My take on the Texas matchup after viewing their film~!~(SMACK WARNING!)

[rgw]

HSV, you are right about Carpenter. He's done very well but he's gotten beat more by pure speed rush than Andre Smith ever did in his career. Of course, when you are holding a guy to an Outland Trophy winner standard...you are bound to be disappointed. The two biggest keys in this game are Kindle v. Carpenter and being able to keep McCoy in the pocket but under duress by only rushing 4 or 5.

Colt's 70% clip for his career is unreal. He's BY FAR the best passer we've faced in Saban's 3 seasons here. Stafford has a better "arm" but Stafford was never able to thread the needle in college like McCoy has his whole career. The way you make 4 and 5 man pressure work is with relentless DB coverage that forces Colt to hold the ball a second or two longer than the play would dictate.

The key to containing Kindle might be more two tight packages where Dial gets a chip on him before releasing and a lot of quick drop passes. Of course, we're facing our mirror image on defense and it will take beating the press from our receivers to make the quick drop work. If the receivers are getting blown up off the snap, the quick drop passing attack would be a bigger disaster than 5-7 step drops.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Here's a question for Alabama fans: how good are we at defending the short, quick, pass this year? That was our bane against Utah. This year, will our guys be in position quick enough to make the plays and cause incompletions? Texas is a fast team. I keep hearing their fans talk about how they will beat us with seven yard quick passes. Is Alabama used to seeing this and succeeding against it?

In the SEC they have a running game and developed passing game, and that's what we know how to defend. In the Big XII it seems that the quick pass game takes the place of the running game. Its the bread and butter of their offenses. I know we can defend developed pass plays, but what about the short pass game? Just wanted to hear what you guys thought.

Of course I still predict a Bama W.

After the wakeup call of the Utah game, they worked on the dinks all summer long in skels and some every week this fall on teams likely to try to exploit it. The record speaks for itself. No one succeeded...

 

[TIDE-HSV]

HSV, you are right about Carpenter. He's done very well but he's gotten beat more by pure speed rush than Andre Smith ever did in his career. Of course, when you are holding a guy to an Outland Trophy winner standard...you are bound to be disappointed. The two biggest keys in this game are Kindle v. Carpenter and being able to keep McCoy in the pocket but under duress by only rushing 4 or 5.

Colt's 70% clip for his career is unreal. He's BY FAR the best passer we've faced in Saban's 3 seasons here. Stafford has a better "arm" but Stafford was never able to thread the needle in college like McCoy has his whole career. The way you make 4 and 5 man pressure work is with relentless DB coverage that forces Colt to hold the ball a second or two longer than the play would dictate.

The key to containing Kindle might be more two tight packages where Dial gets a chip on him before releasing and a lot of quick drop passes. Of course, we're facing our mirror image on defense and it will take beating the press from our receivers to make the quick drop work. If the receivers are getting blown up off the snap, the quick drop passing attack would be a bigger disaster than 5-7 step drops.

Dial hasn't been the premier blocker this year, partly because of size. Williams is the better choice for blocking TE and he's shown that he can catch the ball. If it comes down just to protection, I wouldn't be surprised to see Billingsley get some PT. OTOH, all of these schemes, plus rolling away from pressure, etc., impair the offense to some degree...

 

[rgw]

Yep, rollout passing cuts the field in half for the defense. Keeping backs and tightends in for protection limits the eligible receiving options for McElroy and makes it easier for the defense to cover.

We had great plan to disrupt Florida's pass rush, lets hope McElwain keeps it up with another gameplan that seems to be in the opposing coordinator's head. With the highest respect for Charlie Strong, Will Muschamp is going to be a tougher cookie to crack.

 

[BigAlinKnoxville]

I hope our offensive line isn't trying to do anything about McCoy.

HAHAHA!! Oops! I guess I need to stay out of "moron" mode!

 

[secretsquirrel]

Looking at the stats is a fun way to pass the time waiting for a game that is taking forever to get here. After the best game we played all season against flordia and the fact that Mark just won the Heisman this is just another step for us to complete the year of the Tide. I'm not going to say we will blow out the long horns but we are will not just roll over and give the game. Also at the same time I didn't think we would beat Flordia 32-13 so lesson learned never underestimate the Tide.ROLL TIDE ROLL

 

[bamacon]

McCoy is a great QB. I just wander if McElroy's numbers would be much different that McCoy's this year if he played in the Big 12?

I posted this on the Texas/Alabama matchups thread further down but thought it was interesting when I just added more passing attempts to GMAC's SEC stats this year...

After looking up some stats I can't ignore the QB matchup being so lopsided.

1- Colt threw almost as many picks in the Big 12 Championship as McElroy had all year.

2-And I'll keep saying it until I get proven wrong on 1/7/10. Texas played in a joke of a conference and schedule when it comes to pass defense. The avg. ranking for Pass Defense of teams Tex. played was 77. SEVENTY-SEVEN! Bama's by the way was 45.

3- Anyone want to take a guess at how many top 10 Pass Defenses Texas played? tick tock tick tock

Zero! How about top 20 in PD? That's right...ZERO Again!

Tex. played two teams in the top 30 of Pass Defense and almost lost both. Less than 200 yards passing in Both.

vs. Oklahoma (22) 127 whole yds. passing
vs. Nebraska (25) 184 passing 18 yds rushing

4- Bama beat 2 teams in the top 10 in PD. FL (3), VT (6)
4 in a row that were in the top 20. UK (18), Miss (16), SC (12), Tenn. (10). *then two more in the top 30 Aub. (28), LSU (29).
That's 8-13 to 2-13.

