****Bama vs. USM - Postgame Thread****

I try not to nitpick when we win by 40 points and get practically everyone into the game. Heck, our second string FB had a reception.

The worries I have though are game/time management, getting consistently beat on long passes, poor tackling, and an over dependence on AC.

I love the huge stats he's putting up and the attention that comes with it but there's a fine line IMO of feeding your playmaker and neglecting every other receiver on the team.

There was plenty to like, of course. The kicking game looks incredibly steady, DePreist looked very comfortable, we've got another pass rusher in Ryan Anderson, and the offensive line is growing into a quiet, reliable strength of the team.

CraigD said:

Chris Black

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Thanks. My bad.

glasscutter256 said:

I'm really getting frustrated with Leon Brown. Numerous times he missed blocks. Why isn't Alphonse Taylor playing. We seem to score when Taylor is in.

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Going to guess we'll see more OL changing this week in practice. Leon got beat a few times by their big DT. He has a difficult time but shouldn't have.


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We got off to a very shaky start but then settled down and did ok. I, like everyone else, am concerned about the QB situation and getting the plays called and the players in the right position. Even on a play where we scored it was obvious that everything was discombobulated and the play was basically backyard football. I thought Coker looked better than he did last week and he looked better last week than he did in the first game. To be honest, things seemed to go a bit more smoothly when he was in the game. I have concerns about the defense but I'm optimistic that we have enough talent to get those things corrected soon. I wonder if we have used the first 3 games as additional scrimmages to try a lot of things and now the SEC portion of the schedule has started we will see us tighten things up a bit.

Experiment season is over. I think we are now going to see a changed Alabama team.


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Roll Tide! 15 Time National Champions, More BCS Championships than any school...

JBama_in_PCOLA said:

Experiment season is over. I think we are now going to see a changed Alabama team.


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It has seemed like this. Watching the past couple of weeks makes me feel like we are playing in a practice game.

Our run defense is like a sieve. Worries me tremendously, especially against teams that run the ball well (Arky, LSU, Auburn). Our tackling is sub-par. The defense just seems so hesitant to let loose and rattle some brains. How many three-and-outs have we had this season? Very few. Our O-line seems more adept at pass blocking. I haven't seen much push upfront. Sims is head-and-shoulders above the rest and gives us a great chance to move the chains. I hate to sound so pessimistic. I'm just trying to as objective as possible. Hopefully the light comes soon.

BamaBrass said:

Our run defense is like a sieve. Worries me tremendously, especially against teams that run the ball well (Arky, LSU, Auburn). Our tackling is sub-par. The defense just seems so hesitant to let loose and rattle some brains. How many three-and-outs have we had this season? Very few. Our O-line seems more adept at pass blocking. I haven't seen much push upfront. Sims is head-and-shoulders above the rest and gives us a great chance to move the chains. I hate to sound so pessimistic. I'm just trying to as objective as possible. Hopefully the light comes soon.

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???
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/footba...nse&cat2=Rushing&conference=I-A_all&year=2014

I'm not sold Bama or any of these other teams are really that good. UF looked bad against an improved UK team, but how improved are they really. Everyone was jumping on the UF bandwagon after they beat a pitiful Eastern MI team. UGA beat Clemson and they are now in the college playoff? I guess the USCe team everyone left for dead had a something to say about that. These early season games are over hyped. We won't really know how good many of these teams are for a couple of more weeks at least. I'm not sure Bama is that good. I've thought this could be a bit of a down year for Bama with all the new faces. New CB's, LB's, and Safeties. The offense with a new QB, freshman LT, and other new faces on the line. The talent is there to be great, but I'm still not sure this team is ready for primetime. I thought UF might be the measuring stick, but after last night we may have to wait until Ole Sis to really know if this team can compete. I have no idea what Bama is going to look like when close to equal athletes line up across from them. I hope they look great, and I think they could, but people saying we suck or that we are the best really have no idea. They are either sunshine pumpers or the constant sky is falling chicken little's.

TideFan in AU said:

???
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/footba...nse&cat2=Rushing&conference=I-A_all&year=2014

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I got it. The teams we've played aren't exactly world beaters at running it. But I've seen way too many four yard gains that should've been one-yard gains because of poor tackling. Against good running teams, those four yard gains will become seven or eight.

BamaBrass said:

I got it. The teams we've played aren't exactly world beaters at running it. But I've seen way too many four yard gains that should've been one-yard gains because of poor tackling. Against good running teams, those four yard gains will become seven or eight.

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Every team we've played this year has been a pass first, fast paced offense. For the most part, we have had personnel on the field to combat that. We have given up a few plays, and we definitely have missed some tackles, but allowing 2.1 YPC is not a "sieve" by any stretch of the imagination.

BamaBrass said:

I got it. The teams we've played aren't exactly world beaters at running it. But I've seen way too many four yard gains that should've been one-yard gains because of poor tackling. Against good running teams, those four yard gains will become seven or eight.

