Question: Ball Security: Area of Concern OR Aberration?

fralo4tide

1st Team
Jun 4, 2009
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In the wake of Saturday's win (which could have and should have been more lopsided) one negative thing taken away was the matter of ball security. I do not know the game as many of you do (my career is IT), but I'm sorry, I just do not believe this is a major area of concern. Except for possibly Drake, who has a history of fumbling, the rest I take to be a mere aberration. You cannot convince me, as Gator fans and haters alike are trying to do, that our fumbling was because of the “Florida defense”.

1) DeAndrew White was trying to make a move, and you cannot convince me that the UF defender had the presence of mind in that split second to place his helmet
where he did in order to make contact with the football, which by the way was in White's opposing arm.

2) Blake’s fumble was the result of what appeared to be a missed block assignment. The rushing UF defender instinctively reached out his arm to grab at Blake, just
as any human being does when trying to stop someone who had started to blow by them. It looked as if Blake had the ball secured up high.

3) The interception was opportunistic. It was the result of a tipped ball being caught by a UF defender who just happened to be covering Fowler(?) for the dump-off
pass. And we all know tipped-ball INTs are regular feature for strong defensive teams. Balloon juice! Just a mere happenstance.

And as a side-note, can I just say that I’m glad I got use the word happenstance in a sentence. :D

Maybe you smarter guys will correct me. But, to me, ball security is a problem when turnovers occur regularly in the usual execution of a play where there are not so many unusual things happening: a tipped ball, a defender throwing his arm out in desperation to stop a fleeing runner, or a helmet which goes between the ball carrier’s left arm to contact the pigskin in the other arm.

The fumble by Drake is something that appears to me as the only example where the UF fan can point and say “This is a legitimate example of how our defense can force turnovers” and allow the talking heads to talk about UF's great turnover margin. As taught, he reached in and ripped the ball out.

If I’m correct, we can only say at this point that any potentially ball security issues are Drake-exclusive, and not team wide.

“And that’s all I have to say about that.” - Forrest
 

BigBama76

Suspended
Oct 26, 2011
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Atlanta, GA
I posted on this yesterday. I didn't see the Drake fumble but Blake and DeAndrew were not practicing good ball security.

Blake specifically concerns me because when he scrambles around before deciding to take off he tends to have the ball in his throwing hand away from his body. If he doesn't correct that there will be more fumbles by Blake.
 
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B1GTide

TideFans Legend
Apr 13, 2012
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I don't remember an Alabama team this far behind in turnover ratio this late into a season before. Four turnovers in a single game is an anomoly, but the ratio is not. Something to work on.
 

tidefanbeezer

All-American
Sep 25, 2006
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I think ball security is the symptom; sloppy play is the disease. Neither Drake nor DeAndrew did a good job of protecting the ball; Blake's fumble was a missed blocking assignment; on the tipped INT, Blake should have pumped fake to get the defender off his feet before throwing or tucking and running.

This was an uncharacteristically sloppy game on our part. Lots of mental errors that thankfully didn't bite us too badly.

All of its correctable, which is good news. If it happens again in our next game, then it may become a greater are of concern.
 

BAMAVILLE

Moderator (FB,BB,REC)
Staff member
Jan 9, 2014
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IMHO, a little bit of both. We have a history of fumble-itis and Florida is a ball-hawking defense. While it's frustrating, we can't say we're completely surprised.
^^^^ THIS ... UF is good at attacking the ball and creating turnovers which came back to bite them in the second half of the game. But at the end of the day, better ball security is the key. I loved the desire DW had to make a play with the ball in his hand, seems like a common theme with our WRs this year. I think CLK mentioned how they wanted to emphasis that as well.
 

mittman

All-American
Jun 19, 2009
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Ball Security is always an area of concern even when you don't have a game like this one. It has bit us too many times recently to not worry about it when we do have a game like this one.
 