Now people can say they are lop-sided all they want but if a team or league plays that aspect well then other teams will stop challengng it as much.

In Bama they will get to prove they can take on a top 10 Pass Defense and score effectively with their "high-powered passing attack." My only point is that it would be the first time this year they would have done so.

5-GMAC is no slouch at QB. Colt had 154 more attempts throwing than Greg. Keeping the compl. % the same this is how they could have looked at season's end.

Colt 330-468, 3512 yds, 27 tds, 12 ints. 7.5 yds/pass
Greg 286-468, 3183 yds, 22 tds, 5 ints. 7.8 yds/pass

**Given the level of pass defense that Greg sees compared to the two-hand touch that Colt sees I would say it is a much closer match-up than most will give it. Just a thought.

All that said. These stats mean squat. It's all about how teams match-up, how well they prepare, and then how well they execute. Games aren't one on paper they're won in the trenches.

*Of course all these comments ruffled some feathers with our TU guests but that's to be expected. It's really hard to say what GMAC would do in the Big 12, but given his overall accuracy I think he would put up very comparable stats in a pass happy conference. He could of had his chance at Tx Tech but I'm glad he came our way.

 

[RobQuig]

Actually, Shipley is fast. He ran a sub 4.4 40. He's always open because he's fast, makes quick cuts and runs great routes.
Texas' defense is a little better than you give credit, too. Earl Thomas is a monster and Sergio Kindle is as good as anyone. Muschamp is probably the top defensive coach in the game. The defense will come to play.
Texas did not look good offensively against Nebraska, but the Horns' history is to play great in bowl games. Plenty of time to compare. Momentum is out the window because of the long layoff.

 

[RobQuig]

Look at any team/player stats all day....if desired. But one thing is certain, The Tide plays a very physical brand of football.

Can you say the same for the Longhorns?

Defensively, yes.

 

[NYBamaFan]

Actually, Shipley is fast. He ran a sub 4.4 40. He's always open because he's fast, makes quick cuts and runs great routes.
...

Um, 4.47 is not sub 4.4... :conf3:

 

[RobQuig]

Um, 4.47 is not sub 4.4... :conf3:

Did you see the "low" of 4.37? :conf3:

 

[NYBamaFan]

Did you see the "low" of 4.37? :conf3:

LOL - his official time is 4.47 for a reason... :wink:

 

[RobQuig]

LOL - his official time is 4.47 for a reason... :wink:

Yes, that was his average. He did run a 4.37 though. He was also a sprinter who ran the 100 in high school. I was responding to the film analysis, in which he said, he does not have blazing speed. He is fast; that's my point. He's not Deion Sanders, but he's also not a strict possession receiver.

 

[Bama Greg]

OMG....We're Doooooooooooooooomeeeeeeeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but I think we'll show up. After all, we're playing in our home- DKR West.

Now thats funny right there, I don't care who you are. Seriously, I look for a good game, I am anxious to see if Texas is as stoudt as everyone says, in my opinion, the two toughest games they played were against the Aggies and the Huskers, and both times the opponents stymied the Horns. I don't know if they were looking past each team, but the yards that A&M put up makes me giddy with excitement, I know that our offense can move the ball and score, and defensively, the Huskers showed that Texas can be stopped. It will be fun to see who has the bigger will to win.

I still believe Bama wins, if Texas doesn't pack a lunch and be ready for 4 Quarters, it could get ugly.

Bama24
Texas 10

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RobQuig]

Now thats funny right there, I don't care who you are. Seriously, I look for a good game, I am anxious to see if Texas is as stoudt as everyone says, in my opinion, the two toughest games they played were against the Aggies and the Huskers, and both times the opponents stymied the Horns. I don't know if they were looking past each team, but the yards that A&M put up makes me giddy with excitement, I know that our offense can move the ball and score, and defensively, the Huskers showed that Texas can be stopped. It will be fun to see who has the bigger will to win.

I still believe Bama wins, if Texas doesn't pack a lunch and be ready for 4 Quarters, it could get ugly.

Bama24
Texas 10

ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The aggies have a good offense, but no defense. Playing the Horns is the equivalent of the national title for them, so they come to play (think of how Auburn came to play against Alabama).

I think it will be a good, close game.

 

[NYBamaFan]

I think the sub 4.4 40 may be one of the greatest myths in sports.

:iagree: Where they are electronically timed, they almost never happen...

 

[RobQuig]

I think the sub 4.4 40 may be one of the greatest myths in sports.

Maybe so. Let's just leave it at: He's pretty fast.

 

[NYBamaFan]

Maybe so. Let's just leave it at: He's pretty fast.

I don't doubt it, but so are our DBs... :wink:

 

[RobQuig]

I don't doubt it, but so are our DBs... :wink:

So I've heard. Texas offense can be hot and cold. If they're hot, Alabama will have its hands full. If Texas is cold, well, you've seen the results. Texas likely won't run the ball well no matter what, but the passing game can be really good. I can't wait.

 

[NYBamaFan]

So I've heard. Texas offense can be hot and cold. If they're hot, Alabama will have its hands full. If Texas is cold, well, you've seen the results. Texas likely won't run the ball well no matter what, but the passing game can be really good. I can't wait.

I have watched most of your games this year. You guys are not hot and cold. You are hot against weak defenses and cold against tough defenses. Expect to be ice cold on 1/7, even in balmy CA... :wink: