The Good...The Bad...& The Ugly....Arkansas

The Arkansas game is over and two things are abundantly clear after 3 weeks....

1.  Alabama is one of the elite.
2.  Arkansas isn't worth a sheet....

More on 2 later in Random Thoughts.  As to the game, it was a good game for them to have because they haven't really had a 4 quarter performance, and they finally got that this week. 

OFFENSE

The Good...

The more Bama runs, the more opponents hate playing them

The good thing about having 4 solid options to run the ball is that they all stay fresh and they all continue to break opponents.  Lacy finally looked confident and that set the tone early.  Yeldon did well in his turn.  Hart is their change of pace now that Fowler is gone.  The guy that I think may be the best of the group is Drake.  Yeldon and Drake as a one two punch is scary for the future.  They compliment each other really well.  I think we see more of him as the season wears on.  They will try to get him up on carries to keep Lacy healthy. 

When you run first, then pass, your O Line will always look better

If you are one of the many thinking that DJ Fluker and/or Cyrus Kouandjio both played better, you would be right to a point.  The reason is a long held belief that many linemen have.  If you get them going downhill early, they play better.  Establishing the run is not hard with the size Bama has.  The problem is that teams will stack the box on them.  However, if they continue to pound, typically two things happen.  One, they can establish bites on play action, and two, they wear down defenses. 

Good day for DJ McYeldon....

Verne can't help it, scotch has that effect on people.  It made grandpas confuse their wives with their barmaids for ages.  Getting serious though, McCarron had probably his best game of the year, and he really did the least at times.  The main thing to keep in mind is that the game was over by halftime.  It was because of turnovers and McCarron making passes when they had to have them.  He spread the wealth around pretty well hitting 7 receivers in the short time he played and got his chemistry down with Cooper and Jones. 

That fad called the Spread seems to be contagious....

If McCarron gets hurt, many fans will eat words over the spread because that is what Bama will have to run to compete. 

The Bad...

The more I watch Ely, the more I wonder if Avalos hit reset on his college career

I am sure I will get a little grief over that, but Ely has about the weakest arm I've seen on a Bama QB since Avalos.  He doesn't look confident or comfortable, but he probably knows the  playbook and that gets him more looks as Alex gets up to speed and grows into a serviceable QB.  While Sims is their best option, I don't feel that much better about him outside of running the option.  His arm is noticeably bigger than Ely's, but I don't know that anyone, including the staff, knows if he can read a cover 2 under pressure. 

The Ugly....

None


DEFENSE

The Good...

Making their asses quit with backups too

Bama imposed its will early and often on a mentally broken Arkansas team.  The bottom line is that they knew they could and they did early.  The game was over, and in past weeks they let up, this week they dug in and broke them some more. 

Young guys looking good in mop up

I really like the way some of the new/backup guys play.  DJ Pettaway continues to impress.  He really has a power rush that collapses his man on every play it seems.  Pagan is earning a lot of PT during meaningful minutes, and I won't be shocked if he takes over for Dial soon.  Devall looked like the Jack of the future.  I thought Hubbard finally came out of his shell after 2 weeks of meh.  I can see why Lake had his RS burned early, he's a load to move in the middle.  The more the Tide clean up on the field, the more time these guys get to play and grow in real time situations. 

Turnovers

Bama now has a net margin of 11, tied with Mississippi State for best in the nation.  They added 5 on Saturday and it was a clinic to watch the linebackers stripping the ball, the defensive backs tipping passes up to get 2nd chances, heck it was so contagious that Dee Hart caused a fumble.  Bama doesn't necessarily need a ton of turnovers to be dominant and win games, but it sure does make it easier. 

There wasn't anything really that bad or that ugly....

RANDOM THOUGHTS

John L Smith is really Joe Kines in disguise

Same wild eyes, same frontier gibberish, same really crappy teams, and same bad interviews (Joe meet John). 

I'm not sure if he was talking about his Friday night or the team in the latest in a history of bizarre moments....click John to get that one....  Regardless, Arkansas has effectively sent their program back to the foundation and all that has been built and created is gone.  Their recruiting class last year wasn't great.  This one will hit a new low as nobody of quality will go there unless they are just a true Hawg fan.  Next few will struggle even after they name a permanent replacement because the rebuilding process will not be attractive to many. 

I don't dislike the plan Arkansas had in getting a 1 year fill in on short notice.  They didn't jump the shark and hire a problem like Bama did with Shula.  However, they could have gotten someone with a better track record than Smith.  3 weeks in and Arkansas players have rolled up the tent and started thinking about next year.  Even with Wilson back in a week or two, they have a lot of issues.  The players really aren't to blame.  They went from national title aspirations to national joke with the hiring of Smith.  They don't look like a team that has any chemistry.  The old staff and Smith may not gel well.  I don't recall him ever running anything that was as advanced as Petrino's style.  Those guys are probably eyeing the door too.  I would. 

Auburn thanks Arkansas for being so lousy...

The only thing hiding Auburn's implosion from 2010 champion to 2012 doormat is Arkansas and Ole Miss.  The issue with Auburn is three fold:

1. Their recruiting has been a miss despite the stupid star rating systems
2. Their players are running an offense and defense that do not fit them at all.
3. Their ability to develop players seems to be sub par to the conference. 

Take that away, they're alright...  Short of having the best player the SEC has seen in a decade or more in Cam Newton save them, they are nothing short of mediocre with no hope. 

Despite the AUBsession, it is time to get over them

Bama sits as one of 2 powerhouses in the country.  They recruit well.  They play well.  They look set for the long run.  So what do 80 percent of Bama fans talk about on message boards during the week?  Auburn.  Some are still hung up on Cam.  Some are all in on the Memphis story.  Some are all over anything Auburn and want to pick it apart.  While all of this is a choice to make, it is an unhealthy one.  Let it go.  Let them do what they do, and make sure Bama does what they do. 

That does not mean start over hyping anything Saban or Alabama does.  This is the best stretch since Stallings was the coach, and with one or two more years like the last 4, he will be on a run that only Coach Bryant has had.  However, that does not put him anywhere near Coach Bryant's stratosphere.  What he did in the 70s is the benchmark to me if you want to compare.  8 out of 10 SEC titles, 3 national titles, and a slew of legendary players that went on to the NFL.  The standard is the standard, it doesn't get lessened just because the times change.  Lower your standard for greatness, you won't be great.  I doubt Saban would like the question about him vs Bryant if you posed it to him.  He'd probably go off on a 30 minute tirade about it.