Question: Did LSU expose Bama weaknesses or just surprised with how well Mettenburger played?

Dallas4Bama

Suspended
Sep 27, 2006
3,882
0
0
Dallas, Texas
Watched the game again last night - two thoughts about Alabama in game adjustments:

* After the first half, you changed your defensive approach. You went from your base defense while rarely rushing more than 4 to a pressure defense in base. That opened up the middle in the passing game even more than is typical for this defense, which we all know is already open if the QB is patient and takes the short stuff. This allowed Zach to have a 200 yard second half and made it possible for them to convert so many 3rd downs. It helped you stuff their running game, but cost you in the passing game.

* You refused to adjust your offensive game plan when it was clear that they were keeping both safeties back to support their pass defense, and your offensive line was gashing their defensive line and linebackers. Your O-Line and TEs dominated their defensive front 7 the entire game. You expected a defensive game plan like you got in both games last year, and failed to adjust when they did something unexpected.

IMO, this is one of those rare games in which you coaching staff hurt your players. Had you stayed with your original defensive game plan, or been willing to adjust your offensive game plan, you win handily, IMO.
Good break down. I said in another post defensively we came in with the stop the run and dare Mett to throw it plan. Well, he threw it and had the best game of his career. We never adjusted, but I think the staff thought he would return to his usual form at some point.

As for the offense I screamed at the tv repeatedly when we continued to throw the ball instead of take advantage of our line's performance. My guess, and this is only a guess is that when LSU showed their defense AJ repeatedly checked out of the run and into the pass play. Which is the correct adjustment, unless you're having the worst night passing of your career. At that point you have to look at the fact that your line has handled their front even with the box stacked. AJ was making the right adjustments each time, we just weren't executing.
 

TideMom2Boys

Hall of Fame
Nov 17, 2010
20,214
398
102
Alabama
It's a bruise, aight! You got anymore questions? It's just a bruise. This team needs a rest in the worst way. Sure wish there was some time between season end and the SECCG.

We need to get by this game this weekend with a win. Then our guys can get some rest the next game and even in the iron bowl. I am sure we can rest the second half of the game.
 

Crimson Cat

FB Moderator
Nov 26, 2006
7,824
0
0
Alabama
Watched the game again last night - two thoughts about Alabama in game adjustments:

* After the first half, you changed your defensive approach. You went from your base defense while rarely rushing more than 4 to a pressure defense in base. That opened up the middle in the passing game even more than is typical for this defense, which we all know is already open if the QB is patient and takes the short stuff. This allowed Zach to have a 200 yard second half and made it possible for them to convert so many 3rd downs. It helped you stuff their running game, but cost you in the passing game.

* You refused to adjust your offensive game plan when it was clear that they were keeping both safeties back to support their pass defense, and your offensive line was gashing their defensive line and linebackers. Your O-Line and TEs dominated their defensive front 7 the entire game. You expected a defensive game plan like you got in both games last year, and failed to adjust when they did something unexpected.

IMO, this is one of those rare games in which you coaching staff hurt your players.
Had you stayed with your original defensive game plan, or been willing to adjust your offensive game plan, you win handily, IMO.
I can't say I disagree...it doesn't happen often, but imho, the staff was stubborn in sticking with their plan of totally balanced attack on offense with a passing attack that wasn't working, rather than running the ball heavy which was. Our oline and rbs were gashing LSU on the ground. Offensively I thought Bama should have ran the ball until LSU stopped it ESPECIALLY after seeing AJ was having an off-night. I don't think they would have, plus it would have been more effective at wearing down LSU's defense in the 2nd half.
Defensively, we stubbornly blitzed too much in the second half when it was clear it was ineffective. LSU was well-prepared for it and Mett was beating the blitz in the second half.
Also, it seemed we played looser coverage in the secondary than I've seen all year. Also ended up with too many mis-matches on the outside that gave LSU easy 1st downs.

I think CNS and BAMA's staff thought they had a good game plan for LSU and there were times, plays were there offensively (open wr's down field) and AJ just couldn't see them. Offensively, LSU used the game plan in the BCSCG against BAMA and our staff apparently didn't expect that.

I'll probably get boo-booed but I'm very disappointed in the staffs prep on this one. I love CNS & our staff and think they are amazing at what they do, but I do think they almost whiffed on this one. In the end though, our team as a whole from the coaches to the both defense, sp, and offense showed amazing resolve to finish, and gut out a win.

I realize they're tired, beat up and key injuries are starting to show up so I'm not piling on. It was a fantastic game and an even more incredible win for our guys that will only serve to make them stronger.
RTR.
 

MOAN

All-American
Aug 30, 2010
2,420
226
87
Swearengin, Alabama, United States
Not going to add anything new on here but just my thoughts. How many teams in America could have beaten LSU Saturday night in Death Valley with the way they performed? Bama did, Oregon? Kansas St? Anyone else? Like it or not LSU is as talented as Bama is even though their play up until Saturday night hasn't shown it.

