swarm in and keep things inside the 30. If he could kick it out with consistency, they'd ask him to do that. He can't, so they don't ask.
Punting is a different matter. There is a lot of work that needs to be done here. Mandell is still the same up and down punter he was last year. He can kill one or get one to turn over and bounce 20 yards from time to time, but most are short, off the side of his foot, or just flat off. They need him to flip the field and a 30someodd average isn't it. If he gets enough height on the kicks and the hang time works into the coverage team's range, that helps some and has thus far worked, but they haven't faced a good return man yet.
RANDOM THOUGHTS....
Georgia has an E-Richt-ile Dysfunction
This is my quote and copyrighted by rlb002 circa 2011. Deal with it. Anyways, all preseason, you heard the following lies form Dawg fans:
Every defense is better in year two, Bama's was, ours will be too!
The D knows the plays now, it will be better!
They have so much talent to not be good!
Yes folks, Georgia fans are Bama fans around the Shula and Dubose years. That's who they have now is a Shula/Dubose kinda coach. For a guy hyped as a great coach, Todd Grantham isn't earning the 401K distribution much less the paycheck. When you get down to it, watching Georgia was like watching Rudy. You know they want to, but they just can't, and eventually they will make 1 play and everyone will be all happy for nothing. Richt will get some time to let the heat die down as Coastal Carolina and Ole Miss are not going to threaten them much...I don't think anyways....but then comes a 6 game stretch that will determine his fate.
vs. MSU- despite their loss, they have a lot more speed and stamina that UGA
@ UT- meet the SEC dark horse, and UGA will validate them
@ Vandy- who has always baffled Georgia for some reason.
vs. UF- Probably the one that he MUST win
vs. New Mexico State- Tough game for UGA coming off Florida and the emotions of a probable lost season
vs. Auburn- that golden horseshoe up their butt will strangle UGA right now
So they have a real possibility of going 4-6 into Kentucky and Tech. A losing record, even 6-7 won't save Richt now.....
Kill the in-fighting
I like a good argument as long as it has a productive fight in it. However, when I read stupid shit that goes like this:
"Saban was testing Sims"
"You are a fill in the blank fan"
I can say that neither are worth while. Now, have I refrained from name calling in my times? No. I'll freely let you know if you are a dumbass. And, yes I get my fair share of complaints because I dare say something negative about "My Beloved Crimson Tide" (that's a classic Bama Mag line that is just nauseating). However, when you intend to just go after someone because you don't like their opinion, that doesn't make you worthwhile.
Remember, the mass bulk of these folks who try to do the whole "how dare you" routine were the same during Shula. They didn't want to say or think that there was ever something needing improvement. Occasionally, they would hint there was, but they'd try to spin the issue as doing the best with what they have- like that ever made it better.
Folks, there are issues on this team, none that are as deadly or as corrosive as what Shula allowed to fester, but they are issues that can have Bama back in the Capital One Bowl. That, by the way, is not where this team needs to be in January and a trip there is a disappointment for all, or at least should be. Talking- whether complaining or applauding- about what it takes to be a BCS team should be what we all are after and sometimes it takes pointing flaws and pointing to successes to get there. My biggest fear is that the fans will allow themselves to have another 2000 creep into their culture. To think that they were greater than they remotely were and have to spend a whole year asking how and why is something that I hope to never experience again. Yes, Captain Obvious, I know Saban isn't Dubose or Shula or Fran or Bryant or Stallings or Ears Whitworth.
Offensive Line Observations.........
Ok, on to the meat and potatoes. For yet another week, the O line continues to have issues with establishing itself. The pass blocking was improved from week one, but I didn't think PSU was all that good on defense to begin with. They had one good player (71), but outside of him, they were predominately slow. I think the test for Bama and how good they can/will be is 2 weeks away when they play the Hawgs.
The issue isn't the lack of play for CyKo. It isn't Jones at LT. It is the middle three and their lack of cohesion. Warmack is out of shape, that isn't a guess, that's a reality. Steen is young, but he also isn't progressing. Vlachos plays ok for the most part, but there are times where he's either overwhelmed because he's not sure who to help between the guards or gets exposed for his lack of mobility. Fluker isn't nearly in the trouble that the guards are, but there have been times where he's been flat footed and abused by much lesser players.
For what it is worth, I don't really think it is the coach. I actually think he's done a good job with what he had to work with. Keep in mind, there are some bad habits that he's gotta work through breaking. They don't just break because he's there. He doesn't have a LT that is ready. The one they wanted to be the LT this fall is dead. Cyrus is getting the playbook and the speed adjustment as best he can, but fans need to quit expecting every week to be that week where he jumps in. He's not ready. Just like DJ wasn't as a true Frosh, and 99 percent of all linemen aren't as freshmen. That isn't a knock against him, but it is a knock against fans who expect more than they should and spend hours lobbying to empty boxes for them to play.
Eventually, CyKo is their LT, is that this year? Time will tell and really only Saban, McElwain and Stoutland can dictate that. I do think that when he does start, if this year, Steen is the odd man out. He is a tough practice guy, but he's limited in where he can go as a lineman. Warmack, if he ever gets in shape, is a much better guard. I won't be surprised if they don't start looking at McCullough at RG at some point or Boswell if they want to keep AMC tuning to the left.
What will force the staff to make a change? Heh, I think we all know a horrible showing against an SEC opponent seems to force their hand better than anything. Do I want that? No. I would like to see them work on the right side a little more, or leave a TE/HBack in to assist with the blocking but I don't care to see much fruit basket turnover after September. I think they (the staff) have made their bed and are content to sleep in it as far as who the five are based on what they see in practice and what they review in study.
Next year, I think they have more changes to make. If Jones stays, he probably plays center. Neither "backup" has done well or won the staff's confidence. I won't be surprised if they don't look for a JuCo guard or to convert Arie or another backup tackle to guard. I don't think, at this time, either guard's job is safe going into the future unless they see the light.
THE OFFENSE
The Good...
AJ gets adjusted
Despite all the hand wringing about AJ and Phillip, the bottom line thus far is that one has actual PT and the other has none. On the road, against 100,000 white outed, loud, Nits, there was one choice and it was McCarron to start. The difference in week one and this week was that AJ had reserved himself to the fact that he wasn't going to hesitate and he would let it fly. The results were much improved. While there were some passes that he will get scolded about in film and practice, most of them were on point. As a whole, he had better touch when he needed it, and better zip when he needed to press it. He also was a lot calmer in the pocket than he was a week ago, and at A Day, as he seemed to not let everything get to him as much.
Trent plugs away and finally gets his 100
While the OL does have issues, Richardson played much better and made a lot better cuts than he did in week one. They needed to just prove they could run with authority against an ok Penn State team. 2 bad weeks of running would have sent red flags across the BCS that would have had everyone stacking the line and daring Bama to throw.
Bama gets Hanks back!!!!
They needed him sooner, but it is what it is. While the WR play wasn't terrible, they have missed his ability to find the bubble in the defense and gives 2 young QBs a real steady and solid option to use. The other big upgrade is that Hanks is a very solid blocker on the outside. The run game has missed having him there to seal the outside.
Michael Williams has his breakout game....
A week after he was a bit of a goat for the muff, he stepped up and made probably the best catch of his career in the 3rd quarter. It was nice to see them dedicate to working him into the actual game plan. While he probably won't be as much if they get Hanks and Carter (more on that later), because they will take snags from him, but in the meantime I hope to see him showcased some more because he is a big weapon to use. Williams gives them a large target to drag over the middle to create mismatches with smaller DBs and LBs.
All the little things that I like....
I like seeing things like Lewis at fullback because Fowler has not shown he can lead block with any effectiveness, neither has Smelley. I liked seeing more stretch formations to create one on one mismatches. I liked seeing the counter used, but I would have liked to have seen the backside covered more. I liked seeing the use of pre-snap motion to get the defense confused and out of position more, not to mention show the QB what they were doing. One thing PSU did that I thought was good, just for reference, was when the backup QB faked the snap to get Bama to show their hand pre-snap. It is the little things in a game that make me happy sometimes....
The Bad...
There are liars, damn liars, and statisticians....
Mark Twain knew football apparently. To listen to some, you would think this was a glorious victory that will be a Daniel Moore painting overnight. What if I said to you that Bama only went 2 for 7 in the second half on 3rd down? Or that Bama again struggled to put the ball in the endzone when in the redzone? They were 3 of 5 with 2 FGs. While they did almost amass 200 yards rushing, they had 102 yards and averaged less than 5 per carry. If you take out Lacy exposing a worn out D, it wasn't quite as awesome as some are trying to spin it. Remember, a great running back can make a mediocre offensive line look good. Shaun Alexander and Bobby Humphrey both did.
See it is easy to point to stats and do what you want with them. The bottom line is that Bama was just physically better than PSU. Penn State isn't the Penn State that many of us remember as kids, and they sure aren't a major victory given they are probably another mid-tier Big whatever they are now member. The team Bama out-manned is probably at best a 7 win team.
Lots of MIAs....
