Coaches usually have packages for personnel in the game.  Now if TR switches to a wideout the D usually has a counter D for the personnel on the field. Coaches have computer programs that breaks down down/distance/hash/personnel and formations.

I wonder if Sandra Bullock is here?  At least that would be exciting.

I would like to see your notes.

There are examples every year where teams who should not be on the field with another team wins the game.  Should Wake Forrest play with FSU?

I agree there was an absence of emotion.  Players didn't jump around when someone made a big play and congratulate them like they did in the "big" game.  Bama needs to understand every game is a big game if they plan to play for a national championship.

I will be honest I am worried about the next game.  First the unispired first half play by Bama is a cause for concern.  Second, The Nutt always seems to come up with one upset a year.  I sort of wish Bama had dropped in the rankings to show they have to impress and play every play, not just a half when they are playing an unranked team.

This surprises me.  I thought with Bama's performance they would have dropped to 3 and OU move up.

I think LSU will try to dump the ball short, like Vandy.  They will try to run the ball and be happy with 3 yards per play.  I think they will try to control the ball with the run and short pass.  Play D and take field position since Bama can't really flip the field with the punt. 

Again, first let me say congrats to the players and coaches on the victory and a great game plan.  I do think this is the most calm I have seen CNS during a game. I think I even saw him smile before the game was over.   I do think in the first half both the O and D displayed a lackluster effort. The 2nd half for both was better.


Offense:  The O did what they wanted to do.   They threw the ball to different rec and ran the ball when they wanted.  Like I said above the O seem to be in a practice mode in the first half.  There seem to be more focus and effort the second half.  The Bama running backs were hit in the backfield 6 times and 4 of those were early in the game before the backups came in. The impressive drive was in the 2nd half when Bama went 94 yards after losing good field position on a punt return because of a penalty.  I did notice there were some early adjustments in the OL to get CK some playing time.  I saw BJ go to the right tackle spot for DJF.  Also, I do think the D is timing the snap count at times.  Again Bama had no TO’s which if I heard correctly goes back to 37 straight offensive possessions. 

QB:  AJ had a good game and more balls were on target this game.  He hit the rec in stride more than once.  The two best throws I saw was the one to MM on a long 3rd down which gave Bama a first down and the one when he had to scramble and threw a rope to the side line.  I do think he didn’t put enough on the throw to the wide rec screen that was caught for a loss on the play.  He also missed some open rec’s a couple of times.  I still feel he locks into certain rec on some plays and doesn’t see the field. However, I did notice him check down a few times.  I thought PS did well when he came in.  I thought he should have gotten the entire 4th quarter. 
 
RB:  TR was TR.  He ran hard, protected the football, and blocked well.  I really thought JF came in and ran hard and gave TR a rest.  I don’t think Bama lost a step when he was in the game.  If this continues, Bama can have 3 backs that can get the job done.  BS also did well, and the only reason I didn’t mention him as one of the 3 above, I just haven’t seen enough of him.  Also, he isn’t usually in with the first team OL and the D is tired by this point. 

REC:  The rec’s caught the ball well and made yards after the catch.  Seven different wide outs caught the ball.  Some of them need to do a better job blocking downfield.  It seems that #2’s progression into the O may be because people continually have to tell him where to line up.  I notice this in other games as well.  I do like the fact that he went up to get the 2nd TD pass instead of waiting for it to come down and allow the D a chance to make a play.  He also made a good catch for his first TD in the back of the end zone on a high throw.

OL:  They played pretty well especially in the 2nd half.  As I stated above the Bama runners were hit 4 times behind the LOS in the first half.    The TE/HB got blown up on one play where they were on a double team.  The center WV also got blown up one in the game.  This is where I wonder a couple of things.  One does Bama need to change up the snap count or are the centers giving some indication of when the ball is going to be snapped.   I will say the starters in the second half opened some wide holes for the RB’s and gave AJ plenty of time to throw the ball. 

Defense:  The D also played a lackluster first half.  Vandy did come out with a good game plan of getting the ball out quickly and take what they could get.   They put together 2 nice drives but missed field goals.  Also, they did miss a wide open rec that may have gone for a TD.  The D did come up with 10 negative plays which included 2 Int’s.  I don’t count no gains as negative plays.  I am disappointed in CU and DH.  First, DH takes a mule kick at a Vandy player who tried to cut him (this happened around the 7:34 mark in the 2nd quarter).  Also, CU kicked a player after he couldn’t get off the block (this happened at the 4:21 mark in the 2nd quarter).  They may have been held or maybe cut, but it could cost the team in a big game.  There was one play where the TE slammed released and the caught the pass after the QB rolled right.  This is a busted coverage.  Finally, Bama missed more tackles in this game than in others.  On one play alone there were 3 missed tackles. 

DL:  They played well and what impresses me is that different players are making plays.  I really don’t think anyone stood out. 

LB:    Again they played well.  They had to come up in space and make tackles with the short passing game by Vandy.  NJ had a nice int as he stayed with the coverage when the QB scrambled. 

DB:  They really weren’t challenged much.  Most of the throws were underneath.  DK did get beat deep and the ball was overthrown.  They did come up and make some big tackles on the short throws.  MB had more than one big hit during the day. 

Special teams:  I guess it doesn’t matter how deep the ball is kicked if Bama can make the other team drive over 70 yards.  Not a lot happened on special teams.  MM had a nice return negated by a penalty.   The cover teams did their jobs pretty well.

Penalties:  Bama only had 15 yards worth of penalties.  One was a holding that negated a big run by TR.  However, AJ completed the pass to overcome. 
 
Please feel free to comment.

Good Luck and Roll Tide Roll

I have a feeling some team will try to get him next year.  I guess a year out of the SEC has cured his medical problems.

I got him and there is not a thing he can do about it.

One of DK main problems was he kept glancing back for the ball instead of closing on the rec.  A player must look at the player to make up the ground, you just can't run as fast looking back.

I got to thinking about how the D played and negative plays the UF O had.  If I counted correctly, UF ran 40 plays, not counting punts or FG tries, after the first 2 series.  Of those 40 plays 13 had a negative outcome for the Gators.  There were 11 tackles for loss which includes 4 sacks.  Also, there was 1 int which was returned for a TD and 1 fumble recovery which gave Bama field postions for another TD.  This means 32.5% of UF plays had a negative outcome.  This in my opinion is a great credit to the coaching staff and the adjustments they made.

I think Fulton has done some decent work on the special teams.  I know he got on CNS list for a while the other night.