In addition to the recap, the following things have been running through my head since the end of the game...
1) In the preseason, TideFans.com had Florida State at #2, Alabama at #3 and Ohio State at #4 (we had Oregon at #7, I think). So this game wasn't as much of a surprise to me, personally, as it might be to others. I picked Alabama to win by 11 points, or two scores. Usually, even after a loss (Alabama vs. Ole Miss, for instance), I'll still feel like if the game was played again, I could see Alabama winning by whatever margin I picked. Not this time. I think 10 runs at this would produce six Alabama wins and it would be by a one-score-or-less average. Ohio State is much farther along than I thought they'd be at this point.
2) People looking for the SEC to falter may get their wish next year. It will be interesting to see whether Alabama is picked to win the West, or whether it will be Ole Miss, MSU or Texas A&M. I don't think you can legitimately make a case for Auburn, LSU or Arkansas next year. The overriding point is that I don't see a great team there. Alabama is the only potentially great team, with Ole Miss next up, but only if the Rebels find a QB and Hugh Freeze improves as a coach. I thought a lot of shine came off his diamond this year. And Alabama simply loses too much on offense for people to assume they can be great right out of the box. SEC East? Georgia and Missouri are the only two teams that could break out, and behind them ... Tennessee? The East is a mess.
3) Defensively, Alabama took steps back this year overall despite what the coaches did with the DL rotation. I spent a lot of time in the recap article on it. It's going to be a challenge to make big changes because you're essentially asking Saban to consider going away from what he's taught for 20-30 years. Therefore, I don't think he does it. I think you'll see Alabama ride this scheme to the end of his career -- which is fine, but it puts a lot of pressure on him to bring in even more top-level corners and safeties than he does now. Also, going forward, the LB recruiting has to change to more of a Mosley model than a DePriest model. We talked about that so much last recruiting cycle that my head swims just thinking about it. If Alabama is going to be knocked off its perch, this is what will cause it if it's not handled well.
4) The following falls under Stuff That's Not My Job, but I've been critical for years over the reluctance to pull people who consistently make mistakes. I respect the heck out of Eddie Jackson for coming back quickly from a torn ACL, but it was just like that season DeQuan Menzie came back early from -- he just wasn't consistent enough. I would like to see Bradley Sylve get another legitimate shot at starting, since he'll be a fifth-year senior coming up. It may happen anyway, as Alabama needs help at safety and Jackson could play there. Maurice Smith had a poor 2014 and capped it off with multiple special teams misfires against Ohio State. In addition to the taunting penalty, he just flat-out matador'ed the end gunner on kickoff returns a couple of times and Christion Jones paid for it. As it stands now, the safeties next year are Geno Smith and Laurence Jones, with Maurice Smith and Jabriel Washington the likely backups. I'm not sure how I feel about that right now.
5) Other stuff that worries me: Dillon Lee and Denzel Devall not being able to stay healthy ... finding a DE who can rush the passer as well as Dickson but also set the edge ... Recruiting someone to be able to play A'Shawn Robinson's role after he leaves next year for the NFL ... LB depth ... both tight end and H-back/fullback, as Howard isn't ever going to be the killer blocker UA needs there, and the fullback position became huge this season for Alabama.
Every season is its own thing, but next year's outlook is about the cloudiest I can recall at this point. Just not a lot of known quantities to go on.
1) In the preseason, TideFans.com had Florida State at #2, Alabama at #3 and Ohio State at #4 (we had Oregon at #7, I think). So this game wasn't as much of a surprise to me, personally, as it might be to others. I picked Alabama to win by 11 points, or two scores. Usually, even after a loss (Alabama vs. Ole Miss, for instance), I'll still feel like if the game was played again, I could see Alabama winning by whatever margin I picked. Not this time. I think 10 runs at this would produce six Alabama wins and it would be by a one-score-or-less average. Ohio State is much farther along than I thought they'd be at this point.
2) People looking for the SEC to falter may get their wish next year. It will be interesting to see whether Alabama is picked to win the West, or whether it will be Ole Miss, MSU or Texas A&M. I don't think you can legitimately make a case for Auburn, LSU or Arkansas next year. The overriding point is that I don't see a great team there. Alabama is the only potentially great team, with Ole Miss next up, but only if the Rebels find a QB and Hugh Freeze improves as a coach. I thought a lot of shine came off his diamond this year. And Alabama simply loses too much on offense for people to assume they can be great right out of the box. SEC East? Georgia and Missouri are the only two teams that could break out, and behind them ... Tennessee? The East is a mess.
3) Defensively, Alabama took steps back this year overall despite what the coaches did with the DL rotation. I spent a lot of time in the recap article on it. It's going to be a challenge to make big changes because you're essentially asking Saban to consider going away from what he's taught for 20-30 years. Therefore, I don't think he does it. I think you'll see Alabama ride this scheme to the end of his career -- which is fine, but it puts a lot of pressure on him to bring in even more top-level corners and safeties than he does now. Also, going forward, the LB recruiting has to change to more of a Mosley model than a DePriest model. We talked about that so much last recruiting cycle that my head swims just thinking about it. If Alabama is going to be knocked off its perch, this is what will cause it if it's not handled well.
4) The following falls under Stuff That's Not My Job, but I've been critical for years over the reluctance to pull people who consistently make mistakes. I respect the heck out of Eddie Jackson for coming back quickly from a torn ACL, but it was just like that season DeQuan Menzie came back early from -- he just wasn't consistent enough. I would like to see Bradley Sylve get another legitimate shot at starting, since he'll be a fifth-year senior coming up. It may happen anyway, as Alabama needs help at safety and Jackson could play there. Maurice Smith had a poor 2014 and capped it off with multiple special teams misfires against Ohio State. In addition to the taunting penalty, he just flat-out matador'ed the end gunner on kickoff returns a couple of times and Christion Jones paid for it. As it stands now, the safeties next year are Geno Smith and Laurence Jones, with Maurice Smith and Jabriel Washington the likely backups. I'm not sure how I feel about that right now.
5) Other stuff that worries me: Dillon Lee and Denzel Devall not being able to stay healthy ... finding a DE who can rush the passer as well as Dickson but also set the edge ... Recruiting someone to be able to play A'Shawn Robinson's role after he leaves next year for the NFL ... LB depth ... both tight end and H-back/fullback, as Howard isn't ever going to be the killer blocker UA needs there, and the fullback position became huge this season for Alabama.
Every season is its own thing, but next year's outlook is about the cloudiest I can recall at this point. Just not a lot of known quantities to go on.
