Should also note TAMU has allowed 12 or 13 sacks (depends on where you look) this season. Alabama should be able to take advantage of that with speed guys like Williams and Evans.Appears TAMU has played a couple of decent defenses but not one as stout as Alabama's. On the flip side, Alabama has played an offense just as explosive as TAMU in Ole Miss and lost by 7 points after turning the ball over 5 times.
Sounds like some important games will be played down South this weekend.
ALABAMA
What we want to see: The Achilles' heel of a Nick Saban team and Kirby Smart defense? That would be a mobile quarterback. Texas A&M's Kyle Allen isn't the most fleet-footed QB, but he can make plays with his legs and scrambler Kyler Murray will play. CONTAIN!
What we'll see: A fun afternoon for this front seven. The Aggies' offensive line hasn't been great and Alabama owns one of the nation's defensive line/linebacker combos. A&M better be ready for quick passes.
Jake definitely plays better on the road. He played lights out at both UGA and Wisconsin (neutral field) games.
Maybe it's just me but I dislike running the ball out of the pistol. I don't have any stats to back it up but it seems as though Henry can get a head of steam and be more of a down hill runner in the I-formation or at least when the QB is under center..
The pistol is used because you can do almost anything out of that formation - you keep the defense guessing. I agree that a drawback is that runners like Henry can't get a head of steam going, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
I agree to a point but it isn't a secret that Alabama is going to run the ball. I would like to see Alabama run the ball out of the most advantageous formation, especially against a team with a quick defensive line like aTm..
In 2012, with that O-Line and group of TEs, it made sense. You didn't care if everyone in the stadium knew that you were running because they couldn't stop you. This season - not so much. When other teams have loaded the box, you have not been able to run. Solution - keep them from loading the box.
Seems like Jake works better in either the Pistol or Shotgun. The Pistol at least gives Henry a yard or two to begin to pick up some steam unlike in the Shotgun.
Yea, but you can do the same thing with the QB under center. I'm not talking about bringing in a jumbo package, I'm simply talking about running the ball with the QB under center so that Henry can get a few steps going as he approaches the LOS. QB under center with 3 or 4 WRs puts the defense in (just about) the same situation as the pistol formation does. I could be wrong about this but I think the RB gets more depth when the QB is under center vs when the QB is in the pistol formation (relative to the QB's place on the field)..
I agree with that. I love that Coker has been running the ball more, some designed and some just because the play broke down. It's definitely a dimension that aTm will have to respect..
Yes. Jake is not the most, um, fluid runner in the world, shall we say. But he takes long strides, seems to have a good instinct for room to run in the open field, and isn't afraid to stick his nose in there.
