From all indications, there was a significant disconnect between the older players and the newcomers.
That sounds like you're saying that the upperclassmen couldn't tell the youngsters that the sky is blue. If true, what could have changed so dramatically in a few short months? It's been my displeasure to find, that when I'm speaking to even much older people than these kids, that when people aren't listening, it's a long term problem. If these star freshmen were tuning out the seniors for an entire football season, during a historic run at college football greatness, not much would be changing in a few short weeks through the spring days of practice. Yet Saban has been consistent in his praise for this football teams attitude from start to stop.
Sooner or later the failed opportunity will have to shift to what the biggest failure was really all about. We could not figure out the HUNH teams. We may as well put it on the headstone of the 2013 season and lay it to rest. We could not handle the HUNH offenses when it mattered most.
That doesn't really reflect negativity on AJ, given his overall productivity through the season. The Sooner game was just being in the wrong bowl at the wrong time. It happens and will again, unfortunately. AJ needs to figure out as much and please, move on.