Brodie Croyle will be the star of the upcoming season!

Frankly, if Brodie stays healthy, then he will put up record numbers this season. While that may be a big IF to most of you, staying healthy, I'm more concerned with how the defense fares.

I've posted it before so I won't bore you again with past stats, but last seasons offensive output wasn't but about 3 points off from past championship years output. Where as the defense gave up double digit point differences compared to past seasons. Over 25 points a game if memory is correct.

The offense should be better, especially after an extra year under coach Shula's tutelage. The defense in my opinion has lost the most talent the past couple of years, and will be the key to a winning season and a return to a bowl game.

I'm more afraid of injuries to defensive players, and anxious of how many freshman will be depended on to provide depth and may be rushed into the starting lineup in the event of such of a catastrophe.

I know the offensive line is inexperienced and thin in numbers, and we will have to be lucky and avoid the injuries for the QB's to be successful on offense. But defense wins games. Remember '92?

The best offense for a weak defense is a time consuming, wear'em down running game. The best defense for a suspect offense is a suffocating 3 downs and out defense.

Does coach Shulla have either or a facsimile of both? I sure hope so! Will Brodie have a break out year? I believe he will. Will any one care how many yards he passes for or how good he looks if Bama has a tough season? I doubt it!
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!!

[This message has been edited by wastedmason (edited 04-14-2004).]
 

TerryP

Suspended
Oct 8, 1999
1,000
6
0
You seem to be hinting at the point that it's the defense that needs to improve if we look to have a good season. The numbers/stats/rankins suggest otherwise.

Rushing Offense

BAMA 2003 158.9 ypg (53rd nationally)
The 30th ranked team in rushing gained 186.5 ypg
The 20th ranked team gained 201.7 ypg

Passing Offense

BAMA 2003 191.6 ypg (85th nationally)
The 30th ranked team in passing gained 257.0 ypg
The 20th ranked team gained 279.3 ypg

Scoring Offense

BAMA 2003 25.5 ppg (69th nationally)
The 30th ranked team in scoring offense scores 31.1 ppg
The 20th ranked team allowed 33.8 ppg

BENCHMARKS FOR OFFENSIVE SUCCESS

The Offensive Line is a question mark. There is little experience and depth at WR. However, there is experience and quality returning in the backfield. The Offense has much further to go than the defense. The following would represent major improvement offensively:

170 ypg rushing
230 ypg passing
TOTAL O = 400 ypg

That's 50 ypg more than we gained this season (when we finished 115th in total O). Based on 2003 stats, at 400 ypg, BAMA would be ranked 65th nationally in total offense. In addition, BAMA needs to score an average of 28 ppg or more which would rank them 51st nationally in scoring O. While I'd love to see the kind of improvement I'm hoping for the defense (top 25 nationally), the offense just has so much ground to make up compared to other teams that it isn't realistic to do so. If they improve to the levels hoped for and with injury luck, we can expect perhaps a 7 win season and a minor bowl.

Rushing Defense

BAMA 2003 132.5 ypg (37th nationally)
The 30th ranked team in rushing D allowed 127.8 ypg
The 20th ranked team allowed 111.2 ypg

Passing Defense

BAMA 2003 227.8 ypg (75th nationally)
The 30th ranked team in passing D allowed 195.6 ypg
The 20th ranked team allowed 188.6 ypg

Scoring Defense

BAMA 2003 25.6 ppg (60th nationally)
The 30th ranked team in scoring D allowed 20.8 ppg
The 20th ranked team allowed 19.4 ppg

BENCHMARKS FOR DEFENSIVE SUCCESS

We will have depth problems but that is offset somewhat by an easier schedule as compared to 2004. Realistically, defensive statistics depend on what the offense does and how good the kicking game is. However, Coach Kines' defense will have shown major improvement if they average limiting the opponents to:

120 ypg rushing
200 ypg passing
TOTAL D = 320 ypg

That's 40 ypg less than we allowed this season (when we finished 48th in total D). Based on 2003 stats, at 320 ypg, BAMA would be ranked 21st nationally in total defense. In addition, BAMA needs to hold their opponents to an average of 20 ppg or less which would rank them 25th nationally in scoring D.

As you can see, the defense has could easily improve enough this coming season to compare favorably with the top 25 defenses in the country. This will likely shock some but the offense - not the defense (as poor as it was) - was our weak link in 2003. It will take moderate defensive improvement to move us back to the top, however, major offensive improvement is needed if we are to ever get there.
 

TommyMac

Hall of Fame
Apr 24, 2001
14,040
33
0
83
Mobile, Alabama
Last season's offensive output is deceiving. Much of it was piled up in the 2nd halves of games that were essentially already lost due to a bunch of 3-and-outs in the 1st half which kept an already thin D on the field constantly.
 
Regardless of when those stats were accumulated....they were accumulated during the season none the less...

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by TommyMac:
Last season's offensive output is deceiving. Much of it was piled up in the 2nd halves of games that were essentially already lost due to a bunch of 3-and-outs in the 1st half which kept an already thin D on the field constantly.</font>
 
Nice stats Terry. I'm with you for the most part. I believe the offense will be better, if for no other reason than Brodie being healthy and Shula's offensive plan is better in place.

The offensive line and receivers will definitely be a concern, but they were poor to average last season also. The running backs and QB's should be a strength though. As last season did, injuries could spell doom.

I'm still aghast at the woeful play of the defense last season, specifically the late game meltdowns. And that is where I have my biggest concerns. Got to find quality depth.
Freshman? We shall see and hope.

