JessN: Ole Miss wrapup: If Alabama wants to be the best, it must play that way

[RJ YellowHammer]

When it comes to coordinators, you get the bad along with the good. Coach Kiffen's teams at USC, while being among the most explosive, were also in the bad top 5 of penalties against. Our "administrative penalties," as CNS calls them, and holding calls aren't a surprise to me in this regard. Fortunately, as Jess mentioned, the structure is in place with CNS at the helm to correct these frustrating, drive killing, game costing mistakes.

The other negative, and to me more troublesome, non-surprise is our inability to shut down obvious passing routes in obvious situations in the secondary. It's been a theme since the aTm game in 2012 and we've seen the problem grow. Nick Saban talked about his frustration with the DBs being "scared to play the ball in the air." Sunseri's departure from the safety spot and the fact that a converted WR is now "our most consistent corner," again CNS' words, speak to the struggles to get the secondary that does what CNS demands of it, which is substantial. I don't see this problem correcting itself easily unless Eddie Jackson or Tony Brown suddenly gets it. We just have to live with the consequences. Accept it. It's this season's reality.

Combine all of that with a first year starter at QB who's played admirably, but it is still a first year starter, with injuries, and it's obvious that this just might not be our year. That doesn't mean Nick Saban "has lost it" as some of our more impatient fans will say if these problems cost us 1 or *sarcastic gasp* 2 more games, but these things happen. Being a top 15 type team, which is what I think we are this year, and up swinging to compete for it all 2 out of 4 or 5 years is all honest, realistic fans can ask for.

ROLL TIDE!

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

Ths. It feels as if there is more going on here than simply losing the occasional hard-fought game. Everyone knows and understands that happening. College football appears to be in a transitional period and we seem to be (along with LSU) behind the curve. It's ironic, in a way, because I think Coach Saban had maxed out what a traditional team can look like and do.....no one could do it any better. However, because of the monster he built and the enormous success he had, other teams had to figure out another way to go. In essence, our own success bred what is happening now. They could not beat us doing what we were doing. With the rules now favoring the offense 70/30 and coaches using the hurry-up to further hamstring the defenses, for many teams the fundamental approach to game strategy has shifted. It is a true professional challenge for the "old school" coaches to decide how to deal with these changes. It will, no doubt, all come back around, but for right now, our coaches still seem to be unsure of how to approach the new reality we are facing. Coach Saban, for a number of years, was on the cutting edge of college football from how to put a program together (The Process), to how to recruit, etc., to how to win championships. I'm an enormous fan of Coach Saban,his program and his family, but it no longer feels as if we are "leading" the sport. I think he is one of the greats and it is going to be intriguing to watch how he ultimately deals with what is happening.

I get what you're saying. The game is always changing. Truth. But there's another truth from a well respected gentleman that spent a lot of time in Tuscaloosa. "The same things win that always won. We just have a different bunch of excuses when we lose."

Whether we like it or not, we aren't always going to have a future NFL cornerback on the field, much less two future NFL CBs at the same time. As currently constituted, our defense basically requires that. It doesn't mean the Process (capital "P" intentional) is broken.

The last 6 seasons have been the exception. It's rare to be dominant. Even for Alabama. Being dominant for 6 seasons is incredibly rare. It just can't happen every season. This conference, specifically this division in this conference, is just way too tough.

Nick Saban will fix what needs fixing. If not this year, then soon.

 

[pcfixup]

I get what you're saying. The game is always changing. Truth. But there's another truth from a well respected gentleman that spent a lot of time in Tuscaloosa. "The same things win that always won. We just have a different bunch of excuses when we lose."

Whether we like it or not, we aren't always going to have a future NFL cornerback on the field, much less two future NFL CBs at the same time. As currently constituted, our defense basically requires that. It doesn't mean the Process (capital "P" intentional) is broken.

The last 6 seasons have been the exception. It's rare to be dominant. Even for Alabama. Being dominant for 6 seasons is incredibly rare. It just can't happen every season. This conference, specifically this division in this conference, is just way too tough.

