Cecil on the SB

[McBaman]

Hope this link works... Cecil, as usual, makes some important points.

Click here for link

If you've not seen the post game presser, it's worth watching.

There is a lot of talk about how the players failed to perform, etc.  There are one or two reference to coaches' responsibility to get players prepared and ready to play.  After two losses to spread/up-tempo offenses, and after seeing how (to me) unimaginative our offensive scheme is in its design (notwithstanding that we gained lots of yards and scored lots of points), it seems to me that the coaches have much to answer for.

Flame me if you will, and there is nobody I'd rather have as the HC at my alma mater, but you can't put 100% of the blame on the players' failure to execute or communicate or whatever. Don't coaches also play a role in "the process?"

[N.AL-Tider]

Bama has played a very balanced offense the last few years.  I don't know the exact numbers of passes vs. rushes but am pretty sure it was heavily in favor of passing.  Yeldon wasn't getting it done.  Henry obviously did.  From my perspective, this game was lost by the coaches (offensive and defensive play calling) and I also didn't see much "senior" leadership.  Why didn't AJ get in the OL's grills a time or two when he was sacked instead of just getting up and mumbling something under his breath? 

[2Stater]

This will be the first time in five years that his team — the Alabama team — has taken even a one-game losing streak, much less two, into the offseason. But there is expectation there, too. He fixed it before so he will fix it again, right?

So you never are quite back at Square One.

For the first time in a while, Alabama will have to become something new and different to get better. It will be interesting to watch that process — to use Saban's word — and see if The Process can make it happen.

In other words, to find a way be successful against the HUNH/spread/read-option offenses.

[jtide]

I'm gonna have to agree with the above posts.  Don't get me wrong, I would rather have Coach Saban than anyone else in the country, but I feel like the coaches have a lot of blame to shoulder in this loss.  Also, I think we had very poor offensive line play this year.  Not just in executing and being physical, but I would bet good money that this was the most penalized line that we have had in Coach Saban's tenure. 

[roll tide roll]

The absence of Sunseri cannot be dismissed.  There is no doubt that the outcome of the Iron Bowl would have been different if he had been able to play. The team was additionally hampered by Kelly's absence as well.

The players made mistakes.  Turnovers occurred.  Assignments were blown.  If Kouandjio does not jump offsides BAMA wins.  

I have never been dissatisfied with a Saban coached game until the Iron Bowl.

For a senior-centric coach to not give his senior qb the final opportunity to win in regulation is inexcusable.  

It is hard to say that the game plan was not a good one b/c last night, and in the Iron Bowl, BAMA out gained their opponents in almost every facet of the games, except points.  However, the execution was not there when it was needed the most.

 Last night Sunseri was missed again.

Last night was a repeat of the Iron Bowl.  The players made mistakes. Turnovers occurred.  Assignments were blown. Two illegal blocks on Jones's return for a TD.

The defensive secondary has been thin and suspect all year.  The offensive line play has been inconsistent.

[Marshal Dillon]

According to other threads & posts on this forum, all of you above posters are being "negative," attacking the players & coaches, and basically being bad posters since you have an opinion, state what you saw during the game, point out problem areas and are basically not Tide fans but communist spies trying to undermine the country & Tide football. Just thought you might like to know that, you bunch of traitors & haters.



 





 

[ricky023]

According to other threads 7 posts on this forum, all of you above posters are being "negative," attacking the players & coaches, and basically being bad posters since you have an opinion, state what you saw during the game, point out problem areas and are basically not Tide fans but communist spies trying to undermine the country & Tide football. Just thought you might like to know that, you bunch of traitors & haters.



 





 

Hey MD that's aight, being a Baptist preacher I have been called worse.  , but we ain't dead it seems everytime we lose one we come back and win 2, make the trophy cabinet bigger.  , RTR!

[pmull]

Football is a team sport. A team consists of players, coaches, trainers and administrators. You win as a team and you lose as a team. There is enough blame to go around. No need to point fingers.

Roll Tide!

[ALTideUp]

A couple observations.

First, in the games we have lost over the last several years, I cannot think of one in which we were beat by a team that was playing at their usual level of play. I can accept that when they play Bama, they are gonna put in an above average effort. I am talking about teams, and especially QBs playing out of their minds against us. Think back to the Tebow throws that beat us in the SEC championship game. Their receivers were well defended and he was throwing it into mailbox-sized openings. In 2011 Mettenberg, who had been an interception machine becomes a surgeon with the ball. Johnny football slung it around all year and threw his fair share of picks, but last year all his cavalier throws ended up in the right hands. Last night this red shirt freshman comes in and plays way over his head in the biggest game of his young life.

