JessN: Sugar Bowl wrap-up: What will this game mean for Alabama’s future?

PaulD

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Dec 29, 2006
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I think we'll be like the baseball player who can't hit the curve ball... guess what he'll see until he does hit it. I think we'll see more spread and tempo until we show that we can stop it.

I think this is Coach Saban's opportunity for the equivalent of Coach Bryant's "Wishbone moment" of 1971. Not literally, I'm not saying making major offensive concept changes is needed, but we have two of the brightest defensive minds in CFB in Tuscaloosa. If a 58-year-old alum can see adjustments in scheme are needed, I'm sure Coaches Saban and Smart can see it too. After all, they've had a better view of the problems we've had than I have.
 

bamacon

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Apr 11, 2008
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Wow that was brutally honest. One thing I hear about Auburn is how they rotate everyone on D to keep them fresh.
10 guys to be specific and it is something to look at. It is very similar to Bball team who send in whole units to spell one another. If it is goin to Bball on grass might as well play it that way. I think we are
Going to needs less Jacks and more rabbits.
 

BamaFlum

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Jess (and others who may know),

Do you see Coach Saban making necessary changes like Coach Bryant?

Also, even with the HUNH, do you see refs at least making a more concerted effort to call illegal motions, shifts, and men downfield?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk, so my fat fingers cause misspellings and autocorrect makes my ships into...
 

TideEngineer08

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That was as dead on as it gets, Jess. I didn't agree with much of your conclusions after the Auburn game but I was obviously wrong. This program is in need of an overhaul. A refreshing. The game has changed, and we can either change with it or be left behind. It's not that we can't keep winning 10 or 11 games a year doing what we're doing. Sheer talent will make that possible. But breaking through to the top is going to require something different going forward. And, IMO, this will start to affect recruiting if we can't figure it out.

This year has been one of the most stressful years I can remember, as a fan. I'm somewhat glad its over now, and I look forward to Spring.
 

bama backer

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These past two games are what really stick in your craw because of how close it was to staying on top to finishing it like the team did. For coaches and players just as stated by Jess is they do need to find out who really is hungry and is going to have the will to work hard and not take plays off. The future does look pretty bright as we do have a lot of young talented players coming back and played their best. One of them was Henry. We all will sit back and see things unfold in the off season, to Signing Day, and Spring Football but know also that Coach Saban will be making changes as it sticks in his craw also for reason we do not even know. I look forward seeing the best D-line built that we have had in a long time and getting better in the Secondary.

Roll Tide Roll!
 

imauafan

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I'm not of the opinion that our defense needs a major overhaul. There are some tweaks that need to be be made but IMHO, the offense is the bigger problem and has been since CNS arrived so this is where I think he needs to be more flexible and start thinking outside the box. Aside from a few games last season (2012) our offense has been very inconsistent and usually bogs down ito the point where a single stud RB has to carry the entire load and Yeldon was not up to that task this year. There are a lot of things I would like to say about the offense but will roll it up into one comment. I think it's time that we either cut Nussmier loose or give him complete control of the offense. Regardless of who is running the offense, suck up your pride and admit that your philosophy is not working against better teams and be willing to make some major changes.
 

CoolBreeze

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Jess, I always enjoy reading your breakdowns and conclusions. This one in particular is very insightful. Living inside the bubble it may seem like we have some sort of endemic problem that must be solved immediately with a scheme change or face imminent doom. But I really think we lost the last two games because of execution, not scheme. There is a reason programs ebb and flow and it has everything to do with intensity and how to sustain that focus. It is much easier to climb the mountain than stay on top. We have been playing at a very high level for a long time and, quite simply, we played two games in a row where the teams lined up across from us wanted the game more that we did.

Funny as it may sound, had we pulled off the Auburn game I think we would have rolled Freeshoes in the Rose Bowl. But the Aubs came out with intensity sustained by their hunger to beat us and they did it. Then, with no natty champ implications, we went about our business preparing for bowl game while OU used this opportunity as a program statement. No one was giving the Sooners a shot at winning this game and they took it to heart. Heck, Granny Holtz predicted a 14 point win and Mark May 2 minutes before the game predicted a 48-10 blowout. It reminded me of the 1992 Sugar Bowl with us playing to part of Miami.

A team's metal disposition is so very important to success and we know coach emphasizes that. I simply think a renewed emphasis on fundamentals in the Spring and infusion of new talent in the Fall will be enough to propel this team to great things next year. Victory tastes so much sweeter coming out of the jaws of defeat and we are going to have to live through the bitterness of this lost season for a long time before we can strap it on again.
 