Nick Saban will fix what needs fixing. If not this year, then soon.

It's not just CB. From 09-12 we had the three best all time RBs . What we have now is more Murray Hill/Dennis Riddle/Ken Darby.

 

[Tug Tide]

It's not just CB. From 09-12 we had the three best all time RBs . What we have now is more Murray Hill/Dennis Riddle/Ken Darby.

TJ Yeldon, barring injury, most likely leaves Bama with a new career yardage record.

 

[JessN]

Another 1 loss, 2 loss season? Oh the horror. It used to annoy me hearing CNS talk about reality and expectations. Now I realize he was dead freaking spot on. The SEC is the closest thing to the NFL there is outside of the league. Even truly great teams get beat there but it is allowed and expected to happen from time to time. The reality is that the other schools stepped up and said we are going ALL in or we will be destroyed in the SEC. Bama and LSU and Oregon and others set the trend and how to succeed. The talent is flooding, absolutely flooding our conference. We have to realize that games and teams like we lost to yesterday are here to stay. Now we have to adjust and try to set a new bar. It's is TOUGH being king cause everybody wants what you got.

Here's my counter to that: If Alabama is truly about championships, then 1-/2-loss seasons that end outside the playoffs are basically failures.

You can lower your aim a bit and say, "Well, we had a strong year, won double-digit games (albeit not as big a deal as it used to be; it's possible to go 10-4 now, which is a winning percentage of 71.4%), etc.," but the fact remains that if you're going to be about competing for championships, you actually have to do it.

On top of that, Alabama is sitting third, fourth in the SEC West at this moment in terms of how the program looks. Auburn is in a better spot. Ole Miss just put itself in a better spot. Mississippi State may be in a better spot. LSU and Arkansas obviously aren't, but who knows about Texas A&M. When you start talking about the divisional race and the team is suddenly in the middle of it rather than on top of it, it begs the question of whether you're really "the king" anymore to a neutral observer. What happened in 2009-2012 might as well be taught in a history course as fast as interest moves these days.

The only question that matters, then, is not what you did, but what you're going to do, and how you're going to go about doing it. I'm trying not to ring the alarm bells yet because too many people just look at the last five years of total W-L records and aren't open to considering that something is wrong. But I see other programs that are now recruiting just as consistently as Alabama is, and getting better results on the field afterwards.

You could argue that Alabama has won x-number of "recruiting national championships" in a row, but those things matter absolute zero. Anyone in the top 15 is capable of winning a championship on talent. There is almost no difference between the No. 1 class and the No. 10 class; people in my industry have done a very good job hyping it and getting fans stirred up, but if you can maintain a five-year average in the top 15 of classes nationally, you have just as good a shot to compete for titles as Alabama does.

So the question going forward is will the coaches not only be able to identify the problem, but do they have the talent to change it, or the will to change it? We've got to have an honest discussion about special teams and tight ends at some point, for example. They're the two worst-performing units on the team and they're both coached by the same guy. But that's not the only issue. I'm not sure when is the time to get deeper into this, really. I just think now that if you're looking at the season with a neutral eye, you see Alabama losing 1-2 more games and not being in consideration for the Final Four.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Here's my counter to that: If Alabama is truly about championships, then 1-/2-loss seasons that end outside the playoffs are basically failures.

You can lower your aim a bit and say, "Well, we had a strong year, won double-digit games (albeit not as big a deal as it used to be; it's possible to go 10-4 now, which is a winning percentage of 71.4%), etc.," but the fact remains that if you're going to be about competing for championships, you actually have to do it.

On top of that, Alabama is sitting third, fourth in the SEC West at this moment in terms of how the program looks. Auburn is in a better spot. Ole Miss just put itself in a better spot. Mississippi State may be in a better spot. LSU and Arkansas obviously aren't, but who knows about Texas A&M. When you start talking about the divisional race and the team is suddenly in the middle of it rather than on top of it, it begs the question of whether you're really "the king" anymore to a neutral observer. What happened in 2009-2012 might as well be taught in a history course as fast as interest moves these days.

