****Bama vs. The Barn - PostGame Thread****

It has taken awhile to gather my thoughts but here goes. A lot like the 2010 Iron Bowl we just squandered too many opportunities and for years we will relive every single one, the only difference is that this game had much more on the line for us. When we stopped them on that 4th down at their own 35, the game should have been over. We forced them to punt after that, had a great return, great field position, once again the game should have been over. I feel bad for the Seniors, to have their run ended because our special teams couldn't answer the bell. What is normally an easy FG we don't even attempt because Saban had no faith in our kicking game.

But in the end we are Alabama if we can't get a 4th and 1 with our running game, I'm not sure we deserve to win and tonight we didn't. You could go on all night, whether it was Cooper dropping a TD pass that ended in no points after a questionable false start on a previously made FG. A stupid 15 yard penalty after the blocked FG late that gave AU the ball in even better field position on their last drive. CNS preaches mental errors and tonight they were in an overabundance. I really feel bad for AJ as well. He made the throw of his career only to see it washed away because we couldn't finish a game that was clearly there for the taking.

I sat for awhile and reflected while watching aTm and Mizzou, but it has been a special run. I'll forever be thankful to CNS and the Alabama teams that have been under his watch so far. 3 national titles in 4 years is way more than I could have ever dreamed of or hoped for when he became our coach. In the end there will always be what ifs that will haunt us, its just too bad that it had to end in craziness, but I guess when AU is involved that's about the only way it will. Congrats to them on their season.

Bama-Stanford Rose Bowl is a possibility.

Bamabuzzard said:

It also doesn't help when they stack the line, we pass and drop balls. Or OL completely whiff on blocks.


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It was a complete team failure: coach lost confidence in the kicker, trusted the offense to finish the drive instead, they didn't honor that trust. The defense needed a stand after the missed opportunities, they got physically whooped up front and gave up a near illegal pass (it was legal) for a TD. Finally, the coaches elect for a nearly 60-yard field goal with a freshman which invited the return setup without adequate athletes to defend a return on the field. Everybody can take a bite out of this crap sandwich.

GP for Bama said:

Bama-Stanford Rose Bowl is a possibility.

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That would be a great game.

GP for Bama said:

Bama-Stanford Rose Bowl is a possibility.

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Very much so if OSU beats Mich St. Most likely the Big10 won't have a replacement in the top 14 and therefore, no eligible at large team.

Interesting thing would be if FSU-OSU was for the National Title, Orange would have first replacement pick.. Would they pass On BAMA?

Guys just came here to post this.... Roll Tide! We are still a Great Team!

I keep telling myself I could have adjusted to an OT loss better than a 100+ FG return, but I'll never know. Anyway, I sure wish that 1 second hadn't been put back on the clock in regulation.

Boo Radley said:

..., I sure wish that 1 second hadn't been put back on the clock in regulation.

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Me too ... now ... but I was happy a hades when they did it. I thought he would hit the fg.

We did not have the gas left in the tank to win in OT. We lacked the firepower to get into a marathon scoring war with them, and the D could not have held up. Still, I wanted the chance in OT nonetheless.

We_are_Bama said:

We did not have the gas left in the tank to win in OT. We lacked the firepower to get into a marathon scoring war with them, and the D could not have held up. Still, I wanted the chance in OT nonetheless.

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I don't agree with this. Our defense wasn't gassed. Aside from missed assignments we had played them fairly well in the second half and I didn't see any evidence they were worn down. As far as firepower goes, we have the most talented group of WR's in our history, a Heisman candidate QB, a 2-time 1000 yard rusher at RB with another that is arguably more explosive, a freshman TE that is a freak of nature, we have plenty of firepower.

imauafan said:

I don't agree with this. Our defense wasn't gassed. Aside from missed assignments we had played them fairly well in the second half and I didn't see any evidence they were worn down. As far as firepower goes, we have the most talented group of WR's in our history, a Heisman candidate QB, a 2-time 1000 yard rusher at RB with another that is arguably more explosive, a freshman TE that is a freak of nature, we have plenty of firepower.