Ole Man Dan

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Jess...
You wrote the things I have been mulling over ever since the Auburn game.
I hope CNS concurs with your assessment.

Our short comings have now been exposed.
Our really big guys looked clumsy when facing slant blocks, and speedy guys.
Ditto lack of our line foot speed.
Our Defensive scheme, has got a little dated. (Please nobody kill me for saying that)
Our Offensive scheme got in a rut.
We faced a stacked deck on passing downs. Receivers were covered pretty well,
and our Offensive line, was sometimes down right offensive.

Big Henry was gashing the Oklahoma Defense, but we turned away from something that worked,
and put the ball in AJs hands. Usually not a problem, but lack of Offensive line blocking,
killed us.

Finally...
Turn overs killed us. If we had no turnovers, we would have won by margin equal to the betting line.
WE'VE GOT A LOT TO WORK ON IN THE OFFSEASON.
The Spring A-Day Game should be interesting...,
 

tide power fan

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Find a QB, a couple of C/B's, a pass rusher, someone that want's it in O line, and we will be Okay. My two cent's
 

tmv85

All-SEC
I don't keep up with recruiting in terms of how the players we recruit fit our schemes, so this probably sounds like a dumb question, but are the guys we've recruited for defense the prototypical Saban defensive players, or have we recruited guys who will fit into a defense that is geared to stop the HUNH? When I read that we need smaller, faster players, does that mean on the D line, in the secondary, both? Help a football lovin', but rather clueless, gal out! :)
 

bamanix

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jess, a perfect analysis of bamas shortcomings moving into the future of college football. i have been on this site for over 10 years now, and this one is best yet. concur with everything you stated. ever since the auburn game, i have been worrying about why we just cant defend these offensive styles. and it came to me in this game. i watched much to large out side linebackers trying to cover the short slant passes, not able to get to the corners to prevent the outside runs. qbs we cant catch with our oversized defensive linebackers. our def line is real big, and not fast enough to cover the qb sprints. your point about the past outside linebackers that weighed about 210 pounds but could cover the whole field. we had our linebackers trying to pass protect with the secondary, and it was a disaster. we never covered anybody. tackling was poor, offense like you said. we have all these 4 and 5 stars but, they get little backup playing time in the front lines off or def. the second half when volgler was hurt, we continued to leave the off tackles on their own to defend striker who blitzed at will changing from one side to the other. we left a freshman tight end hanging. many changes need to be made in schemes
 

BamaDynasty

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This year did suddenly feel like 2010 after the Iron Bowl but at least we dismantled a very solid, #7 ranked MSU squad that gave me a great taste in the offseason. Although 11-2 is better than 10-3 like in 2010, I feel way worse than I did then. Two straight losses will do that.

It may do the program good to be a preseason top 10 rather than top 5. To not be THE focal point on every offseason CFB article. I also expect the A Day game attendance to be in the 50-60K range (down from previous years). Kind of like hitting the "reset" button, it may very well be what's needed for the entire program. We're still reloading and not rebuilding, although I am deeply concerned about teams watching AU/A&M/OU game film and being able to score 24+ on us instead of the 15-20 we're used to giving up.

Trying to stay positive on a tough day. Baseball is preseason #29 and a new stadium is coming!!!
 

Crimson Speed

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I think we are
Going to needs less Jacks and more rabbits.
I agree. As most close observers realized, about two thirds through the season, something was amiss with this team. We still had a very good team, but something was missing, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The safety positions never matured, and the linebacker slowness was really exposed in the barn game. Credit is due the OU coaching staff for attacking those weaknesses.

It is difficult to admit, but this loss may have been just what the doctor ordered for us. Our coaching staff is now clearly aware that change is necessary to remain competitive next season. There is no denying it. One thing is certain, CNS hates losses as much as anybody and I am confident that he will make the needed adjustments.
 

JDCrimson

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Even with the success that we have had, you can find rejuvenation and new creativity with change. Obviously, this idea is competitive with the "if aint broke dont fix it" mentality that we have had for 5 years. But its obvious that we will need to make some subtle changes throughout the program - going all the way to the weight room. We must continue to play pro-style offense based on running the football and play action to control the clock. However, we are going to have to get smaller more agile on defense and have the ability to rotate the defense to defend the tempo. Defending the HUNH is predicated on creating a negative play not necessarily just holding the offense to a minimal gain. This is going to take some adjustments in how we train and condition our players and ultimately recruit.