Power Eye

All-SEC
Aug 3, 2005
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As we all know, ball security has been an issue with Drake for a while. However, I was looking over his stats last night and he has 26 touches for 6 touchdowns. That translates to a touchdown every 4.3333 touches. As his touches increase, that ratio will go down but the bottom line is that he is our most dynamic playmaker not named Cooper. I hope they really focus on his ball security during the off week because we need to get the ball to him more often. I love watching that kid move with the ball, but I have to hold my breath every time he does so.
 

Go Bama

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
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I'm pretty sure the coaches are very concerned and will address the issue everyday until the end of the season. You can't win every game if you turn the ball over 4 times.

Drake is my favorite player on the team. I liked the comparison Gary Danielson made to Drake being a Reggie Bush type of elite receiver.
 

Con

Hall of Fame
Dec 19, 2006
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My Tennessee co-workers were telling me it is all Lane Kiffin's fault for trying to go to fast and that our offense is terrible. I never knew that the pace of an offense made the fumbles occur. I tried to convince them that we are putting up gaudy numbers right now with the terrible OC we have. They then say we need to remember this conversation in a few years.
 
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BamaJama17

Hall of Fame
Sep 17, 2006
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My Tennessee co-workers were telling me it is all Lane Kiffin's fault for trying to go to fast and that our offense is terrible. I never knew that the pace of an offense made the fumbles occur. I tried to convince them that we are putting up gaudy numbers right now with the terrible OC we have. They then say we need to remember this conversation in a few years.
Well I'm sure they'll have more to blame on him when Alabama stomps them up in Knoxville in a few weeks.
 

Ole Man Dan

Hall of Fame
Apr 21, 2008
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Area of concern

We can't keep setting up teams to score.
I do think the Refs waited overlong on blowing several plays dead, where our backs were held up and others worked to strip the ball. Looked to me like forward progress was over, and the 'Mauling' of our backs was taking place.

In heavy traffic I like to see two arms holding the ball. I know guys like Yeldon and Henry are trying to fight for one more yard, but when progress is over, I'd like to see our guys get on the ground.
 

TIDE-HSV

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My Tennessee co-workers were telling me it is all Lane Kiffin's fault for trying to go to fast and that our offense is terrible. I never knew that the pace of an offense made the fumbles occur. I tried to convince them that we are putting up gaudy numbers right now with the terrible OC we have. They then say we need to remember this conversation in a few years.
Just tell them they have to remember the last decade or so. They'll be still trying to get back out of our contrail...
 

TideMan09

Hall of Fame
Jan 17, 2009
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Yup..I've never seen a team ripping at the ball like Florida did against us & it caught us off guard the 1st quarter, but, once we caught on to their style of play & held the ball more tightly with both hands..We were fine & made them pay for it by gaining lots of yards after the catch, cause instead of stopping us, stripping us allowed us to run wild cause they were hell bent trting to get the ball instead of stopping our players..Now if we have the same amount of turnovers in a normal style game..Then I'll be more worried bout it..If I was Florida I'd stop what they're doing trying to strip the ball & concentrate on stopping the ball carries with sure tackling..JMO
 

Chukker Veteran

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Feb 6, 2001
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Just a mere happenstance.

And as a side-note, can I just say that I’m glad I got use the word happenstance in a sentence. :D
It seems like a matter of common sense (or happenstance) that if the runner happens to be tackled when he is in an improper stance he opens the door to mistakes like fumbling. :)

I think Saban tries to make it unpleasant for the guy who fumbles so that when they are stood up fighting for that last yard, they have in the back of their mind that they don't want to drop the ball and get fussed at. My understanding is that Saban gives priority to holding onto the ball over stretching for extra yards.

I'm in the camp that thinks most of the fumbles against Florida were just from good hits at the exact right time and place rather than an indication we just can't keep ourselves from fumbling. If the fumbles bother the fans, I imagine it's really bugging the coaches.
 

crimsonaudio

Administrator
Staff member
Sep 9, 2002
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We have to clean up the sloppy play, and fast - a game with several turnovers and lots of penalties against a team with a potent offense will kill us - and that's just about every team in the SECW right now...
 

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