Link: Alabama starting sims vs wvu

I read an article recently about some guy who "liked" everything he saw on Facebook for two days. It was almost no time at all until his news feed was clogged with all sorts of fringe political stories.

As for our QB, I really don't care. Saban and Kiffin have seen both of them at every practice and both know more about football than I do so I'll bow to their judgement.

While I disagree that Sims has earned the job just for being a loyal soldier for four years, I am happy for him that his hard work and persistence has paid off.

AlexanderFan said:

Unless Blake Sims arm strength has improved tremendously our running game will be hampered by the lack of a vertical passing game. Safeties can stay in the box to help contain him, and to have more bodies to throw around in the short passing game. The play action deep ball might be missing this year. I'm not saying Coker is better, just that from what we've seen of Sims the vertical passing game will suffer. Regardless of the quarterback under the center you can bet the defense will force us to utilize the quarterback to beat them.

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I think that`s exactly what most everybody will do. I think they`ll say, "You might beat us but you won`t do it running the ball".

I guess we will all see come Saturday. Roll Tide !!

any chance that the line play may lead the coaches to think we need a more mobile qb to get out of trouble?

KrAzY3 said:

It's been said other times, but his arm strength is not the issue. Any more than say, Jay Barker's arm strength was an issue...

It's just something people keep saying. The initial reports on Coker/Sims actually has Coker as the one who as struggling on the deep pass (because he was overthrowing, but still).


Yeah, it really sucked having AJ last year.

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Barker's arm strength? You must have never saw him turn one loose.

bamamc1 said:

Barker's arm strength? You must have never saw him turn one loose.

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I may be wrong, but I think the poster's point was that barker had a fairly strong arm but the problem was that a lot of the time no one knew where the ball was going to end up.

bamanix said:

it really scares me that we have a 5th year qb starting for a potential title chasing team. I agree, blake has earned a start because of his loyalty to the program, but, when I look around the 5th year starters I don't see many succeeding with different schools. then I see other programs winning big with freshmen, sophmores. after watching texas A@M last night, all I can say is johnny who? a sophomore Kenny hill destroys usc. sumlin sure has his program on a roll, with a few additional def freshmen, and outstanding receivers. I just wish we had someone to throw to our potentially outstanding receivers. it just scares me if we don't have a down field threat. the game is changing, and there is a lot of talented qbs. we need to get one that is more than a game manager. I still think coker will be the starter.

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If you think he earned the start because of loyalty to the program rather than ability to make good decisions and run the offense efficiently, you are not listening to what our coach is saying. Either that, or you believe our coach is deliberately misleading us.

kayakerjess said:

If you think he earned the start because of loyalty to the program rather than ability to make good decisions and run the offense efficiently, you are not listening to what our coach is saying. Either that, or you believe our coach is deliberately misleading us.

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It may not be "the" reason but it sure enters into the equation when apparently neither QB has separated themselves enough from the other. Also, with OL questions, I'm guessing that Blake would be a little better getting himself out of trouble if needed.

Saban discussed the QBs last night during Hey Coach.

His comments lead me to believe Blake is the starter for more than just this game but Coker will continue to play.

"My job is to play the best players and the guys that have done best the job for this game. For this game. That does not mean that it's going to stay that way. It does not mean that if you're the starting pitcher that you're going to pitch for nine innings. The manager sometimes comes in and takes the guy out. All these things are options that are available."

Asked if there would be situations where one quarterback would replace the other because of a pre-planned arrangement, Saban said, "I think that's certainly a possibility."

"We have faith, trust and confidence in Blake Sims," Saban said. "We're not going to evaluate Blake and he doesn't have to look over his shoulder while he's playing. I think there may be some occasion where the other guy deserves an opportunity at some point in time this season to show what he can do."

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If Sims has truly won the job through superior play, and that's what it appears to be, then I'm all for it and good for him. He will give us a dimension athletically that we haven't seen behind center probably since Tyler Watts.

This was the worst kept secret in the SEC. This move is good for two reasons. First, it gives us a shot to see if Blake can be the guy and it is clear he is more comfortable with the offense. Second, the team loves him and is motivated to play for him. This is more important than most people want to admit. We need to all rally around our QB and give him the support he deserves. He has been willing to play RB for us, he was willing to patiently wait while others QB's left. He is our guy for now. Let's hope he is extremely successful. RTR.

Good Luck this could go either way, we will have to wait and see.

KrAzY3 said:

Yeah, it really sucked having AJ last year.

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Really? You'd make that comparison about Sims being a "fifth year sr."

No way those are "apples" to "apples." Sims is a "fifth year sr." who has never played a meaningful snap.

bamamc1 said:

Barker's arm strength? You must have never saw him turn one loose.

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I think that's his point... nobody's really seen Sims "turn one loose" either, but we keep hearing how weak-armed he is...

Bamabuzzard said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again because I truly believe it is true. If Sims can just be a decent passer and keep from staring down receivers our offense will be hell to stop. He's got the mobility to give defenses absolute fits and with our stable of stud rb's I cannot think of a defense in our conference that could even come remotely close to slowing our offense down.

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Two things he will have to improve:

1. Staring down receivers (as you mention in bold above)

2. Accuracy - which seems to be Cokers achilles heel too.

Hope he does both and your prediction will come true!!!

Bamabuzzard said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again because I truly believe it is true. If Sims can just be a decent passer and keep from staring down receivers our offense will be hell to stop. He's got the mobility to give defenses absolute fits and with our stable of stud rb's I cannot think of a defense in our conference that could even come remotely close to slowing our offense down.

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I picked him up as the last pick in my fantasy league just on the off chance that's what happens

Buzzard
I see where you are coming from and I hope you are 100% right about that, but I can see possibly 3 on our schedule that might give us problems. Florida might be the most complete defense we will face all year, and I know everyone is probably counting out ole miss after last night but that game was close because of Bo Wallace not their defense, and I truly beleive their defense is better than average. Mississippi State's defensive line gives me big worries against our offensive line (see last year for proof). I am confident we will win those games but they might be 10-6, 17-10, and 24-17 scary games.

as for the battle at qb.... I think it favors sims at this point judging off saban's comments but he also made some comments last night that make you think its not a "lock" for the season.I swear interpreting Saban fully is like trying to make sense of lyrical meanings of a Niravana song. IDK,and personally dont care at this point as long as we have a qb that we can make the playoffs with.