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The game had clearly swung in their favor. I just could not see stopping them if it went into a 3rd, 4th, or 5th OT. Sort of like the 2003 Tennessee game.

hoopscoach said:

Orange Bowl will have first selection to replace FSU, but that may be Clemson. The 2nd selection would then go to the Rose Bowl which would pit ASU/Stanford winner versus BCS championship replacement. Would the Rose Bowl choose Alabama? Hard to argue they would not. After that the selection process would go into play in this order: Orange, Sugar, Fiesta. Bama-Stanford/ASU could be realistic. So I guess the real question is who would the Orange Bowl choose with their replacement pick, Clemson or Bama?

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Since Clemson lost, you would think they might be out of the selection.

I am still really proud of our guys who fought their hearts out. Was it our best execution game? Absolutely not. Was AU a team of destiny? probably. It hurts, but I think if we play them 5 more times, we win 4 of them. AJ was a little off. The WR were off early. The line made simple miscommunications. Had some bad luck with penalties and no calls. We all knew it would take a perfect storm for us to lose, and it pretty much happened. Roll Tide Anyways.

JessN has a point about Saban in this game though. Lesser coaches have lost in less disastrously miscoached ways in this rivalry and taken far more significant slack. Nick Saban is fortunate that he is 4-time BCS title champion Nick Saban or he'd be getting crucified for how he handled the high leverage stages of this game where Alabama could have won it with any score. In all of our short yardage head-shakers in this game, you had to wonder why we didn't put the ball in the hands of AJ just ONCE of a play action roll out. When you have a guy that you say is the best QB in America and played well after some early miscues, why not let AJ be the trigger guy for a critical conversion? Two of the last three games Alabama since 2010 has lost have been directly accountable to severe kicking specialist breakdowns.

We didn't win the LOS in this game but with a little more trust in our QB I think Alabama walks away with a close win. Instead, you were left wondering what the staff was thinking. Its understandable because we are use to making those plays in those situations but after seeing it happen several times in THIS game you have to wonder why the roll out wasn't used more often in short yardage.

You also have to wonder about this staff's approach to recruiting specialists. The best kicker under Saban was signed by Shula and was an Alabama legacy. In other words, he was gift. They've missed the mark on specialists frequently in recruiting. Shelley needed to be in the redzone to have a chance most days. Foster has been a headcase in any pressure game or situation in his four seasons and hardly a dominant force on kickoffs to boot. Several other punters and kickers have stopped by for a season or two and shown the door. When they clearly weren't better than Shelley or Foster then you have to figure they were abject duds. When we can recruit elite linemen and backers and perimeter guys with such ease, why aren't we burning the midnight oil to find these converted soccer players to kick and rugby guys to punt? We've had two undefeated seasons compromised by specialists not making tough pressure kicks because frankly they needed all their mental focus to just be decent. We need some naturals at placekickers...if it means Saban going on a South American safari to find them then so be it.

^

Shelley was a great kicker. Do you remember the 2011 BCSCG? And I think he didn't miss a kick all year last year. I think he was better than Tiffin.

He didn't have the leg of Tiffin. He was remarkably consistent within his limitations but until his senior year, he couldn't stretch past kicks from the 30 yard line.

rgw said:

He didn't have the leg of Tiffin. He was remarkably consistent within his limitations but until his senior year, he couldn't stretch past kicks from the 30 yard line.

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True, but he was consistent. I would give him credit for that.

Yeah, I don't want to be too hard on him but his distance limitations effected the offense because Cade was the option for any past his range and he has always been iffy though I thought he had turned the corner this year. You learn a lot about guys when the pressure is on them. Unfortunately for kickers, they usually get few opportunities like that and those opportunities are usually only when you absolutely need the guy to produce.

If Clemson are in top 14 they are still the discussion. All depends on how badly Orange Bowl wants ACC team. Do they deserve a BCS spot is a much different question than will they get one?