CNS is reluctant to change because his program is driven to promote players to the NFL. However, there is change happening in the NFL too due the collision injuries, etc and basically the NFL adjusting to what college FB is producing. There simply are not enough quality players produced in CFB right now to play quality pro-style defense and offense for all 32 teams. Almost 25% of the NFL is running a significant portion of its offense based on a spread scheme or zone read scheme with the threat of a QB run to combat the pro-style defenses. This trend will continue.
 

KrAzY3

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Seriously? "or his wife’s comments about the fans who pay for that contract"
Let's not forget there are multiple suitors willing to pay more. That's comes off to me like telling a player that gave a team a home town discount to remember who pays his salary. Remember that he doesn't have to be here.

I also think the Monte Kiffin reference was uncalled for. I have a lot of respect for JessN, but this article sounded a bit emotive, or should I say unappreciative?

Here's what happened. Alabama had two tough games in a row, in which they made huge mistakes, and it cost them. This doesn't mean the defense has to be radically changed, this doesn't mean the RB position needs to be changed, this doesn't mean that things are going downhill.

If you add up the past two games, you will see that Alabama had 1011 yards and the opponents had 822 yards. The reason Alabama lost those two games is not so much the schemes, it was simply the execution. Primarily turnovers and missed field goals.

I do hope that this does rock the boat a bit, but not because I think things are headed down the wrong path so much as Saban was locked into not making any changes (due to not be able to lose a single game) for a few years now. The sky is not falling, Alabama just has to make their field goals and hang onto the ball and yes, that team running those exact same schemes, and those exact same plays wins both of those games.

The spread/HUNH are very simplistic offenses that are fluid and adjustments can be made immediately. CNS's defense is going to have to get simpler in order to make changes at the same pace. If not we're going to be left in the dust.
The problem with that, is that Alabama's defense won't actually be as good. So, it's kind of like trading a loss to LSU in order to beat Auburn.
 
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RTR91

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First, I made the mistake of reading the Facebook comments under the article. Shouldn't have. Folks are dumb.

Jess, you could have copied part of your Iron Bowl piece for this. Bama didn't finish drives. TJ's fumble inside the red zone. Cade's missed field goal (which by the way looked to be a shaky snap). AJ's two INTs. OU scored 21 points off Bama's failure to finish drives. If Bama finishes its drives in the first half, the halftime score is probably 31-17, but Bama is winning.

This was a brutally honest piece by Jess, but it somehow left me feeling good about the future. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the fact that Jess and others see the issues, and I hope Saban and the coaches see the necessary fixes, too.

2. Change in defensive scheme could (should) start with the OLBs. One of the hallmarks of Saban’s defensive alignment is having an outside linebacker (the Jack position) that can double as a defensive end. As the seasons have gone on, though, the philosophy has led to a creeping drift in Alabama’s defensive front to the point that Alabama almost runs a 5-2. Adrian Hubbard played OLB at 6’7”, 265 pounds, making him larger than several defensive tackles Alabama faced this year. But the bigger change has come at the strongside linebacker position, where Hubbard played along with Denzel Devall, who was listed at 6’2”, 250, but appeared to be bigger than that. Compare Hubbard or Devall with Nick Saban’s first two strongside linebackers, Eryk Anders and Cory Reamer. Anders went 6’2”, 230 on days the pizza guy visited his house; Reamer was even smaller. And it gets even more dramatic when you compare Anders and Reamer to Xzavier Dickson (6’4”, 268), who was suspended for the Oklahoma game. If Alabama wants to defend tempo offenses, either the ends are going to have to get smaller, or lose some of their coverage assignments. None of Alabama’s outside linebackers ever looked comfortable in coverage in 2013. Against Oklahoma, they were flat-out abused.
If the plan remains to have guys with Hubbard or Devall's size, they should rotate at DE with the traditional DEs while guys like Robinson or Pagan play at DT. I'd rather have them up front on the DL with a guy like Ragland or Lee or Tana Patrick at LB. That would allow Bama to rotate plenty of guys on the DL and have the quicker LBs while running Saban's 3-4.

Keeping up with the weekly depth chart meant scouring for information on who was suspended, who was in the doghouse or who simply didn’t want to be there. On most good teams, depth chart maneuverings are the result of hungry players moving up and challenging veterans. For Alabama in 2013, it was about talented players underachieving, sulking or running afoul of coaches’ policies. The primary movement was not forward, up the depth chart … it was backward, with names falling off hither and yon.
This hurts but explains the issues. For all of Saban's comments during the season that caused fans' emotions to rise, he very well may have been talking more to the players than to us fans.
 
