My Spring Preview of the Tide.

bamaslammer

All-American
Jan 8, 2003
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Once upon a time I wrote for Bleacher Report but quit after they started getting pushy. (I just did it for fun) I've continued writing mainly for my family and a few friends who follow. Once a year when things are dead I do post something on here for you guys to read, criticize, dog, and otherwise disagree with. Ignore any spelling errors, I cheated my way through middle school.

it's long... It's been a long winter.

http://www.kirkwoodhouse.com/blog
 

TheTradition

All-SEC
Nov 6, 2010
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Really nice piece. I know that took some time and effort. Here's some of my thoughts on the article and just spring in general.

-I think a renewed hunger will do wonders for the team this year. Although there were some personnel issues last year, complacency is what ultimately did us in IMO.

-I do think you're underestimating the Barn a little bit when you call them a team of questionable talent. Chizik was a terrible coach, but his last year (3-9) was the result of a team that quit, not one that wasn't talented. AU has recruited well the past few years and should continue to do so.

-One issue that contributed to our struggles on D last year was the drop-off at corner. We just didn't have the production there that we are used to under Saban. We never developed a guy to compliment Belue, and I think this prevented us from utilizing some of our more complicated blitz packages.

-Going into spring, I think our best options are Eddie Jackson and Bradley Sylve. However, competition should be WIDE OPEN.

-I've heard Ardarius Stewart will be moved to safety and Denzel Devall may get a look at inside backer. Possibly making room for Pettway at JACK?

-The OLINE never gelled last year. I thought, midseason, maybe they were there, but that proved incorrect at the end of the year. We couldn't gain a yard when we needed it against AU and struggled in pass protection against Oklahoma.

-We have to develop cohesiveness there this year. The OLINE is the key to a good offense, especially this year when we are breaking in a new QB and don't have AJ to carry us.

-I think Yeldon's fumbles have made people forget how good he really is. Guy ran for 1200 yards last year while splitting carries; just has to fix the fumbling issue.

-Three headed monster at RB this year with Yeldon/Henry/Drake. It should be interesting to see what the split is.

-As far as QBs go, I think the main contenders are Sims, Morris, Bateman, and Coker. Cornwell is extremely talented, and I've heard some good things about him already but he is coming off an ACL and is rather raw anyways. Probably redshirt this season.

-If the light comes on for Bateman, watch out.

-I think Coker will win the job because I don't think he was brought in to just sit the bench. Hopefully, he is everything he is supposed to be.
 
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RTR91

Super Moderator
Nov 23, 2007
39,407
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Very lengthy but detailed. Just a suggestion, may want to split the post into two or three to discuss each side of the ball and/or the team as a whole. Easier way to keep readers.

#4 ”Strategize” to stop the no huddle. Everyone saw how it Alabama struggled defensively against the fast paced offense. It’s also hard to ignore how Auburn took a team of “questionable talent” to the national title game running it. We won’t see everyone run the high school offense Auburn ran but we will see more fast paced/no huddle offense. Even teams that don’t run it will probably run it just for us. Oklahoma completely trashed Alabama’s defense with it and this after a season of working on it. I don’t think Kirby Smart’s job is in jeopardy NOW but his career is definitely on the line if he can’t find a way to respond to this. He won’t be alone either. The think about this problem is that if you HAVE a defense (which includes everybody) you need to find a way to respond to this. Even Auburn might find themselves a victim of their own evil concoction.
You don't give Auburn enough credit. Dating back to 2009, Rivals rates Auburn's recruiting classes #19, #4, #7, #10, and #8. The offensive players were recruited to run Gus' offense, too.

Alec Morris – Sophomore – 6′ 3″ 230: Morris was not a highly ranked recruit but the Alabama staff liked his arm at camp so they offered. Morris did play well enough last spring to stay in front of higher ranked true freshman so we can’t throw him on the scrap heap just yet. Morris is big and should be able to stand in the pocket and take a little punishment. Going strictly on past performance Morris and Sims would have to be considered the front runners this spring.
He was passed by Luke Del Rio in the fall. Of course, Luke is gone, but he was still passed by at least one freshman.

Utility Back:
Red shirt freshman Tyren Jones may inherit Dee Hart’s roll as Alabama’s utility back. Alabama has used these type players to run the ball, to return kicks and as gunners on kick coverage. Jones is a little beefier than Hart so he could expand his offensive roll with time. Certainly having two healthy knees will help.
IIRC, folks expected Tyren to be like Ingram and/or Richardson when he was recruited. He's 5'9 and 215. He's more like what Bama has used than he is to Dee Hart.
 
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KentuckianaBFan

All-SEC
Jan 26, 2011
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#1...“just too many guys who were used to winning and they forgot what losing felt like.”

