JessN: Arkansas recap: Hogs too limited to capitalize on Bama mistakes

JessN · Oct 11, 2015

Arkansas recap: Hogs too limited to capitalize on Bama mistakes
by Jess Nicholas
TideFans Editor-In-Chief
October 11th, 2015 05:48 AM

. By Jess Nicholas TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief Oct. 11, 2015 Alabama football games are rarely defined by one quarter, but the Crimson Tide’s 27-14 win over Arkansas was almost entirely about the fourth quarter plus 1:39 of the third. And it never should have come to that. The Crimson Tide spun wheels for most of Saturday’s […]

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Toddrn · Oct 11, 2015

Great read Jess. Yes we have to do something about poor O-line play. Big question is what do we need to do to have them improve?

Moro Creek · Oct 11, 2015

Thanks Jess. Spot on as usual. Very good read.

B1GTide · Oct 11, 2015

I think that a win like this helps you more than the win against GA. After that win all that the Alabama players read and heard was how great they were, and that they were now back on track to win another championship. Yesterday they learned that they are not as good as they looked against GA, and that they are going to have to work harder if they want to keep that dream alive.

Reporters singing your praises doesn't help - it hinders progress. The team need confidence, but that has to be balanced by an understanding that they can be beaten if they don't prepare well and play their best football.

fundytide · Oct 11, 2015

B1GTide said:
I think that a win like this helps you more than the win against GA. After that win all that the Alabama players read and heard was how great they were, and that they were now back on track to win another championship. Yesterday they learned that they are not as good as they looked against GA, and that they are going to have to work harder if they want to keep that dream alive.

Reporters singing your praises doesn't help - it hinders progress. The team need confidence, but that has to be balanced by an understanding that they can be beaten if they don't prepare well and play their best football.

Agreed. And games that are still in question in the fourth quarter are much better prep for future competition than games that are settled by half time.

CrimsonEyeshade · Oct 11, 2015

The other important lesson was the performance of UGA's defense in Knoxville. What had been an anemic passing game put more than 300 against a bad secondary. Georgia's line was shredded, too. Perhaps our trip to Athens gave us a distorted picture of our progress.

In other words, we're still learning about ourselves and the league. We do know this: Our defense will keep us in every game and will win many of them.

tide power fan · Oct 11, 2015

I think if the O-line comes along the running game will improve which will bring the passing game along also. On the bright side we looked good in the 4th quarter.

TideEngineer08 · Oct 11, 2015

I thought it would be a much more frustrating game than most everyone was predicting. We were due a letdown and Arkansas, while lessened by injuries, would be playing for their lives with newfound optimism after their win against Tennessee.

But while I was right about it being frustrating, I was wrong about the details. The defense completely shut down Arkansas's offense. I figured Arkansas would just play well, but what happened was our mistake-laden play on offense returned.

Honestly I just don't know if this team can win the SEC. We're way too inconsistent on offense and special teams. The defense is superb. Looking around the league at this point and it looks like it's Florida in the East, and us, A&M, and LSU in the West and guess what? All 4 of those teams are playing one another this weekend. Hopefully the OL can get back to dominating because the defense is going to give this team a chance to win every game.

Bamaboda1 · Oct 11, 2015

B1GTide said:
I think that a win like this helps you more than the win against GA. After that win all that the Alabama players read and heard was how great they were, and that they were now back on track to win another championship. Yesterday they learned that they are not as good as they looked against GA, and that they are going to have to work harder if they want to keep that dream alive.

Reporters singing your praises doesn't help - it hinders progress. The team need confidence, but that has to be balanced by an understanding that they can be beaten if they don't prepare well and play their best football.

You have good insight. This thing we all love (college football) has many moving parts. when you are in a conference that is as close to parity as the SEC ( and rapidly becoming as the B1G) it becomes week to week. There will be fewer and fewer "steam roller" games, and more " Sheesh, we got out of there" games. Get your prescriptions filled. And love the college game!

Rush · Oct 11, 2015

"In a year in which the SEC has been cursed by up-and-down quarterback play, Jake Coker’s up-and-down game was both a distillation of the phenomenon and also a harbinger of possible future pitfalls."

Thanks for your usual informed, incisive analysis, Jess.

Oh and, would 'twere I could write like this...

TrueCrimson7 · Oct 12, 2015

fundytide said:
Agreed. And games that are still in question in the fourth quarter are much better prep for future competition than games that are settled by half time.

I agree. This was the second game in a row where Alabama was losing at halftime and came back to earn the victory (the first being last year vs. Auburn). With a defense like we have, the game will very rarely be out of reach for the offense. The team needs bouts like this for late-game-push experience and confidence in its ability to surge ahead from a halftime deficit.

92tide · Oct 12, 2015

TideEngineer08 said:
I thought it would be a much more frustrating game than most everyone was predicting. We were due a letdown and Arkansas, while lessened by injuries, would be playing for their lives with newfound optimism after their win against Tennessee.

But while I was right about it being frustrating, I was wrong about the details. The defense completely shut down Arkansas's offense. I figured Arkansas would just play well, but what happened was our mistake-laden play on offense returned.

Honestly I just don't know if this team can win the SEC. We're way too inconsistent on offense and special teams. The defense is superb. Looking around the league at this point and it looks like it's Florida in the East, and us, A&M, and LSU in the West and guess what? All 4 of those teams are playing one another this weekend. Hopefully the OL can get back to dominating because the defense is going to give this team a chance to win every game.

yesterday i watched the first half of last year's a and m game. the whole lead in and the first few minutes, all gary and vern could talk about were: lack of offensive identity, questions at qb, inability to run the ball like "bama" does, too many fumbles, special teams miscues, and a problem at place kicker.

also, saban lit into folks last year as well taking up for his team.

eerily similar to this year.

Crimson Speed · Oct 12, 2015

Good review Jess. Somehow, we need to mature into a consistent offense. Our defense is great, but we are not going to completely shut down Tam. We have to score to have a chance in this one. I am very concerned whether we have the ability to outscore Tam. RT

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