Well, there's no doubt we were more conservative and I think that along with other factors it really hurt performance. If what you heard is true, there's another lesson to be learned from the game, a tough lesson at that.
AlabamaIntel's Weekend Reviews
- Thread starter RTR91
- Start date
Why is it hard to believe? The players played and the coaches coached the way we've seen in pretty much every regular season big game since 2010.
Between the Auburn game last year through last week's loss, I think the coaches have been getting too much blame for the losses. I think its on the players exclusively. I think CNS did in the off-season what he needed to do from a coaching standpoint with the staff changes and tweaking philosophy. But the one thing he did not do during the off-season is lower his expectation of performance. Why would he suddenly start tolerating penalties and turnovers and poor execution?
The common theme in all of our losses has been turnovers, penalties, and catastrophic breakdowns in the kicking game. Most of the turnovers were fumbles. Most of the penalties were pre-snap penalties. All of that points to a lack of focus by the players. The only way I will accept coaching as the basis for our troubles is if you can show me a loss where we had limited penalties and no turnovers. That would tell me that our strategy, gameplanning, and/or recruiting is begining to suffer.
I think a lot of what we are seeing is sort of second-generation success. Success that is not earned but assumed. The recruiting classes since 2011 represent what I call the second generation. Those kids were lured to the program by the 2009 success and ultimately watched from the sidelines during 2011 and 2012. Those players started becoming a core of the leadership of the team in 2013 and that is when we started hearing the rumbling about buy-in.
As far as I am concerned, I have the coaching staff's back until I see otherwise. All they can do is teach, teach, teach, and stress, stress, stress. If there are not enough players receiving the message you get results like last Saturday. Apparently we still havent reached critical mass on that front yet.
We had a winning gameplan last Saturday that just completely broke down on the field.
The common theme in all of our losses has been turnovers, penalties, and catastrophic breakdowns in the kicking game. Most of the turnovers were fumbles. Most of the penalties were pre-snap penalties. All of that points to a lack of focus by the players. The only way I will accept coaching as the basis for our troubles is if you can show me a loss where we had limited penalties and no turnovers. That would tell me that our strategy, gameplanning, and/or recruiting is begining to suffer.
I think a lot of what we are seeing is sort of second-generation success. Success that is not earned but assumed. The recruiting classes since 2011 represent what I call the second generation. Those kids were lured to the program by the 2009 success and ultimately watched from the sidelines during 2011 and 2012. Those players started becoming a core of the leadership of the team in 2013 and that is when we started hearing the rumbling about buy-in.
As far as I am concerned, I have the coaching staff's back until I see otherwise. All they can do is teach, teach, teach, and stress, stress, stress. If there are not enough players receiving the message you get results like last Saturday. Apparently we still havent reached critical mass on that front yet.
We had a winning gameplan last Saturday that just completely broke down on the field.
Last edited:
I agree with all of this. All teams and coaches go through rough stretches. While we all like to procrastinate, CNS still knows what he is doing and remains at the top of elite coaches in the country. I have every confidence that he will make changes that are needed to improve the team's performance. Finally, Saturday's Arkansas game will be pivotal for our season; win big and regain momentum for the stretch run, or mark this up as a rebuilding year. I believe Bama will be ready to show their stuff on Saturday.
Saban has changed the players he recruits, but we didn't see those guys Saturday against a team they were recruited to defend. Why wasn't Rashaan Evans not on the field? Where was Da'Shawn Hand?
Want to say the coaches can only do so much, but the players aren't performing well (ala penalties and turnovers)? Then ask why isn't Saban changing that? If the backups have the same problem, the players aren't the only problem.
Do you honestly believe Bama had a "winning" gameplan? The offense played and coached not to lose.
Well said JD. The coaches have nothing to do with in game execution and making the plays. I am still not completely sold on the superior talent level we claim to have, everybody now has outstanding talent. At some point the players have to accept their responsibility and commit to playing to the level CNS expects. Until then we are an 8 to 10 win team at best.
