Sunday Morning CRS Coach's Corner: Game 3

[Jamos]

Whew, it's bad enough when you lose but when it's 1:30 in the morning before you get home from the game and you only live 10 miles from the stadium, you know it's been a bad night.

Where do you start when you want to write/talk about what were the reason(s) for the bad loss to Ole Miss last night? I know that everyone that watched or listened to the game has a list about the size of a grocery shopping list of the reason(s) that possibly/probably knocked Bama out of any championship consideration this football season. With Bama's tough schedule, you would have to think though that this one loss shouldn't keep them out of any consideration but the media world isn't in love with the team as the Bama fans are and only time will have the answer to Bama's fate. There are many games to play yet in this season and I'm sure there will be more of the things happen that happened to Bama last night.

Now, where do we start? I saw a team last night that seemed to waiver on the line of being a decent team and one that was very average. Mistakes, and it doesn't take many, can make any team look very average or below average. Also, there is the ole horseshoe adage as well, having some good luck.

I'll start with the mistakes reason. This game started with a serious mistake and it ended with mistakes. You can't give a good team any kind of an advantage and expect to win and Bama started the game giving Ole Miss a golden opportunity and Ole Miss took full advantage of it. The game ended pretty much like it started with Bama, down by less than a touchdown, having control of the ball with enough time on the clock to win the game but again a big mistake ended that drive and the game.

Now let's talk about the luck factor. Say what you want about luck but I thought there were two lucky plays in the game that ended up costing Bama the game. The first play was an Ole Miss pass that was no more than a Hail Mary pass caused by a Bama tackler that ended up in the hands of an Ole Miss receiver and was somehow knocked loose from the receiver by a Bama defenders helmet into another Ole Miss players hand and he raced untouched for a touchdown. The other lucky play was near the end of the game when Ole Miss threw a pass for a touchdown that seemed to show the QB was over the line of scrimmage when the pass was thrown. I must say that I had seen a play just like this one earlier in the day in the Auburn and LSU game. In that game, the QB was past the line of scrimmage except for his back foot and the rule states that the whole body has to be past the line of scrimmage and his foot was not. When they showed the replay of the Ole Miss QB and his back foot was on the line of scrimmage I knew then that it would be ruled a touchdown which to me sealed the victory for Ole Miss. I always thought that if the ball was past the line of scrimmage when thrown it was illegal but I learned something yesterday, it's not.

There were many, many more reasons why Bama lost the game but I tried to find the "nail in the coffin lid" type situations that I felt happened when Bama still had a good shot at winning the game. A true championship caliber team will overcome adversity and find ways to win the close games and now Bama is faced with that very situation. The big question is can this team grow from this experience and become a championship caliber team or will they regress and falter to the tough schedule ahead of them. I saw nothing to give me a good feeling about the teams future for the rest of this season as there were so many mistakes in every facet of the teams performance last night, something that is very unusual for a Nick Saban team. I'm not abandoning the ship by no means but just stating that this team's play needs a lot of heavy duty improvement to survive the difficulty of what's ahead for them. Can they do it, sure but it's going to take more than just coaching, it's going to take some players playing up to what they are capable of playing and that's not just happening right now.

I'll be there next Saturday rooting them on as though they were still undefeated, I'm not a quitter and I hope the players feel the same way. "Mother Luck" will surely need to find her way to help our team in the games ahead because we are going to need some. RTR!!!

[bamaphil]

I don't have much to add.  That was the worst game I've seen Bama play in a long time, combined with some awful bad luck.  Still, they only lost by 6 to a very good team.  I don't know if that's an encouraging sign or not.

Last year, after the loss to Ole Miss and horrible performance against Arkansas the next week I don't think anyone thought Bama would be in the playoff.  But then they found an identity against A&M and never slowed down until the 2nd half of the OSU game.

There's a long season still ahead, but unfortunately there is no more margin for error.  Bama must win every game the rest of the way to stay in championship contention.  We'll find out if this team has it in them or not.

[2Stater]

The QB had part of his body behind the line, but an offensive lineman was 5 yds downfield on the play. So much for the refs paying closer attention to those plays.

[Jamos]

The QB had part of his body behind the line, but an offensive lineman was 5 yds downfield on the play. So much for the refs paying closer attention to those plays.

I agree and it was the same way in the LSU/Auburn game as well, linemen downfield and not called. I thought the infamous added ref was going to take care of that problem.

[Catch Prothro]

The QB had part of his body behind the line, but an offensive lineman was 5 yds downfield on the play. So much for the refs paying closer attention to those plays.

I agree and it was the same way in the LSU/Auburn game as well, linemen downfield and not called. I thought the infamous added ref was going to take care of that problem.

There was a proposal to limit linemen to one yard down field, because allegedly it's too challenging for refs to distinguish linemen down field at the three yard mark, but it hasn't been approved yet.

[Catch Prothro]

Bama lost the game because (1) lucky bounces and (2) five turnovers.  It was nice to see the team fight back.  I hope they learn from this game.

Is there a Lane Kiffin jinx?  

I've seen brilliant play calling, but then last night had me scratching my head, what were we doing early in the game. There was an element of Bama not being Bama, especially  on offense.  Sometimes for a big game coaches overthink it, change what they do to attack a perceived weakness on the other team.  (Ironically, Hugh Freeze spoke about this pregame in response to a preparation question, how he had done it in the past for some big games but learned his lesson and wasn't changing who Ole Miss is for Bama.)  Bama may have done that on offense v. Ole Miss.  I wasn't sure why insert Bateman for his first start on such a big game, why try so many toss sweeps (especially around the end zone), why insert a zone read option (but then never use it for a QB run), why not just keep doing those things that had been successful....   Once Ole Miss built a lead Bama was strictly in the 2 minute offense for the rest of the game, which would have happened regardless.