Second thing is that when we won the NCs, we played almost error free football. No holding, no movement calls, no INTs, no fumbles. It was beautiful to watch, I'd like to see the numbers of this, but it seems like we slipped way back on those things this year. And for a grinding, ball-control oriented offense, that's a killer. The other team gets the ball more, puts more pressure on the D. We give up points, and the then the O has to change it's game plan. And this costs us most against the hurry up teams - A&M, Farmily, and OU.

Lastly, did we even once throw a check down pass to a RB coming out of the backfield. In past years this was such a big part of our offense, and this year I can't remember seeing it but handful of times (not talking about designed plays).

Still, with the end of the season come, I'd not trade our team, coach or tradition for anyone's.

RTR

[Marshal Dillon]

 

[pmull]

A couple observations.

First, in the games we have lost over the last several years, I cannot think of one in which we were beat by a team that was playing at their usual level of play. I can accept that when they play Bama, they are gonna put in an above average effort. I am talking about teams, and especially QBs playing out of their minds against us. Think back to the Tebow throws that beat us in the SEC championship game. Their receivers were well defended and he was throwing it into mailbox-sized openings. In 2011 Mettenberg, who had been an interception machine becomes a surgeon with the ball. Johnny football slung it around all year and threw his fair share of picks, but last year all his cavalier throws ended up in the right hands. Last night this red shirt freshman comes in and plays way over his head in the biggest game of his young life.

Second thing is that when we won the NCs, we played almost error free football. No holding, no movement calls, no INTs, no fumbles. It was beautiful to watch, I'd like to see the numbers of this, but it seems like we slipped way back on those things this year. And for a grinding, ball-control oriented offense, that's a killer. The other team gets the ball more, puts more pressure on the D. We give up points, and the then the O has to change it's game plan. And this costs us most against the hurry up teams - A&M, Farmily, and OU.

Lastly, did we even once throw a check down pass to a RB coming out of the backfield. In past years this was such a big part of our offense, and this year I can't remember seeing it but handful of times (not talking about designed plays).

Still, with the end of the season come, I'd not trade our team, coach or tradition for anyone's.

RTR

Gary Danielson has said many times it takes a good team playing at a high level with a HOT QB to beat us. I think every team that has beat us since CNS 2nd year (2008) has finished the season as a top 10 team.

[Marshal Dillon]

A couple observations.

First, in the games we have lost over the last several years, I cannot think of one in which we were beat by a team that was playing at their usual level of play. I can accept that when they play Bama, they are gonna put in an above average effort. I am talking about teams, and especially QBs playing out of their minds against us. Think back to the Tebow throws that beat us in the SEC championship game. Their receivers were well defended and he was throwing it into mailbox-sized openings. In 2011 Mettenberg, who had been an interception machine becomes a surgeon with the ball. Johnny football slung it around all year and threw his fair share of picks, but last year all his cavalier throws ended up in the right hands. Last night this red shirt freshman comes in and plays way over his head in the biggest game of his young life.

Second thing is that when we won the NCs, we played almost error free football. No holding, no movement calls, no INTs, no fumbles. It was beautiful to watch, I'd like to see the numbers of this, but it seems like we slipped way back on those things this year. And for a grinding, ball-control oriented offense, that's a killer. The other team gets the ball more, puts more pressure on the D. We give up points, and the then the O has to change it's game plan. And this costs us most against the hurry up teams - A&M, Farmily, and OU.

Lastly, did we even once throw a check down pass to a RB coming out of the backfield. In past years this was such a big part of our offense, and this year I can't remember seeing it but handful of times (not talking about designed plays).

Still, with the end of the season come, I'd not trade our team, coach or tradition for anyone's.

RTR

Gary Danielson has said many times it takes a good team playing at a high level with a HOT QB to beat us. I think every team that has beat us since CNS 2nd year (2008) has finished the season as a top 10 team.

You're right about Danielson, who I really like. The problem last night was we got beat by a 2nd team QB, and at best, average QB. He came into the game with 52% pass completion average, something like 451 yards passing, 5 TD's & 4 interceptions. No way that should happen if we have decent DB's. That was definitely our biggest Achilles heel this year. Stuff happens and it caught up with us. Personally, I think Saban's coaching job this year was his 2nd best at Alabama. His 2008 team were huge overachievers with limited experience at certain areas and still using several Shula-era players.


 

[bamaphil]

The offensive-line just didn't develop into a dominant force as they had been the last couple of years.  We didn't need an "imaginative" offense because in '11-12 we could wear teams out and run the ball down their throats in the 3rd-4th quarters.  This year's O-line never developed that ability even with a stable of great running backs. 

Even though it's not exciting, I very much like Saban's approach to offense.  Gimmicks come and go, physical dominance always wins.  I hope the coaching staff will look at some options for what to do if they can't establish a dominant running game next year though.  I do think the O-line will be improved next year.

Defensively, we came into the year weak on the line and weak in the secondary.  There were some injuries in both places along the way.  The problems in the secondary wouldn't have been as noticeable if we could have gotten pressure on the QB.  Next year both units should be deeper and more experienced. 