The only question that matters, then, is not what you did, but what you're going to do, and how you're going to go about doing it. I'm trying not to ring the alarm bells yet because too many people just look at the last five years of total W-L records and aren't open to considering that something is wrong. But I see other programs that are now recruiting just as consistently as Alabama is, and getting better results on the field afterwards.

You could argue that Alabama has won x-number of "recruiting national championships" in a row, but those things matter absolute zero. Anyone in the top 15 is capable of winning a championship on talent. There is almost no difference between the No. 1 class and the No. 10 class; people in my industry have done a very good job hyping it and getting fans stirred up, but if you can maintain a five-year average in the top 15 of classes nationally, you have just as good a shot to compete for titles as Alabama does.

So the question going forward is will the coaches not only be able to identify the problem, but do they have the talent to change it, or the will to change it? We've got to have an honest discussion about special teams and tight ends at some point, for example. They're the two worst-performing units on the team and they're both coached by the same guy. But that's not the only issue. I'm not sure when is the time to get deeper into this, really. I just think now that if you're looking at the season with a neutral eye, you see Alabama losing 1-2 more games and not being in consideration for the Final Four.

Do you think we need to start looking at who coaches the offensive line as well? Ever since we made a change at that position it hasn't been very consistent.

 

[bamacon]

I agree with what you're saying for the most part. But when the competition catches up, in order to stay on top or get back on top the "king" has to make adjustments. Not keep making the same mistakes over and over and over. It seems we've gotten into a pattern of play and other teams have adjusted, improved, whatever you'd like to call it. It's time we did the same.

That's exactly what I said. "We have to adjust..."

Totally agree with you and Jess that things can't stay status quo. My main reaction was to the people that seem to have already jumped off the ledge. Reading and listening to some people I'd a thought we had lost 41-7 like LSU did and had a program that resembles SMU. Nothing irks me more than the losses happening the same flippin way and not seeing talent develop like it should.

An aside...

I hope the backups are really really really paying attention and taking advantage of their reps because the dropoff at center is alarming. Hopefully it will be a wake up call for the next ups.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

Jess, as always, thanks for the breakdown of the game. I look forward to reading it every week. Everything you publish here on TFs is a must read if you like being an informed Bama fan imo.

Here's my counter to that: If Alabama is truly about championships, then 1-/2-loss seasons that end outside the playoffs are basically failures.

You can lower your aim a bit and say, "Well, we had a strong year, won double-digit games (albeit not as big a deal as it used to be; it's possible to go 10-4 now, which is a winning percentage of 71.4%), etc.," but the fact remains that if you're going to be about competing for championships, you actually have to do it.

I'm not going to make excuses for the staff or anyone else's mistakes and have no problem with informed folks like yourself pointing out the mistakes that CNS and staff make. I hope our head coach is aware of them and the fan base should be too. I do have a slightly different feeling about what it means to be "competing" for championships which is 100% what I expect Alabama Football to be doing year in and year out.

Alabama resides in the toughest division in college football. It's not even close. Being 3rd or 4th in this version of the SEC West one year means that you were extremely competitive on the National Stage. You can't beat your chest about how tough the division and conference are and then look past the fact that being in said difficult division will lead to L's for some really good football teams - including Alabama.

On top of that, Alabama is sitting third, fourth in the SEC West at this moment in terms of how the program looks. Auburn is in a better spot. Ole Miss just put itself in a better spot. Mississippi State may be in a better spot. LSU and Arkansas obviously aren't, but who knows about Texas A&M. When you start talking about the divisional race and the team is suddenly in the middle of it rather than on top of it, it begs the question of whether you're really "the king" anymore to a neutral observer. What happened in 2009-2012 might as well be taught in a history course as fast as interest moves these days.

The only question that matters, then, is not what you did, but what you're going to do, and how you're going to go about doing it. I'm trying not to ring the alarm bells yet because too many people just look at the last five years of total W-L records and aren't open to considering that something is wrong. But I see other programs that are now recruiting just as consistently as Alabama is, and getting better results on the field afterwards.

