JessN: ULM Wrap-up: Bama gets its revenge, but did the Tide get better?

JessN · Sep 27, 2015

ULM Wrap-up: Bama gets its revenge, but did the Tide get better?
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
September 27th, 2015 03:14 AM

. By Jess Nicholas TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief Sept. 27, 2015 Against an opponent like Louisiana-Monroe, there isn’t much a team like Alabama can do to make the experience a worthwhile endeavor. Teams like Alabama are expected to win, win big, not struggle, keep everyone healthy, all without showing the next opponent anything of substance. Fail to […]

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GrayTide · Sep 27, 2015

Thanks Jess always appreciated.

fundytide · Sep 27, 2015

Thanks, Jess. It was great to see: Griffith 2/2 at longish ranges; pass to the FB in the flat for a TD; Coker throwing VERY accurately on the run for the second week in a row; and of course, a very stout defense with guys flying to the ball. Let's see what gets corrected this week.

CrimsonEyeshade · Sep 27, 2015

fundytide said:
Thanks, Jess. It was great to see: Griffith 2/2 at longish ranges; pass to the FB in the flat for a TD; Coker throwing VERY accurately on the run for the second week in a row; and of course, a very stout defense with guys flying to the ball. Let's see what gets corrected this week.

The next big questions to answer:

Can an offense that has struggled at home right itself on the road against a quality opponent in one of the most hostile environments in the SEC?

Can our young receivers and defensive backs keep their wits?

And will the game slow down or speed up for Jake?

fundytide · Sep 27, 2015

CrimsonEyeshade said:
The next big questions to answer:

Can an offense that has struggled at home right itself on the road against a quality opponent in one of the most hostile environments in the SEC?

Can our young receivers and defensive backs keep their wits?

And will the game slow down or speed up for Jake?

'Between the hedges' is hostile for sure but this team has looked a lot better on the road than at home so far this year. Maybe getting away from the pressure and negativity at home might be just what they need right now- who knows?

CrimsonEyeshade · Sep 27, 2015

fundytide said:
'Between the hedges' is hostile for sure but this team has looked a lot better on the road than at home so far this year. Maybe getting away from the pressure and negativity at home might be just what they need right now- who knows?

If Jake plays better, we win. Based on what I saw yesterday, and even against a hyphen school, the game appears too fast, he's not seeing the field, and our receivers and line aren't doing him any favors.

Howard? Howard? Howard?

davefrat · Sep 27, 2015

the biggest takeaway from the game for me is that the offense has no identity.

we're not a power team, we're not a finesse team, we're not a ball control team, we're not a hurry up team.

we aren't going to win too many games against quality opponents with this offense as it currently operates.

fundytide · Sep 27, 2015

CrimsonEyeshade said:
If Jake plays better, we win. Based on what I saw yesterday, and even against a hyphen school, the game appears too fast, he's not seeing the field, and our receivers aren't doing him any favors.

Howard? Howard? Howard?

OJ seems to be having a lot of trouble knowing his responsibilities on too many plays (where he should line up, missing blocks). I'm not sure if that actually is the case, but it sure looks like it.

AlexanderFan · Sep 27, 2015

Thanks Jess. Love your work.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

BubbaOne · Sep 27, 2015

Great analysis. Could we send a copy to our coaches.

The biggest issue I see and reason the offense has no identity is the weak O L.
I am wondering if Kelly has something to do with that funk. Last year when Kelly
went out and Bozeman took over we seemed to improve. When Kelly returned
back to mediocre. I know everyone has him on a watch list. But last two weeks
should easily squash that.

If our OL could block then RB's would improve, pass block and Coker has time to set and throw
with accuracy.

JTBama · Sep 27, 2015

CrimsonEyeshade said:
If Jake plays better, we win. Based on what I saw yesterday, and even against a hyphen school, the game appears too fast, he's not seeing the field, and our receivers and line aren't doing him any favors.

Howard? Howard? Howard?

my biggest concern about Coker is staring his receivers down and going through his receiver options. Its correctable for sure but its entirely up to him and I agree on the game speed, unfortunately its only going to get faster.

TideFan in AU · Sep 27, 2015

BubbaOne said:
Great analysis. Could we send a copy to our coaches.

The biggest issue I see and reason the offense has no identity is the weak O L.
I am wondering if Kelly has something to do with that funk. Last year when Kelly
went out and Bozeman took over we seemed to improve. When Kelly returned
back to mediocre. I know everyone has him on a watch list. But last two weeks
should easily squash that.

If our OL could block then RB's would improve, pass block and Coker has time to set and throw
with accuracy.

I have agree with you on Kelly. I thought Lindsay was better in relief of Kelly in 2013, and after Bozeman settled in last year, I thought he played better than Kelly (people forget that Bozeman played against TAMU last year). Bozeman also graded higher than any OL against Arkansas, despite that being an offensive mess.

I hate to single him out, but I've never seen the hype he seems to garner from so many people.

Ole Man Dan · Sep 27, 2015

It was a WIN clouded in disappointment.
We beat a team we were supposed to beat, but not spectacularly. Receivers dropped passes that were in the bread basket. Rushing game was unimpressive. Offensive line broke down too often to beat a great team. Jake finally played pretty well in the second half. 1st half was nothing to write home about... BRIGHT SPOT... We made two average to longish Field Goals.

capnfrog · Sep 28, 2015

davefrat said:
the biggest takeaway from the game for me is that the offense has no identity.

we're not a power team, we're not a finesse team, we're not a ball control team, we're not a hurry up team.

we aren't going to win too many games against quality opponents with this offense as it currently operates.

I keep remembering the years when we had very good defenses and won many games by asking the offense to 'just don't lose the game'. I know that the game has changed a lot over the years but we have a defense that any school would love to have and it can take a lot of pressure off the offense by holding the scoring down and not getting us out of our game plan much like what happened against Ol Miss. Penalties, fumbles, interceptions and poor special teams plays will kill us against any team in the SEC. Fix the mistakes and we can beat anyone.

B1GTide · Sep 28, 2015

Kelly was a beast against Wisconsin. He has not played particularly well since. Not sure why.

crimsonbleeder · Sep 28, 2015

Great article, Jess.

Can't argue with any of it.

Just gotta say that the OL play this year has been the most disappointing aspect of our team to me so far. We knew we'd have growing pains with a new QB/receiver situation, and also a bit with new DB's essentially, but who would've guessed that the OL, and in particular C.Rob, would be so erratic? It's inexplicable.

davefrat · Sep 28, 2015

capnfrog said:
I keep remembering the years when we had very good defenses and won many games by asking the offense to 'just don't lose the game'. I know that the game has changed a lot over the years but we have a defense that any school would love to have and it can take a lot of pressure off the offense by holding the scoring down and not getting us out of our game plan much like what happened against Ol Miss. Penalties, fumbles, interceptions and poor special teams plays will kill us against any team in the SEC. Fix the mistakes and we can beat anyone.

I told my wife that this team reminds me of a gene stallings team.

Heck, Coker reminds me of a more athletic Freddie kitchens.

I just don't know that in today's game you can rely on the D and a game management O and hope to win games 24-14 anymore.

dvldog · Sep 28, 2015

davefrat said:
I just don't know that in today's game you can rely on the D and a game management O and hope to win games 24-14 anymore.

You can't if you have 5 turnovers. But I think its still possible if you play clean and turn the other team over a time or two.

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