The much easier schedule will help. And if the offense can play ball control and by that I mean, running 60% to say 40% pass, then they can help keep the defense fresh. Incomplete passes take a whole lot less time off the clock as a running play does. I believe its easier to play offense than defense but either side will have to be injury free.

Who knows, Brodie may come out firing on all cylinders, burn them blitzing D's for big plays. The offensive line may break open wholes big enough to drive a Mac truck thru, and Ray Hudson will look like a speeding bullet going by. But if that defense gives up 25 points a game, then it had better not be a dream it had better be reality.
 

tider04

Scout Team
Apr 13, 2004
140
0
0
wake forest, nc , usa
I believe Brodie is as good as or better then all QB's in the SEC, talent wise. Difference between Brodie and say David Greene is that Brodie never had more than 2 seconds to scan the field before someone was trying to take his head off. Our O-line was pathetically horrible in pass protection last year. Honestly we may never know how good Brodie is, if we can't get some folks to block for him.
 

talisitider

All-SEC
Jan 24, 2003
1,173
3
0
47
Tallassee, AL
I'm sure players and coaches on both sides of the ball see vast room for improvement overall.

I'm just glad that everybody involved seems focused on improving and that we don't have a bunch of Leon's on the team.

Budweiser's Leon-"There's no 'I' in team," the TV reporter reminds Leon.

"Well, there ain't no 'we,' either," Leon responds.

Maybe one of the best commercials ever....

[This message has been edited by talisitider (edited 04-14-2004).]
 

chris

All-SEC
May 17, 2001
1,956
18
157
loxley,al. 36551
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by TommyMac:
Last season's offensive output is deceiving. Much of it was piled up in the 2nd halves of games that were essentially already lost due to a bunch of 3-and-outs in the 1st half which kept an already thin D on the field constantly.</font>
"This will likely shock some but the offense - not the defense (as poor as it was) - was our weak link in 2003."

A-FREAKIN-MEN!!!


------------------
"you'd better pass" -Marty Lyons
 

talisitider

All-SEC
Jan 24, 2003
1,173
3
0
47
Tallassee, AL
This is another wrestling match....

But somebody posted some info comparing offensive output and defensive rankings compared to the '92 rankings, if I remember right it seems that the the offensive numbers were similar, but a good point was made that many numbers came in the second half after the game was out of reach and quite possibly against some 2nd and maybe even 3rd teamers.

And comparing the athletes on the '92 team to the current team is a mute point, mainly because of the effects of the sanctions.
 

TerryP

Suspended
Oct 8, 1999
1,000
6
0
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by talisitider:


But somebody posted some info comparing offensive output and defensive rankings compared to the '92 rankings, if I remember right it seems that the the offensive numbers were similar, but a good point was made that many numbers came in the second half after the game was out of reach and quite possibly against some 2nd and maybe even 3rd teamers.

</font>
There is a great point. In fact, it's one that I haven't looked into. Who has a copy of the '93 Media Guide that has the game by game breakdowns?

T
 
Terry, I posted a while back the scoring averages of the "92", "02" and last years "03" team.

"92"-28.2 pts. pg.- off.
-9.4 pts. pg.- def.

"02"-28.2 pts. pg.- off.
-15.4 pts. pg.- def.

"03"-25.5 pts. pg.- off.
-25.6 pts. pg.- def.

While those numbers are hardly reflective of how one team can compare to another, considering circumstances, it does point to the fact that the better the "D" the better the season. While everyone likes an offensive explosion of sorts, I just happen to agree and take pride in the fact that Defense wins championships.

I remember as if it was yesterday, my dad and I listening to John Forney's broadcast over the radio of Bama's 3-0 win over LSU in Baton Rouge. That game was as intense and exciting of a game as anyone could listen too. And if you think Bama didn't have a high scoring machine of an offense in those days,then you missed out is all I can say!

ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!
 

HITIDE

1st Team
Jul 6, 2003
945
0
35
80
TRINITY, AL., USA
Has anyone figured how the overtime numbers could have skewered the statistics? It will tremendously increase the numbers for the offense and the defense (making the O look more productive and the D less).
 

tider04

Scout Team
Apr 13, 2004
140
0
0
wake forest, nc , usa
Listen bama folks....a great team needs an effective O AND D. But the fact of the matter is, that Defense is what keeps you in games with other good teams. Look at Ohio St. a couple of years ago...their offense was clutch, but not great...their D won them the NC. I don't care if brodie throws for 5,000 yards and 30 TD's this year...untill we get a strong D in place...we'll be just another middle of the pack SEC team looking up to LSU, Florida and UGA....I'm hoping our D will be much improved...and that will allow the O to gel as the season progresses.....RTR
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by HITIDE:
Has anyone figured how the overtime numbers could have skewered the statistics? It will tremendously increase the numbers for the offense and the defense (making the O look more productive and the D less).</font>
I really hadn't thought about that stat much, but I'd have to say it would be about like trying to figure out how many points the 92 defense scored on int's, blocked kicks and fumble recovery's.

Somebody take the que and run with it.
 
You are right....defense wins championships. But, unless you can keep the ball for more than 3 downs, you can't score that many points...definitely not more than the opponent - especially when you give them scoring opportunities by throwing interceptions.

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by tider04:
Listen bama folks....a great team needs an effective O AND D. But the fact of the matter is, that Defense is what keeps you in games with other good teams. Look at Ohio St. a couple of years ago...their offense was clutch, but not great...their D won them the NC. I don't care if brodie throws for 5,000 yards and 30 TD's this year...untill we get a strong D in place...we'll be just another middle of the pack SEC team looking up to LSU, Florida and UGA....I'm hoping our D will be much improved...and that will allow the O to gel as the season progresses.....RTR</font>
 

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