You could argue that Alabama has won x-number of "recruiting national championships" in a row, but those things matter absolute zero. Anyone in the top 15 is capable of winning a championship on talent. There is almost no difference between the No. 1 class and the No. 10 class; people in my industry have done a very good job hyping it and getting fans stirred up, but if you can maintain a five-year average in the top 15 of classes nationally, you have just as good a shot to compete for titles as Alabama does.

So the question going forward is will the coaches not only be able to identify the problem, but do they have the talent to change it, or the will to change it? We've got to have an honest discussion about special teams and tight ends at some point, for example. They're the two worst-performing units on the team and they're both coached by the same guy. But that's not the only issue. I'm not sure when is the time to get deeper into this, really. I just think now that if you're looking at the season with a neutral eye, you see Alabama losing 1-2 more games and not being in consideration for the Final Four.

Hopefully the special teams issues will be rectified quickly. I have a hard time watching STs plays now; I don't watch the FG attempts anymore. I'm also curious about why our corners are now incapable of adequately playing the ball in the air. All of the problems a program continually has should be addressed. I just think we can't lose sight of what the program gets right or we risk being part of a crusade to "correct" ourselves all the way back to annual 9-4 seasons.

When you take the long view ( I guess looking forward to next year is now considered the long view), some of the teams you named in your post aren't actually in better spots. Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and API will all be breaking in new QBs. The roster turnover inherent in CFB causes drastic changes - that's why runs of 6 seasons with dramatic success like we've just had are so impressive. As long as years like you, I, and others now fear we may be having this year are the basement, and you rather quickly rebound back to winning division, conference, and luckily National Championships, the program is performing the way it should. If you got an honest answer from Malzhan, Freeze, and Mullen, none of them would trade rosters and resources with us after this season.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Jess, as always, thanks for the breakdown of the game. I look forward to reading it every week. Everything you publish here on TFs is a must read if you like being an informed Bama fan imo.



I'm not going to make excuses for the staff or anyone else's mistakes and have no problem with informed folks like yourself pointing out the mistakes that CNS and staff make. I hope our head coach is aware of them and the fan base should be too. I do have a slightly different feeling about what it means to be "competing" for championships which is 100% what I expect Alabama Football to be doing year in and year out.

Alabama resides in the toughest division in college football. It's not even close. Being 3rd or 4th in this version of the SEC West one year means that you were extremely competitive on the National Stage. You can't beat your chest about how tough the division and conference are and then look past the fact that being in said difficult division will lead to L's for some really good football teams - including Alabama.




Hopefully the special teams issues will be rectified quickly. I have a hard time watching STs plays now; I don't watch the FG attempts anymore. I'm also curious about why our corners are now incapable of adequately playing the ball in the air. All of the problems a program continually has should be addressed. I just think we can't lose sight of what the program gets right or we risk being part of a crusade to "correct" ourselves all the way back to annual 9-4 seasons.

When you take the long view ( I guess looking forward to next year is now considered the long view), some of the teams you named in your post aren't actually in better spots. Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and API will all be breaking in new QBs. The roster turnover inherent in CFB causes drastic changes - that's why runs of 6 seasons with dramatic success like we've just had are so impressive. As long as years like you, I, and others now fear we may be having this year are the basement, and you rather quickly rebound back to winning division, conference, and luckily National Championships, the program is performing the way it should. If you got an honest answer from Malzhan, Freeze, and Mullen, none of them would trade rosters and resources with us after this season.

Prescott has another year at state.

 

[pcfixup]

Prescott has another year at state.

I don't think so ... not that he doesn't have the eligibility, but he continues to play as well as he has, he will be in too good of a position to not go pro.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I don't think so ... not that he doesn't have the eligibility, but he continues to play as well as he has, he will be in too good of a position to not go pro.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Prescott is a different type kid that thinks very differently than someone his age. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he stays for his senior year. Granted if mullen somehow goes to Florida then he'd probably leave.

