The Championship is Set... Bama vs Ohio St. What are your initial thoughts?

[SFBuckeye]

The question - can we get pressure on Mac when only sending 4 while also stopping Najee? Because if we can't do both then we have to choose - Najee or Smith. That is the problem that no defense had solved to date, and Alabama has faced 2 defenses as good or better than ours.

And, to be honest, if Waddle plays and is even close to his former self, we are screwed. Because if that is the case then we will not be able to stop everything on any play. We will have to guess. Guess wrong and you give up a 70 yard TD to any of those guys. Keep 3 safeties back in coverage like we did against Clemson at times and Najee runs all over us. The Alabama o-line is so much better than Clemson's as to make Clemson look weak.

If Alabama has Waddle, can we get to Mac and stop the run without any help from the safeties? If not, Alabama could score on every single drive.

I think Waddle is a decoy, I could be wrong but no way he is close to 100%. It’s going to be near impossible to stop Bama but the same can be said for Ohio State. If we have to choose Najee or Smith, I say we stop Najee. To paraphrase Woody, 3 things can happen when you throw the ball and 2 of them ain’t good. Take your chances with Smith, try to get pressure on Jones. Maybe they score every time, maybe you get a tip and interception. I think this will be a very high scoring game.

 

[BamaInBham]

Its odd. In 2014 Kiffin gets most of the blame when Kirby was the greatest liability the whole season. Yet in 2018 many want to blame Lupoi and Golding while we had an offensive coordinator that was too stubborn to change the offense to something suitable for a generational quarterback.

While Kiffin did stray away from running Henry he didn’t give up 200 yards on the ground and let a 3rd string quarterback destroy him.

I agree that the D was the main culprit. I was not a fan of Smart his last few years either, wanting him gone for at least a couple of years. The Kiffin comment was a flippant throwaway line, not intended to be a ref to the sole coaching shortcoming. I actually looked at the 2014 OSU playlist a couple of years back and IMO, Kiffin ran Henry more than I would have thought based on Bama fan comments, but it was not a focused effort.

Also, agree with the 2018 season comments. Lupoi should have never been the DC and IMO, Saban knew it but convinced himself otherwise because of his recruiting prowess - Locksley too. It's probably the reason it took him so looong to name him even though he was on the staff. A number of people said that Lupoi was not ready but thought that his shortcomings could be masked. He was not impressive when facing the media.

 

[81usaf92]

I agree that the D was the main culprit. I was not a fan of Smart his last few years either, wanting him gone for at least a couple of years. The Kiffin comment was a flippant throwaway line, not intended to be a ref to the sole coaching shortcoming. I actually looked at the 2014 OSU playlist a couple of years back and IMO, Kiffin ran Henry more than I would have thought based on Bama fan comments, but it was not a focused effort.

Also, agree with the 2018 season comments. