How would you grade Kiffin thus far?

TIDE-HSV

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JMO but neither one of our QB's are very good. Long way to go so I hope our D will gel and step up. We will need defense to win games.
I don't think I'd go so far as saying neither was "very good." There are a lot of teams which would be happy to have either. For a long time, I've wished we had a QB with more escapability, after Wilson, GMac and then AJ. Coker obviously doesn't have Blake's wheels but he's still a better runner than the three last ones. Tonight, it looked like the team settled into the old offense more easily with Coker, at least until the play broke down. I guess my fear is that neither will really get a chance to settle in and, if they don't, then the offense won't settle down either. Oh well, that's why we play the games...
 

rgw

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I'd say that both QBs have limitations. Blake Sims' athletic ability and precision on everything behind the LOS up to the first down marker is the difference. I think Coker would be better longterm for developing a pro-style attack but Sims is the most likely to have the offense in position to contend.

His ability to make loose plays and run the ZR is huge.
 

CoolBreeze

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I think that Lane is doing an awesome job. If the offense would execute the plays correctly we will be fine. My biggest concern is with the defense and how we keep getting gashed in the middle of the field. Certainly, that is not Kirby's fault either...just need to execute better.
 

JDCrimson

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I hope that's right. I've developed some concern about the chemistry between Kiffin and Saban...
I haven't spent much time watching their interaction but I think it is an entirely different set of circumstances than with previous OCs. Kiffin is on the sideline unlike past OCs. He is a former controversial head coach that draws media attention. We are coaching some very green QBs.

Given what Kiffin has to work with at QB and how they have played I don't see how CNS could have anything to complain about. Sims is playing over his head imo and Coker hasn't had this much game action since HS. I am uncomfortable to a degree as well because we are playing a style of offense that looks a little different than what we are used to maybe CNS feels the same way too. But I think Kiffin has done a really good job being with the play calls and working all the field. The only complaint I might have on offense is that we are featuring Cooper too much in the offense. How well will our offense function when conference teams start bracketing coverage against Cooper and we haven't spent enough game time working on timing with other WRs?

Given what I have seen so far maybe CNS needs to spend more time working on his defense. Because I haven't seen this defense play well enough to stop and A&M or Auburn.
 
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RTR91

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I don't make much of Saban and Kiffin's sideline interactions. I think we're just seeing the headset conversations with Applewhite, Mac and Nuss become face to face.


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deliveryman35

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No problems with the play-calling but sometimes the process of getting the call to the huddle on the field has been problematic, but not sure that's Kiffin's fault.
 

GP for Bama

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I think Kiffin has done just fine so far. The next two weeks will tell. I am more worried about our defense the next two weeks than our offense. (However our defense has still just given uo one offensive touchdown so far).
 

TideMan09

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Yup..I thought our offense looked a lot better the 1st two games when we played in a "Hurry Up" mode & thought Coach Kiffin called some great games in those games..I think Coach Kiffin would rather us play in that "Hurry Up" mode & Coach Saban didn't allow us to play that way this game ..Our offense looked lost & confused cause we got away from that "Hurry Up" mode we ran the 1st two games..And went back to our slowed down style we've ran since Coach Saban has been here..The offense still produced this game, but, we looked lost & confused at times..And didn't look as explosive as we've been in the 1st two games..I really hope Coach Saban allows our offense to play in that "Hurry Up" mode that our offense ran soooo well the 1st couple of games..Cause Blake sure looked more comfortable running our offense when we played faster on offense. & I honestly think Coach Kiffin called better games when we played faster on offense as well..Something just didn't feel right as compared to our 1st couple of games..JMO
I don't think I'd go so far as saying neither was "very good." There are a lot of teams which would be happy to have either. For a long time, I've wished we had a QB with more escapability, after Wilson, GMac and then AJ. Coker obviously doesn't have Blake's wheels but he's still a better runner than the three last ones. Tonight, it looked like the team settled into the old offense more easily with Coker, at least until the play broke down. I guess my fear is that neither will really get a chance to settle in and, if they don't, then the offense won't settle down either. Oh well, that's why we play the games...
 

BigBama76

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We're averaging 568 yds per game and 298 yds passing. I'd say that's pretty good considering two inexperienced QB's. I know you have to look at the level of competition but I can't remember Bama ever averaging those kind of numbers against that level of competition before Kiffen.

CNS has made sure to complement Kiffen on multiple occasions so I don't read much into their interactions.

Update: That 568 yds per game puts us in the top 10 in total offense a spot ahead of Oregon.
 
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CajunCrimson

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Game 1 - establish the run
Game 2 - establish the screens and hitches
Game 3 - establish the short to medium game

We threw zero screens tonight. That wasn't an accident.

