Welcome to the best board on the net. Nobody will pile on here, and you're not expected to just kowtow the Alabama line - just issue your objections respectfully, and I see you're feeling out the board. That's good. We have an Aubie here (AUDub) that fits in just fine, but he's still a die hard Aubie.
Hey Tide fans. Can you tell a Husky fan and west coaster what happened with your game at Ole Miss? Just early season struggles? Injuries? Kelly is a good QB and if he can clean it up off the field (doubtful IMHO, he seems like a knucklehead), he shold play on Sundays. He threw for 400+ on Bama and 3 TDs. Ole Miss has a former UW WR (Stringfellow), and I'm not even sure if he would start for us today (he had 80 yards and a TD against Bama).
So what happened? Just a bad day? Just wondering if my dawgs can learn anything from that shootout.
Thanks in advance.
Numerous posters have touched on it but a few factors:
1) It was Jalen Hurts' first road start.
Since you haven't been to Ole Miss, it's difficult to describe. Even though it doesn't look like it on TV, it can get very loud there. They're fervent fans (well, as long as they're winning games not so much now). Autzen seats a little more than half of what Bryant-Denny Stadium (BDS) does, but Oregon is MUCH louder most of the time because the fans are right there on top of the action (there's a wide range between the crowd and the field in Alabama). First road start (Dallas is our second home) for a freshman, still getting the feel of it, we don't have quite the running game of a few years ago, and they scored on the first possession by marching right down the field.
(You'll find that many times the BEST time to get us is EARLY. Our 2011 defense, which was the best I ever saw, had a habit of giving up an early TD or score on a bomb...and then not letting you cross into the red zone the rest of the game).
2) Here are their first half possessions:
a) 7 plays, 75 yards, TD
b) 3 and out after we kept them on the field for 17 plays and 7 min
c) 3 and out
d) 3 and out
e) 5 plays, 50 yards, FG
f) 2 plays, 80 yard TD (busted coverage)
g) hit Jalen with a targeting that wasn't called and returned the fumble for a TD
h) three and out (we returned the punt for a TD to make it 17-24)
i) four plays, 18 yards - halftime
They had two good drives and a busted coverage TD.
3) Fatigue/Injuries
Everyone focuses on the fourth quarter - but you have to remember that our defense was on the field for almost 12 of the first 13 minutes of the quarter. We hit a quick TD then Kelley drove them down and Allen got a fumble and ran it back 75 yards for a TD....and then the defense went right back out on the field...and Kelley drove them 78 yards and hit a TD and then they recovered and onside kick......and a tired defense went right back out on the field yet again.
Keep in mind also that our #2 receiver Ardarius Stewart went out early with a sprained knee (some might argue he's #1, but it cut down on our options), Reuben Foster missed a chunk of the game with cramps (hot that time of year) and BOTH of our TWO BEST secondary guys - Eddie Jackson and Minkah Fitzpatrick - missed the fourth quarter, right as Kelley was lighting up the reserves. Jackson, of course, is gone for the year, but Minkah is still a force.
4) Kelley is a good QB
Remember, like the Manning boys, this guy had a relative in the NFL who was quite a superstar in his day who helped influence him.
5) Ole Miss really gets "up" for Alabama
This is hard to explain since you're not from the south but...there was a time long ago when Ole Miss was national power in football and won national title(s). They were a BIG deal. But then Coach Bryant returned to Alabama in 1958...and once he got his team in position, Ole Miss was no longer la big deal. They haven't been a big deal in fifty years. And to be blunt, it drives them insane. We are the most hated team in the SEC - because (like USC a few years back) we've literally taken the manhood of pretty much program in the conference. Les Miles is a VERY good coach who LSU fired because he can't beat us. They did the same thing with Charley McClendon back in 1979. Auburn fired Doug Barfield way back primarily because he couldn't beat Alabama. Tennessee sent Bill Battle, Johnny Majors, Phil Fulmer, and Derek Dooley packing MOSTLY because they couldn't beat Alabama.
Ole Miss measures themselves by Alabama. The two states are 'twin states' (look on the map - most folks just don't pay attention to the similar design). And for years both states were put down together sociologically because of a lot of things you unquestionably know about (read between the lines because I don't want this to be Non-Sports - oh, if you didn't know NO politics or religion on the football board....well, except for our Saturday religion, Crimson Tide football of course). Both states were put down, and some of it was admittedly deserved in some areas.
The difference is that we climbed out of the cesspool and gave our people something to cherish and brag about. Ole Miss looks at us as usurpers to the throne they think they had. (In reality, they were never as good as they think they were). So Ole Miss will get up for us every single year - probably just like Oregon does for you guys even when the Ducks were bad.
All of those factors played a part. I wouldn't draw too much comfort in that game because your QB cannot hit the passes that Kelley did. Also...our pass rush has improved game by game, so Kelley himself (and the Ole Miss O-line was pretty decent, too) would have more problems nowadays.
I hope this helps. I've long respected Washington even before Coach Saban came here. I have a Husky buddy who I've taken to two Alabama games, and he was in awe of game day at T-Town.
RTR