[Jamos]

The QB had part of his body behind the line, but an offensive lineman was 5 yds downfield on the play. So much for the refs paying closer attention to those plays.

I agree and it was the same way in the LSU/Auburn game as well, linemen downfield and not called. I thought the infamous added ref was going to take care of that problem.

There was a proposal to limit linemen to one yard down field,because allegedly it's too challenging for refs to distinguish linemen down field at the three yard mark, but it hasn't been approved yet.

The rule was actually approved by the committee but the NCAA decided against the rule and overruled that and added an extra ref instead. CNS rolled his eyes when told us of this.

[lstephen]

Lots and lots of reasons for the loss.  But a -5 turnover margin will kill most any team.

[McBaman]

Good post Jamos.  Think  you said it all.

If there's one point where I slightly differ, it's on coaching.  After MTSU, I thought our team did not look well coached.  Last night = more of same.  True, some of this is on the players, but all of it???  Wayyy too sloppy a performance.

To me, one of the biggest differences was QB play.  Can't say the OM QB had a teriffic night, but our QBs at times looked they were in a neighborhood sandlot game.  Almost making it up as they went along.  I'm sure this was not the case but both Cooper & Jake looked lost too much of the time.

I don't know where Blake B is in his development.  But if we're going to suffer through an off year, then my vote (as if I had one!) is to go with Barnett and let him learn/develop.  Then we'll have an established QB going into next year.

[ALTideUp]

Bama lost the game because (1) lucky bounces and (2) five turnovers.  It was nice to see the team fight back.  I hope they learn from this game.

Is there a Lane Kiffin jinx?  

I've seen brilliant play calling, but then last night had me scratching my head, what were we doing early in the game. There was an element of Bama not being Bama, especially  on offense.  Sometimes for a big game coaches overthink it, change what they do to attack a perceived weakness on the other team.  (Ironically, Hugh Freeze spoke about this pregame in response to a preparation question, how he had done it in the past for some big games but learned his lesson and wasn't changing who Ole Miss is for Bama.)  Bama may have done that on offense v. Ole Miss.  I wasn't sure why insert Bateman for his first start on such a big game, why try so many toss sweeps (especially around the end zone), why insert a zone read option (but then never use it for a QB run), why not just keep doing those things that had been successful....   Once Ole Miss built a lead Bama was strictly in the 2 minute offense for the rest of the game, which would have happened regardless.

They didn't just bounce back. They played with intensity and determination the whole game. Long after me a 50K others left because midnight was approaching and we couldn't take it emotionally, they fought and fought and fought, just like it says in the song. I thought they showed tremendous character. Moving into the future I wouldn't trade that  tenacity for the turn-overs. Obviously, the turnovers have to be fixed, of course, but that's easier than re-adjusting the mindset of a whole team.

[Catch Prothro]

The QB had part of his body behind the line, but an offensive lineman was 5 yds downfield on the play. So much for the refs paying closer attention to those plays.

I agree and it was the same way in the LSU/Auburn game as well, linemen downfield and not called. I thought the infamous added ref was going to take care of that problem.

There was a proposal to limit linemen to one yard down field,because allegedly it's too challenging for refs to distinguish linemen down field at the three yard mark, but it hasn't been approved yet.

The rule was actually approved by the committee but the NCAA decided against the rule and overruled that and added an extra ref instead. CNS rolled his eyes when told us of this.

Aha, thanks for the clarification. 

Extra ref?  How's that working?   

[N.AL-Tider]

I wouldnt mind seeing the NCAA add a rule to help the referee's be better able to see when a lineman is down field. They could be required to wear slightly different color, or shade of jersey. Seems like that would help them to stand out when a team is passing so that extra reference could easier do what he is there for...

In pee wee football the players that have numbers not normally associated with being an offensive lineman are required to wear a " penny" jersey over their regular jersey whey on offense.

[ricky023]

I am going to pull for Bama just like the days when we were lucky if we won 3 games a year. They are the only team I ever pulled for in sports and always will be. I just don't understand, if w have won the recruiting battle 3 or 4 years in a row those 5*'s should be 3 or 4 years into college ball.
Are we being out coached or what is going on? I just have to admit I am totally confused and I can't find a blind squirrel in this situation.
Yes I have read all the dynasty is over which i don't think we had one did we? Miami had one one time but it was like 4 or 5 years of winning to find out they cheated, so. Now back to my question we see people like Georgia and LSU put together wins that should not be and they don't have the talent we have so, I don't know. I did however, see CNS cussin with some mouth words that I know is not going to win games it might just put a downer on the kids. Shoot, I was so confused I actually can not think of who we play next week, rofl. God Bless Bama. RTR!

[SUPERCOACH]

My take on the QB rule for being over the line of scrimmage is that they should change that rule to make it more consistent with all of the other football rules.  The rule should be if the ball breaks the plane of the line of scrimmage before it leaves the QB's hand.  That is much easier to judge in live action by both the refs and the defensive players.  You know, the DB does not have the benefit of watching a replay to see if the QB is past the line of scrimmage or not.  And now that we know the rule is that he actually can be past the line of scrimmage when he throws so long as he has one sliver of a shoe string on the line of scrimmage I have no idea how a defense is supposed to stop that play.  If you stay back on the receiver you are essentially conceding at least a 5 yard run by the QB.

[Old Tider]

Ouch!  Expect more of this, folks.

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