This was the key point. Poor play calling almost cost you the LSU game, and it did cost you the aTm game. The good news - it did not cost you the BCSC. But a loss that late in the season this year will almost certainly do so.
Looking at Alabama's Last Four Plays Against Texas A&M
- Thread starter RTR91
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While I agree with the bulk of your comments, this is incorrect.
Yes.
Not true. The moment the offensive lineman flinched, the lack of contact became irrelevant.
Tom Ritter's crew - can anybody name the last call they made that was questionable that FAVORED Alabama? I don't ever remember one.
Last November, I was at work, so I saw the game in spurts. I had never seen the entire game, start to finish. Having been watching our late season games from last year (MSU, LSU, UGA, and Notre Darn), I had a buddy who had an HD copy of it on DVD mail it to me. What follows is my assessment.
1) We really did not play all that bad. I guess I was emotionally involved with the game at the time, but we really did not play as bad as it sounded. AJ was a tad off on the first series, a three and out. We should have had them a time or two on the first drive, the key play being when Mosely bit and started to his left and the middle of the field was open for Johnny to run.
2) We played lights out defense for most of the rest of the game. Remember them being in a 3rd and 31 on their own goal line?
3) This game was a lot like the 2011 LSU regular season game - every single little thing went against us. There were at least two questionable spots in the second half, we blew a timeout when we only had ten men on the field (which turned out to be huge), and our wideouts were splitting the coverage deep. Remember, AJ hit three bombs in the fourth quarter - a 51-yarder to Cooper on the right, a 57-yard TD to Cooper, and the bomb to Bell that gave us first and goal where we failed.
4) Ryan Swope should have been flagged TWICE for being a POS. Brad Wing got flagged for less and lost a TD last year for LSU. Not only that, but that would have been huge because on the first play where he jumped up doing his John Cena impression, we got hit fifteen yards for a helmet-to-helmet. Also - there should have been a flag on aTm for a helmet-to-helmet on Lacy. Ritter's crew conveniently missed that one. My Gawd, even Gary Danielson was pointing this out. And their receivers did a good job holding onto the ball when they got hit. Each bounce pretty much went their way.
5) On the play calling at the end - it was not as bad under review as I initially thought. We still should have scored but ho hum.
6) I may be alone here, but I'm getting a little sick of the aTm claims to Coach Bryant (with the notable exception of Coach Stallings). They made a big deal of 27 Aggies coming over for the game with Bryant ties. So what? I love how they latch onto him and while he did coach there, he coached longer (and was more successful) at Kentucky - and you don't see the Wildcats claiming Bryant to that ridiculous extent. It gets a little old. (I also note that Verne, while mentioning all the "ties" between the two teams, conveniently did not mention a certain Rope Holding Liar.
1) We really did not play all that bad. I guess I was emotionally involved with the game at the time, but we really did not play as bad as it sounded. AJ was a tad off on the first series, a three and out. We should have had them a time or two on the first drive, the key play being when Mosely bit and started to his left and the middle of the field was open for Johnny to run.
2) We played lights out defense for most of the rest of the game. Remember them being in a 3rd and 31 on their own goal line?
3) This game was a lot like the 2011 LSU regular season game - every single little thing went against us. There were at least two questionable spots in the second half, we blew a timeout when we only had ten men on the field (which turned out to be huge), and our wideouts were splitting the coverage deep. Remember, AJ hit three bombs in the fourth quarter - a 51-yarder to Cooper on the right, a 57-yard TD to Cooper, and the bomb to Bell that gave us first and goal where we failed.
4) Ryan Swope should have been flagged TWICE for being a POS. Brad Wing got flagged for less and lost a TD last year for LSU. Not only that, but that would have been huge because on the first play where he jumped up doing his John Cena impression, we got hit fifteen yards for a helmet-to-helmet. Also - there should have been a flag on aTm for a helmet-to-helmet on Lacy. Ritter's crew conveniently missed that one. My Gawd, even Gary Danielson was pointing this out. And their receivers did a good job holding onto the ball when they got hit. Each bounce pretty much went their way.
5) On the play calling at the end - it was not as bad under review as I initially thought. We still should have scored but ho hum.
6) I may be alone here, but I'm getting a little sick of the aTm claims to Coach Bryant (with the notable exception of Coach Stallings). They made a big deal of 27 Aggies coming over for the game with Bryant ties. So what? I love how they latch onto him and while he did coach there, he coached longer (and was more successful) at Kentucky - and you don't see the Wildcats claiming Bryant to that ridiculous extent. It gets a little old. (I also note that Verne, while mentioning all the "ties" between the two teams, conveniently did not mention a certain Rope Holding Liar.
Believe me you're not alone. The pre-game they went on and on about it. It was like A&M's coronation or something.
I also think that if aj hadn't thrown that early interception on the crossing pattern it would have been a completely different game. I never like that route across the middle early on in games. Teams always seem to have a safety there ready for a big hit. I think we almost threw an int. early in the Tennessee game on that same (or a similar) play
You know when we lost I was devistated, then when the others lost, I felt a lot better. I guess you just got to have a little luck these days.
