Crimson Red Sports

Over 102,000 fans were in the stands yesterday and millions more were watching it on television and what a big game and a huge win for the Crimson Tide. No one got cheated of not seeing a very exciting and tough played game.For the Bama fans, I think that was a big touche from them to TA&M for the Johnny Football years but for the Aggie fans I think they were just wanting some payback for the 59-0 loss last year.

The game started with Bama hitting on all cylinders and jumping out to a good lead but before the half could end, the Aggies had wrestled the momentum from Bama and closed the gap of the score. Ole momentum played a big role in this game as it was swapped back and forth until the second half of the fourth quarter and Bama took control of the game with their defense shutting the door on the Aggies. There were some huge plays by the secondary in this game that Bama fans have been waiting on for a long time, interceptions for touchdowns. It was the big difference maker in the game.

This game was a complete victory for the Tide as both the offense and the defense played big roles in the win. Coker, Henry, and the receivers gave the defense of TA&M all they wanted but the secondary played a major role in the scoring as well with four interceptions for touchdowns. It's been a long time since a Bama team shared the scoring as they did yesterday. Also, I think a lot of maturity was gained by some of the players such as Coker and the secondary. A coach can only teach them so much and I don't think there is a better coach in the game than game experience. The Xs and Os will get them on the field but the execution of those Xs and Os in the game is what teaches them to become good players as every team they play is different and you have to learn to adjust to each team played.

There were some mistakes by the team that were costly and there was an injury that affected the team as it did last year. The biggest mistake was the long punt return and I know everyone is going after Bobby Williams. I wish everyone that is after Bobby Williams would just check the number on the jerseys of the players on the special teams. These are not bench warmers, they are the starting players on the offensive and defensive teams. On the long punt return, look at the player that missed his tackle as the player turned up field to go untouched to the endzone, it was Derrick Henry. Derrick has played on the special teams since he arrived and is considered one of the better players on that unit but he missed a touchdown saving tackle. That's the point I'm trying to make when us fans are   criticizing the coaches. Sure the coaches make mistakes but they aren't the blame for everything that happens on the field and the players aren't either, it's called team play and that is who the blame is on, not a single player or coach. We all like to blame Lane Kiffen for the plays that don't work but I can promise you there is not a play in the playbook that won't work if the players execute it as designed. Now there will be some times when I might question a coach on a certain play that is called but I'm sure he knows more about that than I do.

On the injury that hurt the team yesterday it's about the same thing that happened last year at Ole Miss. At that time Bama's offense was playing well, especially the running game with Kenyon Drake being the running back that was having the most success. Bama was having a lot of success that day until two players went down, Drake and Ryan. After they went down, Bama had a lead, the running game died and Bama lost the game. Yesterday it wasn't Drake that had the hot hand it was Henry but Ryan was the common denominator in both cases, he was the boss of the offensive line. The offensive line became a picture of disarray after Ryan left the game with penalties, players lined up wrong, and the blocking of the line was very different as Henry really had to struggle for 2-3 yards where he had been running for 7-8 yards per carry. It changed the game as Bama almost lost the lead when the ability to run the ball left the game. Those are the times when I question the coaches on the type of plays that are being called. Hopefully the replacements for Ryan will have some good practice this week but experience is hard to replace because it has to be earned on the field and not out of a book.  

Anyway there are more challenges ahead for the team in the coming weeks and it won't be easy. Tennessee and LSU are the next two games with an open date before LSU which should give the team a few days for healing purposes and after that we go to Starkville to play Miss State which is usually a tough physical game. Tennessee will come in here next Saturday with a vengeance on their minds, They don't like Alabama and Alabama doesn't like them. It will be important that Bama is mentally ready because they historically don't play as well after a big game. Tennessee is a better team than their record shows and again, they don't like Alabama. Bama's road for a national championship isn't an easy one so it's going to take all of the players to do this, not just the starters each week. Those players on the scout team that provide the practice competition for the starters are just as important and needed. That's why I say it's a team effort and not a player or coach effort, it takes them all, 125 players and the coaching staff, and the blame for things that go wrong falls in the team category.

