This year's recruiting class lacked a lot of drama up until the end of the day. Really, what we are seeing now is a program that is pretty business like that takes its pipeline, manages it 24/7, and keeps the pipeline flowing and does not get stuck on one or two things. It will kill the drama that some fans love about signing day, but I like that they get it. The drama can cut both ways for a program and if you seal the deal in November or December, you can focus on the next year while your competition is scrambling.
As is the usual request, I look at video from YouTube, recruiting sites, and such to give a personal opinion on each recruit. This entry is year in and out the most debated because I don't glow when there isn't a reason to glow. I leave that to folks trying to make a buck off you.
Early Enrollees
Ryan Anderson- Anderson is a Jack/End that will probably redshirt just because of depth at Jack, but he is a very talented guy who moves well to the play and seems to always be at the action. Many High School ends have deer syndrome, they shoot straight up from the snap, but Anderson's first motion is straight, staying low, and driving up and knocking linemen backwards. When he lines up outside shoulder, he loves to jam his hand on a tackle and keep space with his strength and technique. I saw a few cases where he was doubled or shadowed by a FB or HB, and he recognizes that well and sees the scheme and seems to be ready to address that with good technique. He is a guy that has a real violent streak when he plays. Loves to drive guys into the turf and deliver the shoulder with force. The downside is that he like many HS Seniors forget to wrap trying to deliver the highlight, but that is coachable. Physically, he's ready, mentally, I think he's ready. Enrolling early will benefit him and if he applies himself and presses Dickson and Hubbard, he could play this fall.
Deion Belue- The expectations for Belue are high because Bama is low on depth at DB after a mixture of early departures for the NFL and recruits not panning out. He's a very versatile player with good speed and size. His knowledge at WR benefits him as a DB because he knows how to move to the route and play their hip. There isn't a lot of video from JuCo but in HS he was really good at closing and if he was beaten on a route he had the speed to catch up and correct himself. Originally, he was more of a Star Corner than a Corner, but he probably will be asked to play the island more. He should be less raw now than he was 2 years ago, but we will know for sure in the Spring. I look for the staff to spend a lot of time with him so that he can be a contributor/starter where ever they need him. He also will be asked to be a returnman with Dee Hart, if recovered. The big question is will he be more of a player with great skills or a guy with speed that gets away with mistakes? For Bama to be great in the secondary again, he needs to be the first one.
Chris Black- From a physical stand point, he's more of what they have had. I would almost call him a Darius Hanks clone. Before you think that is a slam, remember I liked Hanks more than I did the rest of his peers. He has good speed, but he isn't blazing fast (at the Under Armor he ran 4.54). His burst is more at the 2nd and 3rd level than off the snap. He is a pure WR and has been one since a freshman. Many will watch him and say he's fast, but he is more elusive than fast. He stays loose at the hips and can make guys miss in space. He understands his position well and knows how to use his body to create separation when he can't out run a player. Has really good hands and runs routes better than a lot of college guys do. He is very smart and knows how to read zones and sit in the gaps. He isn't as physical as Hanks was, but he probably moves without the ball better than Hanks did. He probably will get a serious look with the early enroll but a lot depends on players like Carter, Bell, Bowman, etc as far as how far he makes it up the chart.
Amari Cooper- Cooper was under the radar when Bama found him because his stat lines don't jump out. That is more of an issue of the system he played in than him. He reminds me some of DeAndrew White in his size and ability to go up for the ball. He has great hands and really does a great job of not fighting the ball and using his hands in extension. Many young WRs are apt to try to catch with their body and struggle to extend and catch they want to pull it to their chest to wrap up. Cooper extends and snares and that keeps the drops low and allows him to turn and go better. He has a good burst off the snap and separates well by staying in control and not telegraphing the plays. He isn't very physical and will not break many tackles, but he's a WR not RB. Early enrollment will benefit him because they need his size and ability in the red zone. Like Black, he's going to get a real look at PT because the depth chart is open.
Trill Dixon- Another Dixon with a nickname. The thing that you see when you watch Dixon play in HS is that he has really strong football instincts. I like him at Corner better than I do Belue because he looks natural. He loves to press, he is a strong tackler at Corner, and he has good speed to correct to the ball. I think when you see him, his size will work well in the SEC because he's 6-2 and really plays to the ball well so he can play corner or star and be effective. He had 7 Interceptions as a SR, 4 last year in JuCo. He does well against the run by staying small and not giving linemen/TE a target to block and keeps his hips loose to change directions and break to the ball. I can see him getting in the heads of WRs and making them break down mentally. He loves to paw and bump around, so he'll be a favorite of the staff if he can play zone.
Dillon Lee- I have had the pleasure of watching Lee play Calhoun High the last few years in the State Championships. He is a lot like Sunseri in that he's as good at the line as he is in space. I can tell you from talking to players that they really respect him because he doesn't quit. He is always on the ball and always creating plays on defense. He can play inside or outside linebacker because he moves in space well and has great speed for his size to move to the play. He is well coached and plays the technique right. I doubt he is in the 230s as listed by some, probably more like 215-220. What makes him good is how well he reads and reacts to the play and can catch as well as he does. Lee played TE on offense, but he can snag a pick like a corner. He needs to learn how to play with his bigger frame at the next level. Last year he did struggle at times with playing linebacker after being more of a bandit safety for most of his career. He can play Sam or Will in the 3-4 and has the nose for either position. I personally would put him at Sam to allow him to shadow option QBs or match up with slot WR/TEs with his speed and ability to play space as well as he does.
Alphonse Taylor- Taylor flipped from FSU late in the process and has enrolled to play Tackle. He has a big frame and is fairly athletic for his size. He moves well when he is in his stance and stays down. He has a lot of lower body power and uses it when he comes out of his stance on either side of the ball. As a DT, he is a natural double team target. Reminds me a lot of Cody in those regards. His conditioning needs a little work, but Scott will cure that or kill him this spring. Getting him into the program will benefit him in his transition because he's got a lil baby fat he needs to shape.
TJ Yeldon- The thing you see with TJ when he plays is that he has near NFL level vision and feel for the game. He does an exceptional job of knowing what kind of player he is and using those strengths to his advantage. He isn't a bruiser or a pounder, he is more like Shaun Alexander and knows how to square up and get small to make him harder to tackle. He is a lot like Percy Harvin in that you can line him up in various areas and exploit matchup issues. He has a great 2nd burst that separates him from defenders. Yeldon is very patient and lets his blocks setup and that is something that is rare with HS runners. He can be the total package as a change of pace to a bruiser like Lacy. He will need to bulk up to take the SEC beatings and avoid getting high in his stride at times because the speed of the SEC will be a quick adaption for him or he could find a few injuries early on. He won't redshirt and could be 2nd string with a strong showing this spring.
The February 18
Dakota Ball- I have had the pleasure of watching Dakota play. He is a blue collar worker. He might remind you of Gentry with a little more natural talent. He probably is going to be an End in the 3-4 and play inside at the 2 or 3 gap. He will benefit from a redshirt to learn his role as most of his fellow D Linemen recruits do. Ball is a mauler by trade and just likes to go north and south and wear out people with his power than swim and move. However, when he is playing run, he moves through the gaps and gets to the ball well. He has good hands but forgets to use them at times. He likes to waller around too much and gets high at times. He was well respected by his opponents and they speak about how tough he is and how they know they have their hands full with him each time they play because he won't quit despite the score. Ball is a redshirt candidate but in time with some coaching and learning time under him, I can see him playing at end next to the jack to help create lanes for the linebackers and playing tackle in the nickel like Gentry did. You won't be disappointed with Dakota when it is his turn, but some will not like him over the flashier names on the roster because he's not fancy, but ass kickings aren't fancy they are tough. That's Dakota in a nutshell.
Landon Collins- As long as bat shit crazy doesn't ooze out during his years in college, there is nothing to stop Landon from being great. On a similar note, I doubt the U gives his mama a ticket to the games because she's a walking recruiting problem. There isn't a lot to not like about Collins as a safety. He is able to play up on the line, he plays well in space, he is fast, and tackles well with good form. Landon has shown the ability to play in zone coverage which is a rare trait that will probably earn him a longer look this summer. He has the skill set to play star or money and is more of a strong safety than a free safety. He isn't afraid to get in the box and make a hit or engage bigger linemen to get to the ball. I like that he sees the field well and has a great instinct for the ball. From a stat line recruiting perspective, he hits it all and won the SPARQ title because he hits all the measurements. He was the 2nd fastest player at DB at the Under Armor game. The weak points to Landon are more about his overconfidence. He over pursues at times because he knows he's fast. He has to develop a little more discipline when playing the run and man coverage. He struggles in man at times because he plays tight and lets quick players juke him off enough to create the gap to make a play. He corrects and makes the tackle, but when it is 3rd down, that is the small difference between punt and 3 more downs. Landon won't redshirt, the recruiting battle won't allow that. He probably will get some ST time and mop up unless he just beats the pants off Sunseri/Dix.
Denzel Devall- Devall is a lot like Hightower coming out of school. He wasn't a big name but he is a versatile player who can play standing up or hand down. He is very physical and has a great understanding of how to play MLB. He knows how to attack the gaps and not the linemen. Devall is a big time tackler and loves to hit. He looks faster than he is because he stays loose and moves well from side to side. He understands angles and how to time his attack from them. For example, Prince Hall would just run straight into traffic trying to get to the ball and he either did or didn't get there. Devall, like McClain and Hightower, sits back in position and moves to the opening and then attacks- keeping the linemen off him as long as possible and keeping him in the play. Has great hands and uses them to jam linemen and keep them from engaging him. Plays well with his hand down and can bull rush. He needs coaching if they want to play him on the line because he is more raw and rough as a rusher. Depth is the only thing keeping him from playing in rotation at Mike or Will this fall. With DePriest, Patrick, Mosley*, and Johnson all available, he might sit a year and learn the schemes.
Kenyan Drake- Drake played in the highest level of GA HS Football. Drake is a bit of a tweener in that he can be a RB but he might have to be a WR-slot guy because of how he naturally plays. He kinda plays like an oversized scatback. He is at his best in space playing in one on one situations. At RB, he needs more patience and to get more compact in between the tackles. He is fast, very fast, but he runs very stiff and lacks a 2nd move to break away. He is a stronger runner once he gets beyond the box and is at the 2nd level. Drake has the ability to play between the tackles but is at his best on sweeps, counters, and any run outside the tackles. All the areas of work for him are not issues if he lines up as a WR. At WR, his one move and go style is more appropriate and he has the speed and power to separate from the line against the bump. Has really good hands and can sky up and get the ball. Drake may not redshirt because he's got speed and they need it, but his potential is going to depend on where they place him for the long term. He could be the 4th back behind Lacy, Hart, Yeldon or 5th behind Fowler.
Kurt Freitag- Dillon Lee's teammate and another guy I have been able to watch over the years. He is a winner and plays to win. He won't get talked about a lot because he's a TE, but he's a very good receiver from the line and has been well coached. He is a big body and blocks well and comes off the block to peel and catch well. Buford liked to have him chip and peel into the flat so that the defense lost him in motion. He is more of a receiving tight end than a blocker, but Bama has enough blockers. He is a lot like Dial in that he can play H or TE and is devastating when in motion. He has good hands and is a great short to middle threat like Dial was. I would be surprised if he plays this fall just because the depth chart needs to stagger out, but if he plays, he can at ST and as a 2nd H Back.
Brandon Greene- I think Greene is the best lineman they signed this year. I like him because he's like Barrett Jones and can play every position. He has really good footwork and plays zone blocking well. I am surprised they aren't looking at him as a center, but they may think he will outgrow it. Greene is a little light for an SEC lineman currently, but that's what redshirting works on. I like that Greene can move and is a great pull guard candidate. He displays a lot of vision and finds his 2nd block when in counter. While he lacks mass, he doesn't lack a mean streak. He can bury a defender and open a gap rather well. I think he's a pure redshirt and plays guard or center at the next level because he is too short for tackle.
Adam Griffith- I remember when my brother was telling me I needed to see this guy kick. I was skeptical like some on the Internets are. I will say that I have never witnessed a high school kicker who can just kick over and over like a machine the way he does. He is consistent and absolutely kills the football. The thud is louder than the screaming fans, much like Janikowski's kicks thud off the tee. He has a 60 yard leg without a tee, but is a solid 40+ yard FG kicker. Gets good height on the ball and is a great kickoff kicker. It is rare that the ball sails short of 65 yards on kickoffs. He damaged the roof of the concession stand over time with his kicks. For what it is worth, the stand is a good 75 yards from the 40 on both sides. Don't compare him to Smith or Foster or any other kicker Bama has had in the last 5 or 6 years, he's mentally and physically a better player than any of them. He will play this fall in a minimum of kickoff and deep FG roles as Foster has all but lost his spot on the team.
Caleb Gulledge- Caleb is a project that has been committed to Bama for what seems like an eternity. He has played more defense than offense in his career, so to project him as a lineman, he is a project because he lacks the coaching and training to be an instant impact at OL right now. He comes from a power program, so he knows how to win at a high level, and that is a key that many recruits can't say they have. His OL footage is pretty limited and what little I have gotten to watch of him is pretty raw. He is a guy who knows how to be bigger and maul over smaller players, but when he hits a guy of equal size, he lacks the footwork both in movement and placement to drive them far. He needs a redshirt and probably one or two more years of coaching and discipline as a guard or tackle before he's ready.