 

[RJ YellowHammer]

I wouldn't be so sure of that. Prescott is a different type kid that thinks very differently than someone his age. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he stays for his senior year. Granted if mullen somehow goes to Florida then he'd probably leave.

I was expecting him to leave, but he could stay. I wonder if the comparisons to Tebow could hurt his draft stock?

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I don't think he's a first or second round grade. If he's a third I'd be surprised. Isnt this the year the NFL only starts specifying if the player is a first or second round grade?

 

[2003TIDE]

We've got to have an honest discussion about special teams and tight ends at some point, for example. They're the two worst-performing units on the team and they're both coached by the same guy. .

To be honest, I'm tired of bad special teams plays. 2/9 on FG tries over the last 3 loses. When was the last time we've had consistent kick coverage? Since he's been in charge of it, seems like we've had break downs every year at some point in the season. Give up a 39yd and 54yd return against ole Miss. Throw in the auburn FG attempt return. I'm not sure how anyone can say it is not a trend at this point.

 

[TiderInTally]

Alabama, which has leaned heavily toward recruiting ability in recent assistant coaching hires, might need to sacrifice some of that for greater emphasis on technical proficiency.

Perhaps THE most salient and perceptive point (out of many) JessN made in this excellent summary.

I will pick on O.J. Howard, although he is not the only example by any means. The young man is an astonishing physical specimen. We have all seen what his grace, fluidity, and athleticism can do - when the football is in his hands. But when the football is NOT in his hands, he can be shockingly inconsistent. Almost a liability, in fact. Against the Rebels, 2 holding penalties, some key drops/bobbles, missed/ineffectual blocks, and a disturbing lack of situational awareness when the ball is in the air.

O.J. Howard has been in "The Process" since January 2013. And after 2 spring practices, 2 preseason practices, a full regular season, and part of another, why is he so far from being a complete football player?

 

[CaliforniaTide]

I agree with all of JessN's warnings. The thing I keep thinking about is all of the relatively recent (last 25-30 years) ultra-dominant college football teams that reached a peak or had sustained success - Miami, Florida State, Nebraska, Florida, Oklahoma, USC - is that they all had some sort of culminating moment/game(s) that announced their peak, and then they either couldn't sustain but were still good (Oklahoma, USC in a way, Florida State), or just fell off (Miami, Nebraska, Florida) completely from where they were. I believe Alabama is at the crossroads. We've hit our peak (3 NCs in 4 years; had a chance to compete for 5 in 5 years), and now other teams, having accepted that they can't compete w/Alabama on everything Alabama will dominate in, adjusted the way they will compete. The reasons for winning haven't changed, just adjusted or achieved a different way.

I do believe there's some truth that you can be so successful in recruiting you get blinded to what you actually need. CNS and his staff need to address the needs now, and make some hard decisions about how to get better (not saying they're not doing that). As an example, I don't feel there's a need to change the offense wholeheartedly (I've heard some fans want to go full HUNH like Auburn or A&M) because the issues lies in execution as opposed to lack of talent. Now, I do believe CNS had adjusted in this regard by bringing in Kiffin to have some spread/HUNH elements incorporated to the pro style scheme and still retain the pro style marker. Defensively, I feel a simplification is in order but that's my uneducated guess. I do feel that our DBs appear to be more tentative overall. Defensive line play is definitely better, and I think it'll improve as time goes on. I attribute special teams play to one coach, and I don't need to repeat what's already been said.

Roll Tide everyone...

 

[BamaJama17]

Lets take it easy. Our defense will be fine. They recruited guys built for the HUNH last year and are continuing to do so this year. I'm sure adjustments are being made. This week is a
Big statement game for Alabama.

 

[2003TIDE]

This week is a
Big statement game for Alabama.

Not really. Ark matches up to what we do. We can stop the run game fine. They aren't HUNH

 

[BamaJama17]

Not really. Ark matches up to what we do. We can stop the run game fine. They aren't HUNH

Well I meant the week after a loss.

 

[BigBama76]

I may be wrong but CNS's focus on perfection may bleed in to how some players play. Sometimes they play like they're afraid they'll make a mistake.