While the comment about White is a bit confusing and concerning, he wasn't the only one who was lost in transition. While the Internets wants to fight about Phillip Sims, his lack of PT doesn't worry me as much, nor do his tweets by the way, as Brad Smelley's blocking going MIA....again....or Steen's run blocking going MIA, or Warmack's cardio plan going MIA, CyKo's PT was a bit surprising especially as many issues as they were having during the game.
The Ugly...
Offensive Line regressions
While some want to have a fight over who should be where and what not, it isn't one player. It would be easy to target Steen, and some of it is painfully obvious, it isn't just him. Warmack isn't playing great either. Vlachos should be an anchor but the signs that he's only as good as his bookends are there. In 2009, he had Jones and Johnson that could cover for him. In 2010, he didn't have Johnson, and this year he doesn't have a Johnson or a Jones to bookend him. Now, he's on his own and he's struggled at times. Vlachos was lineman of the week for the team, which is good, but was there a runner up? You'd be hard pressed to name one with as many misses and gaffes as they had through the course of the game.
Alabama has a lot of work to do if any level of championship is going to be in sight. I think there is a little false optimism about pass blocking because PSU didn't really do that much, outside of the world record for swatted passes, and using them as a litmus test is dangerous. Remember, last year Bama trounced them and folks were sky high, but in the end, it was false optimism. Until this OL shows it can be both consistent and dominant, I don't believe in them enough to say they can win the West at this point. More thoughts on the Line and speculation by folks to come....
THE DEFENSE
The Good....
The White Stuff....
After the first 8 or so minutes of play, the Defense started to pretty well enforce its will upon Penn State and their mis-managed offense. Once they took Penn State's best shot, they pretty well took various angles to return the favor. Penn couldn't take the same shot, and Bama's defense feasted on poor QB play and having a physically advanced defense that over matched and overwhelmed a slower offense.
Great LB play
I thought most of the LBs played very well against a team that is built to run and grind on the LBs over time. Mosley, Johnson, and Hightower in particular had very good games even if their individual stat lines don't exactly say it. See, stats don't tell you everything. Anyways, the objective was pretty clear up front, don't let them behind you, and as a result, they didn't blitz as much, but they confused Penn State enough that they never were in trouble until the end of the game when it looked like Bama's defense was thinking about the bus.
Creating opportunities
I thought Dre had his best game in a while as he locked his guy down for the most part and created 2 fumbles. The rest of the secondary had a lot of chances as well. I think Lester now leads the nation in trapped interceptions and Menzie and Dre lead in Interceptions though the fingers. While at some point, they do need to get more picks, the fact they are getting on the ball better is a positive sign.
Good depth showing
Dial, Hubbard, Gentry, and others had a fairly good showing as reserves. I thought the defense looked its best when Dial subbed for Williams. He created more pressure and was collapsing the pocket consistently. I won't be surprised when he beats out Williams. I thought Hubbard gave them some good minutes while Upshaw was injured. I won't be surprised if he isn't used more down the road. Gentry is just one of those guys who puts in the work and gets the best of what time he gets it seems. I would almost call him a starter in the nickel right now. He gets better push than guys much bigger than him and seems to always be in the play.
8 drives of 5 plays or less
This is one of those things I look for. How many 3 and outs and how many less than 6 and outs. Last year, Bama gave up too many 3rd and make its. This year, the success of the team and the defense alike will be dictated by how often they can get off the field before 2 sets of downs. It keeps them fresh and keeps the offense on the field. Both are very good things if you like winning.
The Bad...
First drive is a dud
The game, unfortunately for the D, was bookended by bad drives for the D. The good in this is that Saban and Smart now have something to chew on them all week about. The first drive was just one of those things that seem to creep up with this team where they come out flatter than a 3 week old Coke and leave about the same aftertaste. The tackling was less than stellar in the first drive, and the next couple weren't much better, and it allowed State to get confidence and momentum for a brief period. It took Bama the whole drive to get its legs under it and actually make adjustments to stop Penn State.
The Last One stunk worse....
After a 14 play, slow bleeding drive to start the game, they ended the game with a 16 play slower bleed. They allowed Bolden to get confidence and lost their focus as they let Bolden get a first down on the first play, on third and long they let him get 15. From there it was just one after another and another. They got a holding penalty, and it should have broken PSU, but instead they beat Millner and Lowery in the corner and set up a TD.
The Ugly....
None
SPECIAL TEAMS
It was another good week for specialists like Sunseri and Depriest. Dix also joined in the hit parade and made his first big play of his career. Maze had another good punt return that flipped the field. Now, on to the part y'all give a shit about apparently....
While I prefer to see the ball sail in the endzone and force starts at the 20, I get what they are doing on kickoffs. Foster is still the same erratic kicker he's always been. So, they've taken him off his driver and put him with his 5 wood. Everyone hits their 5 good. So, he's putting it about 10 or so yards shorter than what he would, but the height on the kicks is allowing Vinni and Trey to swarm in and keep things inside the 30. If he could kick it out with consistency, they'd ask him to do that. He can't, so they don't ask.
Punting is a different matter. There is a lot of work that needs to be done here. Mandell is still the same up and down punter he was last year. He can kill one or get one to turn over and bounce 20 yards from time to time, but most are short, off the side of his foot, or just flat off. They need him to flip the field and a 30someodd average isn't it. If he gets enough height on the kicks and the hang time works into the coverage team's range, that helps some and has thus far worked, but they haven't faced a good return man yet.
RANDOM THOUGHTS....
Georgia has an E-Richt-ile Dysfunction
This is my quote and copyrighted by rlb002 circa 2011. Deal with it. Anyways, all preseason, you heard the following lies form Dawg fans:
Every defense is better in year two, Bama's was, ours will be too!
The D knows the plays now, it will be better!
They have so much talent to not be good!
Yes folks, Georgia fans are Bama fans around the Shula and Dubose years. That's who they have now is a Shula/Dubose kinda coach. For a guy hyped as a great coach, Todd Grantham isn't earning the 401K distribution much less the paycheck. When you get down to it, watching Georgia was like watching Rudy. You know they want to, but they just can't, and eventually they will make 1 play and everyone will be all happy for nothing. Richt will get some time to let the heat die down as Coastal Carolina and Ole Miss are not going to threaten them much...I don't think anyways....but then comes a 6 game stretch that will determine his fate.
vs. MSU- despite their loss, they have a lot more speed and stamina that UGA
@ UT- meet the SEC dark horse, and UGA will validate them
@ Vandy- who has always baffled Georgia for some reason.
vs. UF- Probably the one that he MUST win
vs. New Mexico State- Tough game for UGA coming off Florida and the emotions of a probable lost season
vs. Auburn- that golden horseshoe up their butt will strangle UGA right now
So they have a real possibility of going 4-6 into Kentucky and Tech. A losing record, even 6-7 won't save Richt now.....
Kill the in-fighting
I like a good argument as long as it has a productive fight in it. However, when I read stupid shit that goes like this:
"Saban was testing Sims"
"You are a fill in the blank fan"
I can say that neither are worth while. Now, have I refrained from name calling in my times? No. I'll freely let you know if you are a dumbass. And, yes I get my fair share of complaints because I dare say something negative about "My Beloved Crimson Tide" (that's a classic Bama Mag line that is just nauseating). However, when you intend to just go after someone because you don't like their opinion, that doesn't make you worthwhile.
Remember, the mass bulk of these folks who try to do the whole "how dare you" routine were the same during Shula. They didn't want to say or think that there was ever something needing improvement. Occasionally, they would hint there was, but they'd try to spin the issue as doing the best with what they have- like that ever made it better.
Folks, there are issues on this team, none that are as deadly or as corrosive as what Shula allowed to fester, but they are issues that can have Bama back in the Capital One Bowl. That, by the way, is not where this team needs to be in January and a trip there is a disappointment for all, or at least should be. Talking- whether complaining or applauding- about what it takes to be a BCS team should be what we all are after and sometimes it takes pointing flaws and pointing to successes to get there. My biggest fear is that the fans will allow themselves to have another 2000 creep into their culture. To think that they were greater than they remotely were and have to spend a whole year asking how and why is something that I hope to never experience again. Yes, Captain Obvious, I know Saban isn't Dubose or Shula or Fran or Bryant or Stallings or Ears Whitworth.
Offensive Line Observations.........
Ok, on to the meat and potatoes. For yet another week, the O line continues to have issues with establishing itself. The pass blocking was improved from week one, but I didn't think PSU was all that good on defense to begin with. They had one good player (71), but outside of him, they were predominately slow. I think the test for Bama and how good they can/will be is 2 weeks away when they play the Hawgs.
The issue isn't the lack of play for CyKo. It isn't Jones at LT. It is the middle three and their lack of cohesion. Warmack is out of shape, that isn't a guess, that's a reality. Steen is young, but he also isn't progressing. Vlachos plays ok for the most part, but there are times where he's either overwhelmed because he's not sure who to help between the guards or gets exposed for his lack of mobility. Fluker isn't nearly in the trouble that the guards are, but there have been times where he's been flat footed and abused by much lesser players.