With that said this loss may have been just what was needed to put that something in them, that little something that makes a champion. I'm not sure we would have run the tables except for that re-focus CNS was ble to do with this team.
I don't credit aTm with our championship but rather our coaches ability to take a bad situation & turn it into a lifelong teaching moment.
Thats why I don't see this years game as even being close & the way aTm have run their mouth is just going to make it much worst on them, you don't see Sumlin doing this at all. I think he may realize that HIS program has been high jacked by a spoiled little brat who only cares for himself.
Win a game yes a big one but he could very well lose a program.
With that said this loss may have been just what was needed to put that something in them, that little something that makes a champion. I'm not sure we would have run the tables except for that re-focus CNS was ble to do with this team.
I don't credit aTm with our championship but rather our coaches ability to take a bad situation & turn it into a lifelong teaching moment.
Thats why I don't see this years game as even being close & the way aTm have run their mouth is just going to make it much worst on them, you don't see Sumlin doing this at all. I think he may realize that HIS program has been high jacked by a spoiled little brat who only cares for himself.
Win a game yes a big one but he could very well lose a program.
Yep. I watched a clip from the A&M and Florida game a few weeks ago. The A&M runningback hit the hole with his head lowered and nailed a defender. It was clear helmet to helmet. No call.
I think that play is much more effective in the 2d quarter onward when we are controlling the flow of the game better. I never like seeing it early on in games.
Although I never saw an angle that clearly showed it was the wrong call, Greg McElroy's near interception by LSU in 2009 about midway through the 4th quarter that was ruled out of bounds was a very close play that I think we would have all been upset about had we been LSU.
Did Ritter's crew work that game?
Yes, that was a close call, and I can see it one way or the other. It just seems to me every time that prune-faced idiot shows his mug that he's calling a controversial ruling on us.
Yes, Ritter's crew worked that game. I know that I am in the minority, but I think his crew is one of the better crews in the SEC. His crew did miss the helmet to helmet on Lacy against A&M. And, the pass interference against Georgia should not have been waved off because that ball was not tipped. But, frankly, I blame the replay official for not stepping in and fixing that. The umpire made a quick judgment in real speed that it was tipped. The replay official should have stepped in and fixed that.
I personally had much rather see Ritter than I had Penn Wagers. Every time that man steps onto a football field, something bad seems to happen.
I see 11-20 points in this game for a couple of reasons.
It's a revenge game.
It ruined the undefeated season.
The whole control the Tide stuff.
Yeldon fumble.
McCarron interception.
We should have beaten them the first time.
That's not to say that A&M doesn't have defensive issues. They'll have it by the boatloads. If we take Mike Evans away I'm not sure what Manziel can do. All that running around will cease in this game. He won't be taking anyone by surprise.
How many passes did AJ miss during that game? Several TDs included, and I don't mean at the end. Terrible accuracy.
I haven't re-watched the game personally. It's sort of burned into my head and that one scramble TD pass by JM was replayed so many times on ESPN anyway -- gag!
Everything went their way in that game, the little bounces, the split second, by an inch type of plays. That's what tends to happen when we lose. If we come out focused and ready (and we weren't in that 1st QTR) I think we punch 'em in the face and they eventually do what most teams do against us - wilt.
Speaking of some of the bad officiating - I seem to remember a no call on a aTm defender hitting AJ, too. Sorta led with his head and this was late in the game. The hit on Lacy was a total whiff by the refs, I will say that. Manziel showed how dangerous he is and how frustrating the HUNH offense can be (darn that 5 yard option route pass play) - BUT - we beat ourselves that day, too. Knowing that didn't ease the pain, though.
Everything went their way in that game, the little bounces, the split second, by an inch type of plays. That's what tends to happen when we lose. If we come out focused and ready (and we weren't in that 1st QTR) I think we punch 'em in the face and they eventually do what most teams do against us - wilt.
Speaking of some of the bad officiating - I seem to remember a no call on a aTm defender hitting AJ, too. Sorta led with his head and this was late in the game. The hit on Lacy was a total whiff by the refs, I will say that. Manziel showed how dangerous he is and how frustrating the HUNH offense can be (darn that 5 yard option route pass play) - BUT - we beat ourselves that day, too. Knowing that didn't ease the pain, though.
Christian Jones got demolished on the same route on the first or second possession against Ole Miss. You may be onto something.
Also Selma I agree with your assessment of the game. Upon rewatching it wasn't as bad as I remembered it watching it live. Honestly if AJ doesn't underthrow one bomb to Kenny and the other to Amari we win the game. Like you said there were many many things that went against us in that game. That's why we will pillage them this year.
It happened enough that I was sure it would bite us at some point in the season.
We gave that game away to A&M. Every season we have a tough game in November when we are worn out. The brilliant thing about the schedule this season is that we get off weeks before A&M and LSU. Finally the off week is helping us this season.
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