Bama players sitting out of the bowl game - a running list

[rgw]

The game is scored by points and UGA - due to being a competent defense - got meaningful stops and Alabama did not.

 

[rgw]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1206668613589098507

 

[CoachJeff]

AGAIN...We gave up 25 more yards than UGA (everyone's #1 Defense) gave up to the boogs...Our D wasn't as bad as YOU keep telling everyone that it was...Was it Bama quality this year, not quite (we're spoiled), but jeez it wasn't Big 12 either...man...

UGA defended 86 plays against AU. Bama only defended 65 (thanks to 2 pick 6s).

UGA held AU to 2.3 yards per carry. Bama gave up 5.3 yards per carry.

UGA held AU to 4.9 yards per pass. Bama gave up 5.6 yards per pass.

Points matter more than yards. UGA held AU to 14 while Bama gave up 34.

UGA did a much, much better job against AU than Bama did.

 

[B1GTide]

UGA did a much, much better job against AU than Bama did.

Yeah, not sure where the controversy is. UGA had a legit top 5 defense all season long. Alabama did not. On a national scale Alabama was good, not great.

Still, Alabama didn't lose a game this year just because of their defense. In both games that Alabama lost, the offense put them in some very bad situations and they played with poor discipline. It is hard to win football games against good teams when you lose the turnover battle and you have a gazillion penalties.

 

[rgw]

Nah, they lost because of the defense. The defense was bad and the players on the defense should feel bad that they needed a 3rd-game starter at QB to be Tua Tagovailoa to have a chance to win. I'm tired of the sunshine pumping on this subject.

I hope that fuels them for 2020.

 

[TiderJack]

Nah, they lost because of the defense. The defense was bad and the players on the defense should feel bad that they needed a 3rd-game starter at QB to be Tua Tagovailoa to have a chance to win. I'm tired of the sunshine pumping on this subject.

I hope that fuels them for 2020.

We all understand how you feel about this subject but if you can't see that our offense did contribute then you are not looking at it right. We obviously know the two pick six against the Barn and the interception by Tua before halftime of the LSWho game was the difference in us winning that game. I did not like the way our defense played at times but you can't put the entire blame on them as you are doing.

 

[tidefanbeezer]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1206668613589098507

Terrell's decision makes sense, given his injury history.

I admittedly am not an expert in DB play, but I feel like Trevon would be better off playing in this game. To my untrained eye, I think he still has some things to prove.

 

[TitleWave]

The game is scored by points and UGA - due to being a competent defense - got meaningful stops and Alabama did not. ...

...did not...once change the tide of an Alabama game this season. That's not - as if any tutorial were needed - Alabama defense.

 

[CoachJeff]

Terrell's decision makes sense, given his injury history.

I admittedly am not an expert in DB play, but I feel like Trevon would be better off playing in this game. To my untrained eye, I think he still has some things to prove.

He missed all of 2018 with injury. I completely understand why he'd want to skip 20 practices and a game.

 

[rgw]

We all understand how you feel about this subject but if you can't see that our offense did contribute then you are not looking at it right. We obviously know the two pick six against the Barn and the interception by Tua before halftime of the LSWho game was the difference in us winning that game. I did not like the way our defense played at times but you can't put the entire blame on them as you are doing.

I find it interesting how people will easily blame the offense for the 2016 CFPCG collapse but we're so reticent to do the same to the defense's ineptitude in 2019. I'm guessing it is because our head man's fingerprints are more on the defense so an implication of inability on defense is effectively seen as a charge against our head coach. Heck, I feel like the 2014 Sugar Bowl complaints were about Lane not "running the damn ball" when for 3 quarters of that game we could not stop them from running it with Zeke Elliott. At least there was a glimmer of truth to that one.

I'm never going to beat back this instinct from my fellow loyalists but I'm just going to keep on calling a spade a spade.

 

[TiderJack]

I find it interesting how people will easily blame the offense for the 2016 CFPCG collapse but we're so reticent to do the same to the defense's ineptitude in 2019. I'm guessing it is because our head man's fingerprints are more on the defense so an implication of inability on defense is effectively seen as a charge against our head coach. Heck, I feel like the 2014 Sugar Bowl complaints were about Lane not "running the damn ball" when for 3 quarters of that game we could not stop them from running it with Zeke Elliott. At least there was a glimmer of truth to that one.

I'm never going to beat back this instinct from my fellow loyalists but I'm just going to keep on calling a spade a spade.

Many of us have conceded and agreed that our defense was not as good as we expect around here and it was disappointing considering our history of playing great defense. However, you can't concede that our offense was partly to blame for our late season defensive failures in winning big games.

We win by double digits at the Barn if our offense does not turn the ball over twice.

We have a very legitimate shot at beating LSWho if we don't turn the ball over before half that leads to a TD right before halftime.

Can you not see this point at all?

 

[B1GTide]

I find it interesting how people will easily blame <snipped>

One can see that the defense was deeply flawed and still not assign blame for losses. Are we going to blame the kicker for the loss to Auburn? How about Mac Jones? How about the o-linemen who kept putting your offense in a hole?

How about we just accept that it was a team loss, and that the team was not quite good enough this year? Blaming people may make you feel better, but it doesn't help the team improve.

 

[rgw]

Oklahoma is in the playoffs right now because their defense that is probably no better than our own actually made a few stops down the stretch. They overcame Jalen's turnover problems with those clutch plays. Our defense basically didn't make a clutch play all season. I didn't expect us to be good. I did expect the fact that there were some veterans around to lead to a few big plays. Our vets came up small in big games and that is why we basically needed perfection from the offense to win.

 

[rgw]

One can see that the defense was deeply flawed and still not assign blame for losses. Are we going to blame the kicker for the loss to Auburn? How about Mac Jones? How about the o-linemen who kept putting your offense in a hole?

How about we just accept that it was a team loss, and that the team was not quite good enough this year? Blaming people may make you feel better, but it doesn't help the team improve.

Because effectively what you're saying is that the offense needed to be perfect because the defense was trash. You can fluff and sunshine pump it all you want but that is the essence of the both-sides-ism argument going on.

 

[B1GTide]

Oklahoma is in the playoffs right now because their defense that is probably no better than our own actually made a few stops down the stretch.

This is crap. Alabama beats every OU team by double digits. Swap Alabama's schedule with the Sooners and Alabama is still ranked #1 and undefeated, even with this very flawed defense.

 

[B1GTide]

Because effectively what you're saying is that the offense needed to be perfect because the defense was trash. You can fluff and sunshine pump it all you want but that is the essence of the both-sides-ism argument going on.

You call the Alabama defense trash? Dude, you need to have your fan card revoked.

 

[rgw]

You call the Alabama defense trash? Dude, you need to have your fan card revoked.

Ok Buckeye.

 

[bamacpa]

I think Diggs sitting out is an advantage as we get to see, for better or worse, a glimpse of our future at that position

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

I agree with rgw on this one. If you need the offense to be perfect to win then the loss is on the defense.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Many of us have conceded and agreed that our defense was not as good as we expect around here and it was disappointing considering our history of playing great defense. However, you can't concede that our offense was partly to blame for our late season defensive failures in winning big games.

We win by double digits at the Barn if our offense does not turn the ball over twice.

We have a very legitimate shot at beating LSWho if we don't turn the ball over before half that leads to a TD right before halftime.

Can you not see this point at all?

Sure, offense wasn't perfect vs LSU and it cost us....because our defense wasn't very good.

I can see you saying it was both sides of the ball vs Auburn (2 pick 6s) but we lost to LSU because of our defense.