For what it is worth, I don't really think it is the coach. I actually think he's done a good job with what he had to work with. Keep in mind, there are some bad habits that he's gotta work through breaking. They don't just break because he's there. He doesn't have a LT that is ready. The one they wanted to be the LT this fall is dead. Cyrus is getting the playbook and the speed adjustment as best he can, but fans need to quit expecting every week to be that week where he jumps in. He's not ready. Just like DJ wasn't as a true Frosh, and 99 percent of all linemen aren't as freshmen. That isn't a knock against him, but it is a knock against fans who expect more than they should and spend hours lobbying to empty boxes for them to play.
Eventually, CyKo is their LT, is that this year? Time will tell and really only Saban, McElwain and Stoutland can dictate that. I do think that when he does start, if this year, Steen is the odd man out. He is a tough practice guy, but he's limited in where he can go as a lineman. Warmack, if he ever gets in shape, is a much better guard. I won't be surprised if they don't start looking at McCullough at RG at some point or Boswell if they want to keep AMC tuning to the left.
What will force the staff to make a change? Heh, I think we all know a horrible showing against an SEC opponent seems to force their hand better than anything. Do I want that? No. I would like to see them work on the right side a little more, or leave a TE/HBack in to assist with the blocking but I don't care to see much fruit basket turnover after September. I think they (the staff) have made their bed and are content to sleep in it as far as who the five are based on what they see in practice and what they review in study.
Next year, I think they have more changes to make. If Jones stays, he probably plays center. Neither "backup" has done well or won the staff's confidence. I won't be surprised if they don't look for a JuCo guard or to convert Arie or another backup tackle to guard. I don't think, at this time, either guard's job is safe going into the future unless they see the light.
September 7, 2011
Random Thoughts.....
With another week of big games ahead, there are plenty of water cooler topics to cover....
The SEC's ever expanding waist line or is it waste line?????
I get the love affair with aTm. They are in Texas and the SEC has a long seeded desire to be in Texas. While The Horns are the ones that they have always really wanted, it is pretty clear that they can't absorb Texas in their current needs based condition. So, you take the prettiest cousin they have instead.
While some have argued that it will get them ratings in Dallas, Houston, etc. it isn't exactly like aTm is going to eclipse Texas any lifetime soon. Will it jump up on CBS and ESPN vs. what a LSU or Arkansas game would? Yes, but it won't jump through the roof. It would be like Auburn or Mississippi State jumping to the ACC and expecting this whirlwind jump in ratings and stature.
What aTm brings is distance and a foundation for the future of what the BCS is going to. Now with the Aggies in the fold, they can now expand towards Missouri or any other midwest school and have a border rival for them in Arkansas and Texas A&M, not to mention LSU.
I have read a lot of theories about who moves where in the SEC. I can almost guarantee one thing, Auburn and Alabama will never EVER be split apart. It is counter productive to the SEC to do that. They do not want to see the Iron Bowl part deux in Atlanta ever. If they did, do you really think they would have ignored for the nearly 20 years of divisional play that Vandy is farther west than Auburn is? The SEC does care about its rivalries and preserving them as best they can. The SEC is most likely trying to see which ACC school they can bring over that would balance out the format for 14 and then work more towards the Big East or another Big 12 school to get to 16. Teams like Clemson, NC State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, West Virginia, and others will get a lot of looks and winks. I think you can all but assure the fact that VT won't go without Virginia in tow and the SEC hasn't ever had a lot of interest in them. NC State and Clemson are both good for the SEC East because they both could be natural rivals with UGA and USCar. In the case of Clemson, you get a great baseball school, great campus, and a good football team- not great, but bowl worthy most years.
Is that what fans want? No. They think the SEC should get Texas, OU, FSU, and the sorts. Remember back when the SEC was committing conference adultery in the 90s? They were rumored to be after FSU, Miami, and others. Who did they get? Arkansas who was about as much a nothing program back then as anything and USCar who was also kinda a 2nd tier at the time. Did that hurt the SEC? Hell no. Over time, both expansion teams have grown into the culture and adapted. So, getting someone 2nd tier in the fans minds isn't the let down, it is just recruiting for future talent. If the SEC sees potential to bring a school in and let it mold into a typical SEC program, any on the likely list will be there over time. As long as it isn't Wake Forest......I kid.
The Super Conferences will mean the BCS plus 1
Quietly and almost without mention, the 4 super conferences that are about to form over the next year or so will all but guarantee a plus 1 environment. With the Pac 12, Big 10, SEC, and more than likely the ACC/Big East merger in the near future being 16 or so teams, it will pretty well guarantee that the champion from all 4 will be in the big bowls with at large schools (likely the loser of the championship games) being added to the rotation. So for example, just using some historical odds based on this year's teams, you would have:
Sugar- BCS1 v. BCS2 (Alabama/SEC v. Texas/Pac12)
Fiesta- BCS 3 v. BCS4 (Va Tech/ACC v. Nebraska/Big 10)
Rose- Wisconsin v. Stanford
Orange- USCar v. Florida State
The winner or the Sugar and Fiesta in this example would play in the BCS championship a week or 2 later. This would bring tradition back to New Year's games and their importance. Now a days they are just another bowl game. The Sugar or Rose Bowl is no longer a major game when the BCS title is a full week or so later. The other thing that I could see happening is going to either an 11 or 13 game regular season. The schools are all about revenue, but they aren't about expenses.
You see, the big issue that underlies all this Cinderella thinking is the money that it will cost. It is going to be a real pain in the ass for a school like Texas Tech to travel to Washington or Washington State to play. As is, the farthest they travel in conference this fall is Iowa or Kansas. That's the state, you know the place where Iowa State and Kansas are. It isn't going to be all that fun for Alabama to travel to Morgantown or wherever they have to go when all this happens either. They are a little more stretched out with the boundaries of the SEC being what they are though. The other issue is how do you split the money up? That's where the hang up happened last year. Texas was not content with sharing the money and Nebraska bolted and so did Colorado. Now, aTm has decided it won't be 2nd on the money train either and they are gone, eventually, and OU seems ready to finish the Pac12 deal they had last summer with Texas and the others.
So, how would all this break out in theory, and this is based on guess and reading various news sites:
SEC
East West
Clemson Alabama
Florida Arkansas
Georgia Auburn
Kentucky LSU
NC State Mississippi
USCar Mississippi State
TN Missouri
Vandy Texas A&M
So why Clemson, NC State, Missouri, and aTm? Well, aTm we know. Missouri is the other expansion west that makes the most sense with Arkansas and the Aggies needing a dance partner out west. Clemson and NC State really have to be careful. The ACC will hold them, but what seat would they really have? Would the ACC keep them over the others? Hard to say or guess. I can't imagine in a business world that they would place tenure with the ACC over survival, which is what this is really about now. So, with the SEC showing interest in getting 2 eastern seaboard schools, these two provide the Carolinas and natural rivals. Again, I just can't see Georgia Tech, Va Tech, or FSU moving to the SEC. Tech brings nothing to the SEC, UGA controls Atlanta so that's a wash. Tech won't go without Virginia. FSU owned the Big East and it would be hard for them to turn away the chance to own it again with the ACC included. So not a real shot there. Also, Bama and Florida would refuse to accept them which would bring a few more dominoes down.
ACC
Atlantic East
Boston College Cincinatti
Duke Conneticut
Florida State Louisville
Georgia Tech Rutgers
Maryland Syracuse
Miami USF
North Carolina West Virginia
Virginia Wake Forest
Virginia Tech TCU
Remember, this is in fun and speculation, nothing real here. The ACC and Big East are doomed without each other. They have natural rivalries in basketball so there isn't a problem bringing them together. TCU will probably regret joining the Big East, and of course this could all blow up and they bolt to the Pac or Big 16-18 by the time all settles. The easiest and most logical thing to do is pair them against each other. This would be great for Va Tech, Miami, FSU, and BC because they all bolted from the East once before. The risk is high because UConn would be a target for the Big 10 as would Syracuse and BC. So, getting them to all buy in and survive, getting a TV deal with ESPN/ABC that keeps them on par with the SEC and Big 10 will be a buy in for most of these schools. You can't split Duke and UNC, nor can you split FSU and Miami, or Virginia and Tech. You could move GT and MD over and put USF and Wake or L'ville over, but that just makes more mess. I actually like this conference when I look at it more.
Big 10
Legends Leaders
Iowa Illinois
Iowa St Kansas
Michigan Kansas State
Michigan St Ohio State
Nebraska Penn State
Northwestern Purdue
Minnesota Pittsburgh
Wisconsin Indiana
When it all starts to go crazy and the Big 12 theoretically dies, Iowa St, Kansas, and K State will have to scramble. Pitt also will need to keep its ear open. Sure, they could stay in the Big East and merge, but they have long been sought after by the Big 10, and this is a better home for them in the long run. The remnants of the B12 may not find a home here, but they are logistically a good fit given Iowa and Nebraska are. They are the meek in football's world, but in the bigger picture, they give the Big 10 a powerful basketball presence with Kansas and Pitt in the fold. The Big 10 doesn't seem to worry much about UM/OSU meeting up again in a championship game, and right now that isn't a problem for 3 or 4 years. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't scrap the alignment and start fresh if they take on 4 more schools.