Tyler Hayes- Hayes is an OLB that is almost a Bandit/Safety type. Has great instincts to the ball and wraps up on the tackle. Tyler has corner speed and a great burst to separate as a running back. Hayes plays linebacker from the right angles and pursuits that keep him in position to tackle clean and not get chewed up. He is a potential ST player this fall, but he needs to bulk up because he lacks the size to play at the SEC level right now. I think if he can get up to 235, he can be a real force at Sam or Will. If he stays at this weight, he may get a look at SS. He would excel in either role with his speed and vision.
Brandon Hill- Another big project. Hill has the size and power to be a great tackle. He is fairly athletic for his size, but he is very raw from an understanding and technique perspective. If you put him in a game early, he will probably be ruined, but in 2 or 3 years of coaching and training with Stoutland, he has all the skills to be an All SEC type. He has a quick stride and good hands when in motion, but he doesn't know how to play the position. He knows how to be bigger than the guy across the way. He struggles with how to knock defenders out of the play or engage them and drive them down. Much of that is technique issues that are common with guys like him, he often just fails to keep his pad level down and has a bad case of deer syndrome. If he gets it, he'll be great. If he doesn't, he is an easy attrition candidate. How's that for a standard deviation?
Cyrus Jones- Cyrus has more talent than most players in this class. He is as good at RB as he is at WR, or DB. The issue there is where can he play that maxes out his potential and do you avoid making a BJ Scott error? Honestly, I think he's gonna benefit from being a cornerback and they need more depth there than at WR or RB. He has the game changing capacity to take any pass he gets and make it a TD. He has great burst off the snap and keeps his hips loose to make quick cuts and break away for big plays. As a corner, he can jam and press and has the speed to correct quickly. He does a real good job of driving WRs off their routes and uses the sideline as his ally. Has a good vertical and is probably the 2nd best return man in the class behind Belue. His running style is smooth and gliding and will remind some of Julio where he doesn't look fast but he's burning past everyone with ease. On either side of the ball, he reads the plays well and adjusts to make plays. As a WR, he breaks route and helps the QB out, on D he plays back and reads the play and gets in position to make a tackle or INT. He is a descent tackler for a corner, won't whip someone, but won't miss or shirk it either. I can't see how he redshirts unless there is just too much depth at returner and/or corner.
Korren Kirven- Kirven is probably a DE at the next level. Reminds me some of Deaderick but probably a little more athletic than Brandon was. Kirven is rough around the edges, and needs some conditioning work to be an every down player, but he has a good motor and is disruptive when he plays down and drives through. Unlike some of his classmates, he does keep his pads under the opponent and has strong legs, but he sometimes forgets to use his hands to disengage. Kirven with a RS will probably be a contender to replace Williams or Square next season. He has the mentality and ability, he just needs coaching and conditioning and he'll be good to go.
Darren Lake- Lots of potential with Lake, but he can be inconsistent. For a guy tipping 330, he runs very well and has a lot of power coming out of his stance. His issue is a common one, he shoots up too high (deer syndrome). He has gotten away with being the bigger than the crowd player, but he uses his size and mass well and creates the need for double teams like Cody and Taylor do, but if he would get lower, he has the power to drive the pile back to the ball carrier. Despite being raw, he brings his lunch pail to work and plays to the end every down. Unlike Cody and others, he is a better pass rusher than they are and has a good swim move. Lake can play end or tackle much like Jessie Williams can. He just needs some fine tuning and he will be a good contributor if he does what he's taught. The measurable stats are definately there.
Alec Morris- This is either Jimmy Barnes 2.0 or Greg McElroy minus 50 pounds. I am kidding to a point. He has a million times better mobility and footwork than Barnes. Jimmy couldn't lift his leg to put his pants on I don't think. Morris is very mobile for his size and has an adequate arm much like McCarron and McElroy. He stands tall in the pocket and makes tough throws under pressure. He isn't afraid to waggle and be exposed to the defense. Does a good job of setting his feet on the move to deliver strong passes across the middle. His mechanics are a little unsteady and has a bad habit of delivering too low. Fans will try to hype him up because Bama wiffed on the big name QBs for the 2nd straight year. That is going to happen when you have McCarron as a rising JR and Sims as a rising SO. Morris will give them depth and with some work will be another solid game manager. That is really what he is when it gets down to it. He will need to redshirt and work on taking snaps under center and working on his mechanics to keep the ball delivery high and not dip so much.
Reggie Ragland- Ain't nothing like having another legacy linebacker. Reminds me a lot of many of the great linebackers from Bama's history. Had a chance to see him at a 7 on 7 and he's legit. Has Hightower's ability to play in space and pass coverage (pre knee injury Hightower), and the pass disruption abilities of Upshaw. The thing I noticed most last year was that he is very light on his feet and he moves well to the ball. Not a lot of wasted motion or hesitation in his action. He plays the angles the way an MLB should and really likes to hit. Lots of chatter about him at TE or Jack. He can play them all, but with Anderson in this class being a more natural Jack, and being enrolled early, Ragland's potential to me is Mike. He has great instincts and does a great job of disrupting plays both in the rush and pass coverage from the middle. That is a rare thing, well everywhere except Alabama who seems to have had those guys for 5 years now. I think he may play some, but if he RS it isn't a disrespect thing it is a depth thing.
Geno Smith- Nobody will ever accuse Geno of lacking confidence. He comes from a power program too, St Pius X, that churns out D-1/NFL prospects annually. Smith isn't a lockdown type corner that loves to play up and disrupt the WR off the snap, he is more of a play off and react type. He isn't fast but he knows how to play with his skill set and apply them against faster players. He grades high because he is smart and sees the play more than he just out atheltes the guy across from him. Has a good back peddle and doesn't get locked up or slow down when he turns and goes into stride with receivers. He is stronger in zone coverage than man which is unique because he plays the run and tackles well. The only question mark with him is his speed at the next level. If he can take the 4.6 he ran at UA combines and skinny it down to 4.57 or 55, he's fine. If he slows any further, he might have to play safety, which isn't a demotion with his skills.
Dalvin Tomlinson- Tomlinson is a big guy that is a workout freak. Henry County plays 3-4 so he won't have to learn much as to how to play end again. He is a little lean to play end today, really if he plays day 1, it might be more like Jack given his physique. He could easily play at 300 though and not be too heavy. Good motor and his wrestling background helps him stay low and drive off the snap, much like wresting requires, but he needs some time to understand how to put it all together. He hesitates off the initial move sometimes and that costs him or gets him doubled. He is a redshirt and with a year or two of work will be a starter contender.
Eddie Williams- I don't think I have ever seen a 5 star talent forgotten so much. The question with Eddie is where can he make the impact quickest? Before Collins committed, he was a sure fire safety. Now, he may be a WR or Sam. I think he's probably going to start out in the WR Core because they lack size and range. Williams is not a blazer like Julio, but he has good hands and vertical like him. He can go over the middle and isn't afraid to hit or get hit, so that will benefit him and the team. Like Julio, he is deceptively fast. He likes to make a corner think he's going full speed and then finds another burst. He loves to maul on both sides of the ball, but as a WR this will make corners play off and give him more space to make a cut or move to throw them off. If he plays safety, he is a free safety by nature. He plays zone 2, but his coaches let him just kinda do what he wanted in the backfield. Not sure how that plays in the world of Saban, well I do but let's watch for fun. Williams is a natural player with more skill than a lot of players around him. His PT is dictated by where he plays, if at WR, I could see him starting especially if Carter never gets it together.
Philons Hurt
I have to admit, this issue with the grayshirt and Philon is a bit hard on both sides of the coin. It has PR issues regardless of spin from either side. It is true that he still had an offer for a scholarship from Alabama, but he was going to have to wait it out while Arkansas and other schools were ready today. He had dropped an offer at Auburn to go to Alabama. He was not offered it as a grayshirt at that time, and that is where the PR issue is. The issue isn't what a grayshirt means, it is about how it was done and when it was done. If he had been a GS from day 1 and then flipped, that's his choice. However, as some close to the story have said, it came 2 weeks before signing day. Now, Saban is about as business executive as anyone I have ever seen, but that was a failure of planning. I get that he has an knee injury, but that didn't stop Bama from signing others. The issue was that 3 or 4 weeks before they didn't think they had Tomlinson or Kirven (more likely). The surprising thing is that if you are going to weed numbers, why not gray one of the linemen that need more time anyways? Vigor is a good and fertile ground for prospects, it will be interesting to see how this issue plays out next year.
Does this have any long term brush back? No. Does this diminish the class? No. Is it a blip and a black eye? Yeah, but like black eyes, they go away and life moves on. The lesson for the staff is to not get too wrapped up in the race and make sure they keep their 25-27 intact. Philon was a good prospect with a bad knee, I get why they didn't want him on the 2012 list and wanted to push him to 2013. I question the timing a bit as it is being told.
Just a reminder about Stars and Recruiting....
Credit Bruce Feldman for pointing this article out: http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1327387 It is a great reminder that it is still about filling needs in a system over stars.
February 4, 2012
January 8, 2012
Random Thoughts
I know some of you have been waiting for my post BCS game thoughts. I have watched the game about 5 times now. Each time to do the GBU, but I find myself looking at the game and thinking more about how can they repeat and start a legacy more than I do about how they pimp slapped a weak offense to death.
See, here's the thing. Regardless of how sweet 2011 was, if they follow it up with another 2010, it is just memory for the next chance. The 2008 recruiting class lived up to its legacy and hype for the most part. Now, most of those guys are gone and in their place this year's class has a chance to set a new benchmark. However, there are a lot of things to look at on the road to repeating as champ.
LSU ain't going too far south....
While many fans have enjoyed the misery of LSU's defeat, some more bagged over the head than others, the fact lost in the celebration is that for the most part, LSU was and is a young team. They lose 4 starters on offense, and one of which is Jefferson/Lee so that isn't a far drop given a true freshman would be about equal. They return 4 experienced linemen, all the backs and WRs, so if they can find any effort in the passing game, they will win and win some more just like they did this year. They lose 4 starters but out of those, only the 2 linebackers are going to be hard to replace. Eric Reid had pretty well won one of the spots. Honey Badger, as picked on as he was, is only a sophomore, so his junior year should show improvement just as Arenas and others have done. They won't suck by any stretch and what's worse is that they will want to take a chunk out of Bama just as Bama did to them. They get the bulk of their conference tough games at home with Auburn and Arkansas being the toughest 2 road games. Bama, USCar, the Misses and Washington are all at home. So a run for the West is in range for them.
Arkansas isn't far behind the pack either....
Like LSU, they return a lot of key pieces plus they get Davis back from knee surgery. They lose Childs and Adams, but they are deep at WR. Arkansas always has a great OL and they won't be hard press to replace the 1 starting senior. Defensively, they do have some holes to fill with Bequette and Franklin graduating as well as 3 defensive backs. Their schedule is very generous with Bama, A&M, and LSU at home. Their road schedule is highlighted by trips to USCar and Auburn. They will more than likely be right back in the West hunt with their offense leading them again.
Bama's road to repeat sucks
Bama's rebuilding dynasty schedule is about as rough as broken glass toilet paper. They get a good Michigan team, at ARK, at Missouri (not exactly tough but a trap game), at UT the next week, at LSU, aTm the next week, and Auburn to end the season. Any adjustments or time to grow young players will have to be done under fire.
That's where I really spend a lot of time as I watch the replay. On defense, they have some issues with the secondary next year....again. Just like 2010 where it was a breaking in year, 2012 will be another breaking in year. On offense, there just isn't a lot of experience at WR, lots of potential and hype, but nothing that wins games yet. Bama will have to rebuild there as Norwood finally displayed his talents, but we don't know if that was a single moment or the start of something big, Bell has some PT but is inconsistent, as is White. Gone are Maze, Hanks, Gibson, Smelley, Underwood, Richardson, McCullough, and Vlachos and in their places are who knows, Harrison Jones, Lacy, Steen if he can spell football, and Barrett Jones.
The Internet fan will tell you that all is well and a repeat is likely because so and so was highly recruited. Or they heard that in 7 on 7 drills they tore it up! Rule one, if someone says during 7 on 7s, that player has a track record of epic fail. See Star Jackson, D White, B Sims, BJ Scott, etc. etc. etc. What I will tell you is that yes, they can win, but it will take a lot to get them there, more so than even 2010 when they had a bullseye there. To me, it falls on 2 players- AJ McCarron and CJ Mosley. AJ you can guess pretty easily. He's got to continue taking up bigger parts of the playbook and being more of the facilitator than the replicator. Mosley's roll is big because he will have to replace Hightower, and do so coming off rehab. He also is going to be asked to patrol the middle of the zone and help the young secondary grow up. They will need CJ because he's at his best in space and he did a wonderful job of shadowing Jordan Jefferson when he was in.
Next year's team will look something like this at spring practice:
Returning starters in White returning contributor in blue
QB- McCarron then Sims (I don't buy the transfer rumors til after spring camp)
RB- Lacy then Yeldon or Hart or both.
H Back- Jones
TE- Williams
WR- C Jones then White or Cooper
WR- Bell then Woodson or Black
WR- Norwood then Shinn
(Note- I don't consider Carter to be a real depth chart candidate till he clears all hurdles)
T- CyKo then B Jones or Taylor
G- Warmack then Lutua
C- Jones then Lindsay
G- Steen then Love or Arie K
T- Fluker (won't be surprised if they don't experiment with him at guard after another slow footed game) then Love or AK or Shepherd
Lots of color to the group, that is good. Cyrus will be a big if until he is tested under real fire. He was placed in some situations but nothing long enough to be able to say he can or can't perform at LT. Really though, he has to and there isn't any discussion about it. Fluker can't play LT at all, Jones can but they would have to find a center they can fall in love with, and that guy doesn't appear to be on the spring roster so that's out. Lacy will get his chance to shine and we will see if he can hold up to a full season of pounding. Otherwise, the new kids on the block get their shot early. Running back is probably the easiest position to come out of high school and play so Yeldon and Hart should have a good track to getting snaps.