Hopefully some of you will be in the stands next Saturday making a lot of noise for the team. We got a good example yesterday of how noise can really affect a team's play. RTR!!

 #+ e-cred for this one JAMOS. Well done. I think you some summed up some of my thoughts as I like to blame the coaches at times when it is the player who didn't keep his lane, or lost his technique that would have prevented a big play. Great job by all yesterday. I know, as you said JAMOS, our toughest times are ahead. Tenn. will be a hard game. So no time to celebrate much right now. RTR!

Good job, Jamos! I will try to be more understanding of the coaches, but it is going to take a lot of self control to keep from criticizing Lane Kiffen's, at times, positively stupid play calling! That said, a lot of folks owe Coker apologies. I have seen him called "dumb", "slow", "immobile", etc., etc. Sure didn't look that way to me Saturday!

Well done, Jamos.

I sure hope that we can get Kelly through the concussion protocol before LSU. You made proper note of his importance in your summary, but I think you still may have understated it. On Henry's big run he basically took his guy and said, "Hey, you. Stand over her out of the way please." It was an instructional video on how to move your man. After Kelly went out, we got very little on the ground.

By the way, was it something I missed or did Berne and Gary completely fail to report the injury until near the end of the game?

Good stuff J.

:clap: :clap:

They missed it for a long time.  I found out by following our in game thread.

The buck stops with the coach. Our special teams have struggled for years under Williams. You're repeating "coach speak". All coaches say they teach the players what to do, but they don't perform. I have heard this crap for 30 years from failed coaches. No coach admits he can't coach, despite his record or what we see with our own eyes. What you are implying is that coaches like Shula, Ears Whitworth, DuBose, & others were good coaches but the players did not listen to their coaches & perform properly. Therefore, it's the players fault. Not trying to be mean, but Williams is a failure as ST coach, period.

I just saw a video of former Memphis coach Tommy West after he got fired. He was blasting the university for not supporting him properly & causing the football team to fail. He was there NINE years and had a  49-61 record. How's Memphis doing now? It's called good coaching. West is such a hot property he is now the defensive line coach at mighty Middle Tennessee State, not even a coordinator. Sometimes folks just get in over their heads, doesn't make them a bad person, but they can't handle the job they have. That's Bobby Williams.








 


  

MD, you seem to have all the answers. Call in on "Hey Coach" and tell CNS what you just stated here and suggest he fire BW. and get CNS thoughts. 8)

You see, this is an example of fandom. Shoot the messenger for stating what most reasonable people are thinking. Saban is the coach & if he wants a failed coach, that's on him. Just hope we don't lose a big time game like the SECCG or Final Four because of a special teams blunder. If that happens, then come back and tell me what a great job Williams is doing.

 ???I never said to shoot the messenger. :dog:

Club him unconscious? Slap him silly? Send him to North Korea?



 :tinfoil:










 :wave:

I vote slap him silly.  :stars: :lol2:

:lol:

 :lol: Amen!!!

I'm not so sure you are qualified to assume what most reasonable people are thinking :dog:

 #+  E-cred to 57.   :worship:

http://www.al.com/alabamafootball/index.ssf/2015/10/alabama_special_teams.html

I hope everyone on this forum reads this article, maybe then those on the Bobby Williams lynching party might understand the real problem with special team failures, it's called player execution. These are former players that have been there and done it explaining how the special teams are handled at Bama.

This is front page material for all the folks that aren't CRS members to read as well.

You are my hero for finding and posting this article 57, ecred worthy. #+

Thank you Jamos! I just hope MD reads this and checks the link out!

 :lol2:  Nice try!   :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

I thought MD was usually here on Friday nights!