Pac 12
North South
Boise St Arizona
Cal Arizona St
Stanford Colorado
Washington Oklahoma
Washington St Oklahoma St
Oregon Southern Cal
Oregon St UCLA
BYU Texas
Utah Texas Tech
This is probably the hardest conference to figure out. They are thinking about expanding way beyond the Pacific. Continuing with the theory that the Big 12 is done, and despite the lawsuits and threats, it still as of Thursday morning looks more than likely to happen, Boise and BYU enter the fray. If it is the will of the land to max out at 16, they are toast. For shits and grins though, let's just say they are gonna be invited to play. Utah is in already, so adding Boise and BYU are not a long stretch, but a long drive. The bottom line here to me is this- if Texas moves, they move here. OU has talked a big game, but they are trying to pull Texas along before they get stuck in a watered down, unattractive Big 12. Texas will drag Tech and OSU with them, and while OU won't admit it, they are gonna drag along too. OU may talk big, but they need Texas a lot more than they act. OU needs the Texas viewing market and without them, they really have no real pull when Texas fans are gonna worry more about some other conference or team(s) that they have a vested interest in. For example, do you really think a Texas fan watches OU v. Oregon over Alabama v. Auburn if Texas is in the SEC? Especially if the winner is the division champs and would be playing Texas next week? Get the idea? So, despite their best "I don't love you anymore", the expectation that OU will next say "I'm sorry baby, you know I just get mad sometimes, you know I love you", and all is well for them and Texas. Really, for the 4 supers to work, the Pac 12 is the real key and how they make it work because the other 3 are not stretched out across America as much as they are.
Yes some have 18 teams in them. On first glance, the ACC would be brutal in basketball. There are schools like Baylor who are just SOL when it gets down to it. This is just a rough guess based on all the pairings and logical matchups that would occur for the most part. Granted, the ACC/Big East would have a problem in basketball with St Johns and Georgetown and Notre Dame jumping in.
That brings up a wild card folks haven't really talked about- Notre Dame. While many are trying to pass along their death before the pulse quits. However, quietly in the background, they sit and watch. For most, this will be a so what thought. I would say that scares me more than anything. More than the lawsuits from Baylor. More than the thought of having a blood bath each and every week. More than all things conceivable, the worst thing in the world is to have Notre Dame quiet. Why? Well, who would be more than happy to see this happen? Notre Dame. Why? As the last big Indy, they can still wiggle their cut into the BCS with a top 10 finish, and with the super conferences beating themselves senseless, they stand to gain. Granted, they have to get a little better and a lot more luck than just hanging in there would seem to do, but when you look at how hard this would be on all the conference participants, Notre Dame with some wins against super conference rivals like USCal, Michigan, Michigan State, etc. would have the votes and ranking to slip in and really screw an at-large team like Wisconsin or USCar in the example used.
On to things that matter, Penn State....
Saban has gone from not thrilled about the play of the OL to getting mad and defensive over rotating players. That's not a great sign of confidence there. The word is out that the starting 5 will start again. My hope is that they will calm down the rotations and mix and match attempts. The issue isn't playing Jones or Cyko at LT, it is playing both in rotation. I am all for building depth on the offensive line, and I like seeing what you have in a guy by playing him some, but the in 3 out 3 in again out again, missionary mambo philosophy isn't it. Momentum is hard to keep for that long when you don't play, even the best can get cold and lose the edge from sitting too long.
Cyrus is their answer at LT in time, but that time isn't really now yet. After reviewing the game again, he made a lot of timing errors and hasn't gotten used to the speed of D-1 yet. He and Phillip Sims are a lot alike in that regard. Both look good in controlled scrimmages where they are facing friendly fire. It was different for both guys last Saturday as the guy across from them didn't care if they lived or not. This week will be a test too, but not just in how they play but in how they learn from week 1 to week 2. Have they adapted to that speed a little better? Have they picked up anything from their mistakes in week 1? Can they apply them? It is easy to say "well, if their stat lines improve, they improved". It doesn't necessarily mean that they will have learned anything, they may have just gotten luckier.
Being Mr. Insider....
I'm just gonna be blunt. I really wish folks wouldn't put value in what a message board participant says. I include me in that statement- by the way. I am by no means an "Insider" and if I was, I wouldn't let it be known. I get info from friends just as much as most folks do I guess, but I never have had the desire to run and tell it.
When "Insider" status meant something, those people were a lot more responsible about things than they are now. You had guys who knew the right people and if they said it, it almost was a lock it happened. So what happened? Well, my hunch is Message Board Fame happened. I see more stuff that is either false or opinion packaged as fact now than I do real scoop. Take Scott Moore and Bama K for examples. You have 2 polar opposites really. Scott is all about getting himself known- regardless if it is in the positive light or not. He'll run with anything he has and proclaim it as proof, fact, or gospel. He wishes that having Barger next to him would rubber stamp it, but Barger hasn't exactly been the ambassador. Bama K- Reggie, is a good guy and a fan. He loves Alabama and that pushes him to post on boards. I get that. What Reggie is bad about doing is taking a fact, usually small and not real news worthy stuff, and mixes it with his opinion on things. For example, he said Carter would play against Kent St, and more against PSU. There wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that was happening. He said Sims would start and Sylve would play. Oops. When he sticks to whatever his sources tell him, he's ok. When he strays from those comments, he gets in trouble.
That's part two of why nobody believes "Insiders" any more. When they get in trouble for jumping out there on the "today's practice was the most intense to date....I mean walk through was the most intense to date" train, they want to double down and get defensive instead of saying "I was wrong". It isn't hard. I say it about every week at some point about something. They try to rally the true believers to their aid and cry about the mean people, but at some point you have to realize that if you are going to coin opinion as fact, it is a bad thing for you in the end. Just because you read it on a message board and it hasn't made it on to another board doesn't make it a nugget of info. It makes it something that needs vetting. Before I forget, when you race out there to throw out some info to gain your fame, don't get defensive when you know you are busted. Also, if you get it from Rodney, Kirk, Shane, Tim, Chase, or whomever, you really should source it and move along.
I always am amazed at how folks race to the Internets to get their scoop out there. I guess that is just the nature of the society now with TMZ chasing half unknown running backs, has beens, never will bes, etc.
RLB002 takes a moment to remember his friend Marshall Edgerton who was killed in Iraq around Christmas 2003. On this the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I would be remiss if I didn't mention him and I miss Edge every day. He was one of the cockiest men I ever knew, but even in High School, we knew he'd do anything for us and in the end he did.
The SEC's ever expanding waist line or is it waste line?????
I get the love affair with aTm. They are in Texas and the SEC has a long seeded desire to be in Texas. While The Horns are the ones that they have always really wanted, it is pretty clear that they can't absorb Texas in their current needs based condition. So, you take the prettiest cousin they have instead.
While some have argued that it will get them ratings in Dallas, Houston, etc. it isn't exactly like aTm is going to eclipse Texas any lifetime soon. Will it jump up on CBS and ESPN vs. what a LSU or Arkansas game would? Yes, but it won't jump through the roof. It would be like Auburn or Mississippi State jumping to the ACC and expecting this whirlwind jump in ratings and stature.
What aTm brings is distance and a foundation for the future of what the BCS is going to. Now with the Aggies in the fold, they can now expand towards Missouri or any other midwest school and have a border rival for them in Arkansas and Texas A&M, not to mention LSU.
I have read a lot of theories about who moves where in the SEC. I can almost guarantee one thing, Auburn and Alabama will never EVER be split apart. It is counter productive to the SEC to do that. They do not want to see the Iron Bowl part deux in Atlanta ever. If they did, do you really think they would have ignored for the nearly 20 years of divisional play that Vandy is farther west than Auburn is? The SEC does care about its rivalries and preserving them as best they can. The SEC is most likely trying to see which ACC school they can bring over that would balance out the format for 14 and then work more towards the Big East or another Big 12 school to get to 16. Teams like Clemson, NC State, Virginia Tech, Virginia, West Virginia, and others will get a lot of looks and winks. I think you can all but assure the fact that VT won't go without Virginia in tow and the SEC hasn't ever had a lot of interest in them. NC State and Clemson are both good for the SEC East because they both could be natural rivals with UGA and USCar. In the case of Clemson, you get a great baseball school, great campus, and a good football team- not great, but bowl worthy most years.
Is that what fans want? No. They think the SEC should get Texas, OU, FSU, and the sorts. Remember back when the SEC was committing conference adultery in the 90s? They were rumored to be after FSU, Miami, and others. Who did they get? Arkansas who was about as much a nothing program back then as anything and USCar who was also kinda a 2nd tier at the time. Did that hurt the SEC? Hell no. Over time, both expansion teams have grown into the culture and adapted. So, getting someone 2nd tier in the fans minds isn't the let down, it is just recruiting for future talent. If the SEC sees potential to bring a school in and let it mold into a typical SEC program, any on the likely list will be there over time. As long as it isn't Wake Forest......I kid.