Texas A&M is not as talented across the board as Bama but they have good talent and will be a tough out. Georgia on the other hand has equal talent except in the coaching staff, but if they get hot, (Aaron Murray), it will be a nail biter. With a month to prepare for a possible BCSNG I think Bama will be well prepared for any team, and the talent level will be a Bama advantage.

With what we have left on the regular season schedule, I think Saturday nights game may have been the worst case scenario for our upcoming opponents, or so I hope. At least our guys won't keep hearing about how superhuman they are and hopefully focus on getting better.

I hope to see a lot more heart and emotion the next few weeks like we saw late Saturday night! Roll Tide Roll!!!! :)
 

CapstoneTider

Suspended
Dec 6, 2000
7,453
6
0
the good thing for us is, you can count the number of times this has happened in the past five years with just a couple of fingers. :)
Agree, and you can't skip the coaching in the final 4 minutes of the game which basically helped cost LSU the game. I have never seen our coaches choke that badly.

LSU had taken it down down in Bama territory and had a fourth and one with two minutes left. They forget that you can't automatically get a yard against the Bama defense when you tell them where the ball is going. LSU not spreading the field a little running a normal running play was a terrible call. This is the #1 defense.

Then on their next drive, attempting the 45 yard field goal was mistake imo. They could have put the game away with one good play, and considering the kicker the odds were about the same for success but getting the 1st down meant more, game over, no timeouts. The last Bama drive is 90% credit to our team and Coach Nussmeier's screen pass call, but while not in prevent, they were playing soft. Which made little sense considering we didn't need a TD.

LSU did everything opposite of what got them to the 17-14 score with the a 1st down in Alabama territory with less than 3 minutes to play.

It would have been unprecedented if our coaches had done that, and the admins would be deleting posts like crazy :)
 

Alasippi

Suspended
Aug 31, 2007
12,875
2
57
Ocean Springs, MS
After reading a few observations about coaching I will offer my two cents. I could not believe we basically stopped even attempting to run in the second half. It was totally out of character for us especially with a 14-3 lead and even more so when you consider that both Yeldon and Lacy were averaging over seven yards per carry. As some have mentioned our offensive line was killing their defensive front and in my opinion blocked for the run better than at any time this season.
I was baffled during the game and still am a bit.
That being said I realize that circumstances during a game determine coaching decisions and I have a lot more faith in Nick Saban as a coach than I do in me as a coach :)
So there! lol

sip
 

CrimsonEyeshade

Hall of Fame
Nov 6, 2007
5,412
1,522
187
Good thread, Capstone, but to be fair, our coaches didn't have their best game either. We abandoned the run for big We seemed to run the same blitz on every third down in the second half, and we let LSU dictate how we used our best defensive player (Moseley).

Games within the games throughout for sure. But whatever we did or didn't do, Les trumped. I don't blame the second-half decisions. But those two calls in the first half are and will remain inexplicable.
 

CapstoneTider

Suspended
Dec 6, 2000
7,453
6
0
Good thread, Capstone, but to be fair, our coaches didn't have their best game either. We abandoned the run for big We seemed to run the same blitz on every third down in the second half, and we let LSU dictate how we used our best defensive player (Moseley).

Games within the games throughout for sure. But whatever we did or didn't do, Les trumped. I don't blame the second-half decisions. But those two calls in the first half are and will remain inexplicable.
I try to understand why the coaches do what they do. Obviously we have great staff and our OC is undefeated, so while things did bog down, there has to be a reason they wanted to pass. We had the 3 and outs so the few amount of plays are magnified.

There is a possibility that AJ could have performed earlier like he did on the last drive. Maybe they decided that AJ was their best play-maker threat. Has to be a reason though.

Another angle is if you never change things, what is working will probably stop working. We have an extrmely balanced offense and maybe the mindset was that the defense was looking for the run.

Just some thoughts.
 

BigBama76

Suspended
Oct 26, 2011
1,002
0
0
Atlanta, GA
After reading a few observations about coaching I will offer my two cents. I could not believe we basically stopped even attempting to run in the second half. It was totally out of character for us especially with a 14-3 lead and even more so when you consider that both Yeldon and Lacy were averaging over seven yards per carry. As some have mentioned our offensive line was killing their defensive front and in my opinion blocked for the run better than at any time this season.
I was baffled during the game and still am a bit.
That being said I realize that circumstances during a game determine coaching decisions and I have a lot more faith in Nick Saban as a coach than I do in me as a coach :)
So there! lol
AJ for whatever reason was not on until that final drive. Maybe that's one reason he was so emotional. Our OL blocked very, very well for both the run and pass and I was surprised Nuss kept calling pass. Maybe he thought AJ would eventually click but the fact we kept putting our defense on the field with every three & out almost cost us the game.

Defensively we didn't adjust well at all and on our blitzes Belue seemed totally lost.
 

Latest threads

TideFans.shop : 2024 Madness!

TideFans.shop - Get YOUR Bama Gear HERE!”></a>
<br />

<!--/ END TideFans.shop & item link \-->
<p style= Purchases made through our TideFans.shop and Amazon.com links may result in a commission being paid to TideFans.