On defense, the spring chart looks like this:
DE- Square then Billingsley
DT- Ivory/Williams/Dial/?- There really isn't a front runner as Williams has yet to show he can play over center
DE- Williams then Dial and Stinson
Sam- Hubbard then Atchison
Mike- Nico then DePriest
Will- Mosley then Patrick or Lee
Jack- Dickson then Hubbard
CB- Millner then Belue
CB- Fulton then Dixon
S- Lester then Dix or Lowery
S- Sunseri then Dix or Perry
Not nearly as much color there is there? The biggest questions needing answered are who are the 3 corners that they will be able to use primarily? Can Lester play safety in the SEC? Can they find enough rush to help the young secondary?
Those are things that I keep staring at as I sit and watch the game again today. I see a big play and thing good job that guy can....wait he's graduating or he's going pro. Losing Hightower, Kirkpatrick, Barron, Menzie, Upshaw and Chapman will be hard to replace in a spring or summer. Fulton is the likely front runner going into spring at corner, but it won't surprise me if Dixon and or Belue beat him out. I won't be shocked if Lee isn't pressing for PT at either Sam or Will. One scenario I'd like to see happen in drills is using Mosley at Sam, Nico and DePriest in the middle and Dickson/Hubbard at jack. That is probably their best 4 but I don't know if they can play a lot like that because the depth is a little shallow.
When Bama goes nickel I can see the back 5 being Millner/Belue/Dixon(Fulton)/Lester/Sunseri(Dix). The front 6 would be Square/Williams/Dial/Stinson(Dickson)/Nico/CJ. Lots of experience up front which should mean more blitzes and more reliance on them to make plays and spare all but Lester from having to.
So How Does Bama Repeat??
Simply put, they have to live on what won in 2011 again. The defense. The offense left all but LSU in the dust last year, but that was because Bama didn't let anyone but Ga Southern gash them. Alabama will have to improve their special teams and with Adam Griffith coming in the summer that should happen. The defense will have to be a little more aggressive and try to keep opponents flushed and not try to cover them to death. That was the mistake in 2009 that they repeatedly made in each loss was they tried to stop USCar, LSU and AU by containment. It made 2 really bad QBs look really good. Any QB at this level can hit progressions when they have 10 or more seconds to throw. Only a few can do it in less than 5. So, my hope is that they will use the experience up front to compensate.
Conversely, the offense will have to help in part by keeping the ball on longer more sustained drives. I don't see the offense changing any guys. New Guy will throw some wrinkles in, but this is still going to be Saban's team and Saban's offense that has ran the same plays since 2007 for the most part. They will lean on the front line and Williams to drive the field and let AJ use play action to keep teams off balanced. Smelley wasn't much of a blocker, but as a receiving threat he was a ball player. That weapon is missing until someone finds his replacement. Williams can be that weapon but they need him at tackle support for CyKo and Fluker.
What kind of position changes might happen?
Blake Sims is a prime candidate with Yeldon's early enrollment. Either he or Fowler will have to move at some point because Drake comes in the summer. That will likely mean that one or both has to make room on the chart barring injury. Fowler to H Back is not a bad option if he can condition to it. Sims is not an offensive weapon at this level, but I like him at DB. He's more north south than east west, and that puts him more as a corner or FS than a HB due to his build. Forget the wildcat hopes, that formation is almost dead.
Jones to center seems a given as he was really the number 2 center if Vlachos got hurt. Fluker to guard could be a reality if a tackle finds religion. Fluker's NFL future is guard due to his slow footwork and slow hands. Stinson back to Jack may be an option if Dickson and Hubbard don't wow the staff. Stinson is a little undersized at end, but he plays with a big motor and hustles. I could see him at Jack playing hand down primarily. Wilson Love might get a look at guard if DT is too deep. The Calloway running back experiment probably ends this year with Drake and Yeldon and Hart all being freshman. It wouldn't shock me if Vogler didn't get converted to Tackle and is bulked up to 290. He's not going to be a major contributor at TE since Faciane is a Williams clone and he's not fast or sure handed enough to play H Back. William Ming might be at TE eventually as he's not cracking the D Line chart any time soon.
Names to watch this spring....
DJ Pettaway- Staff really likes him and he'll get plenty of chances to work up the chart this spring.
Phillip Ely- He needs a big spring to stay relevant and to be ready in the even that Sims does leave.
Marvin Shinn- the 6-3 speedster has a chance to work in to the top 5 WRs this spring.
DJ Fluker- after a really bad showing at the BCS title game, he really needs to have a big spring and make that next step count.
Undra Billingsley- he is the odds on favorite to be the Nick Gentry How the Piss does he play and play well award winner
Jeremy Shelley- Good as can be asked for inside 40, shaky from beyond, but a big spring can help give him a running start against Griffith.
Cade Foster- losing confidence by the second, and his kickoffs have not been spectacular so like Shelley, a big spring may give him enough of a lead to keep his kickoff duties.
John Fulton- This is the it moment for him. Some have answered that moment and others haven't. He has to make the most of this situation or else he's never going to be more than a special teams gunner. He can either be the next Tyler Love and fade off quietly or he can be Josh Chapman and answer the bell.
Watching Mark Anderson and wondering what if he played for Saban....
I have long felt that Anderson was a Jack without a home at Bama. Many scoffed at the thought of standing him or Odom up to play jack at times, but sitting there today, I kept thinking who else would have been a good Saban player???
DeMeco Ryans comes to mind. He'd played middle and Roach beside him in 2005. Saban would have loved John Mangum and Lee Ozmint. LeRon McClain probably would be an all pro linebacker now. Same for Tim Castille. He would have loved King, Morehead, Johnson, and company.
Tell me some that you think would have been much more than what they were in the Fran/Shula/Dubose era.
See, here's the thing. Regardless of how sweet 2011 was, if they follow it up with another 2010, it is just memory for the next chance. The 2008 recruiting class lived up to its legacy and hype for the most part. Now, most of those guys are gone and in their place this year's class has a chance to set a new benchmark. However, there are a lot of things to look at on the road to repeating as champ.
LSU ain't going too far south....
While many fans have enjoyed the misery of LSU's defeat, some more bagged over the head than others, the fact lost in the celebration is that for the most part, LSU was and is a young team. They lose 4 starters on offense, and one of which is Jefferson/Lee so that isn't a far drop given a true freshman would be about equal. They return 4 experienced linemen, all the backs and WRs, so if they can find any effort in the passing game, they will win and win some more just like they did this year. They lose 4 starters but out of those, only the 2 linebackers are going to be hard to replace. Eric Reid had pretty well won one of the spots. Honey Badger, as picked on as he was, is only a sophomore, so his junior year should show improvement just as Arenas and others have done. They won't suck by any stretch and what's worse is that they will want to take a chunk out of Bama just as Bama did to them. They get the bulk of their conference tough games at home with Auburn and Arkansas being the toughest 2 road games. Bama, USCar, the Misses and Washington are all at home. So a run for the West is in range for them.
Arkansas isn't far behind the pack either....
Like LSU, they return a lot of key pieces plus they get Davis back from knee surgery. They lose Childs and Adams, but they are deep at WR. Arkansas always has a great OL and they won't be hard press to replace the 1 starting senior. Defensively, they do have some holes to fill with Bequette and Franklin graduating as well as 3 defensive backs. Their schedule is very generous with Bama, A&M, and LSU at home. Their road schedule is highlighted by trips to USCar and Auburn. They will more than likely be right back in the West hunt with their offense leading them again.
Bama's road to repeat sucks
Bama's rebuilding dynasty schedule is about as rough as broken glass toilet paper. They get a good Michigan team, at ARK, at Missouri (not exactly tough but a trap game), at UT the next week, at LSU, aTm the next week, and Auburn to end the season. Any adjustments or time to grow young players will have to be done under fire.
That's where I really spend a lot of time as I watch the replay. On defense, they have some issues with the secondary next year....again. Just like 2010 where it was a breaking in year, 2012 will be another breaking in year. On offense, there just isn't a lot of experience at WR, lots of potential and hype, but nothing that wins games yet. Bama will have to rebuild there as Norwood finally displayed his talents, but we don't know if that was a single moment or the start of something big, Bell has some PT but is inconsistent, as is White. Gone are Maze, Hanks, Gibson, Smelley, Underwood, Richardson, McCullough, and Vlachos and in their places are who knows, Harrison Jones, Lacy, Steen if he can spell football, and Barrett Jones.
The Internet fan will tell you that all is well and a repeat is likely because so and so was highly recruited. Or they heard that in 7 on 7 drills they tore it up! Rule one, if someone says during 7 on 7s, that player has a track record of epic fail. See Star Jackson, D White, B Sims, BJ Scott, etc. etc. etc. What I will tell you is that yes, they can win, but it will take a lot to get them there, more so than even 2010 when they had a bullseye there. To me, it falls on 2 players- AJ McCarron and CJ Mosley. AJ you can guess pretty easily. He's got to continue taking up bigger parts of the playbook and being more of the facilitator than the replicator. Mosley's roll is big because he will have to replace Hightower, and do so coming off rehab. He also is going to be asked to patrol the middle of the zone and help the young secondary grow up. They will need CJ because he's at his best in space and he did a wonderful job of shadowing Jordan Jefferson when he was in.
Next year's team will look something like this at spring practice:
Returning starters in White returning contributor in blue
QB- McCarron then Sims (I don't buy the transfer rumors til after spring camp)
RB- Lacy then Yeldon or Hart or both.
H Back- Jones
TE- Williams
WR- C Jones then White or Cooper
WR- Bell then Woodson or Black
WR- Norwood then Shinn
(Note- I don't consider Carter to be a real depth chart candidate till he clears all hurdles)
T- CyKo then B Jones or Taylor
G- Warmack then Lutua
C- Jones then Lindsay
G- Steen then Love or Arie K
T- Fluker (won't be surprised if they don't experiment with him at guard after another slow footed game) then Love or AK or Shepherd
Lots of color to the group, that is good. Cyrus will be a big if until he is tested under real fire. He was placed in some situations but nothing long enough to be able to say he can or can't perform at LT. Really though, he has to and there isn't any discussion about it. Fluker can't play LT at all, Jones can but they would have to find a center they can fall in love with, and that guy doesn't appear to be on the spring roster so that's out. Lacy will get his chance to shine and we will see if he can hold up to a full season of pounding. Otherwise, the new kids on the block get their shot early. Running back is probably the easiest position to come out of high school and play so Yeldon and Hart should have a good track to getting snaps.
On defense, the spring chart looks like this:
DE- Square then Billingsley
DT- Ivory/Williams/Dial/?- There really isn't a front runner as Williams has yet to show he can play over center
DE- Williams then Dial and Stinson
Sam- Hubbard then Atchison
Mike- Nico then DePriest
Will- Mosley then Patrick or Lee
Jack- Dickson then Hubbard
CB- Millner then Belue
CB- Fulton then Dixon
S- Lester then Dix or Lowery
S- Sunseri then Dix or Perry
Not nearly as much color there is there? The biggest questions needing answered are who are the 3 corners that they will be able to use primarily? Can Lester play safety in the SEC? Can they find enough rush to help the young secondary?
Those are things that I keep staring at as I sit and watch the game again today. I see a big play and thing good job that guy can....wait he's graduating or he's going pro. Losing Hightower, Kirkpatrick, Barron, Menzie, Upshaw and Chapman will be hard to replace in a spring or summer. Fulton is the likely front runner going into spring at corner, but it won't surprise me if Dixon and or Belue beat him out. I won't be shocked if Lee isn't pressing for PT at either Sam or Will. One scenario I'd like to see happen in drills is using Mosley at Sam, Nico and DePriest in the middle and Dickson/Hubbard at jack. That is probably their best 4 but I don't know if they can play a lot like that because the depth is a little shallow.
When Bama goes nickel I can see the back 5 being Millner/Belue/Dixon(Fulton)/Lester/Sunseri(Dix). The front 6 would be Square/Williams/Dial/Stinson(Dickson)/Nico/CJ. Lots of experience up front which should mean more blitzes and more reliance on them to make plays and spare all but Lester from having to.
So How Does Bama Repeat??
Simply put, they have to live on what won in 2011 again. The defense. The offense left all but LSU in the dust last year, but that was because Bama didn't let anyone but Ga Southern gash them. Alabama will have to improve their special teams and with Adam Griffith coming in the summer that should happen. The defense will have to be a little more aggressive and try to keep opponents flushed and not try to cover them to death. That was the mistake in 2009 that they repeatedly made in each loss was they tried to stop USCar, LSU and AU by containment. It made 2 really bad QBs look really good. Any QB at this level can hit progressions when they have 10 or more seconds to throw. Only a few can do it in less than 5. So, my hope is that they will use the experience up front to compensate.
Conversely, the offense will have to help in part by keeping the ball on longer more sustained drives. I don't see the offense changing any guys. New Guy will throw some wrinkles in, but this is still going to be Saban's team and Saban's offense that has ran the same plays since 2007 for the most part. They will lean on the front line and Williams to drive the field and let AJ use play action to keep teams off balanced. Smelley wasn't much of a blocker, but as a receiving threat he was a ball player. That weapon is missing until someone finds his replacement. Williams can be that weapon but they need him at tackle support for CyKo and Fluker.
What kind of position changes might happen?
