News Article: Amari Cooper Credits Lane Kiffin's Offense as Reason Behind His Big Scrimmage

KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid.

Applies in so many situations in life.

Bamabuzzard said:

I don't know but it seems to be enough for Cooper to be quite vocal about it. If Kiffin's offense is as Cooper says this year could be quite entertaining with regard to our offense. When players "get" the system they play faster. When they play faster the scoreboard lights up.......a lot!

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Maybe players understand Kiffen Offensive ideas better than they grasped Nuss's Offense.
Simplifying the play calling and a better understanding of plays has to beat, not quite understanding what Nuss wanted.
I too wonder if the Nuss Offense was over complicated. I know sometimes it looked like our guys weren't on the same page.
My problem with the Nuss Offense was that I called nearly all of his plays from my couch.
I thought he was too predictable.
Last year we didn't have the type team that could tell you what they were going to do, and still run it successfully.

Really great athletes do not need a complicated system -- their ability can carry them. Lesser athletes need a system in order to compete. Successful coaches know this and vary the complexity of their system depending upon who they have. Not as a knock against him, but I do think at times that CNS's system has produced too much "thinking" and not enough "reacting" and just playing your position. Our DL and LB's were thinking far too much against AU -- and I do not think you cannot do that against an option based, fast speed offense. But, the next football team I coach will be my first!

Bamabuzzard said:

Not to hijack the thread but Cooper has continued to mention "keeping it simple" makes me wonder if this type concept would help on the defensive side of the ball as well.

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The short answer is no. Alabama has sustained unprecedented success on defense. Usually, defenses "mature" with their players. As the players start to get the system, and you end up with enough juniors and seniors, that translates to success on the field. Those players leave, you take a step backwards, and then repeat the process.

Under Nick Saban, from 2008-2013, the worst Alabama defense has still been elite. The success is a bi-product of the players he recruits and the way he coaches them. That's why I cringe when I see people talk about getting smaller to deal with the hurry up offenses. Sure, you can do that, but then teams will run easier on Alabama, there's no way around that. So yeah, sure, you can also make it simpler, and easier for some players to grasp, but the defense won't be capable of what it was before. You combine the two, you get smaller and simpler, sure, Alabama will still have a good defense, but great? Not so much...

Back on topic a bit more, how come no one here has done the typical proclamation that Blake Sims can't throw the deep ball?

Very interesting. This is something I wish they could have done last season.


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Bamabuzzard said:

Sometimes I wonder if our defense is so complicated that most players spend more time thinking than reacting.

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Possibly, but the other side of the coin is that the complexity of the defense makes it difficult for the QB to read.

As far as Kiffin's offense, it seems that he is more aggressive in attacking a D's weakness--something that Nuss never did consistently, with the notable exception of the ND game.

I wonder Nuss offense was very complicated?

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jthomas666 said:

Possibly, but the other side of the coin is that the complexity of the defense makes it difficult for the QB to read.

As far as Kiffin's offense, it seems that he is more aggressive in attacking a D's weakness--something that Nuss never did consistently, with the notable exception of the ND game.

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Which was quite easy seeing as the entire ND defense was weak.

BamainBoston said:

I'll believe it when I see it.

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As will I

Way too early to tell, but it feels as if our offense is going to do very well under CLK. It seems like he is the type to attack defenses, go for mismatches, and stick with what's working. At the same time, CLK has been known for great balance and an earnest commitment to the run game. I think we'll see explosive plays with the likes of Coop and White, along with a punishing run game with Yeldon and Henry.

Man, I'm excited..

Nolan said:

Way too early to tell, but it feels as if our offense is going to do very well under CLK. It seems like he is the type to attack defenses, go for mismatches, and stick with what's working. At the same time, CLK has been known for great balance and an earnest commitment to the run game. I think we'll see explosive plays with the likes of Coop and White, along with a punishing run game with Yeldon and Henry.

Man, I'm excited..

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If he can integrate any sort of in game adjustments, take what the defense gives you, or attacking specific matchups I think we have a good chance to have an improved offense. I think we have let the idea of making their blank quit creep too much into the offensive playcalling. Yes it is a great mindset to have, but at times it has caused us to go up against the strength of an opposing team when their was probably an easier way.

I saw some games while Kiffin was at USC where he had a tremendous balance between run and pass where the defense just never could figure out what was coming next. I'm pretty optomistic about what we will see next year.

Bamabuzzard said:

I think the pro's of a complicated defense is as you say. When they "get it" it is very effective. However, the cons is it normally takes the average player at Bama two years to fully "get it". Barring injury to the upperclassmen (who've already gone through this process) this doesn't pose a problem. But when injuries hit it forces the younger guys into greater roles when they are nowhere near ready. Whereas if the defense was simplified to some degree (not completely dumbed down mind you) the learning curve wouldn't be as steep and if injuries occur younger players could have an easier transition.

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Reggie Ragland is exibit A for what you are saying. He's a junior and in a recent article he says he's finally getting it, but still has to think about it sometimes. RR, I don't think is below average in intelligence. Played his HS ball at Bob Jones, noted to be a pretty good academic situation there in Madison, AL.

The problem with Bama's losses the past few years has not been the defense it has been the offense's struggles. Even against Auburn this past season, if the offense takes advantage of the opportunities they had we win that game by double figures.

KrAzY3 said:

Back on topic a bit more, how come no one here has done the typical proclamation that Blake Sims can't throw the deep ball?

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JessN has stated Blakes real struggle is the "intermediate" throws. Those are the ones I remember in some game situations.

When BS's inaccuracy is mentioned, you typically say that it based on very limited data. Then you mention remembering seeing him throw in his first A day game as proof he's better than the brief times we've seen him.

Not to be nitpicky, but aren't you basing your argument on some limited data as well?