The Super Conferences will mean the BCS plus 1
Quietly and almost without mention, the 4 super conferences that are about to form over the next year or so will all but guarantee a plus 1 environment. With the Pac 12, Big 10, SEC, and more than likely the ACC/Big East merger in the near future being 16 or so teams, it will pretty well guarantee that the champion from all 4 will be in the big bowls with at large schools (likely the loser of the championship games) being added to the rotation. So for example, just using some historical odds based on this year's teams, you would have:
Sugar- BCS1 v. BCS2 (Alabama/SEC v. Texas/Pac12)
Fiesta- BCS 3 v. BCS4 (Va Tech/ACC v. Nebraska/Big 10)
Rose- Wisconsin v. Stanford
Orange- USCar v. Florida State
The winner or the Sugar and Fiesta in this example would play in the BCS championship a week or 2 later. This would bring tradition back to New Year's games and their importance. Now a days they are just another bowl game. The Sugar or Rose Bowl is no longer a major game when the BCS title is a full week or so later. The other thing that I could see happening is going to either an 11 or 13 game regular season. The schools are all about revenue, but they aren't about expenses.
You see, the big issue that underlies all this Cinderella thinking is the money that it will cost. It is going to be a real pain in the ass for a school like Texas Tech to travel to Washington or Washington State to play. As is, the farthest they travel in conference this fall is Iowa or Kansas. That's the state, you know the place where Iowa State and Kansas are. It isn't going to be all that fun for Alabama to travel to Morgantown or wherever they have to go when all this happens either. They are a little more stretched out with the boundaries of the SEC being what they are though. The other issue is how do you split the money up? That's where the hang up happened last year. Texas was not content with sharing the money and Nebraska bolted and so did Colorado. Now, aTm has decided it won't be 2nd on the money train either and they are gone, eventually, and OU seems ready to finish the Pac12 deal they had last summer with Texas and the others.
So, how would all this break out in theory, and this is based on guess and reading various news sites:
SEC
East West
Clemson Alabama
Florida Arkansas
Georgia Auburn
Kentucky LSU
NC State Mississippi
USCar Mississippi State
TN Missouri
Vandy Texas A&M
So why Clemson, NC State, Missouri, and aTm? Well, aTm we know. Missouri is the other expansion west that makes the most sense with Arkansas and the Aggies needing a dance partner out west. Clemson and NC State really have to be careful. The ACC will hold them, but what seat would they really have? Would the ACC keep them over the others? Hard to say or guess. I can't imagine in a business world that they would place tenure with the ACC over survival, which is what this is really about now. So, with the SEC showing interest in getting 2 eastern seaboard schools, these two provide the Carolinas and natural rivals. Again, I just can't see Georgia Tech, Va Tech, or FSU moving to the SEC. Tech brings nothing to the SEC, UGA controls Atlanta so that's a wash. Tech won't go without Virginia. FSU owned the Big East and it would be hard for them to turn away the chance to own it again with the ACC included. So not a real shot there. Also, Bama and Florida would refuse to accept them which would bring a few more dominoes down.
ACC
Atlantic East
Boston College Cincinatti
Duke Conneticut
Florida State Louisville
Georgia Tech Rutgers
Maryland Syracuse
Miami USF
North Carolina West Virginia
Virginia Wake Forest
Virginia Tech TCU
Remember, this is in fun and speculation, nothing real here. The ACC and Big East are doomed without each other. They have natural rivalries in basketball so there isn't a problem bringing them together. TCU will probably regret joining the Big East, and of course this could all blow up and they bolt to the Pac or Big 16-18 by the time all settles. The easiest and most logical thing to do is pair them against each other. This would be great for Va Tech, Miami, FSU, and BC because they all bolted from the East once before. The risk is high because UConn would be a target for the Big 10 as would Syracuse and BC. So, getting them to all buy in and survive, getting a TV deal with ESPN/ABC that keeps them on par with the SEC and Big 10 will be a buy in for most of these schools. You can't split Duke and UNC, nor can you split FSU and Miami, or Virginia and Tech. You could move GT and MD over and put USF and Wake or L'ville over, but that just makes more mess. I actually like this conference when I look at it more.
Big 10
Legends Leaders
Iowa Illinois
Iowa St Kansas
Michigan Kansas State
Michigan St Ohio State
Nebraska Penn State
Northwestern Purdue
Minnesota Pittsburgh
Wisconsin Indiana
When it all starts to go crazy and the Big 12 theoretically dies, Iowa St, Kansas, and K State will have to scramble. Pitt also will need to keep its ear open. Sure, they could stay in the Big East and merge, but they have long been sought after by the Big 10, and this is a better home for them in the long run. The remnants of the B12 may not find a home here, but they are logistically a good fit given Iowa and Nebraska are. They are the meek in football's world, but in the bigger picture, they give the Big 10 a powerful basketball presence with Kansas and Pitt in the fold. The Big 10 doesn't seem to worry much about UM/OSU meeting up again in a championship game, and right now that isn't a problem for 3 or 4 years. However, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't scrap the alignment and start fresh if they take on 4 more schools.
Pac 12
North South
Boise St Arizona
Cal Arizona St
Stanford Colorado
Washington Oklahoma
Washington St Oklahoma St
Oregon Southern Cal
Oregon St UCLA
BYU Texas
Utah Texas Tech
This is probably the hardest conference to figure out. They are thinking about expanding way beyond the Pacific. Continuing with the theory that the Big 12 is done, and despite the lawsuits and threats, it still as of Thursday morning looks more than likely to happen, Boise and BYU enter the fray. If it is the will of the land to max out at 16, they are toast. For shits and grins though, let's just say they are gonna be invited to play. Utah is in already, so adding Boise and BYU are not a long stretch, but a long drive. The bottom line here to me is this- if Texas moves, they move here. OU has talked a big game, but they are trying to pull Texas along before they get stuck in a watered down, unattractive Big 12. Texas will drag Tech and OSU with them, and while OU won't admit it, they are gonna drag along too. OU may talk big, but they need Texas a lot more than they act. OU needs the Texas viewing market and without them, they really have no real pull when Texas fans are gonna worry more about some other conference or team(s) that they have a vested interest in. For example, do you really think a Texas fan watches OU v. Oregon over Alabama v. Auburn if Texas is in the SEC? Especially if the winner is the division champs and would be playing Texas next week? Get the idea? So, despite their best "I don't love you anymore", the expectation that OU will next say "I'm sorry baby, you know I just get mad sometimes, you know I love you", and all is well for them and Texas. Really, for the 4 supers to work, the Pac 12 is the real key and how they make it work because the other 3 are not stretched out across America as much as they are.
Yes some have 18 teams in them. On first glance, the ACC would be brutal in basketball. There are schools like Baylor who are just SOL when it gets down to it. This is just a rough guess based on all the pairings and logical matchups that would occur for the most part. Granted, the ACC/Big East would have a problem in basketball with St Johns and Georgetown and Notre Dame jumping in.
That brings up a wild card folks haven't really talked about- Notre Dame. While many are trying to pass along their death before the pulse quits. However, quietly in the background, they sit and watch. For most, this will be a so what thought. I would say that scares me more than anything. More than the lawsuits from Baylor. More than the thought of having a blood bath each and every week. More than all things conceivable, the worst thing in the world is to have Notre Dame quiet. Why? Well, who would be more than happy to see this happen? Notre Dame. Why? As the last big Indy, they can still wiggle their cut into the BCS with a top 10 finish, and with the super conferences beating themselves senseless, they stand to gain. Granted, they have to get a little better and a lot more luck than just hanging in there would seem to do, but when you look at how hard this would be on all the conference participants, Notre Dame with some wins against super conference rivals like USCal, Michigan, Michigan State, etc. would have the votes and ranking to slip in and really screw an at-large team like Wisconsin or USCar in the example used.
On to things that matter, Penn State....
Saban has gone from not thrilled about the play of the OL to getting mad and defensive over rotating players. That's not a great sign of confidence there. The word is out that the starting 5 will start again. My hope is that they will calm down the rotations and mix and match attempts. The issue isn't playing Jones or Cyko at LT, it is playing both in rotation. I am all for building depth on the offensive line, and I like seeing what you have in a guy by playing him some, but the in 3 out 3 in again out again, missionary mambo philosophy isn't it. Momentum is hard to keep for that long when you don't play, even the best can get cold and lose the edge from sitting too long.
Cyrus is their answer at LT in time, but that time isn't really now yet. After reviewing the game again, he made a lot of timing errors and hasn't gotten used to the speed of D-1 yet. He and Phillip Sims are a lot alike in that regard. Both look good in controlled scrimmages where they are facing friendly fire. It was different for both guys last Saturday as the guy across from them didn't care if they lived or not. This week will be a test too, but not just in how they play but in how they learn from week 1 to week 2. Have they adapted to that speed a little better? Have they picked up anything from their mistakes in week 1? Can they apply them? It is easy to say "well, if their stat lines improve, they improved". It doesn't necessarily mean that they will have learned anything, they may have just gotten luckier.
Being Mr. Insider....
I'm just gonna be blunt. I really wish folks wouldn't put value in what a message board participant says. I include me in that statement- by the way. I am by no means an "Insider" and if I was, I wouldn't let it be known. I get info from friends just as much as most folks do I guess, but I never have had the desire to run and tell it.