Blake Sims is a prime candidate with Yeldon's early enrollment. Either he or Fowler will have to move at some point because Drake comes in the summer. That will likely mean that one or both has to make room on the chart barring injury. Fowler to H Back is not a bad option if he can condition to it. Sims is not an offensive weapon at this level, but I like him at DB. He's more north south than east west, and that puts him more as a corner or FS than a HB due to his build. Forget the wildcat hopes, that formation is almost dead.
Jones to center seems a given as he was really the number 2 center if Vlachos got hurt. Fluker to guard could be a reality if a tackle finds religion. Fluker's NFL future is guard due to his slow footwork and slow hands. Stinson back to Jack may be an option if Dickson and Hubbard don't wow the staff. Stinson is a little undersized at end, but he plays with a big motor and hustles. I could see him at Jack playing hand down primarily. Wilson Love might get a look at guard if DT is too deep. The Calloway running back experiment probably ends this year with Drake and Yeldon and Hart all being freshman. It wouldn't shock me if Vogler didn't get converted to Tackle and is bulked up to 290. He's not going to be a major contributor at TE since Faciane is a Williams clone and he's not fast or sure handed enough to play H Back. William Ming might be at TE eventually as he's not cracking the D Line chart any time soon.
Names to watch this spring....
DJ Pettaway- Staff really likes him and he'll get plenty of chances to work up the chart this spring.
Phillip Ely- He needs a big spring to stay relevant and to be ready in the even that Sims does leave.
Marvin Shinn- the 6-3 speedster has a chance to work in to the top 5 WRs this spring.
DJ Fluker- after a really bad showing at the BCS title game, he really needs to have a big spring and make that next step count.
Undra Billingsley- he is the odds on favorite to be the Nick Gentry How the Piss does he play and play well award winner
Jeremy Shelley- Good as can be asked for inside 40, shaky from beyond, but a big spring can help give him a running start against Griffith.
Cade Foster- losing confidence by the second, and his kickoffs have not been spectacular so like Shelley, a big spring may give him enough of a lead to keep his kickoff duties.
John Fulton- This is the it moment for him. Some have answered that moment and others haven't. He has to make the most of this situation or else he's never going to be more than a special teams gunner. He can either be the next Tyler Love and fade off quietly or he can be Josh Chapman and answer the bell.
Watching Mark Anderson and wondering what if he played for Saban....
I have long felt that Anderson was a Jack without a home at Bama. Many scoffed at the thought of standing him or Odom up to play jack at times, but sitting there today, I kept thinking who else would have been a good Saban player???
DeMeco Ryans comes to mind. He'd played middle and Roach beside him in 2005. Saban would have loved John Mangum and Lee Ozmint. LeRon McClain probably would be an all pro linebacker now. Same for Tim Castille. He would have loved King, Morehead, Johnson, and company.
Tell me some that you think would have been much more than what they were in the Fran/Shula/Dubose era.
December 12, 2011
Random Thoughts.....
Traditionally, I sit back and enjoy the month of December and don't do much football thinking per se. This month will make me work for it. With the BCS, Coach McElwain, recruiting, and more on the pulse of most. I guess it is time to give a little balance to the conversation.
Some will panic, but as long as Saban is coach, he's the only coordinator
You can argue it, you can debate it, but both Smart and Mac are organizers more than coordinators. Saban is the one dictating the play calling and focus on such. Just look around at most of his coordinators and how they've faired after leaving him. Outside of Jimbo, and the blessing of coaching for another great coach and having the ease of a top 15 class without leaving the state, none of the coordinators that come to mind have really excelled after Saban. Muschamp? Did Texas impress you in the Rose Bowl? Steele? Have you watched Clemson give up touchdowns like lap dances in the Champagne Room? Major Applewhite? Brotha please! Ever heard of Gary Tranquill or Dean Pees? Chris Cosh? All his coordinators at Michigan State. Not a one is a household name.
With that said, Gary Gibbs was somewhat known, but he was Chokelahoma's coach after Switzer. He also didn't hang long before returning to the NFL. You get the point though. There are a lot of guys who move along, but none of them are exactly making Saban look bad. So, when a coach decides to move along, that's part of it, but as he's proven so many times in the past, Saban is the only coordinator of this team. It is why they win year after year after year.
So Who Is On The List?
I think they will do the token "are you interested" to Tom Clements, former assistant for Saban at MSU and QB coach at the Packers. Let's be totally honest here, at what point do you think Clements is going to downgrade from the best job in football right now? That isn't a bash on Bama, but he's coaching the best QB in the NFL and at some point, maybe this year, he probably gets an OC or head coaching job in the NFL. So, why derail a good thing? Two, he's not going to want to have a 2nd cook in the kitchen. Saban isn't going to ignore the offense any lifetime from now so moving along.
Another name in 2008-9 that came up was Steve Logan, the RB coach for the Buccaneers. While the NFL thing always seems to appeal to Saban, his track record is fair with stops at Mississippi State and East Carolina, he is not going to be a long term fix or at least longer than McElwain stayed option. I can't say that Blount's play this year impresses me either. He's regressed a lot and they have zilch developed behind him.
The hot name in the Internets is Paul Chryst. The Badgers Offensive Coordinator has a pro offense, and has shown a lot of variety in his offense with Russell Wilson. While I like his resume and I like how Wisconsin plays, I don't see him going lateral right now when he can land another Big 10.2 head coaching job if he wants it. Also, he's not been tested really against SEC caliber teams. He has wins as OC against AU and ARK in the first 2 years, but lost to UGA and FSU and if you have watched them lose in the past, the offense seems to shy away and get in neutral a lot. The TCU game comes to mind.
A guy who is available is Jon Shoop. Maybe it is just me, but do you really want anything to do with a Butch Davis reject right now? Sure Davis and Saban are similar in their approach and he'd fit in with a pro style conservative offense, but with the way UNC fell apart and the NCAA issues that had nothing really to do with Shoop, but still with Bama's past, do you take someone like that? I think that's a pass.
Freddie Kitchens is a usual suspect when an offensive job comes open. He did have playcalling duties for North Texas and has a lot of experience in the SEC and NFL which is attractive. However, he has not been a true coordinator and that will eliminate him.
A sure pass button also sits on Pep Hamilton and Mike Bobo. I would like to see Pep do something after Luck is gone before I put him in a real consideration role. Consider this the David Cutcliffe can you coach someone not named Manning rule. Bobo's offenses are feast and famine. They often are undisciplined and make so many mistakes not to mention are Charmin soft.
So, who is the likely name to get the job? While the fan base may not like it, Mike Groh is the most likely name to be called in the end. Let's be clear. Is he a top end hire? No. Neither was McElwain or Fisher when he hired them. Now, some of you act like McElwain is a great coordinator and will knock Bama's offense down 2 notches. You don't think this was planned in advance 2 years ago? Do you really believe that he was put as a GA for a year, then WR coach for a year and Napier was hired as a Grad Assistant this past year and it was all coincidence?
Be honest with yourself for a second, Bama isn't going to change and Saban isn't going to segregate the offense or let someone run loose with it. It just isn't going to happen. So, how do you address this change and feel good? I know, you want a name. Here's a fact some of you probably haven't thought about. Napier is a top end recruiter, and is very good in Georgia. Groh has a resume of developing QBs from Matt Schaub and developing WR Marques Hagan into a servicable QB. He did very well in 2010 in creating a QB out of Louisville's hodge podge of crap. So, all the groaning is understandable, but it is because you haven't read or paid attention to his work. For "that poster" that will point to the records and stats at UVa, how good were the Fresno teams for McElwain? Exactly.
The trade off is that you get 2 top end recruiters and young coaches in Napier and Groh in key positions. Napier will more than likely be the WR coach and Recruiting Coordinator if Groh gets the job. Both will give some new energy to both roles and will be great in talent rich areas like the Carolinas and Georgia. Both have track records to back that up as well as experience. Napier will tell you he was too young and got to high too fast with Clemson, but his offenses weren't horrible. Their D always suck, but I never remember his offenses being bad. Groh's last year at UVA wasn't one to remember, but when you know your coach (Dad) is out, that happens. I do look more to how Louisville improved at QB and had a QB rating of 133 after rotating 2 QBs and in one or two games more than that. At Virginia, they were 22 of 24 in 2006 in his first year at OC, in the red zone- 14 TDs included. The next year, 40 out of 47 with 28 TDs. They doubled their output and results in a year. Can Mike "I could get my ass whooped by a chair and a woman" Shula say that? Hell no. So, take that for what it is, he can coach. Now, throw out all the past and apply 2 things. First, how much better do you think the WRs have played compared to the past? Second, if he can do that with Virginia and their lack of talent, what can he do with talent along with a pre-built playbook by Saban?
Recruiting and Adam Griffith
Adam is the king of all that is right now. Thursday night, he gets to be in the team parade and will probably get the biggest ovation of the night. The kid with the golden leg will get the same scrutiny from "that fan" that Groh will. I posted the following on BOL last week:
So, has Bama filled all the slots it needed? Not yet. Griffith is probably as big a get as anyone this year because he can win games and change games with his foot. Across the field was Dillon Lee and Kurt Freitag. Was this a great sample to watch of Lee? No. I thought last year's game was better for him, but he was smaller and playing SS not LB. He's bulked up and is trying to adjust still to playing up and not back. I know a lot of guys project him as a Will, but I see him like Reamer. Both are smart and play space well. I could see him at Sam first or sliding around both. Thought Freitag had a nice game and made some big blocks through the game. He likes to hit and after 4 years of seeing him and Lee beat Calhoun, I guess I have come to expect seeing them and others excel in this game. They didn't do that exactly, but both guys are big play guys and take games over. Ask anyone who's played them in the last 3 years. Lee will be a good asset to the D in time. Just not next season.
Terrence Cody was a bit of a sleeper a few years ago, I think Darren Lake might be the next Cody. Lotta body, not a lot of speed, but he can demand a double down any play he wants. I am not real worried about any of the guys supposedly looking at other schools. I think one or two might flip but there are a lot of guys that Bama is in on that I get the sense that are just waiting to see how the game plays out recruiting wise. I hear through the grapevine that Robert Nkemdiche would pick Bama today if he were in this year's class. I don't think losing Smart would do much there, but it would depend on what he did or went as far as how strong that remains. I think he's a Jack at Bama, but in a 4-3 he's easily in that Peppers class of DE's coming into college.
The Anti-Bama Thing's Gotta Go.
I know fans will be fans. However, there is no Anti-Bama conspiracy going on. Shut up. The complaints about Alabama being in the BCS title game isn't as much about Alabama as it is that some want conference champs playing each other and others want to see someone outside the SEC win. The SEC is who they hate on. If Bama wasn't in this equation and you put Arkansas in their place, it is the same thing. Bama isn't the bad guy here. Nor is Oklahoma State. The BCS is the bad guy still. Because it is so poorly organized and allows such weak metrics from computer polls, it is designed to create controversy and discussion more than clear cut winners. However, the SEC has proven to be worthy when they send folks in. There is also the fact that even when the SEC hasn't been in it, there were years they should have been. Auburn's undefeated season snub comes to mind after that horrible OU team got in on campaigning by Bob Sucks....I mean Stoops.
There has been talk of a split title. That could happen. It won't shock me if Bama beats LSU by one or two and OSU rips Stanford alive that the AP splits. That's their right and why they dropped out of the BCS was that they didn't agree with some of it. Should LSU be the AP champs in that scenario. No, but some might vote for them. Their record and schedule is one for the ages and they deserve all the hype and praise they get. I can't remember a schedule quite as tough as LSU's to be undefeated.
So, is the conspiracy on? No. Just no. If there was a fair system in place, Bama is still in. If there was a plus 1 format, Bama might be playing OSU and putting them to rest. I grow and lean towards a Plus 1 format after this year. There are just too many teams with a legit argument for a shot. LSU, Bama, OSU, Stanford/Oregon all deserve a shot at it really. This year has busted the BCS as far as settling it on the field. There were too many teams that were going to be in range for discussion and while several cracked under the pressure, the top 5 or so didn't. As long as the powers that be keep the BCS as is, and avoid a playoff or any form of closure, this is what it is. Bama fans will claim hate and other fans will complain about bias. That is what the BCS wants, so it is working from their point of view.
Some will panic, but as long as Saban is coach, he's the only coordinator
You can argue it, you can debate it, but both Smart and Mac are organizers more than coordinators. Saban is the one dictating the play calling and focus on such. Just look around at most of his coordinators and how they've faired after leaving him. Outside of Jimbo, and the blessing of coaching for another great coach and having the ease of a top 15 class without leaving the state, none of the coordinators that come to mind have really excelled after Saban. Muschamp? Did Texas impress you in the Rose Bowl? Steele? Have you watched Clemson give up touchdowns like lap dances in the Champagne Room? Major Applewhite? Brotha please! Ever heard of Gary Tranquill or Dean Pees? Chris Cosh? All his coordinators at Michigan State. Not a one is a household name.
With that said, Gary Gibbs was somewhat known, but he was Chokelahoma's coach after Switzer. He also didn't hang long before returning to the NFL. You get the point though. There are a lot of guys who move along, but none of them are exactly making Saban look bad. So, when a coach decides to move along, that's part of it, but as he's proven so many times in the past, Saban is the only coordinator of this team. It is why they win year after year after year.
So Who Is On The List?
I think they will do the token "are you interested" to Tom Clements, former assistant for Saban at MSU and QB coach at the Packers. Let's be totally honest here, at what point do you think Clements is going to downgrade from the best job in football right now? That isn't a bash on Bama, but he's coaching the best QB in the NFL and at some point, maybe this year, he probably gets an OC or head coaching job in the NFL. So, why derail a good thing? Two, he's not going to want to have a 2nd cook in the kitchen. Saban isn't going to ignore the offense any lifetime from now so moving along.