I always appreciate your contributions and comments. So you think this may have been what happened? A late change in the offensive gameplan?
I don't read any of the posts as being out of line. The subject has been brought up in the print media and on radio. Whether anyone likes or agrees with any of the sources, I think the game plan and performance and reasons why is a legitimate topic of conversation.
^^^^^^This over and over and over and over and......Bama played worse more than ol spit played well. Not by a lot, but by enough to lose the game.
I find it hard to believe Nick Saban would prepare his team a certain way for 2 weeks and then ditch it at the last minute. As I said, that's what Mike DuBose was famous for.
I'd come closer to believing that CNS may have thought a more wide open game plan (like the one we had against Florida) would have been a little riskier on the road at OM with it being BS's first true road game.
I could see that being the plan for the game...to be more conservative and let OM hang themselves like they normally do. Problem is, they didn't. And then our offensive gameplan just didn't manufacture anything...10 points.
I could see that being the plan for the game...to be more conservative and let OM hang themselves like they normally do. Problem is, they didn't. And then our offensive gameplan just didn't manufacture anything...10 points.
It's the coaching staff's responsibility to have the team ready to play. Talent is obviously not the problem, like it was, say, 10 yrs ago. Others here have already alluded to it and I hate to say it but I think we may have downgraded in recent yrs with staff turnover at several positions. Most of our penalties the last two yrs have been pre-snap and that almost always involves the o line.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
We've had players before say they practice going no huddle in practice for years but never run it in games. If that's the case, why should we be surprised by this?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It's not just the blocking. It's the holding after the block that's costing us badly. When we gain 40 yards on a pass or a run but then have to back up 50 yards because of an unnecessary hold, that's what kills our drives. Then when the same players pull the same stupid stuff play after play after play, it becomes ridiculous.
This one thing has cost us in the way of forward momentum=lost downs=failed drives=lack of scoring=turning the ball over either on downs or having to punt the ball away. Either way, it's this type of mental error (and others) that contributed to our loss to Ole Miss.
The gameplan could've been more aggressive. Agreed.
I believe there are a couple of factors that led us to be more conservative that are worth considering though. I was there Saturday and watched Blake make a couple of questionable throws. One over the middle late in the 1st quarter or maybe early in the 2nd quarter the MLB just dropped - we threw it right to him. After that, we got a lot more conservative. Additionally, the back end of that defense is really tough. Conner is a potential All-American and the corners played the ball in the air well too. There's a chance that opening it up equals turning the ball over 4 times and getting hulk smashed by Ole Miss.
To be fair, Ole Miss played very conservatively as well until it was pretty much desperation time. Then they opened it up.
It was just that type game. As someone else said, it was very much like the 2011 LSU game. I think we'll adjust going forward.
It was just that type game. As someone else said, it was very much like the 2011 LSU game. I think we'll adjust going forward.
I don't think Saban trusts Sims. Plain and simple. He wouldn't name him starter, and I'm not sure I've heard him say those exact words yet. Turn the dude loose and let him play. It's getting asanine, imo.
Latest threads
-
Game One of Alabama-Texas A&M Alabama Series Moved to Friday as Part of Doubleheader- Started by Diamond Tide
- Replies: 0
-
Bama Game Thread: Bama Gymnastics - NCAA Championship Semi-finals (ESPN2 | 4/18 @ 8pm CT)- Started by BamaNation
- Replies: 29
-
No. 1 Visits Tuscaloosa for Second Straight Week as Alabama Hosts Top-Ranked Texas A&M
- Started by Diamond Tide
- Replies: 0
-
-
I'm Declaring the Emperor has no clothes (NCAA rules implosion)
- Started by BamaNation
- Replies: 28
-
Home-and-Home Series Wraps Up as Alabama Welcomes UAB on Tuesday
- Started by Diamond Tide
- Replies: 1