When "Insider" status meant something, those people were a lot more responsible about things than they are now. You had guys who knew the right people and if they said it, it almost was a lock it happened. So what happened? Well, my hunch is Message Board Fame happened. I see more stuff that is either false or opinion packaged as fact now than I do real scoop. Take Scott Moore and Bama K for examples. You have 2 polar opposites really. Scott is all about getting himself known- regardless if it is in the positive light or not. He'll run with anything he has and proclaim it as proof, fact, or gospel. He wishes that having Barger next to him would rubber stamp it, but Barger hasn't exactly been the ambassador. Bama K- Reggie, is a good guy and a fan. He loves Alabama and that pushes him to post on boards. I get that. What Reggie is bad about doing is taking a fact, usually small and not real news worthy stuff, and mixes it with his opinion on things. For example, he said Carter would play against Kent St, and more against PSU. There wasn't a snowballs chance in hell that was happening. He said Sims would start and Sylve would play. Oops. When he sticks to whatever his sources tell him, he's ok. When he strays from those comments, he gets in trouble.
That's part two of why nobody believes "Insiders" any more. When they get in trouble for jumping out there on the "today's practice was the most intense to date....I mean walk through was the most intense to date" train, they want to double down and get defensive instead of saying "I was wrong". It isn't hard. I say it about every week at some point about something. They try to rally the true believers to their aid and cry about the mean people, but at some point you have to realize that if you are going to coin opinion as fact, it is a bad thing for you in the end. Just because you read it on a message board and it hasn't made it on to another board doesn't make it a nugget of info. It makes it something that needs vetting. Before I forget, when you race out there to throw out some info to gain your fame, don't get defensive when you know you are busted. Also, if you get it from Rodney, Kirk, Shane, Tim, Chase, or whomever, you really should source it and move along.
I always am amazed at how folks race to the Internets to get their scoop out there. I guess that is just the nature of the society now with TMZ chasing half unknown running backs, has beens, never will bes, etc.
RLB002 takes a moment to remember his friend Marshall Edgerton who was killed in Iraq around Christmas 2003. On this the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I would be remiss if I didn't mention him and I miss Edge every day. He was one of the cockiest men I ever knew, but even in High School, we knew he'd do anything for us and in the end he did.
September 4, 2011
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- Kent State
Well, the season has started and we are no closer to knowing Jack Schitt than we were Friday. All in all, it was a vanilla game where they were trying not to show any more than they had to, but they ended up showing things they didn't mean to show....
OFFENSE
The Good....
Red Zone Efficiency.
Last year was a joke in the red zone. So, it isn't a surprise that Alabama came out with the intention of being better at it. They converted every redzone into touchdowns on Saturday and that is a good start for this offense. The less "settling for field goals" the better because they cannot continue to just settle for the safe points and win this season.
A-maze-ing White Hot Start
To read any message board, you would think that Bama didn't have a receiver except for Duron Carter who wasn't ready to play. Maze turned in a veteran performance when asked to be the guy. I also was rather pleased with White's efforts. He made a few freshman errors, but he more than compensated for them. Between the two of them, it was a very good 1-2 punch to use for both QBs.
4 drives, 3 touchdowns
Lost in all the complaints, which are coming just humor me and keep reading, was the fact that Bama scored on 3 of its first 4 possessions. Ask Auburn or Kentucky how that would have felt for their offenses? Granted, this wasn't a great KSU team or a great defense, but they took care of the business early on and put the game out of reach by the start of the 2nd quarter.
Eddie Lacy Spin Class
Lacy is still a work in progress, but when he finds daylight, he's about as dangerous as any player Bama has. Lacy gives a good change of pace and energy to the offense and his drive and motivation is there which is contagious to an offense that needed that at times. I look for them to probably give Lacy a few more carries as he was more effective than Richardson, but don't worry folks, TR isn't going to lose that many snaps.
The Bad....
Russian Roulette never has a winner
If you have read me at all over 10 years, you know my dislike of the rotating QB theory. It is a proven momentum killer and it did just that for Alabama Saturday. McCarron scored twice out of 3 tries to start the game. By the time he was back in, he was cold and had lost his rhythm in the game. He never got it back. Sims came in cold and between that and this feeling that he was afraid of losing his chance for making a mistake, made mistakes. More on the QB debate in Random Thoughts.
The Offensive Line Sucks
I keep reading this thought through the message board world that says Cyrus K should start. I have read that all these players did fine with the exception of Warmack. Now, after watching live, I probably would have agreed with you. However, after watching the replay and watching every play over about 3 times, I can safely say that NONE of the starting 6 (Jones, Warmack, Vlachos, Steen, Fluker and Cyrus) had great games. They all had a few good plays and a few bad plays. Some of this was due to the 2nd round of Russian Roulette being played, but a bigger issue was the play calling. The play calling left a lot to be desired and it really got the OL off on a passive foot and they never really geared down and beat Kent State up front until the 4th quarter. I was very disturbed by the amount of disruption that KSU was able to get. They were able to abuse all 6 guys at different points in the game. Warmack was the main goat on pass coverage, but none of them exactly fired off the line like a champion. Steen struggles in passing situations still, Fluker's feet are like cement too often, Jones looks uncomfortable, and Vlachos looks out of shape still. Cyrus needs to get adapted to the speed of the game, so his gaffes were less noticeable based on the bar I would have set, but for the folks yelping to start him or else, I didn't see anything that just told me that he was greater than the others. More on this too in Random Thoughts.
Game Management from the Sidelines
While the final score says all is well and it was great. 5 turnovers doesn't equate to a good day for any offensive player or coach. I really was surprised that they tried to throw as much as they did. I guess they had this theory that they would showcase both QBs and get them broken in properly, or something like that, but as much as it would be nice to see Bama have a high powered passing game, I would have settled for one that could get more than 2 yards a carry after 3 quarters.
The Ugly....
Turnovers
All four turnovers were just bad plays by the QB. AJ's first one was him reverting back to the AJ that Saban seethes and spews about. He tried his damnedest to get the ball in between 4 defenders but sailed it. Sims' first pick was a hesitation throw that was to the wrong side, but Norwood was about as helpful as tits on a boar. Sims' second interception was another hesitation and late throw that should have gone for 6. AJ's second pick was on Williams who got his hands on it, but you don't rifle a ball to a TE. After watching the game again, there were about 5 other plays where both QBs should have been picked off and would have if a better team had been out there.
DEFENSE
The Good...
The Red Tide Swarmed
Bama pretty well sent a message with its defense Saturday. If you are gonna play Alabama, pack your lunch because you are gonna work for it. I was really pleased with the front 7 for the most part, or the front 6 as it was most of the game. I thought the secondary had a good game, not great, but good enough to keep KSU pinned down all day. The tackling was better and the players looked to be in better shape than a year ago. I really was pleased to see the new guys up front- Jesse and Quinton- get as much time in as they did and see them contribute right away. Williams is in the right spot at inside end and he did get a good surge all day. Dial spelled him and his first move and burst was very impressive as well.
No big plays
Usually in these types of games, the defense proves its point and then gets a little sloppy. That didn't happen Saturday. Even after the starters were retired for the afternoon, there wasn't that point where you were thinking, damn how'd that happen or how on earth did that guy get that open? Instead, Kent State was suffocated for 60 minutes by the Tide Defense and their desire to really not give up a single yard if they could help it.
Hightower & Upshaw- Harassers at Large
The two rush ends in most of Bama's pass defense packages really did a great job of disrupting off the ends and confusing the KSU offense all day. Upshaw, when healthy, is probably a top 10 pick in the NFL draft, and he needs to be able to play at this level all year long. Hightower played like a guy who really loves the game and knows what it means to him. I think between the injury robbing him of some of the luster of the 09 championship and the 2010 season being sub-par by their standards, he wants this season to be special and he wants to be that leader. I was really pleased to hear after the TD that Donta got in the OL's face and busted on them for their effort. I wish Bama had 5 with his heart and motor right now.
DePriest and Sunseri- Future Harassers at Large
I really like both guys. Trey announced his college intentions with an earhole to the KSU returner early in the game. Vinnie was popping ball carriers all afternoon and really is a good looking defensive back. He stays in position and for a guy with limited PT and college experience, he is well ahead of where he should be. TDP has the makings of another great linebacker for the Tide. He moves to the ball and doesn't let the linemen get on him. I liked how he was able to use his strength to keep them off of him long enough to make tackles and assists.
The Bad....