Another name in 2008-9 that came up was Steve Logan, the RB coach for the Buccaneers. While the NFL thing always seems to appeal to Saban, his track record is fair with stops at Mississippi State and East Carolina, he is not going to be a long term fix or at least longer than McElwain stayed option. I can't say that Blount's play this year impresses me either. He's regressed a lot and they have zilch developed behind him.
The hot name in the Internets is Paul Chryst. The Badgers Offensive Coordinator has a pro offense, and has shown a lot of variety in his offense with Russell Wilson. While I like his resume and I like how Wisconsin plays, I don't see him going lateral right now when he can land another Big 10.2 head coaching job if he wants it. Also, he's not been tested really against SEC caliber teams. He has wins as OC against AU and ARK in the first 2 years, but lost to UGA and FSU and if you have watched them lose in the past, the offense seems to shy away and get in neutral a lot. The TCU game comes to mind.
A guy who is available is Jon Shoop. Maybe it is just me, but do you really want anything to do with a Butch Davis reject right now? Sure Davis and Saban are similar in their approach and he'd fit in with a pro style conservative offense, but with the way UNC fell apart and the NCAA issues that had nothing really to do with Shoop, but still with Bama's past, do you take someone like that? I think that's a pass.
Freddie Kitchens is a usual suspect when an offensive job comes open. He did have playcalling duties for North Texas and has a lot of experience in the SEC and NFL which is attractive. However, he has not been a true coordinator and that will eliminate him.
A sure pass button also sits on Pep Hamilton and Mike Bobo. I would like to see Pep do something after Luck is gone before I put him in a real consideration role. Consider this the David Cutcliffe can you coach someone not named Manning rule. Bobo's offenses are feast and famine. They often are undisciplined and make so many mistakes not to mention are Charmin soft.
So, who is the likely name to get the job? While the fan base may not like it, Mike Groh is the most likely name to be called in the end. Let's be clear. Is he a top end hire? No. Neither was McElwain or Fisher when he hired them. Now, some of you act like McElwain is a great coordinator and will knock Bama's offense down 2 notches. You don't think this was planned in advance 2 years ago? Do you really believe that he was put as a GA for a year, then WR coach for a year and Napier was hired as a Grad Assistant this past year and it was all coincidence?
Be honest with yourself for a second, Bama isn't going to change and Saban isn't going to segregate the offense or let someone run loose with it. It just isn't going to happen. So, how do you address this change and feel good? I know, you want a name. Here's a fact some of you probably haven't thought about. Napier is a top end recruiter, and is very good in Georgia. Groh has a resume of developing QBs from Matt Schaub and developing WR Marques Hagan into a servicable QB. He did very well in 2010 in creating a QB out of Louisville's hodge podge of crap. So, all the groaning is understandable, but it is because you haven't read or paid attention to his work. For "that poster" that will point to the records and stats at UVa, how good were the Fresno teams for McElwain? Exactly.
The trade off is that you get 2 top end recruiters and young coaches in Napier and Groh in key positions. Napier will more than likely be the WR coach and Recruiting Coordinator if Groh gets the job. Both will give some new energy to both roles and will be great in talent rich areas like the Carolinas and Georgia. Both have track records to back that up as well as experience. Napier will tell you he was too young and got to high too fast with Clemson, but his offenses weren't horrible. Their D always suck, but I never remember his offenses being bad. Groh's last year at UVA wasn't one to remember, but when you know your coach (Dad) is out, that happens. I do look more to how Louisville improved at QB and had a QB rating of 133 after rotating 2 QBs and in one or two games more than that. At Virginia, they were 22 of 24 in 2006 in his first year at OC, in the red zone- 14 TDs included. The next year, 40 out of 47 with 28 TDs. They doubled their output and results in a year. Can Mike "I could get my ass whooped by a chair and a woman" Shula say that? Hell no. So, take that for what it is, he can coach. Now, throw out all the past and apply 2 things. First, how much better do you think the WRs have played compared to the past? Second, if he can do that with Virginia and their lack of talent, what can he do with talent along with a pre-built playbook by Saban?
Recruiting and Adam Griffith
Adam is the king of all that is right now. Thursday night, he gets to be in the team parade and will probably get the biggest ovation of the night. The kid with the golden leg will get the same scrutiny from "that fan" that Groh will. I posted the following on BOL last week:
For months, I and others who have really witnessed Adam Griffith kick told you that he is legit. For all the poor and misguided links to Foster because they kick and were recruited. That is as far as the comparisons go. Adam is so far ahead of Foster, he shouldn't be in the conversation with Adam because it isn't fair to Foster. That poster will talk about the similarities but Cade had flaws going into college that coaching either can't fix or won't fix.The point in the end is that this guy is real. He's clutch, he's got the leg for it, and he comes highly touted from every kicking camp he's ever attended. He's a pure kicker. He doesn't play anything else, when you see him out of pads, you'll understand why. He's a great guy and a great team player. He will be great when it is his turn.
Most of you got your first real look at him. That wasn't a fluke or lucky day. That was just another game for AG. He's hit the tying or winning kick against Buford twice in his career. Adam is a great young man and is a legit player. As most of you saw today he has a 60 yard FG leg and a 75 yard KO leg. He dictates how far he goes most of the time. He kicks off 2 high and "short" kicks and then belts one to the backstop. Can he hit them all there? Yes. Easily, but the false hope he gives a returnman is fun.
The thing u need to know is all he knows is kicking from a sport point of view. He doesn't have a flaw in his swing and is consistent year after year. The word legit should follow him the rest of his recruiting period
So, has Bama filled all the slots it needed? Not yet. Griffith is probably as big a get as anyone this year because he can win games and change games with his foot. Across the field was Dillon Lee and Kurt Freitag. Was this a great sample to watch of Lee? No. I thought last year's game was better for him, but he was smaller and playing SS not LB. He's bulked up and is trying to adjust still to playing up and not back. I know a lot of guys project him as a Will, but I see him like Reamer. Both are smart and play space well. I could see him at Sam first or sliding around both. Thought Freitag had a nice game and made some big blocks through the game. He likes to hit and after 4 years of seeing him and Lee beat Calhoun, I guess I have come to expect seeing them and others excel in this game. They didn't do that exactly, but both guys are big play guys and take games over. Ask anyone who's played them in the last 3 years. Lee will be a good asset to the D in time. Just not next season.
Terrence Cody was a bit of a sleeper a few years ago, I think Darren Lake might be the next Cody. Lotta body, not a lot of speed, but he can demand a double down any play he wants. I am not real worried about any of the guys supposedly looking at other schools. I think one or two might flip but there are a lot of guys that Bama is in on that I get the sense that are just waiting to see how the game plays out recruiting wise. I hear through the grapevine that Robert Nkemdiche would pick Bama today if he were in this year's class. I don't think losing Smart would do much there, but it would depend on what he did or went as far as how strong that remains. I think he's a Jack at Bama, but in a 4-3 he's easily in that Peppers class of DE's coming into college.
The Anti-Bama Thing's Gotta Go.
I know fans will be fans. However, there is no Anti-Bama conspiracy going on. Shut up. The complaints about Alabama being in the BCS title game isn't as much about Alabama as it is that some want conference champs playing each other and others want to see someone outside the SEC win. The SEC is who they hate on. If Bama wasn't in this equation and you put Arkansas in their place, it is the same thing. Bama isn't the bad guy here. Nor is Oklahoma State. The BCS is the bad guy still. Because it is so poorly organized and allows such weak metrics from computer polls, it is designed to create controversy and discussion more than clear cut winners. However, the SEC has proven to be worthy when they send folks in. There is also the fact that even when the SEC hasn't been in it, there were years they should have been. Auburn's undefeated season snub comes to mind after that horrible OU team got in on campaigning by Bob Sucks....I mean Stoops.
There has been talk of a split title. That could happen. It won't shock me if Bama beats LSU by one or two and OSU rips Stanford alive that the AP splits. That's their right and why they dropped out of the BCS was that they didn't agree with some of it. Should LSU be the AP champs in that scenario. No, but some might vote for them. Their record and schedule is one for the ages and they deserve all the hype and praise they get. I can't remember a schedule quite as tough as LSU's to be undefeated.
So, is the conspiracy on? No. Just no. If there was a fair system in place, Bama is still in. If there was a plus 1 format, Bama might be playing OSU and putting them to rest. I grow and lean towards a Plus 1 format after this year. There are just too many teams with a legit argument for a shot. LSU, Bama, OSU, Stanford/Oregon all deserve a shot at it really. This year has busted the BCS as far as settling it on the field. There were too many teams that were going to be in range for discussion and while several cracked under the pressure, the top 5 or so didn't. As long as the powers that be keep the BCS as is, and avoid a playoff or any form of closure, this is what it is. Bama fans will claim hate and other fans will complain about bias. That is what the BCS wants, so it is working from their point of view.
November 28, 2011
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly- Auburn
The Iron Bowl has come and gone, and with it comes 365 days of bliss for Bama fans across the world. It was not only a pure beatdown of the big rival, it was a statement to the nation that Alabama was better than any other 1 loss team. At least for this week......
DEFENSE/Special Teams
The Good....
Strangulation in Regulation
Ali had the Rumble in the Jungle, and the Thrilla in Manilla. Alabama has the Strangulation in Regulation. Like a UFC fighter, Bama slowly and methodically wore down Auburn and broke Auburn's will by the end of the first half. They had not moved the ball, and were not going to move any further than Alabama wanted them to. It was clear from the first play that the Defense had bought into "Never Again" and let nothing escape them. Even towards the end when Bama gave up 3 or 4 first downs, they quickly ended the "rally" and put Auburn out of its misery.
Santa drops an early present for Millner
Millner has had his ups and downs this year. Relegated to 3rd corner most of the year and overshadowed by Menzie and Kirkpatrick, he's only been noticed when something bad happens. Saturday was a reward for sweating it out. Auburn gave him a heck of a gift with the interception. It was a poorly thrown ball that missed by 10 yards and landed right in his lap. The rest was all him. Of course, defensive guys love the INT run back because it means they get fair game at any and all in front of them to hit and decleat. Especially QBs.....
Bama will miss several next year but it is great to enjoy them now...
Let's be honest. Next year's defense is pretty green and probably will have a lot of growing pains. This year's will make life hard for next because they have been so good. Guys like Chapman, Gentry, Upshaw, Hightower, Barron, Menzie, Kirkpatrick, Lowery, and others are all more than likely gone through graduation or NFL draft. The cupboard is pretty thin after this year as far as experience goes. Enjoy what you witnessed Saturday. It was the "Heisman Moment" for them and their legacy was sealed with it.
The Bad...
None
The Ugly...
I'd gladly sleep with a fat hooker if it meant Bama could play special teams...
It really is beyond sad and pathetic to the point that the play of the special teams is nearly numbing. They can't cover right, they still shank and muff kicks, and you are a liar if you don't tense up when they attempt any field goal now. Saturday was a life like time capsule of how pitiful the Bama special teams have been all year. I really don't know why Saban was all over DePriest the way he was. He did take the wrong angle, but he wouldn't have made that play even if he was in position. The issue was that Auburn put more men on the left than Bama did and that along with a wounded duck kick gave them all they needed. If the kick was to be a pooch kick, it needed about 5 or 10 more seconds of air on it. I doubt that was it. It looked like Foster is also Australian for Bench. The sad truth is that it isn't going to magically improve by the BCS Championship. We may be staring into the face of a repeat performance. If so, we may all wish to be Bill Murray in Groundhog Day
OFFENSE
The Good....
First Half Fireworks
I fully expected Bama to grind it out and make them suffer. However, I didn't expect Auburn to sit back in containment and dare Bama to throw at them. As it was, Bama was given every opportunity to shell Auburn's secondary because their 4 weren't going to beat Bama's 5 very often. The addition of McCullough to RG paid big dividends as they were throwing often and he excels in pass protection whereas Steen has moments where he can't pick his man up. They also had discovered that Smelley was a huge mismatch against the AU linebackers and safeties. They refused to cover him for whatever reason, perhaps they thought his name was a warning? Regardless, he had a huge senior effort. I was pleased also that they were able to keep it short for the most part and throw long on busts and other low risk situations to build AJ's confidence up. I thought he had gotten it back some against Southern, but this week was another step in the right direction short of 2 or 3 plays.
Trent Truckin....
What can I say that the video doesn't? Trent is half Shaft and half Raging Bull. He'll pimp slap and break it off on you and make you like it. This one isn't as good as the Ole Miss one because the Ole Miss one he just broke the kid down to the ground, but this one is more physical and more indicative of his style.
Offensive Line Play
Auburn didn't challenge them a lot, but when it got late in the game and they needed to grind, the line stepped up and drove Auburn back play after play. The sack for the TD wasn't on Jones despite some who want to pawn it off on him. Outside of that one play, there weren't many bad moments. They saw a lot of 10 in the box which was intended to confuse them but it didn't. Bama's lived on 8 and 9 in the box, what's one more?
Kenny Bell holds on to one!
Ok, I'm being mean because Kenny has to take a Zyrtec before the game to avoid pigskin allergies....I kid. He has had troubles holding on to the ball, but he knew he was the go to guy and he had to make that catch or else the offense was going to lose steam. He did make the play and the rout was on.
The Bad....
Never Again didn't apply to 2nd half playcalling
When the game was 24-14, Bama insisted on drawing up and trying to beat the clock out. Now, granted, the defense was going to do its part, but one mishap and the game is a field goal game and you are trying to warm your QB back up. Bama continues to have this issue where they overthink what they are doing and try to play the odds way too much. It caught them in the LSU game by not trying to win in regulation, and Saturday it made the game closer than it needed to be for 3 quarters. Auburn finally broke on defense and they got a few more scores, but the point is Never Again needs to apply to McElwain and Saban too.
