Gary Danielson says it's not Alabama, but rest of SEC, that's different. Link

BigBama76 said:

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/10/cbs_gary_danielson_says_its_no.html

To paraphrase Danielson thinks the rest of the SEC has improved and even past Bama teams would have a problem beating Ole Miss and possibly some of our other opponents.

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Gary's got a REALLY short memory.

I believe Danielson's comments are spot on. CNS has raised the level of every team in the SEC and we may not be better for it.

Just let Kiffin handle the offense and focus on the defense.

I don't know about that. I think the '09 Tide would still run roughshod over today's SEC.

I haven't posted here for a few days because it seems we have a lot of folks who feel that losing to Ole Miss means we "must" have done something wrong rather than other folks are doing something right. And, therefore, obviously, they "must" have cut corners and cheated blah blah blah.

Ole Miss executed when it counted, we didn't.

Period.

selmaborntidefan said:

I haven't posted here for a few days because it seems we have a lot of folks who feel that losing to Ole Miss means we "must" have done something wrong rather than other folks are doing something right. And, therefore, obviously, they "must" have cut corners and cheated blah blah blah.

Ole Miss executed when it counted, we didn't.

Period.

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yup.

we got beat.

selmaborntidefan said:

I haven't posted here for a few days because it seems we have a lot of folks who feel that losing to Ole Miss means we "must" have done something wrong rather than other folks are doing something right. And, therefore, obviously, they "must" have cut corners and cheated blah blah blah.

Ole Miss executed when it counted, we didn't.

Period.

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Agree. We have several problems that are a result of our success.
1) We attract great players who have the goal of being in the NFL and many have the talent to back it up. The really good ones are only here for 3 years which means we are replacing production and maybe more importantly leadership every year. It also makes us less experienced sometimes even though we are playing juniors or seniors. There is an additional problem as well is that they sometimes are more interested in their draft status than the teams overall success.
2) The rest of the SEC is getting better, but if we play the way we are capable of, we still win. We just don't seem to be able to have the level of concentration we have had in the past. Turnovers and penalties have plagued us all year.
3) We have to structure a team to compete with the power teams in the West like Arky, LSU and to some extent Ole Miss and State and then also we have to prepare to play the spread teams like Auburn, A&M, and Florida. It is hard to have a team that can have an effective defense against both types of teams.

AUDub said:

I don't know about that. I think the '09 Tide would still run roughshod over today's SEC.

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I was kind of thinking something similar about the 2011 team. The year that LSU and Bama split with LSU winning the SEC and Bama winning the National Championship was a year in which there were two teams that were clearly a level above the rest of the nation. Most years there has been more room for debate.

The teams in the SEC are good enough that at least one will have a year in which everything comes together for them and they have an exceptional, maybe even national championship level, team. AU with Cam Newton had the experienced offensive line and defensive line with a talented QB. MSU looks to be having this type of season (exceptional for MSU). SEC road games can be very tough against any team having an "up" year. The recent addition of Texas A&M adds another high quality opponent so the odds go up that Bama will face at least one team every year that is having an up year.

I agree with Danielson about the up tempo not being as much of a factor as some make it out to be. Especailly in the Ole Miss loss since Ole Miss didn't really push the tempo a great deal.

Also, there is usually some luck involved every year so a team may win some games that if the season were played over again they could just as easily lose those games. The good news is that a Bama team under Coach Saban that has come together with the right experience, skill and chemistry is much better than the rest while a Bama team that is a little off may be just a little better than the rest.

He's right in a way, and he's wrong in a way.

Some of these teams are better than they've been in a while. Still, this is not Alabama's typical team. Perhaps they will be in time. But right now, they are nowhere near what the past NC teams were at this point in the season.

AUDub said:

I don't know about that. I think the '09 Tide would still run roughshod over today's SEC.

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2009 Bama didn't run roughshod over the 2009 SEC, why would they do it now? Gave up 20 to UK, squeaked by Tennessee at home, had a hard time with a 9-4 LSU team at home, only scored 1 TD aginst Ole Miss, only scored 1 TD against South Carolina, and then barely beat an AU team with a losing SEC record.

That 2009 team was very good because they played so well under pressure in tight games. They ran roughshod over 3 OOC teams, UK, Mississippi State and Arkansas. That's about it.

that is part of it. but put eddie lacy in the backfield with that great offensive line we had and we'd be undefeated right now. not to mention Milliner in the secondary. same as the team that beat LSU for it all. I doubt Ole Miss would have the same amount of success through the air on a lot of those big pass plays

gamersfuel said:

that is part of it. but put eddie lacy in the backfield with that great offensive line we had and we'd be undefeated right now. not to mention Milliner in the secondary. same as the team that beat LSU for it all. I doubt Ole Miss would have the same amount of success through the air on a lot of those big pass plays

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X1000

If OM's offense scored more than a couple of FG's on 2011's defense, I'd be shocked - no - floored!
Same goes for last year. You'll never convince me that our 2011 or 2012 team would have lost to anybody we played last year.

I'll take that another step further. I don't think anybody last year would have beat LSU's 2011 team either. People don't seem to appreciate the sick talent that was on both teams in the 2011 BCSNCG.

The SEC as a whole may be better, but it has been very good for a long time. You pay better and offer more talent in your recruiting beds, so you attract better coaches. Infuse offensive minds like Gus and Sumlin and the league gets even better. But that isn't why Alabama doesn't look as good as it did in 2011.

Alabama doesn't look as good now as it did in 2011 because that team was the best that the sport has ever seen.

davefrat said:

yup.

we got beat.

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Yup, you`re right. Not a whole lot more complicated than that, IMHO.

Heavy sigh... Its ONE loss. Ole Sis executed, we didn't. Why must not only some here on TF but talking heads like GD continue to think something is wrong?

GD makes some good points, as usual.

He obviously believes the qb position is the most important one on the field. It's hard to argue with that considering the qb (and center) touch the ball on every play.

This is something people need to accept: the 2011 team was a freak of nature anomaly, not the "new normal."

It's a shame we lost to LSU or this would be a settled point - it was the most awesome machine I've ever seen on both sides of the ball.

selmaborntidefan said:

This is something people need to accept: the 2011 team was a freak of nature anomaly, not the "new normal."

It's a shame we lost to LSU or this would be a settled point - it was the most awesome machine I've ever seen on both sides of the ball.

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Defensively, yes. The best defense in CFB history.

On offense? They were an average Nick Saban era O.

CoachJeff said:

Defensively, yes. The best defense in CFB history.

On offense? They were an average Nick Saban era O.

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I would agree. I've often thought that if you could have combined the 2011 defensive unit with our 2012 offense, it would have been the best Bama team of all time.