Too many opportunities dropped
Not exactly what you are thinking by that title. KSU dropped a ton of passes. I mean a lot. The momentum of the game could have been a lot different had they made half of the drops they had. The biggest thing I noticed both times I watched the game was how soft and slow Dre Kirkpatrick and Millner were to break to the play at times. Dre's passed on numbers are going to be high again this year because he plays off the ball too much and doesn't break to the ball fast enough at times. He missed an INT on one or two plays, but he was rewarded by the Football Gods by 2 or 3 drops from the KSU WR that were easy first downs. Millner really was spared on one that could have been a huge gain early but the WR just muffed it on the sidelines. I would guess in film and practice this week they work a lot on their reaction timing because it looked a lot like Arkansas only there wasn't the same level of athlete out there....this time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Not gonna break them out, but overall it was a good day for the specialists. The high point was Maze's return skills on display that totaled 135 yards in returns. I thought the coverage teams were solid too as there was only 1 that got outside of containment. The punting was good and the kicking was good. I don't know why they tried a 54 yarder, but I guess they wanted to see what would happen. The only concern I have here is Maze and that is in 2 parts. Part one, I worry that he can't take the abuse of returning kicks for a full season and play WR. Part 2, he and really all of them need to remember a fair catch is honorable.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
QB Musical Chairs and how it is bad for business
I really wasn't wowed by either guy. I get where the average consensus is to just play AJ and move on. However, it is one game and there are a few facts left out of the discussion in the mob mentality out there. First, this was the first time Sims ever saw live college action. Second, when AJ got his first run of the offense last year, it was against beaten and worn down teams. Sims didn't get the luxury of playing in games where the defense was pulverized and all he had to do is show up. So, his learning curve is going to be steeper by default because he's facing fresh teams.
That doesn't mean, however, that he should start or take more than 30 percent of the snaps with the 1s this week. I also think that the Internet and these wannabe "Insiders" that constantly post garbage that is either made up or stretched to the point that the fact is so small that it cannot be recognized has really made a mess here. There is a faction of fans who will go ape shit if AJ McCarron loses the job at some point. The Mobile Bama fan base and surrounding areas will not want to believe he's not the one. After one game, most of us would believe that to a point. There is another fan contingent that thinks Sims is the next great QB and anything less than him is the tits. Phillip Ely's mom and dad are rooting for him.....
Anyways, the issue that I have with this is that neither really played great for the whole game. If Sims gets a TD, the basic metric is even. I did notice a few things that did concern me about how the coaches handled it. For starts, lots more short pass plays for AJ like screens and slips and slants whereas Sims had a lot more long drawn out plays. I don't recall one HB screen for him. I also noticed they tried to experiment with the OL more when Sims was in. Moving Jones to center a couple of times and to guard on others. It makes me wonder was he really "starting" or were they using him as a back up.
In the end, the main issue will be who can really take things over. McCarron did look the part early, but he didn't really pick it back up after his first sitting. Sims looked a little bit better after his 2nd pick and he calmed down some. I don't think they will use the same rotation going forward, and I really hope if they want to rotate QBs that they do it more on situation than time.
I would do almost anything for an offensive line that was mean
Whether it is playcalling or recruiting or coaching, the offensive line has not improved a lot from year to year. I never like a passive start for an offense. I like to see them establish the run and impose their will on defenses and get the O Line geared in and hitting. Ask any OL you know, they don't even have to be good ones, if they like to start out pass blocking or run blocking. They will almost all tell you they like run blocking. Why? Well, they get to hit somebody. It gets them moving forward and makes them the aggressor. It actually gets them into the game. Pass blocking takes them out of the game and makes them more of the liability because the only good thing they do on pass blocking is not let their guy get past them.
I don't remember Stoutland's lines at Miami being that soft or weak. I am willing to accept, if it is the case, that there is a lot of de-programming of bad habits that need to happen. However, these guys should know how to hit a helmet and he needs to ramp up his efforts to get them going. PSU won't be a slouch nor will Arkansas in 3 weeks. The fact that 2 Heisman caliber players have now gone 14 games with sub-par numbers for the most part is just unacceptable. Richardson's touchdowns were about all him if the truth be told. The fact that at the one, they couldn't surge to push AJ in the endzone is not acceptable. I don't give a rat's hairy shit if it was the first game. That's pathetic at any point, especially against a low end bottom feeder like Kent State. I don't want to hear one stupid comment about how Kent State's run defense was in the top whatever, and blah blah blah. Who did they play last year that could run or had a national program like Alabama? All that posturing and spin is just Shula-esque spin that I didn't like then or now. The bottom line is that these guys need to be beaten down in practice more until they find their mean streak.
So, who should start, that's really what you want to hear right? Well, I would just assume they try and find 2 new guards because that's where they are weakest. Warmack is just too heavy and slow to pass block any bull rush or stunt. Steen has terrible footwork and gets out of position too often. I noticed twice that he slid to support Fluker who had his guy without issue, and let the gap open and the defender lit Sims up both times. Fluker had a fair day, but he's gotta remember to move his feet and stay active and not sit down before he gets a hand on his guy. The Sims fumble wasn't helped by Phillip waiting too long in the pocket, but Fluker let a short White boy get on him and blow up his QB. Now, all of these guys do better at run blocking, but I saw them get up high and bent too often because they are still used to making their first motion backwards it seems. I will say that it was nice to see them bring back Warmack on the counter tre as the pulling guard. Lacy had 2 nice runs behind Warmack pulling as lead blocker.
What did this game teach me?
Utah State vs. Auburn- Auburn isn't as good as they were a year ago, but they are still good enough to win in the clutch. Also, Bama fans have way too much Aubsession. There were probably more fans watching the Auburn game over the Bama game. To scan the threads on BOL during the game it would seem that way. Focus on the uno guys....
Georgia vs. Boise State- Georgia has a bad case of the quits. It wasn't long in the 2nd quarter before you could see UGA's defensive linemen grabbing their knees for air. Boise wasn't gassing them with any speed or really even a speedy hurry up, they were just playing through and Georgia's conditioning was horrible. How does one get cramps in the air conditioned goodness of the Georgia Dome???? Richt is so fired his spray tan will melt.
Oregon vs. LSU- Never doubt the Hat. For years, Bama fans said he'd tap out once Saban's players were gone. Still waiting. The Hat does make some stupid mistakes and he is crazy.... that bottle their own piss for drinking crazy not ha ha crazy....but he seems to rise to the challenge of the big games and win. All the circus about losing players to suspension and all the talk about Oregon's speed did nothing to the fact that LSU has a heck of a defense and a stout running game.
OFFENSE
The Good....
Red Zone Efficiency.
Last year was a joke in the red zone. So, it isn't a surprise that Alabama came out with the intention of being better at it. They converted every redzone into touchdowns on Saturday and that is a good start for this offense. The less "settling for field goals" the better because they cannot continue to just settle for the safe points and win this season.
A-maze-ing White Hot Start
To read any message board, you would think that Bama didn't have a receiver except for Duron Carter who wasn't ready to play. Maze turned in a veteran performance when asked to be the guy. I also was rather pleased with White's efforts. He made a few freshman errors, but he more than compensated for them. Between the two of them, it was a very good 1-2 punch to use for both QBs.
4 drives, 3 touchdowns
Lost in all the complaints, which are coming just humor me and keep reading, was the fact that Bama scored on 3 of its first 4 possessions. Ask Auburn or Kentucky how that would have felt for their offenses? Granted, this wasn't a great KSU team or a great defense, but they took care of the business early on and put the game out of reach by the start of the 2nd quarter.
Eddie Lacy Spin Class
Lacy is still a work in progress, but when he finds daylight, he's about as dangerous as any player Bama has. Lacy gives a good change of pace and energy to the offense and his drive and motivation is there which is contagious to an offense that needed that at times. I look for them to probably give Lacy a few more carries as he was more effective than Richardson, but don't worry folks, TR isn't going to lose that many snaps.
The Bad....
Russian Roulette never has a winner
If you have read me at all over 10 years, you know my dislike of the rotating QB theory. It is a proven momentum killer and it did just that for Alabama Saturday. McCarron scored twice out of 3 tries to start the game. By the time he was back in, he was cold and had lost his rhythm in the game. He never got it back. Sims came in cold and between that and this feeling that he was afraid of losing his chance for making a mistake, made mistakes. More on the QB debate in Random Thoughts.
The Offensive Line Sucks
I keep reading this thought through the message board world that says Cyrus K should start. I have read that all these players did fine with the exception of Warmack. Now, after watching live, I probably would have agreed with you. However, after watching the replay and watching every play over about 3 times, I can safely say that NONE of the starting 6 (Jones, Warmack, Vlachos, Steen, Fluker and Cyrus) had great games. They all had a few good plays and a few bad plays. Some of this was due to the 2nd round of Russian Roulette being played, but a bigger issue was the play calling. The play calling left a lot to be desired and it really got the OL off on a passive foot and they never really geared down and beat Kent State up front until the 4th quarter. I was very disturbed by the amount of disruption that KSU was able to get. They were able to abuse all 6 guys at different points in the game. Warmack was the main goat on pass coverage, but none of them exactly fired off the line like a champion. Steen struggles in passing situations still, Fluker's feet are like cement too often, Jones looks uncomfortable, and Vlachos looks out of shape still. Cyrus needs to get adapted to the speed of the game, so his gaffes were less noticeable based on the bar I would have set, but for the folks yelping to start him or else, I didn't see anything that just told me that he was greater than the others. More on this too in Random Thoughts.
Game Management from the Sidelines
While the final score says all is well and it was great. 5 turnovers doesn't equate to a good day for any offensive player or coach. I really was surprised that they tried to throw as much as they did. I guess they had this theory that they would showcase both QBs and get them broken in properly, or something like that, but as much as it would be nice to see Bama have a high powered passing game, I would have settled for one that could get more than 2 yards a carry after 3 quarters.
The Ugly....