AJ needs a timer for Christmas
The sack/strip/TD was a double fail really. One, he can't go back 3 steps, check 1, check 2, pump, check and throw inside his own five. The play has to be step 1, 2, 3, check fire. That's on him and he's played too many games now to make a rookie mistake like that. Good news is that he gets to hear it for a month. The second failure is that the play shouldn't have been called to begin with. You have all the momentum, you have Auburn on its heels already, there is no shame in taking 3 plays to dig out and punt. Later in the game they did just that, but it needed to have been then. I thought they got greedy trying to get another home run when the right thing to do was dig out and then go for it later. It is odd to me that they can be aggressive in those situations but spend the entire second half being conservative in spite of what Auburn is giving them.
Random Thoughts....
Quit wetting the bed everytime someone doesn't proclaim Bama's spot in the BCS
I really get tired of reading thread after thread when someone gets on ESPN or Finebaum or whatever newspaper it is and doesn't give all Crimson colored reviews and seeing the butt hurt. Look, Bama is in the BCS title game until they are not. Bama has done all they can do and now fate has to play out. Does OSU have a claim to it? Yes. They are potentially the Big 12 Champs and have 1 loss (albeit a bad one). Many folks, including myself, feel that in most circumstances that the BCS should be the top two champs- a mini-playoff if you will. However, it is clear that this year is that exception to the rule because when you look at Alabama's games and compare them to OSU's or Stanford's or Va Tech's, there is no comparison. Stanford has played nobody, that includes Notre Dame, and was pistol whipped on national TV by Oregon. Virginia Tech probably has the most to complain about, but their out of conference schedule is zilch and the ACC is not exactly a powerhouse. If you put Bama or LSU or Arkansas in the ACC, they would beat FSU's streak for most victories in a row.
So cool it out guys. They see you respond, they know that you are watching, mission accomplished. If Bama doesn't make it in, then they don't. Not much can be done except to blister someone in the Sugar Bowl for it. Will it be fair? Kinda. Will it be the best two teams matched up? No. Not unless OSU rips OU by 40.
The Heisman is a 2 man race finally
I will say that if I had a vote in the Heisman it would go:
1. Trent Richardson
2. Case Keenum
3. Andrew Luck
4. Robert Griffin III
5. Denard Robinson
However, I am the minority in that listing. It will be a Luck v. Richardson final. Luck is there for the lifetime achievement entry that Tebow and others have held over the years. Richardson has given the voters a highlight reel of unbelievable plays. To me, Keenum's number merit him being a top 2 selection here. Granted, he has not played a big time team, but his numbers are terrific regardless. Griffin rivals TR in the highligh reel moments, but his injury and the backup lacing a 40 spot afterwards hurt his odds. Robinson is the Michigan offense. Under Al Borges, he has matured and looked outstanding against Ohio State. If he was on a 1 loss Michigan team, he probably is in the top 3.
I think Richardson wins the Heisman and probably pulls away this week as more voters get to digest the 2 and their work now that both are done. I would guess a vote similar to Ingram's will be what it comes down to. I don't see this being the Jackson/Long battle.
Nothing sucks like Orange Pants....
The mark of Shula is already on Fancy Pants. Deep in the red is Derek Dooley. He has a losing record, a horrible showing against Kentucky....yes, the Kentucky that let every other team rip them to shreds, and he has not won his players. I have talked with a few folks close to the team and they are really in trouble. The Florida loss sent them on a spiral that they couldn't recover from. Their offense is just a mess and the players won't buy into something that won't work. There are several mulling over transfers and going pro to get out before the ship sinks. Their defense can only be on the field so long before it breaks week after week. Sound familiar??? Don't be surprised if Dooley is told to make drastic staff changes this week. He has to because Vanderbilt is beating them in state recruiting. Yes, Vandy.
rlb002 comes to you virus free every Monday during football season (despite what the sorrority chicks say) and makes random thoughts throughout the bowl season and off season.....
DEFENSE/Special Teams
The Good....
Strangulation in Regulation
Ali had the Rumble in the Jungle, and the Thrilla in Manilla. Alabama has the Strangulation in Regulation. Like a UFC fighter, Bama slowly and methodically wore down Auburn and broke Auburn's will by the end of the first half. They had not moved the ball, and were not going to move any further than Alabama wanted them to. It was clear from the first play that the Defense had bought into "Never Again" and let nothing escape them. Even towards the end when Bama gave up 3 or 4 first downs, they quickly ended the "rally" and put Auburn out of its misery.
Santa drops an early present for Millner
Millner has had his ups and downs this year. Relegated to 3rd corner most of the year and overshadowed by Menzie and Kirkpatrick, he's only been noticed when something bad happens. Saturday was a reward for sweating it out. Auburn gave him a heck of a gift with the interception. It was a poorly thrown ball that missed by 10 yards and landed right in his lap. The rest was all him. Of course, defensive guys love the INT run back because it means they get fair game at any and all in front of them to hit and decleat. Especially QBs.....
Bama will miss several next year but it is great to enjoy them now...
Let's be honest. Next year's defense is pretty green and probably will have a lot of growing pains. This year's will make life hard for next because they have been so good. Guys like Chapman, Gentry, Upshaw, Hightower, Barron, Menzie, Kirkpatrick, Lowery, and others are all more than likely gone through graduation or NFL draft. The cupboard is pretty thin after this year as far as experience goes. Enjoy what you witnessed Saturday. It was the "Heisman Moment" for them and their legacy was sealed with it.
The Bad...
None
The Ugly...
I'd gladly sleep with a fat hooker if it meant Bama could play special teams...
It really is beyond sad and pathetic to the point that the play of the special teams is nearly numbing. They can't cover right, they still shank and muff kicks, and you are a liar if you don't tense up when they attempt any field goal now. Saturday was a life like time capsule of how pitiful the Bama special teams have been all year. I really don't know why Saban was all over DePriest the way he was. He did take the wrong angle, but he wouldn't have made that play even if he was in position. The issue was that Auburn put more men on the left than Bama did and that along with a wounded duck kick gave them all they needed. If the kick was to be a pooch kick, it needed about 5 or 10 more seconds of air on it. I doubt that was it. It looked like Foster is also Australian for Bench. The sad truth is that it isn't going to magically improve by the BCS Championship. We may be staring into the face of a repeat performance. If so, we may all wish to be Bill Murray in Groundhog Day
OFFENSE
The Good....
First Half Fireworks
I fully expected Bama to grind it out and make them suffer. However, I didn't expect Auburn to sit back in containment and dare Bama to throw at them. As it was, Bama was given every opportunity to shell Auburn's secondary because their 4 weren't going to beat Bama's 5 very often. The addition of McCullough to RG paid big dividends as they were throwing often and he excels in pass protection whereas Steen has moments where he can't pick his man up. They also had discovered that Smelley was a huge mismatch against the AU linebackers and safeties. They refused to cover him for whatever reason, perhaps they thought his name was a warning? Regardless, he had a huge senior effort. I was pleased also that they were able to keep it short for the most part and throw long on busts and other low risk situations to build AJ's confidence up. I thought he had gotten it back some against Southern, but this week was another step in the right direction short of 2 or 3 plays.
Trent Truckin....
What can I say that the video doesn't? Trent is half Shaft and half Raging Bull. He'll pimp slap and break it off on you and make you like it. This one isn't as good as the Ole Miss one because the Ole Miss one he just broke the kid down to the ground, but this one is more physical and more indicative of his style.
Offensive Line Play
Auburn didn't challenge them a lot, but when it got late in the game and they needed to grind, the line stepped up and drove Auburn back play after play. The sack for the TD wasn't on Jones despite some who want to pawn it off on him. Outside of that one play, there weren't many bad moments. They saw a lot of 10 in the box which was intended to confuse them but it didn't. Bama's lived on 8 and 9 in the box, what's one more?
Kenny Bell holds on to one!
Ok, I'm being mean because Kenny has to take a Zyrtec before the game to avoid pigskin allergies....I kid. He has had troubles holding on to the ball, but he knew he was the go to guy and he had to make that catch or else the offense was going to lose steam. He did make the play and the rout was on.
The Bad....
Never Again didn't apply to 2nd half playcalling
When the game was 24-14, Bama insisted on drawing up and trying to beat the clock out. Now, granted, the defense was going to do its part, but one mishap and the game is a field goal game and you are trying to warm your QB back up. Bama continues to have this issue where they overthink what they are doing and try to play the odds way too much. It caught them in the LSU game by not trying to win in regulation, and Saturday it made the game closer than it needed to be for 3 quarters. Auburn finally broke on defense and they got a few more scores, but the point is Never Again needs to apply to McElwain and Saban too.
AJ needs a timer for Christmas
The sack/strip/TD was a double fail really. One, he can't go back 3 steps, check 1, check 2, pump, check and throw inside his own five. The play has to be step 1, 2, 3, check fire. That's on him and he's played too many games now to make a rookie mistake like that. Good news is that he gets to hear it for a month. The second failure is that the play shouldn't have been called to begin with. You have all the momentum, you have Auburn on its heels already, there is no shame in taking 3 plays to dig out and punt. Later in the game they did just that, but it needed to have been then. I thought they got greedy trying to get another home run when the right thing to do was dig out and then go for it later. It is odd to me that they can be aggressive in those situations but spend the entire second half being conservative in spite of what Auburn is giving them.
Random Thoughts....
Quit wetting the bed everytime someone doesn't proclaim Bama's spot in the BCS
I really get tired of reading thread after thread when someone gets on ESPN or Finebaum or whatever newspaper it is and doesn't give all Crimson colored reviews and seeing the butt hurt. Look, Bama is in the BCS title game until they are not. Bama has done all they can do and now fate has to play out. Does OSU have a claim to it? Yes. They are potentially the Big 12 Champs and have 1 loss (albeit a bad one). Many folks, including myself, feel that in most circumstances that the BCS should be the top two champs- a mini-playoff if you will. However, it is clear that this year is that exception to the rule because when you look at Alabama's games and compare them to OSU's or Stanford's or Va Tech's, there is no comparison. Stanford has played nobody, that includes Notre Dame, and was pistol whipped on national TV by Oregon. Virginia Tech probably has the most to complain about, but their out of conference schedule is zilch and the ACC is not exactly a powerhouse. If you put Bama or LSU or Arkansas in the ACC, they would beat FSU's streak for most victories in a row.
So cool it out guys. They see you respond, they know that you are watching, mission accomplished. If Bama doesn't make it in, then they don't. Not much can be done except to blister someone in the Sugar Bowl for it. Will it be fair? Kinda. Will it be the best two teams matched up? No. Not unless OSU rips OU by 40.
The Heisman is a 2 man race finally
I will say that if I had a vote in the Heisman it would go:
1. Trent Richardson
2. Case Keenum
3. Andrew Luck
4. Robert Griffin III
5. Denard Robinson
However, I am the minority in that listing. It will be a Luck v. Richardson final. Luck is there for the lifetime achievement entry that Tebow and others have held over the years. Richardson has given the voters a highlight reel of unbelievable plays. To me, Keenum's number merit him being a top 2 selection here. Granted, he has not played a big time team, but his numbers are terrific regardless. Griffin rivals TR in the highligh reel moments, but his injury and the backup lacing a 40 spot afterwards hurt his odds. Robinson is the Michigan offense. Under Al Borges, he has matured and looked outstanding against Ohio State. If he was on a 1 loss Michigan team, he probably is in the top 3.
I think Richardson wins the Heisman and probably pulls away this week as more voters get to digest the 2 and their work now that both are done. I would guess a vote similar to Ingram's will be what it comes down to. I don't see this being the Jackson/Long battle.
Nothing sucks like Orange Pants....
The mark of Shula is already on Fancy Pants. Deep in the red is Derek Dooley. He has a losing record, a horrible showing against Kentucky....yes, the Kentucky that let every other team rip them to shreds, and he has not won his players. I have talked with a few folks close to the team and they are really in trouble. The Florida loss sent them on a spiral that they couldn't recover from. Their offense is just a mess and the players won't buy into something that won't work. There are several mulling over transfers and going pro to get out before the ship sinks. Their defense can only be on the field so long before it breaks week after week. Sound familiar??? Don't be surprised if Dooley is told to make drastic staff changes this week. He has to because Vanderbilt is beating them in state recruiting. Yes, Vandy.
rlb002 comes to you virus free every Monday during football season (despite what the sorrority chicks say) and makes random thoughts throughout the bowl season and off season.....
November 14, 2011
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- MSU
The GBU comes a day later than usual, but something tells me some could have wrote it for me. The game was like watching 2 generations of Bama teams in one game. The defense looked like a Coach Bryant or Stallings defense. Stingy, tough, and constantly controlling the game. The offense was like watching some of Dubose's and Shula's offenses. Ineffective, poorly executed, great between the 30s.
The Offense
The Good....
Despite it all, Richardson and Lacy will them ahead
Given that this team was beaten up a bit by LSU and given that they probably weren't amped up to play these guys, it wasn't a shocker that the offense sputtered. With that said, when Bama had to have it and needed the play to be made, Richardson and Lacy willed this offense ahead. I was real pleased to see Lacy back to his old self and the return of Circle Button was a pleasant surprise- even with the fumble.
Offensive Line Play
Overall, I thought the OL played well. With McCullough at LT, I thought he did a rather good job on short notice. They controlled the line for the most part and kept MSU off of the QB and RBs. The run blocking wasn't great, but it was good enough to take care of the business. They wore MSU down over the course of the night, thanks in part to the defense keeping MSU's offense off the field, and as the night went on, the run game improved.