The last two games have been frustrating and disappointing.  I hate to see AJ go out this way after such a brilliant career. 

The future remains bright.  The new QB is stepping into an offense loaded with experienced playmakers, and we got a preview of what Henry's going to do for the next two years last night.  At a critical moment we had two freshmen at CB last night.  That hurts in the present but should be beneficial in the long-run to have young guys getting big game experience. 

In short, the last two games were nothing but a little bump in the road.

[Catch Prothro]

A couple observations.

First, in the games we have lost over the last several years, I cannot think of one in which we were beat by a team that was playing at their usual level of play. I can accept that when they play Bama, they are gonna put in an above average effort. I am talking about teams, and especially QBs playing out of their minds against us. Think back to the Tebow throws that beat us in the SEC championship game. Their receivers were well defended and he was throwing it into mailbox-sized openings. In 2011 Mettenberg, who had been an interception machine becomes a surgeon with the ball. Johnny football slung it around all year and threw his fair share of picks, but last year all his cavalier throws ended up in the right hands. Last night this red shirt freshman comes in and plays way over his head in the biggest game of his young life.

Second thing is that when we won the NCs, we played almost error free football. No holding, no movement calls, no INTs, no fumbles. It was beautiful to watch, I'd like to see the numbers of this, but it seems like we slipped way back on those things this year. And for a grinding, ball-control oriented offense, that's a killer. The other team gets the ball more, puts more pressure on the D. We give up points, and the then the O has to change it's game plan. And this costs us most against the hurry up teams - A&M, Farmily, and OU.

Lastly, did we even once throw a check down pass to a RB coming out of the backfield. In past years this was such a big part of our offense, and this year I can't remember seeing it but handful of times (not talking about designed plays).

Still, with the end of the season come, I'd not trade our team, coach or tradition for anyone's.

RTR

I agree with your observations.  One thing I didn't understand was how ill-prepared Bama was for OK's blitzs.  In past games, AJ knows exactly where to go with the football during a blitz, but there didn't seem to be that option last night.  Left tackle was consistently beat on the pass rush, but no adjustment was made, no additional blocker added.  Knowing that OK is blitzing, OC can call a screen pass, like Yeldon against LSU, but I don't remember Bama even trying that, except the pass to Henry. 

I think Bama is missing not only Sunseri on the field, but also some of those assistant coaches who have gone elsewhere.  The past two games definitely were team losses, a lack of effort on the part of most everyone, including the coaches.

(Insert Saban is a great coach boilerplate here).

[pmull]

A couple observations.

First, in the games we have lost over the last several years, I cannot think of one in which we were beat by a team that was playing at their usual level of play. I can accept that when they play Bama, they are gonna put in an above average effort. I am talking about teams, and especially QBs playing out of their minds against us. Think back to the Tebow throws that beat us in the SEC championship game. Their receivers were well defended and he was throwing it into mailbox-sized openings. In 2011 Mettenberg, who had been an interception machine becomes a surgeon with the ball. Johnny football slung it around all year and threw his fair share of picks, but last year all his cavalier throws ended up in the right hands. Last night this red shirt freshman comes in and plays way over his head in the biggest game of his young life.

Second thing is that when we won the NCs, we played almost error free football. No holding, no movement calls, no INTs, no fumbles. It was beautiful to watch, I'd like to see the numbers of this, but it seems like we slipped way back on those things this year. And for a grinding, ball-control oriented offense, that's a killer. The other team gets the ball more, puts more pressure on the D. We give up points, and the then the O has to change it's game plan. And this costs us most against the hurry up teams - A&M, Farmily, and OU.

Lastly, did we even once throw a check down pass to a RB coming out of the backfield. In past years this was such a big part of our offense, and this year I can't remember seeing it but handful of times (not talking about designed plays).

Still, with the end of the season come, I'd not trade our team, coach or tradition for anyone's.

RTR

Gary Danielson has said many times it takes a good team playing at a high level with a HOT QB to beat us. I think every team that has beat us since CNS 2nd year (2008) has finished the season as a top 10 team.

You're right about Danielson, who I really like. The problem last night was we got beat by a 2nd team QB, and at best, average QB. He came into the game with 52% pass completion average, something like 451 yards passing, 5 TD's & 4 interceptions. No way that should happen if we have decent DB's. That was definitely our biggest Achilles heel this year. Stuff happens and it caught up with us. Personally, I think Saban's coaching job this year was his 2nd best at Alabama. His 2008 team were huge overachievers with limited experience at certain areas and still using several Shula-era players.


 

I don't care if you are a walk on with no playing experience if you play like that kid did against us you are a HOT QB on that night. He made some outstanding throws into tight coverage. He threw a very good deep ball. You do not have to be an NFL draft pick to get HOT in one game. Garcia did it for SC a few years ago and he never played that well again.

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