Florida has a lot to prepare for....
 

glasscutter256

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Kiff has not instilled a lot of confidence in me. Offense looks confused way too many times. We've never had a problem calling plays until this year. Not spreading the ball around enough. If Cooper is the only one who gets the ball, it makes it easier for the defense to key on them. We need to spread it out to TE's and other WR's more.
there have been some very questionable play calls and predictable in many cases. I hope he has a good game plan for Florida. We'll need our best offensive effort next week.
 

TIDE-HSV

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I think it's a very complicated situation. We have had trouble in the past getting plays in. It was terrible with Pendry and Applewhite. I thought it was best with CJM. He and Saban were on the same wavelength. It was a bit less so with Nuss. CNS has made it clear several times, as we've changed OCs, that they were coming in to run "our" offense. Being a defensive coach, his idea of play-calling will always be conservative. In fact, a couple of the few games he's lost is because he tried to put them on ice too early - which can't be done with modern offenses. He's also said that all of the plays go through him. One way of interpreting that would be that only Saban-approved plays get run. I've watched Kiffin call before. I can't remember one time he had a QB jumping up and down on the field trying to get a play call. It seems interesting that the play calls come a bit more quickly with Coker in the game...
 

bamaga

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I keep thinking CNS is trying to learn from CLK, which is why he gets in the huddle with the offense.
I think it is the other way around. I think Nick is listening to critique Lane in postgame meetings, trying to help Lane be more effective. Nick is trying to make Lane a better coach. He teaches his players, he teaches his coaches.


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BadgerTidefan

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I hope that's right. I've developed some concern about the chemistry between Kiffin and Saban...
I wonder if CNS is getting involved by critiquing every play as they are called maybe causing a delay himself? I read earlier he had said he would only make his comments between series, Maybe he's gotten away from that.
 
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twofbyc

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I hope that's right. I've developed some concern about the chemistry between Kiffin and Saban...
Interesting...but it seems like, at least the first half that I watched, there is confusion on both sides of the ball. Offense didn't take a step sideways like the defense (I thought it was a progression for the offense, even though small), but the defense in the first half looked very awkward at times, and TD (who is supposed to be a leader) looked very disgruntled on several occasions. I did not expect that in the third game of the season. Next Saturday will be intersection #1.
 

DC Tide

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I think there's a lot more being made of Saban and Kiffin's interactions than what is really there.
Agreed 100%. Granted, looks can be deceiving, but it looked to me that their interactions are more mutually trying to figure out issues with the offense rather than the HC just "yelling" at the OC. (Saban looks grumpy when doing so ... but he ALWAYS looks grumpy!) The two coaches seem to have a lot of mutual respect for each other.

The only philosophical difference that I can see creeping up is Kiffin's apparent reliance on one star (Cooper), whereas Saban probably prefers to distribute the ball a bit more.
 

DrollTide

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I hope that's right. I've developed some concern about the chemistry between Kiffin and Saban...
Saban says very nice things about CLK, and always has. However, he wouldn't bad mouth anybody let alone is own OC. So I know what you mean.

Saban is a guy whose intensity does not often come through in his pressers. His public face always includes measured phraseology such as ".. continue to improve.." and ".. put ourselves in a position to have success..", but his gameday demeanor is extremely intense and demanding.

He is more forgiving of mistakes when they are appropriate to a player's level of development. Coaches are "fully" developed and I suspect his tolerance is low, and although I have heard him refer to an on-field error (usually without specifically naming the player) I don't think I have ever heard him blame an assistant.

My current beefs with the offense (minor beefs, bearing in mind 3-0):
- the long ball, probably to do with Sims, but he is very good everywhere else
- Cooper gets 75% of the receptions, but this is obviously because Cooper gets loose and also defenses must respect the excellence of other receivers even if they are not catching much
- Where is OJ?
Seems to me Kiffin has been told to sandbag the offense and just run bread-n-butter plays. However there is not much thinking involved if you are just calling inside zones and screens, so it would have been nice to see better sideline-to-huddle management.
 

CaliforniaTide

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It seems interesting that the play calls come a bit more quickly with Coker in the game...
Earle, I'm just speculating, but I feel that Alabama has two main problems in this QB battle: 1) The QBs bring totally different skill sets, and 2) Where one QB is weak, the other QB is strong, and vice versa. If we could somehow create a new QB with Sims' and Coker's strengths, we would have a QB.

I feel like this is Sims' job to lose. But there seems to be some thing (or maybe more than one) happening/not happening with Sims that warrants Coker to come in the last two games, and it's occurring enough that CNS continues to make this is week-to-week competition.
 

B1GTide

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I am really surprised at the level of execution by your offense - especially on 3rd down.

Kiffin is doing a great job of taking advantage of weaknesses each week. Your plan seems to change from one week to the next based on the strengths and weaknesses of the defense faced. This has not happened before at Alabama under Saban. You are still trying to be a physical team, but you are not forcing plays that are simply not there.

Still, Alabama has played against air (defensively) so far. I want to see how you look against the Florida defense before I start throwing roses at Kiffin's feet.
 

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