The rise of Norwood
For at least one week, I thought Norwood had a great game. With Bell dropping passes like they were hot, Maze missing and hurt, Hanks hurt, White invisible, and the TE's being asked to protect more, they needed someone to step it up and I thought he rose to the occasion. He's always been well thought of by the staff, but he can't convert it on Saturdays. This week was that moment that hopefully he can build off of.
The Bad....
Where O Where Did My Wide Out Go? Oh Where Oh Where Could He Be???
How weak are the Bama WRs playing now? 2 of the top 3 pass completions were not to Wide Outs. Losing Hanks for the night hurt because he's been the most consistent and safe bet. Maze was still black and blue from LSU and wasn't a big factor in the night despite 4 catches. So, it stood to reason that guys like White and Bell should/could have a big night. Instead, they were just non-existent in the game. My hope is that they can be taught how to create better than what both did.
Poor Execution All Night
AJ was high again and sailed the ball. He also missed about 4 or 5 wide open targets without pressure. The biggest worry I have now is that he's hit his slump at a time when you need him to be peaking. One thing that they need to walk him through is to quit trying to force the ball to a spot and just throw it. He's really pressing to not throw a bad pass and instead he is doing just that. His INT was just a regression that he has done 3 straight games. It wasn't just him though, the drops didn't help. The poor route running that continues to creep up more down the stretch was more noticeable Saturday.
The Ugly....
4th and Ungh....
I don't mind the play call at all. What I do mind is that you put the game on the back of your veteran lineman and he gets ate up. The failure to not get the half a yard was not on AJ. On a QB sneak, the QB just rides the back of whatever lineman he follows. He goes as far as his surging OL mate goes. When Vlachos couldn't get under his man, and was stood up almost instantly, the play was over before it could start. It is easy to second guess and say give it to Richardson, but usually coaches don't like to go back 3 yards to get 1. I don't think Richardson would have made it for that matter.
The Defense and Special Teams
The Good....
I Wish More Had Gentry's Motor
Gentry isn't going to play on Sundays, more than likely, and he has 0 measurables that you look for in a 5 star player. However, he has all the things that makes a great player. He works every down. He plays like it means something to him, every down. Gentry plays at the highest gear every down. He does a really good job and did so again Saturday at just hitting the gap and doing enough to disrupt the play or move it back to Hightower and company.
Nice Night From the Leaders
It was a welcomed sight to see the leaders on D step up and set the tone. Hightower and Barron combined for 22 tackles between them and really enforced a no easy yards policy all night. They both swarmed the field and were around the play all night. That isn't uncommon, but given how tired and beaten they were, it would have been easy for them to come out flat, slow, tired, etc. They set the tone early and MSU knew by the end of the 1st quarter that they were not going to get anything from Bama's defense, they were going to have to cash in on Bama mistakes.
CJ Mosley
While the leaders set the tone, I thought CJ really provided the support so that they could make those plays. CJ was in on several plays with 1 good arm and had 8 total stops. He really moves well in space and was a big part in neutralizing MSU's spread.
Avoiding Disaster
Bama got put in some tough spots during the night. AJ's near pick 6 was one. To make a stand late in the 2nd quarter like they did says a lot about how good those guys are and how much the job means to them. That's something that hopefully will spread down to the future leaders. They knew as most of us did that being tied at half was not an option they could allow. The stand helped kill the rally and Bama slowly took over from there.
The Bad....
None....
The Ugly....
Special Teams Suck
I get that Coach Saban has faith in the kicking and punting. I get that it is all they have. I get that they aren't coached to play special teams. I get all of that, but I have a hard time accepting that. For another week, Bama fans had to suffer through a lot of miscues and head scratchers. They have effectively ruined both kickers. They hear the moans and grumbles. It doesn't go away when they trot out there, it magnifies in their head and in the stands. So, when both shanked kicks, it was just more dirt on the pile. What is worse is that the punting and kick coverage are getting just as bad. Bama's only score came off a piss poor kickoff and coverage botch up. The failure to execute is not on just a few players. It has been an issue that continues to happen week in and out, and that points to Coach Williams. Sadly, I doubt they do anything to fix it.
RANDOM THOUGHTS....
Penn State fans now get their Mike Price moment times infinity
I tweeted last week that the only coach not asked about JoePa was Mike Price. Was that mean? Yes. Was there a little truth hidden in that? Yes. The issue here is more than a football thing. This is a right and wrong thing. The issue that PSU fans will struggle with that a few Bama fans struggled with in Price's failure is that this isn't about winning on the field. This is about winning in life. Like Price, JoePa was given more than enough chances to right the ship, but like Price, he didn't and wouldn't.
JoePa's arrogance has been the real surprise to me. His "retirement" announcement was not the last straw, but it was a small sample of the big problem. Coming out and saying he was coaching the rest of the season and that was it was about like you or I going to our bosses and saying "Yeah, I won't do it but you will pay me and like it!" To me, JoePa's record has an * by it now. For nearly a decade, he's been in the wrong. For nearly a decade, he should have been fired and because he was chasing Bryant's record and 400 wins, they didn't want to deal with it.
The lesson here for each of us to take to our kids is simple. Wrong is wrong. Repentance is a long road for all of us who fall short, but when it is time to own up to something, you should and make efforts to do more to correct it. In the end, the wins and the legacy are all fake when it comes to Paterno. He put his needs and his inner circle of friends above the good of the kids in question, the program, the team, and the University. At risk now is the capacity to obtain Pell Grants at PSU. Who in their right mind would want their kid to go there now? It would be a cold day in hell before my son would enter there even if they offered to pay it in full. The failure by so many people to do right is just scary. Just as scary is the fact that the incidents reported got watered down by each level from rape to indecency.
Bowden's comments are probably closer to truth than anything the staff and those involved have said. There are a lot of things we aren't being told because if it was told, we'd hate them all. Paterno leaves shamed and he and the others have earned that more than the accolades prior to that.
BCS Blowup Looms....
Last week, folks got mad about the thought that OU could jump Bama. Now, folks are puffing up their chests about Oregon. Guys, there are a lot of things in play here that aren't going Bama's way. The media vote being 2/3rds will have to change its viewpoint a lot over 3 weeks. Oregon's blowout of Stanford has them as the new en vogue team of the moment. Bama fans need to root for Kiffin's USCal this weekend. That will cure part one of the problem. Oklahoma has already started their campaign on their stake on things. I have doubts that OU can beat OSU though. Injuries and a weak defense by SEC standards will doom them I am afraid. If Oklahoma State and LSU win out, it is all great fodder for fans to discuss. However, if either loses, then there is a lot of jockeying around for that 1 loss claim.
Bama has to root for Arkansas each week, but they need to root them to win but not earn votes. The question that still hangs up for me is how could LSU drop that far in the polls? With an Arkansas win, LSU would have to drop more than 5 spots in theory and be 3rd amongst Bama, LSU, and Arkansas. Can it happen? Sure. Will it? Doubt it. LSU even with a loss has a great resume and won't fall far just like Bama didn't.
If OSU and LSU both lose, the mess really gets bad. Bama has a fair resume. Penn State, Arkansas, and Florida are the big wins. PSU will be lucky to win another game, Arkansas has done Bama favors by winning, and Florida is a mess. The close loss to LSU looks better on paper than Oregon's loss to LSU and Oklahoma's loss to Texas Tech. However, Bama doesn't have as big a win as OU or Oregon will have in this scenario. Arkansas wasn't a top 10 team at the time. Oregon has the win against Stanford who was 4th at the time as their signature, and wins against ASU and USCal in this scenario. Oklahoma, despite the loss of losses, would have 2 top 5 wins against FSU and OSU, and 3 top 10 wins if you add KSU. Bama fans need to root for Baylor by the way. A loss to Baylor or Iowa State could help things a lot. As much as folks want to lobby on the Tech loss, their resume has a lot of upside too. 5 ranked wins, up to 10 bowl team victories, and since the loss, they have dominated opponents.
Bama conversely has 7 bowl team wins in the scenario. 4 ranked wins. None in the top 10. Oregon has a weaker resume. They have 5 bowl team wins, 6 if USCal could go in the scenario, 2 ranked wins, 1 in the top 10. Clemson, just for the sake of fairness, would have 4 ranked wins, 6 bowl team wins respectively, but has looked weak each week and scrambled to survive.
In all honesty, someone is going to get screwed in all of this. Especially if each team has 1 loss.
The Offense
The Good....
Despite it all, Richardson and Lacy will them ahead
Given that this team was beaten up a bit by LSU and given that they probably weren't amped up to play these guys, it wasn't a shocker that the offense sputtered. With that said, when Bama had to have it and needed the play to be made, Richardson and Lacy willed this offense ahead. I was real pleased to see Lacy back to his old self and the return of Circle Button was a pleasant surprise- even with the fumble.
Offensive Line Play
Overall, I thought the OL played well. With McCullough at LT, I thought he did a rather good job on short notice. They controlled the line for the most part and kept MSU off of the QB and RBs. The run blocking wasn't great, but it was good enough to take care of the business. They wore MSU down over the course of the night, thanks in part to the defense keeping MSU's offense off the field, and as the night went on, the run game improved.
The rise of Norwood
For at least one week, I thought Norwood had a great game. With Bell dropping passes like they were hot, Maze missing and hurt, Hanks hurt, White invisible, and the TE's being asked to protect more, they needed someone to step it up and I thought he rose to the occasion. He's always been well thought of by the staff, but he can't convert it on Saturdays. This week was that moment that hopefully he can build off of.
The Bad....
Where O Where Did My Wide Out Go? Oh Where Oh Where Could He Be???
How weak are the Bama WRs playing now? 2 of the top 3 pass completions were not to Wide Outs. Losing Hanks for the night hurt because he's been the most consistent and safe bet. Maze was still black and blue from LSU and wasn't a big factor in the night despite 4 catches. So, it stood to reason that guys like White and Bell should/could have a big night. Instead, they were just non-existent in the game. My hope is that they can be taught how to create better than what both did.
Poor Execution All Night
AJ was high again and sailed the ball. He also missed about 4 or 5 wide open targets without pressure. The biggest worry I have now is that he's hit his slump at a time when you need him to be peaking. One thing that they need to walk him through is to quit trying to force the ball to a spot and just throw it. He's really pressing to not throw a bad pass and instead he is doing just that. His INT was just a regression that he has done 3 straight games. It wasn't just him though, the drops didn't help. The poor route running that continues to creep up more down the stretch was more noticeable Saturday.
The Ugly....
4th and Ungh....
I don't mind the play call at all. What I do mind is that you put the game on the back of your veteran lineman and he gets ate up. The failure to not get the half a yard was not on AJ. On a QB sneak, the QB just rides the back of whatever lineman he follows. He goes as far as his surging OL mate goes. When Vlachos couldn't get under his man, and was stood up almost instantly, the play was over before it could start. It is easy to second guess and say give it to Richardson, but usually coaches don't like to go back 3 yards to get 1. I don't think Richardson would have made it for that matter.
The Defense and Special Teams
The Good....
I Wish More Had Gentry's Motor
Gentry isn't going to play on Sundays, more than likely, and he has 0 measurables that you look for in a 5 star player. However, he has all the things that makes a great player. He works every down. He plays like it means something to him, every down. Gentry plays at the highest gear every down. He does a really good job and did so again Saturday at just hitting the gap and doing enough to disrupt the play or move it back to Hightower and company.
Nice Night From the Leaders
It was a welcomed sight to see the leaders on D step up and set the tone. Hightower and Barron combined for 22 tackles between them and really enforced a no easy yards policy all night. They both swarmed the field and were around the play all night. That isn't uncommon, but given how tired and beaten they were, it would have been easy for them to come out flat, slow, tired, etc. They set the tone early and MSU knew by the end of the 1st quarter that they were not going to get anything from Bama's defense, they were going to have to cash in on Bama mistakes.
CJ Mosley
While the leaders set the tone, I thought CJ really provided the support so that they could make those plays. CJ was in on several plays with 1 good arm and had 8 total stops. He really moves well in space and was a big part in neutralizing MSU's spread.
Avoiding Disaster
Bama got put in some tough spots during the night. AJ's near pick 6 was one. To make a stand late in the 2nd quarter like they did says a lot about how good those guys are and how much the job means to them. That's something that hopefully will spread down to the future leaders. They knew as most of us did that being tied at half was not an option they could allow. The stand helped kill the rally and Bama slowly took over from there.
The Bad....
None....
The Ugly....
Special Teams Suck
I get that Coach Saban has faith in the kicking and punting. I get that it is all they have. I get that they aren't coached to play special teams. I get all of that, but I have a hard time accepting that. For another week, Bama fans had to suffer through a lot of miscues and head scratchers. They have effectively ruined both kickers. They hear the moans and grumbles. It doesn't go away when they trot out there, it magnifies in their head and in the stands. So, when both shanked kicks, it was just more dirt on the pile. What is worse is that the punting and kick coverage are getting just as bad. Bama's only score came off a piss poor kickoff and coverage botch up. The failure to execute is not on just a few players. It has been an issue that continues to happen week in and out, and that points to Coach Williams. Sadly, I doubt they do anything to fix it.
RANDOM THOUGHTS....
Penn State fans now get their Mike Price moment times infinity
I tweeted last week that the only coach not asked about JoePa was Mike Price. Was that mean? Yes. Was there a little truth hidden in that? Yes. The issue here is more than a football thing. This is a right and wrong thing. The issue that PSU fans will struggle with that a few Bama fans struggled with in Price's failure is that this isn't about winning on the field. This is about winning in life. Like Price, JoePa was given more than enough chances to right the ship, but like Price, he didn't and wouldn't.
