Nussmeier/Replacement at OC (keep OC discussion here)

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

I'm seeing Kiffin's name all over the interwebs as the guy. Could this be internet trolling? Possibly. All I know is that I trust Coach Saban to bring on who he thinks is the best for the Crimson Tide. If he does get hired, it will be one of the most talked about hires since we brought CNS in. This whole thing fascinates me from a fans perspective.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

If you think back to when CLK was at ut, he popped off about almost every coach in the league except CNS. I don't know but I think he respected CNS and even he knew better than to go there. Heck, in 09 ut did everything but beat us and cost us our title shot that year if not for Mt. Cody. Also, he took the crompton kid at qb and made a decent player out of him because before CLK arrived the kid couldn't throw it in the ocean. I trust CNS will do what is best.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

Alasippi said:

I thought Nuss was the second best OC we've ever had, next to Homer Smith. If anything, I think Coach Saban may have held him in check a bit, which obviously now didn't sit too well with Nuss because he left for bigger bucks and what he obviously considers to be a better opportunity for himself.
Personally I don't think you'll ever see Lane Kiffin serving as a coordinator anywhere again. Too much ego, plus he's still getting paid big bucks from his previous contract with USC even though he was fired. Anything he made as an OC would count against what USC has to pay him.
I think he'll sit back, count his money, and wait for a HC position somewhere.
Our problems this year weren't caused by our offense. We scored plenty of points and plenty enough to win every game we played.
When you give up 42 to A&M, 34 to Auburn, and 45 to Oklahoma it's not the OC's fault, the blame rests on the shoulders of those who coached the defense. Now who would that be?
I wish coach Nuss the best. I thought he did a great job. The comeback drive against LSU in Baton Rouge was possibly the most timely play calling I've ever witnessed. Good luck Coach! sip

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Sip, I agree the defense might be the reason we didn't play in the NC game this year, but there is no reason the offense can't help the defense out and this year it didn't on a regular basis. How many three and outs in the last couple games??? Sometimes our running game looked unstoppable (Aub. and OU) but Nuss refused to let our horses run.

I can agree about the screen pass in the LSU game last year, but wouldn't that screen pass have worked against that defensive rush of OU's. Was waiting for it the whole game!!!

While Nuss put up points, there were times where it seemed he couldn't see the forest for the trees in certain game situations.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

alabama mike1 said:

I may have to eat crow on this but I'd be surprised if CNS brings Kiffin to T'town as the OC BUT I've eaten crow before.

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Me too. It's tasty though, isn't it?:biggrin2:

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

I don't remember questioning the play calling as much as I did this year--EVER in the Saban era. Where was the screen pass? Why didn't Derrick Henry keep running the ball against OK? So many "what ifs" on offense in the later part of this season. It was frustrating as a fan to watch.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

Two words - Mike Groh.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

The big question is, "Will Kiffin be willing to take an OC job"? I may be wrong but I just don't think so.

Re: TROUBLE follows Lane Kiffin

AgentAntiOrange said:

I think I get what your trying to say without actually saying because it might not go over well. I'm with you 100% on this.

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Haha! I love this post. You are right, this will be the most talked about hire since CNS got off the plane in T Town but I think we will be fine. It will be a great learning experience for CLK. Humble pie. If it happens, the Bama Nation will go nuts and quite frankly, I can't wait to sit back and watch. The thought of CLK coming here actually excites me as he is a fantastic OC and recruiter. This would be his opportunity to "right his own ship" and learn how to do things the RIGHT way. I'm ok with it!

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

WylieTexasTider said:

He's never coached QB's.... Seeing the need to develop one yesterday, do you see LK as OC/QB's or, OC/WR and we bring in a QB coach? If that's the case Napier is gone which May not be a bad thing...

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That's a good question. Have heard several different rumblings about staff reassignment, replacement, etc. In house, we certainly have some options... but the question will be "do we return to the style of football CJM employed?"