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Number 1 in the nation in rushing yards given up and no rushing TDs given up shouldn't be described as a sieve, no matter who we played.

Our defense isn't as good as normal, but they haven't been terrible.
The offense is averaging 560 plus yards a game and over 40 points and we haven't even seen a normal game plan yet, this has been like pre season so far, lots of experimenting.

We could be pretty good this year, it's just a different looking team, mobile QB and running some tempo, youth on defense, we'll see how it plays out.

I was at the game and being able to see the team beyond the tv screen increased my concerns about our defense in the big games to come. We still have problems at corner and has been mentioned our run d does not appear to be as solid as in the recent past. I think we will need to make a lot of improvement if we are going to be able to defeat tamu, LSU, or the barn.

On a positive note, it appeared to me that our o-line seems to be developing very nicely and I think we are mixing up the play- calling very effectively.



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I too am concerned that this defense may be the weakest since CNS' s first season. For all those who believe that our talent alone will get us in the final 4 are looking through heavily tinted crimson colored glasses. Our defense lacks experience and those with experience look confused and tentative.

We have all been spoiled by the great defenses over the past 5-6 years and are having a hard time accepting the fact that the game has changed and IMO our defensive coaching has been reluctant to change to met the new challenges. Can this defense win the SEC, possibly but it wil have to improve dramatically to beat TAMU, LSU and Aauburn.

GrayTide said:

I too am concerned that this defense may be the weakest since CNS' s first season. For all those who believe that our talent alone will get us in the final 4 are looking through heavily tinted crimson colored glasses. Our defense lacks experience and those with experience look confused and tentative.

We have all been spoiled by the great defenses over the past 5-6 years and are having a hard time accepting the fact that the game has changed and IMO our defensive coaching has been reluctant to change to met the new challenges. Can this defense win the SEC, possibly but it wil have to improve dramatically to beat TAMU, LSU and Aauburn.

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Well, it's just my opinion, but Bama's defense ain't gonna win any of those three games you mentioned; if Bama wins them, it will be on the offense. This is not saying I don't think Bama's D will be better than last year, because I think they will be better; much better by season's end (barring injuries). Bama's offense has to keep them off the field in two of those three games you mentioned. In the other, it may come down to who has the ball last.

GrayTide said:

I too am concerned that this defense may be the weakest since CNS' s first season. For all those who believe that our talent alone will get us in the final 4 are looking through heavily tinted crimson colored glasses. Our defense lacks experience and those with experience look confused and tentative.

We have all been spoiled by the great defenses over the past 5-6 years and are having a hard time accepting the fact that the game has changed and IMO our defensive coaching has been reluctant to change to met the new challenges. Can this defense win the SEC, possibly but it wil have to improve dramatically to beat TAMU, LSU and Aauburn.

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GT as usual you make some excellent points, and addresses the major concern that some of us had going into the season--would our coaches and D better prepare for and adapt to the challenges of the HUNH. Having now seen the team up close and on person, albeit against arguably the worst team in D-1, I still have concerns. You are right, the d looks confused at times and
out of position at others. We have boatloads of talent and depth but that alone will not translate into success.


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I thought the long pass to Coop down the sideline gave Blake a world more confidence. His body language after that throw was noticeable. Not a perfect pass, but it seemed to help.

Those of you expecting to see the 2009 or 2011 defense are going to be sad. Offenses are different today. We aren't going to smother teams like we did in 2009 or under Coach Bryant or Stallings.

I heard someone yesterday (I believe Gary Danielson) say that defenses aren't judging their performance based on yards given up. Instead, they're judging how good they are by limiting to offense kicking a FG or punt.

Again, look at how much rotation the defense had last night. Between Perry and Jackson's second half absences, CKS and CNS constantly moved guys in and out of the secondary. They appeared to look for more experience rather than perfection from the starters, which appears to be what many fans wanted to see.

deliveryman35 said:

GT as usual you make some excellent points, and addresses the major concern that some of us had going into the season--would our coaches and D better prepare for and adapt to the challenges of the HUNH. Having now seen the team up close and on person, albeit against arguably the worst team in D-1, I still have concerns.


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Worst team in D-1? I think that distinction might more appropriately belong to last week's team. That is an improved USM team from last year.

CRMSNtide said:

Number 1 in the nation in rushing yards given up and no rushing TDs given up shouldn't be described as a sieve, no matter who we played.

Our defense isn't as good as normal, but they haven't been terrible.
The offense is averaging 560 plus yards a game and over 40 points and we haven't even seen a normal game plan yet, this has been like pre season so far, lots of experimenting.

We could be pretty good this year, it's just a different looking team, mobile QB and running some tempo, youth on defense, we'll see how it plays out.

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Sieve may not be the best description. I will concede that. I want to see some viciousness! I don't want them to just get tackled, I want the opposition to brace for impact and to know that they will feel sore the following day. Opposing offenses no longer fear us. I'm not seeing the desire to "not give them anything"!