JoePa's arrogance has been the real surprise to me. His "retirement" announcement was not the last straw, but it was a small sample of the big problem. Coming out and saying he was coaching the rest of the season and that was it was about like you or I going to our bosses and saying "Yeah, I won't do it but you will pay me and like it!" To me, JoePa's record has an * by it now. For nearly a decade, he's been in the wrong. For nearly a decade, he should have been fired and because he was chasing Bryant's record and 400 wins, they didn't want to deal with it.
The lesson here for each of us to take to our kids is simple. Wrong is wrong. Repentance is a long road for all of us who fall short, but when it is time to own up to something, you should and make efforts to do more to correct it. In the end, the wins and the legacy are all fake when it comes to Paterno. He put his needs and his inner circle of friends above the good of the kids in question, the program, the team, and the University. At risk now is the capacity to obtain Pell Grants at PSU. Who in their right mind would want their kid to go there now? It would be a cold day in hell before my son would enter there even if they offered to pay it in full. The failure by so many people to do right is just scary. Just as scary is the fact that the incidents reported got watered down by each level from rape to indecency.
Bowden's comments are probably closer to truth than anything the staff and those involved have said. There are a lot of things we aren't being told because if it was told, we'd hate them all. Paterno leaves shamed and he and the others have earned that more than the accolades prior to that.
BCS Blowup Looms....
Last week, folks got mad about the thought that OU could jump Bama. Now, folks are puffing up their chests about Oregon. Guys, there are a lot of things in play here that aren't going Bama's way. The media vote being 2/3rds will have to change its viewpoint a lot over 3 weeks. Oregon's blowout of Stanford has them as the new en vogue team of the moment. Bama fans need to root for Kiffin's USCal this weekend. That will cure part one of the problem. Oklahoma has already started their campaign on their stake on things. I have doubts that OU can beat OSU though. Injuries and a weak defense by SEC standards will doom them I am afraid. If Oklahoma State and LSU win out, it is all great fodder for fans to discuss. However, if either loses, then there is a lot of jockeying around for that 1 loss claim.
Bama has to root for Arkansas each week, but they need to root them to win but not earn votes. The question that still hangs up for me is how could LSU drop that far in the polls? With an Arkansas win, LSU would have to drop more than 5 spots in theory and be 3rd amongst Bama, LSU, and Arkansas. Can it happen? Sure. Will it? Doubt it. LSU even with a loss has a great resume and won't fall far just like Bama didn't.
If OSU and LSU both lose, the mess really gets bad. Bama has a fair resume. Penn State, Arkansas, and Florida are the big wins. PSU will be lucky to win another game, Arkansas has done Bama favors by winning, and Florida is a mess. The close loss to LSU looks better on paper than Oregon's loss to LSU and Oklahoma's loss to Texas Tech. However, Bama doesn't have as big a win as OU or Oregon will have in this scenario. Arkansas wasn't a top 10 team at the time. Oregon has the win against Stanford who was 4th at the time as their signature, and wins against ASU and USCal in this scenario. Oklahoma, despite the loss of losses, would have 2 top 5 wins against FSU and OSU, and 3 top 10 wins if you add KSU. Bama fans need to root for Baylor by the way. A loss to Baylor or Iowa State could help things a lot. As much as folks want to lobby on the Tech loss, their resume has a lot of upside too. 5 ranked wins, up to 10 bowl team victories, and since the loss, they have dominated opponents.
Bama conversely has 7 bowl team wins in the scenario. 4 ranked wins. None in the top 10. Oregon has a weaker resume. They have 5 bowl team wins, 6 if USCal could go in the scenario, 2 ranked wins, 1 in the top 10. Clemson, just for the sake of fairness, would have 4 ranked wins, 6 bowl team wins respectively, but has looked weak each week and scrambled to survive.
In all honesty, someone is going to get screwed in all of this. Especially if each team has 1 loss.
November 6, 2011
The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly- LSU
Well, in life you get games where you prepare the players, and you prepare them to be ready for the game and despite all that effort, sometimes it is the coaches that needed the extra prep. That really was the case Saturday. The players did what they were asked to do, but some were being asked to do things that was just more than they should have been asked to do. So, I don't blame a single player for the loss, but I do blame the coaching staff for their insistence in putting them out there to fail.
I typically break it down on both sides and go through it all, but really this game was so geared down that it is really hard to point to a lot of really "Good" things on offense outside of Richardson's effort. On Defense, I thought they did their part to win the game really. 9 points is more than adequate to hold things for a win. The problem was that LSU's Defense did just a little bit better. This week is more of a long discussion about how the game went from my perspective.
The point in the game where I really had that "oh shit they aren't going to win" feeling was at the end of the fourth. Bama stops LSU with 1:35 left and has 2 timeouts. They allow LSU to milk the clock and punt them deep and never used either timeout. The apologists have ran out there with their Shulaid-esque spin to say they were avoiding the fake. Guys, Les Miles is unconventional and is probably the most underrated coach in D-1, but he wasn't about to fake at midfield in a tie game that late. He knew his special teams was the weapon that was the difference in the game if things kept going the way they were.
So Bama loses about 40 seconds from the time Jones fair catches the ball and at this point it is that much harder to get in a position to try and win. Now, some will say RLB the kicking game this or that, and I won't lie to you, I'd try hard to find a way not to trot Foster out there if I can avoid it, but if I can get down field and get it to a 40 yarder that is in Shelley's range and I feel safe with him in that under 40 mark. The series goes on with a slip screen to the middle of the field, a draw up the middle and the half expires.....
I take a second here to remember that all over the locker room are posters reminding them of the failure against Auburn in the same stadium and same situation. Apparently, the staff forgot that they lost that game more than the players did. The play to not lose style that defeated them against Auburn returned to defeat them against LSU. At some point, the staff has to realize that all the recruiting they do, and all the preparation they do won't overcome the fact that the staff's bad habit of playing to not lose will cost them championships over and over.
It wasn't just that series of plays that hurt Bama. There were some odd play calls that took some of the steam out of drives. There were penalties that hurt them, some were player inflicted, and some were more on the staff. Late substitutions are on the coaches and whomever was trying to send players on and off as they were breaking huddle needs a process discussion. Once a game is bad, if you have it happen more than once it is really just inexcusable.
I have talked about special teams and how they have been the problem all year. That caught up to them. I can't see Bobby Williams hanging around for next season, but whomever decided that they should keep trying FG really is the goat here. I would assume that Saban is that person. Really after the 2nd miss, it was pretty clear that they weren't going to get anything beyond 40 without luck. I never like the thought of losing field position. I especially don't like it when it comes with missed points. So, with that said, if you have a 45-50 yard field goal attempt, you also have a punter with a 38 yard average, the likelihood of hitting the FG is size ably less than the likelihood that the punter will touchback. So, why not punt them deep and keep them deep. Your defense has shown all night that they can contain LSU's offense. LSU scored on 1 drive and a turnover in regulation. Bama wasn't going to blow it. So, again, play for field position and let your D create the opportunities. Instead, you give LSU excellent field position around the 40 or so where they have no problem running their offense. So when I say that I don't blame the players.....I don't. Foster and others did what they were told to do.
This post will have around 2 to 3 thousand viewers this week. What the staff asked them to do would be like asking each of us to dunk a basketball or hit lefthanded if you are a natural righty. Out of the 2 or 3 thousand, maybe 10 could accomplish this. I can't get mad when the odds aren't in the guy's favor up front. It would be different if they were missing 35 yarders, but 49 yarders? C'mon man.
There were just a lot of puzzling things that happened that almost make you think that Saban is getting mentally beaten by Miles. Miles didn't pull any punches and didn't have to. Saban helped punch Bama enough with the oddities of the night. Probably the one moment where this was pretty evident was the 72 yard punt. Remember, Bama has taken the turnover and absorbed it and forced LSU to punt. They should have gotten the ball around the 40 with a fair catch.
I stop again to reflect on the posters in the locker room and weight room. And remember how a one armed Barron was asked to play and cover guys that are hard enough to do with 2 arms. Never again should a player have been asked to be in a spot like that to fail.
Well, that didn't happen. Putting a one legged Maze had the mark of fail upon it from the start. I know Maze says the punt hit the wire, but I can tell you from now watching this game 3 times that he never once makes a motion during the play to call attention to that. I think he lost it in the lights and when he found it and tried to move, his ankle hung and he stops. Is that Maze's fault? No. That's on Saban. There was no way with his ankle that he was going to be able to adjust if their punter got more on it than expected, which he did. Jones had proven he can field a punt adequately. If he's out there, he fair catches at the 37 and Bama is 20 yards farther. It was the little things that just killed Bama all night like that.
The thing that bothers me really is that Bama beat LSU all over the place short of special teams. Bama mistakes and blunders were capitalized on by LSU and they didn't have to do much to beat Bama except wait their time. What bothers me is that this team set a mission of championship or bust. They are now in a bust position because while the Sugar Bowl against Boise or Stanford is nice, it isn't where they want to end it. Really, it isn't fair to them because they did their job. Sure, there were mistakes and AJ McCarron was outted some Saturday. With all that said, they did enough to win.
I think the team needs to really review how they play in overtime. Bama has never been a good overtime team. LSU typically is. The reason Bama isn't is that they go away from how they win games. First down is a middle screen to TR. I like that they are thinking screen and all, and I wish they had about 3 more of those calls to the left or right during the game, but the play looked busted from the start and the pass threatened Trent's future child-rearing capacities more than it threatened LSU's defense. Second down was the fade to Richardson. At least that is how it came out. The play call was probably ok, but the execution stunk. I would have rather tried getting Richardson up the field for 3 or 4 yards. Then 3rd down is a 3 verticals play call. To borrow an In Living Color skit punch line.....Hated It. Not sure who thought that would work given that LSU covers the 2 deep on every play and gives up the underneath stuff all day, but that is another long process question and answer for someone. So with a 3 man route against the 2nd best D in the nation, a sack is about as likely as finding an open guy down field. It ended the game then and there. The fans in the stand knew it, the players knew it, and all the viewers at home knew it. Again, it is about asking players to do things that they aren't going to be able to do. You can't ask the OL to sustain LSU's rush for 8 to 10 seconds and allow that play to develop. You can't ask AJ to find a guy and zip it when they haven't gotten into the bulk of their routes.
Sigh......
Even 24 hours plus later, I still am as irritated as I was at the end of the game. It is simply about coaching and as great as they are and as much as they have accomplished, they have begun to get caught and surpassed by LSU. Bama needs to start really looking at these types of games and how they aren't winning them the last 2 years. Beating the pig shit out of Michigan State was nice but they were slow and sucked. Penn State wasn't much. Arkansas is always a late bloomer. Ole Miss couldn't beat their meat much less a quality team. UT is in chaos right now. So, the question is, will Saban make the tough calls on his staff and himself to improve? Or, will they become the new Oklahoma who is always right there but never THERE?
I know folks will hold on to hope that if LSU loses to Arkansas then Bama has a chance or if Okie State and Stanford loses that Bama will have a chance there. Folks, I don't mind the concept or desire to see a rematch. I don't think the voters will let it happen though. The midwest and west coast voters won't let that happen because of the following reasons:
1- OU probably jumps Bama with wins to the number 2 team in the BCS and wins the conference in the same motion because voters want champs in.
2- The midwest and west are tired of hearing about the SEC.
3- The voters have a bad taste in their mouths about letting Nebraska and OU into the BCS without winning their conference and getting waxed. Granted, Bama won't get waxed by LSU this time either, but they want to see the champs vs. the champs.
4- Lots of movement happens with OU, Oregon, and Arkansas wins against the others. The big question here is this. Let's say OU wins, Stanford wins, and Arkansas wins over LSU. The 3 way tie for the SEC West has 2 tiebreakers. It is BCS rankings unless the top 2 are within 5 spots and then it goes down to head to head. Do you really, really think LSU drops 7 spots? Stanford would presumably be number 1, Bama 2 but LSU wouldn't fall that far and I don't know that Arkansas would jump LSU in the BCS.
It isn't impossible, but they need more help than they can expect. I do know this much. A new focus and attention to special teams needs to occur this winter. Bottom line, it goes against the principles of football to be that poor at it. You are taught from 6-7 years of age that you have to run the ball, play defense, and play solid special teams to win games. Bama can run. Bama can certainly play defense, but they can't play special teams. They have hope to change that with Adam Griffith coming in. His clip is attached below
Now, they just need to get a coach to coach him and the punter, if it isn't Adam, and help him/them grow from freshmen to seniors. How much more can Saban allow? Well, another loss to Auburn may accelerate those changes and this team can lose to Auburn if they leave that many points on the field again. By the way, don't be shocked if Auburn beats Georgia next week.
So, for those of you who bitch and cry every time I am critical and make the bitch comments that basically say "I can't argue so I will show I can be a dork", for you, here is what I was happy with:
I liked the defensive game plan for the most part. I thought they were ready for the game and ready for the physical battle that was waiting on them. LSU made it clear, they were going to run and smash mouth. Bama answered the bell for 5 rounds and did their part to win the game.
I liked how the game meant a lot to Richardson and it wasn't hard to see it with every touch he got. The 170 all purpose yards was good enough to earn Heisman praise but with the loss, it got lost in the shuffle.
Overall, I thought the Offensive Line did its part. There were some gaffes and misses along the way, but for the most part, I thought they gave Bama enough to win.
I wish that they had used Hanks more than they did. He had beaten Honey Badger a few times and they needed to expose that more.
I liked the screen passes they ran, it worked against what LSU likes to do. They needed a few more of them over the course of the game.
See, I can find the good things in a loss......
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