   :lol:

National ranking   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011
Kickoff return   97   72   23   23   19
Kickoff coverage   53   77   50   69   61
Punt return   66   40   7   46   14
Punt coverage   25   54   20   36   12
P/K blocked   5   41   23   29   48


Bama is averaging 18.9 yards on kick returns... so bringing it out of the end zone is like a 6 yard loss. 

Special teams considers so many aspects, kicking and receiving, punts and coverage, FGs, etc.   All these are lumped together under "special teams," but the rationale is different and the coach's role is different.  Blaming the players for failure to execute is correct if they miss a FG or if punting yardage is lower, but not completely accurate with returns or coverage.  Somewhere coaching comes in.

I don't think placing all blame on Williams is fair.  It starts with Saban.  What he wants to emphasize, whether he wants to use a scholarship on a kicker, recruiting a kicker, how complex the schemes are, how much time is devoted in practice to special teams, which players are selected to play on special teams...   And it's probably a tradeoff -- more time on special teams means less time elsewhere. 

Do I think it could be done better?  Absolutely.  Special teams could be a bigger point of emphasis with a more dedicated coach and players instead of an afterthought with a part-time coach and starting players who have a lot on their plates already.  But Bama's special teams isn't terrible, it just doesn't seem to meet "The Standard" we fans have come to expect from a Saban coached team.

Did all you guys doing high 5's because you think this article discredited me actually read the article. First of all, only 4 types of stats are used. How about these comments from the article:











Funny, I thought it was the coach's job to teach players how to execute.






There's a lot more to special teams than 4 stats. How about our players fielding punts inside the 10 yard line, a big no-no or fielding a kick-off inside the 15 near the sideline before it goes out-of-bounds and then falling out-of-bounds with the ball inside the 15. I go by what I see with my own eyes, no some article & certainly not 4 stats trying to justify what we all know is the truth, our special teams have been bad during the entire tenure of Williams. Also, who does Saban go straight to after a ST snafu, Bobby Williams, and it doesn't look like he's congratulating Williams. Plus, does anyone really expect a former player come out & criticize a current coach? Of course not, they come out in support.

I will ask again, do you really think that Shula, Anthony Grant, Ears Whitworth, & many, many others were good coaches, it's the players fault for failing to execute. No one wanted to answer this question last time I posted it, will one of you Bobby Williams supporters please address this question, now. Thanks.

I hope chechem, Jamos, 57, & 2Stater answer the above question. A couple might.


 :dog:

 #+ for you MD. Well researched and reported. RTR!

Agree with some of the stuff you say, it starts at the top with Saban. However, Williams bears a huge brunt because he is the ST coach, just like Kirby is the DC & Kiffin is the OC. No way the same guy would be the OC if we had the same type of results on offense for 7 or more years. Good post with balance & observations.

 :wall:

(https://anupturnedsoul.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/encouragers-wanted.jpg)

Coaching, recruiting and execution all play a part in special teams. We ranked pretty high in punt and kick off returns when we had Arenas and Maze. We have not had a dynamic returner in a few years. Lee Tiffin made a ST coach look pretty good with his strong accurate leg.

IMO defending punts and kicks is about coaching and execution. You coach them well and players do their job the results are normally good. One player gets out of his lane and you give up a big return.

This is college football. Things go well and the players get the credit. Things go bad and it is coaching. Some things never change.

I think Coach Williams is a solid coach.

#+I do too!

Md, for the sake of another argument with you which seems to be your norm, it really isn't worth the space that it takes to write a rebuttal to you. No one has ever said that coaches don't make bad decisions at times but who are you and I to question what happened when we don't know any of the circumstances for what happened. We only base our argument on what we saw, which can be very deceiving when judging. You like to argue that the players aren't getting the proper coaching but that is your opinion by what you saw and not by what you know. You prove that by your claim that the players are covering up for the coaches, are you saying that CNS is a bad coach and doesn't know what he is doing? He is responsible for every coach on his staff and I'm sure that he doesn't have all of the best football coaches out there but I would say that he has the best of what is available. My opinion is that if Bobby Williams isn't doing his job, CNS would have replaced him long ago. Again, maybe the problem is CNS himself in that he doesn't know what he is doing by keeping such a bad coach on his staff. Isn't he the one that is responsible for everything. I find it strange that you read a factual article by the players about the special teams and how they practice but yet it is all hogwash by your standards. But, maybe it isn't so strange by your standards after all. ???