Bring the team together and make them watch last season's Iron Bowl or Sugar Bowl, beginning to end/soup to nuts...before Spring Training and before Fall Camp, and any time during the season they (the Coaching Staff) think it is needed...
 
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gtowntide

All-American
Mar 1, 2011
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Memphis,TN.
Enjoyed your breakdown, you obviously put a lot of time into this. I'm looking forward to this spring simply because of the unknowns and how the 2014 Tide will eventually look like. We have talent everywhere on both sides of the ball and the competition should be fun to watch! RTR.
 

BamaMoon

Hall of Fame
Apr 1, 2004
20,932
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Loved it!

I looked twice, but I saw no mention of Marlon Humphrey. Saw you mentioned Tony Brown, but no Marlon. Those two will be a big plus at corner, even if they are only pushing people who are currently in front of them!
 

bamaslammer

All-American
Jan 8, 2003
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www.kirkwoodhouse.com
thanks for the thoughts. My responses.

Sorry about the grammatical. I wasn't joking about cheating through middle school.

On Auburn, they certainly had some talent, their left tackle might be the best guy we faced since Saban got to Bama. But their quarterback was a throw away DB from Georgia and their receivers were mostly crap and their defensive backfield was a train wreck. The National title game was pretty much over when they gave the ball back to the Seminoles with more than 30 seconds left. Their usage of the fast pace offense was definitely an equalizer.

I did not really review players not due till the fall because this is a spring primer. I did make mention of a few. Humphrey will definitely get a good shot at playing. His dad was the RB when I was in school so it's going to be cool to watch his son play.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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thanks for the thoughts. My responses.

Sorry about the grammatical. I wasn't joking about cheating through middle school.

On Auburn, they certainly had some talent, their left tackle might be the best guy we faced since Saban got to Bama. But their quarterback was a throw away DB from Georgia and their receivers were mostly crap and their defensive backfield was a train wreck. The National title game was pretty much over when they gave the ball back to the Seminoles with more than 30 seconds left. Their usage of the fast pace offense was definitely an equalizer.

I did not really review players not due till the fall because this is a spring primer. I did make mention of a few. Humphrey will definitely get a good shot at playing. His dad was the RB when I was in school so it's going to be cool to watch his son play.
I don't know if you amended it or not, but Marlon was in the version I read. He's holding out a Wilson football towards the camera...
 

bamaslammer

All-American
Jan 8, 2003
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www.kirkwoodhouse.com
I don't know if you amended it or not, but Marlon was in the version I read. He's holding out a Wilson football towards the camera...
The picture of Marlon was in my review of the signing class, that was a different post but you guys are free to read any of the stuff on that. IT's just my opinion of course on what I see and I try to add some perspective from years of watching Alabama football. I have zero desire to be a source of information, I just do it for fun and my mom likes to read my opinion pieces. She recently went through a bout of bad health. When people get old they tend to talk about "not being here". I told her she couldn't die after THAT iron bowl, that travesty being her last iron bowl. Thankfully she is better so Bama will have more chances to redeem itself. Mal did it right. Went out like a champ.
 

BigBama76

Suspended
Oct 26, 2011
1,002
0
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Atlanta, GA
Good article.

I think Coach Saban will get the DB's on track this coming year. However, to me one of the biggest defensive problems we had last year was at the NG spot. For the first time since 2007 we didn't have an NG that could disrupt the middle and require double teams. Having a very effective NG is what makes the 3-4 work.

Offensively we obviously need a QB to develop but all we really need is a QB with enough confidence and ability to feed the highly talented skill players we have. We have enough talented Olinemen so I'm less worried about that area than some.
 

CrimsonDynasT

2nd Team
Sep 23, 2007
300
2
37
VERY nice read, Bamaslammer!! Just what I needed to get rid of some winter blahs. I look forward to future posts from you. Quick grammatical note..............One of my favorite quotes comes from President Andrew Jackson who was poorly schooled. He said, "It's a damned poor mind, indeed, that can't figure out more than one way to spell a word."" RTR
 

alabama mike1

All-American
Jul 12, 2013
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I really enjoyed the read and your opinion of the Tide players going into spring football. It is obvious that you have put a lot of thought into your article. Thank you for sharing this with us AND please post your blogs more often on here.
 

bamaslammer

All-American
Jan 8, 2003
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www.kirkwoodhouse.com
I'm curious to see the OL development. We need some nastiness from them.
An under performing line is a primary causal factor in every one of the seasons that were a disappointment. By disappointment I mean the team did worse than I expected. 2007 for instance was a train wreck of a season but I wasn't disappointed because I actually expected it to be worse.

Saban has always leaned toward roster continuity from season to season but continuity is meaningless when you lose to Auburn. Hunger beats experience any day in my book. Two guys go for the same drumstick. Who's going to get it?
 

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