Turnovers
All four turnovers were just bad plays by the QB. AJ's first one was him reverting back to the AJ that Saban seethes and spews about. He tried his damnedest to get the ball in between 4 defenders but sailed it. Sims' first pick was a hesitation throw that was to the wrong side, but Norwood was about as helpful as tits on a boar. Sims' second interception was another hesitation and late throw that should have gone for 6. AJ's second pick was on Williams who got his hands on it, but you don't rifle a ball to a TE. After watching the game again, there were about 5 other plays where both QBs should have been picked off and would have if a better team had been out there.
DEFENSE
The Good...
The Red Tide Swarmed
Bama pretty well sent a message with its defense Saturday. If you are gonna play Alabama, pack your lunch because you are gonna work for it. I was really pleased with the front 7 for the most part, or the front 6 as it was most of the game. I thought the secondary had a good game, not great, but good enough to keep KSU pinned down all day. The tackling was better and the players looked to be in better shape than a year ago. I really was pleased to see the new guys up front- Jesse and Quinton- get as much time in as they did and see them contribute right away. Williams is in the right spot at inside end and he did get a good surge all day. Dial spelled him and his first move and burst was very impressive as well.
No big plays
Usually in these types of games, the defense proves its point and then gets a little sloppy. That didn't happen Saturday. Even after the starters were retired for the afternoon, there wasn't that point where you were thinking, damn how'd that happen or how on earth did that guy get that open? Instead, Kent State was suffocated for 60 minutes by the Tide Defense and their desire to really not give up a single yard if they could help it.
Hightower & Upshaw- Harassers at Large
The two rush ends in most of Bama's pass defense packages really did a great job of disrupting off the ends and confusing the KSU offense all day. Upshaw, when healthy, is probably a top 10 pick in the NFL draft, and he needs to be able to play at this level all year long. Hightower played like a guy who really loves the game and knows what it means to him. I think between the injury robbing him of some of the luster of the 09 championship and the 2010 season being sub-par by their standards, he wants this season to be special and he wants to be that leader. I was really pleased to hear after the TD that Donta got in the OL's face and busted on them for their effort. I wish Bama had 5 with his heart and motor right now.
DePriest and Sunseri- Future Harassers at Large
I really like both guys. Trey announced his college intentions with an earhole to the KSU returner early in the game. Vinnie was popping ball carriers all afternoon and really is a good looking defensive back. He stays in position and for a guy with limited PT and college experience, he is well ahead of where he should be. TDP has the makings of another great linebacker for the Tide. He moves to the ball and doesn't let the linemen get on him. I liked how he was able to use his strength to keep them off of him long enough to make tackles and assists.
The Bad....
Too many opportunities dropped
Not exactly what you are thinking by that title. KSU dropped a ton of passes. I mean a lot. The momentum of the game could have been a lot different had they made half of the drops they had. The biggest thing I noticed both times I watched the game was how soft and slow Dre Kirkpatrick and Millner were to break to the play at times. Dre's passed on numbers are going to be high again this year because he plays off the ball too much and doesn't break to the ball fast enough at times. He missed an INT on one or two plays, but he was rewarded by the Football Gods by 2 or 3 drops from the KSU WR that were easy first downs. Millner really was spared on one that could have been a huge gain early but the WR just muffed it on the sidelines. I would guess in film and practice this week they work a lot on their reaction timing because it looked a lot like Arkansas only there wasn't the same level of athlete out there....this time.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Not gonna break them out, but overall it was a good day for the specialists. The high point was Maze's return skills on display that totaled 135 yards in returns. I thought the coverage teams were solid too as there was only 1 that got outside of containment. The punting was good and the kicking was good. I don't know why they tried a 54 yarder, but I guess they wanted to see what would happen. The only concern I have here is Maze and that is in 2 parts. Part one, I worry that he can't take the abuse of returning kicks for a full season and play WR. Part 2, he and really all of them need to remember a fair catch is honorable.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
QB Musical Chairs and how it is bad for business
I really wasn't wowed by either guy. I get where the average consensus is to just play AJ and move on. However, it is one game and there are a few facts left out of the discussion in the mob mentality out there. First, this was the first time Sims ever saw live college action. Second, when AJ got his first run of the offense last year, it was against beaten and worn down teams. Sims didn't get the luxury of playing in games where the defense was pulverized and all he had to do is show up. So, his learning curve is going to be steeper by default because he's facing fresh teams.
That doesn't mean, however, that he should start or take more than 30 percent of the snaps with the 1s this week. I also think that the Internet and these wannabe "Insiders" that constantly post garbage that is either made up or stretched to the point that the fact is so small that it cannot be recognized has really made a mess here. There is a faction of fans who will go ape shit if AJ McCarron loses the job at some point. The Mobile Bama fan base and surrounding areas will not want to believe he's not the one. After one game, most of us would believe that to a point. There is another fan contingent that thinks Sims is the next great QB and anything less than him is the tits. Phillip Ely's mom and dad are rooting for him.....
Anyways, the issue that I have with this is that neither really played great for the whole game. If Sims gets a TD, the basic metric is even. I did notice a few things that did concern me about how the coaches handled it. For starts, lots more short pass plays for AJ like screens and slips and slants whereas Sims had a lot more long drawn out plays. I don't recall one HB screen for him. I also noticed they tried to experiment with the OL more when Sims was in. Moving Jones to center a couple of times and to guard on others. It makes me wonder was he really "starting" or were they using him as a back up.
In the end, the main issue will be who can really take things over. McCarron did look the part early, but he didn't really pick it back up after his first sitting. Sims looked a little bit better after his 2nd pick and he calmed down some. I don't think they will use the same rotation going forward, and I really hope if they want to rotate QBs that they do it more on situation than time.
I would do almost anything for an offensive line that was mean
Whether it is playcalling or recruiting or coaching, the offensive line has not improved a lot from year to year. I never like a passive start for an offense. I like to see them establish the run and impose their will on defenses and get the O Line geared in and hitting. Ask any OL you know, they don't even have to be good ones, if they like to start out pass blocking or run blocking. They will almost all tell you they like run blocking. Why? Well, they get to hit somebody. It gets them moving forward and makes them the aggressor. It actually gets them into the game. Pass blocking takes them out of the game and makes them more of the liability because the only good thing they do on pass blocking is not let their guy get past them.
I don't remember Stoutland's lines at Miami being that soft or weak. I am willing to accept, if it is the case, that there is a lot of de-programming of bad habits that need to happen. However, these guys should know how to hit a helmet and he needs to ramp up his efforts to get them going. PSU won't be a slouch nor will Arkansas in 3 weeks. The fact that 2 Heisman caliber players have now gone 14 games with sub-par numbers for the most part is just unacceptable. Richardson's touchdowns were about all him if the truth be told. The fact that at the one, they couldn't surge to push AJ in the endzone is not acceptable. I don't give a rat's hairy shit if it was the first game. That's pathetic at any point, especially against a low end bottom feeder like Kent State. I don't want to hear one stupid comment about how Kent State's run defense was in the top whatever, and blah blah blah. Who did they play last year that could run or had a national program like Alabama? All that posturing and spin is just Shula-esque spin that I didn't like then or now. The bottom line is that these guys need to be beaten down in practice more until they find their mean streak.
So, who should start, that's really what you want to hear right? Well, I would just assume they try and find 2 new guards because that's where they are weakest. Warmack is just too heavy and slow to pass block any bull rush or stunt. Steen has terrible footwork and gets out of position too often. I noticed twice that he slid to support Fluker who had his guy without issue, and let the gap open and the defender lit Sims up both times. Fluker had a fair day, but he's gotta remember to move his feet and stay active and not sit down before he gets a hand on his guy. The Sims fumble wasn't helped by Phillip waiting too long in the pocket, but Fluker let a short White boy get on him and blow up his QB. Now, all of these guys do better at run blocking, but I saw them get up high and bent too often because they are still used to making their first motion backwards it seems. I will say that it was nice to see them bring back Warmack on the counter tre as the pulling guard. Lacy had 2 nice runs behind Warmack pulling as lead blocker.
What did this game teach me?
Utah State vs. Auburn- Auburn isn't as good as they were a year ago, but they are still good enough to win in the clutch. Also, Bama fans have way too much Aubsession. There were probably more fans watching the Auburn game over the Bama game. To scan the threads on BOL during the game it would seem that way. Focus on the uno guys....
Georgia vs. Boise State- Georgia has a bad case of the quits. It wasn't long in the 2nd quarter before you could see UGA's defensive linemen grabbing their knees for air. Boise wasn't gassing them with any speed or really even a speedy hurry up, they were just playing through and Georgia's conditioning was horrible. How does one get cramps in the air conditioned goodness of the Georgia Dome???? Richt is so fired his spray tan will melt.
Oregon vs. LSU- Never doubt the Hat. For years, Bama fans said he'd tap out once Saban's players were gone. Still waiting. The Hat does make some stupid mistakes and he is crazy.... that bottle their own piss for drinking crazy not ha ha crazy....but he seems to rise to the challenge of the big games and win. All the circus about losing players to suspension and all the talk about Oregon's speed did nothing to the fact that LSU has a heck of a defense and a stout running game.
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