 

MD, you stated:  What you are implying is that coaches like Shula, Ears Whitworth, DuBose, & others were good coaches but the players did not listen to their coaches & perform properly. Therefore, it's the players fault. Not trying to be mean, but Williams is a failure as ST coach, period.
     1st off I did not see you make a question
      2nd off, once again you assume YOU KNOW what some one else is implying without merit
        3rd off, stop assuming, you ain't qualified   :stop:

            :dog:

This Thread has reached its limit.  There is a difference of opinion, and no one is going to change their minds.  

Let's enjoy some football!


 :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop: :stop:

BLOOM!!! :lol2:

Md, for the sake of another argument with you which seems to be your norm, it really isn't worth the space that it takes to write a rebuttal to you.

Ah yes, attack the messenger, again. I'm not "arguing" for the heck of it, I'm trying to give a different opinion or insight into a problem which we ALL know exists. I guess your definition of arguing is anyone who disagrees with you or most everyone else on a subject.


You prove that by your claim that the players are covering up for the coaches, are you saying that CNS is a bad coach and doesn't know what he is doing?

Where in the world am I saying the players are covering for the coaches? I stated a fact, former players do not criticize their former coaches. That's normal. If you have some examples of former Tide players criticizing their coaches, please share it with me. However, if you read what Huber says, it's somewhat revealing.


My opinion is that if Bobby Williams isn't doing his job, CNS would have replaced him long ago.


It's just not that simple for Coach Saban. You're missing the human factor. Saban has a long relationship with Williams, going back, at least to his days at Michigan State, which is 15-20 years. Coach Saban is not an unfeeling robot like he is painted in the media. I bet he knows Williams wife & family after all these years & has feelings for them. When those factors are in play you don't always see a person's short-comings on-the-job. I said before, if Saban wants to keep Williams fine, that's his decision & he has to live with it. Coach Saban is a great coach, but that does not make him infallible, he is still a human being. I'm sure others of us have been in or seen similar situations as a business owner, supervisor, or employee with under-performing employees. I sure have.


 I find it strange that you read a factual article by the players about the special teams and how they practice but yet it is all hogwash by your standards. But, maybe it isn't so strange by your standards after all. ???


Again, you're trying to change the subject from Coach Williams to me. Never said it was hogwash, just saying don't expect former Tide players to criticize the coaches. If you read the article closely, they have concerns about special teams, too.

By the way, I respect you for responding to my question, but you still did not answer the question. Was Shula, Grant, & others good coaches who failed because the players did not execute properly? That's my question. Thanks.


 :wave:

 :deadhorse:

 :lol: :lol: :lol:, the discussions on here are so very educational. RTR!

I apologize, but I can't sit by while someone avoids the basic question I asked, twists my words into convoluted ways, & basically tries to make me the problem. This is America & we all have a right to disagree & even be wrong in our opinions. Fans are the most biased folks in the world, if you don't believe it, listen to the callers on Finebaum. Bobby Williams is a lousy special teams coach, that's my opinion. If you think he's a wonderful ST coach, fine, that's your opinion. Remember all the posters who stood up for Grant & tried to make me the problem, same situation here. Like I said Prothro, I do apologize for not heeding your request. You're a good poster & I appreciate you. Thanks

 :deadhorse: :deadhorse: :deadhorse:




 :lol2:

The only reason I didn't lock the thread down is I figured you had the right to respond.   :lol:

Bingo and I appreciate it.