Regarding the "success" that CDN experienced in terms of raw numbers, let me say one thing. At UA during this run, you're not going to be judged by the numbers you put up against the MSU's and the UT's of the conference right now. You're going to be judged by this question... "do you get it done on the big stage?" The OU was a snapshot of what (IMO) was a habitual problem. When the game plan coming into a game stalled, we couldn't adjust. From early in the 2nd half until the remainder of the game, it was obvious to everyone we couldn't block their front four on passing plays (three step drop from the gun). There are multiple things that OC's do to slow down an aggressive pass rush... chip some DL with a TE/RB, delayed runs, and screen passes being among them. NONE of these things were employed in the second half against OU... it's almost as if we had the opinion of "we're going to win the way we want to win or not at all."

Folks can point to the defensive lapses we experienced this year as the major problem... but the folks who know Saban's philosophy know that he expects the offense to control the ball in order to keep his defense fresh. WAY too many times this year, our offense sputtered in key moments of a big game and put a winded defense back out on the field quickly.

From what I heard, Kiffen said this in critique of our offense... (1) it's amazing how successful we were because our tendencies were obvious to everyone and (2) you're not using the TE mismatch that O.J. Howard gives you - essentially wasting that positive matchup.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

runtheoption22 said:

The outside analysis (Kiffin's included) has been very clear on how predictable it was.

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This is very interesting, and the first I have heard of what Kiffin said. Do we have any other information on what Kiffin's analysis was?

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

BamaAlum97 said:

Good luck to Coach Nuss...

Very interested to see we get as OC....would this site melt down completely if it were Kiffin? Honestly, I have no idea how I would react if that occurred.

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I don`t care for Lane Kiffin. Having said that, I don`t count and I`m OK with that. This is Coach Saban`s call.

Re: TROUBLE follows Lane Kiffin

If Coach Saban hires him, you can bet that Lane Kiffin knows what is expected, and what wont be tolerated. Coach will definitely lay down the ground rules for Kiffin to follow.

Coach controls every aspect of the program to the micro detail....if anyone think that Kiffin would be able to come in and 'do things his own way', you can rest easy, thats not going to happen.

As Bamabelle said, Kiffin has had a big serving of Humble pie, and I think would come in as a team player. If Saban doesnt think so, then Saban would never let it happen.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

Bamabuzzard said:

I guess my problem with the entire OC "play calling problems" is that it is my understanding that we require OC's to adapt to our system. So if the playcalling was a problem then why wasn't it addressed during the year. In other words if I'm the HC and think we need to be running the ball more then by goodness I'm on the headset to the OC telling him. "Hey dude, let's pound the ball a little more. We're passing too much."

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Buzzard, I know I'm in the minority but I thought we should have passed more. Our O-line was not a strong run blocking line at all IMO...
With our receivers I think we could have been a terror on offense with short, quick passes.

Re: TROUBLE follows Lane Kiffin

derek4tide said:

If Kiffin is named, I 'm sure Coach Saban can handle it. Maybe you can call Coach and let him know how you feel.

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Here here.

Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

CBS reporting Kiffin to interview for the job today. Link

Former USC head coach Lane Kiffin is interviewing for the Alabama offensive coordinator job as early as today, according to a source.

Kiffin will visit Tuscaloosa for the interview but won't be alone for the job. A long list of NFL suitors should be involved for a coveted job to replace Doug Nussmeier, who is now Michigan's offensive coordinator.

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Re: Nussmeier to Michigan

Alasippi said:

Buzzard, I know I'm in the minority but I thought we should have passed more. Our O-line was not a strong run blocking line at all IMO...
With our receivers I think we could have been a terror on offense with short, quick passes.

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I agree.

Most years, we use the run to open up the passing game...and we've been very successful....this season, IMO, we should have used the passing game to open up the run much more. We HAVE become increasingly predictable (...and not all due to Coach Nussmeier's playcalling, as the head coach approves the gameplan), and our O-line just wasnt able o dominate like they have in past years.

Teams were stacking the box, and we were still trying to force it. I would have loved to have seen us use our Heisman finalist QB, stable of excellent WR's and future All americn TE a bit more to 'soften' things up...

Of course, Im not getting paid to coach and I have the luxury of making this analysis from my living room couch without the stress of high expectations...sooooo...