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alwayshavebeen

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Very good read Jess. Like some others, I tried convincing myself that we were improving as the year went on but in the end it was wishful thinking. As for last night the two determing factors were turnovers especially in the red zone and horrible offensive line play. In reality losing 3 All-America players off that line made it impossible to continue the dominance we have gotten used to. I am not ready to completely throw the defense under the bus, although their were some glarring problems that I attribute to personell far more than to scheme. 100% agree that losing Vinnie to injury was a game changer in both loses.
Moving forward I am very excited about 2014! You can bet Coach Saban is evaluating everything from asst. coaches to who didn't have their shoes tied properly and we are going to see some serious competition in the spring that will make this team much better. Roll Tide!
 

twofbyc

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I don't think there could possibly be a better assessment of where Bama is now, and where it must go in the future, than this. Coaches don't get 8 figure salaries for long if they can't adapt when necessary. Neither will CNS. Survival of the fittest. If he is, as most Bama fans believe, the best HC in CFB, then he will show it next year. The end of this year he looked no better than at least a dozen HC's I can think of.
Great read.
 

Bryant Ave

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My how quickly thinks can change. Some of the content that I was to afraid to write about. I believe the Saban family's questioning of the commitment of the fan-base coupled with Texas could have very easily allowed the team to lose some focus

I believed we played arrogant against Auburn, like a last stand, we are going to play our way no matter what.

The better players on game day were out on the bench several times. Chad Lindsey, Drake and Henry are good examples.

I questioned the 3-4 in the post game thread, because we usually have a linebacker at end anyway. Maybe a switch to 4-3 with true defensive ends is needed.

Stated that we probably had more illegal procedure calls in the 1st 3 games than all of last year.

Coach Saban seems to be at his angriest when we are up by 40, but the opposite when we are getting whipped.

I called a Tennis Match, but we are not designed for that and are playing defensive chess against an offesne playing checkers.

Yes losing Sunseri hurt, and better athleticism does not replace a coach on the field. The tweener Sunseri now has a body and weight that we need more off.

I thought the publicity around the team, especially AJ, was too USC. We are ready for some new young guys to step it up.

Find a base defense that can handle a series against a HUHN.

Our prior recruiting classes may not grade as high if the league morphs into a speed offense. 6-3 280 4.8 vs 6-5 220 is what we need.

Great article.
 

JessN

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Seriously? "or his wife’s comments about the fans who pay for that contract"
Let's not forget there are multiple suitors willing to pay more. That's comes off to me like telling a player that gave a team a home town discount to remember who pays his salary. Remember that he doesn't have to be here.

I also think the Monte Kiffin reference was uncalled for. I have a lot of respect for JessN, but this article sounded a bit emotive, or should I say unappreciative?
I'm just going to address this part of it since apparently my point didn't get sufficiently made in the Auburn wrap-up story:

At some point, you have to believe in your own self worth, to the extent that you don't let someone define you, FOR you.

The Alabama program is bigger than Nick Saban, by many degrees. It always has been and it will be fine once he decides to retire or leave for something else. Yet because of the success of the last four years, some people not only don't want to be critical about things when it is warranted, they also seem to want to silence anyone else who dares to do so. I guess they're scared Saban might leave unless everyone is stepping in formation down the same road together.

There's a difference between having respect for a coach's ability, and worshiping a human being. I will gladly do the first; unless I'm related to or married to you, I'm not doing the second. And if that makes me a bad fan in your eyes or if you think it jeopardizes Saban's employment at Alabama, so be it.

Nick Saban is about to be getting paid $6 million to $7 million (or more) per year to coach football. To. Coach. Football. Criticism/analysis comes with the territory.

As for the Monte Kiffin reference, I'm not equating Nick Saban to Monte Kiffin. Yet, anyway. I am, however, noting (correctly) that Kiffin was once an innovator on the defensive side of the ball but, in more recent years, has either run out of ideas or has dug in his heels and refused to take input from his assistants. The defensive scheme Alabama currently runs struggles against tempo teams and teams with mobile quarterbacks, and has dating back to 2007. Oklahoma's defense last night, which is built to defend spread teams, was almost identical to the defense Joe Kines had built at Alabama (3-3-5, OLBs the size of safeties, smaller defensive ends). It is completely different than Saban's preferred system, so if more SEC teams start making the move toward tempo offenses, Saban will hit a crossroads point. He will either adjust, or not. I don't know for certain what the results will be, but I know what the trend indicates.
 

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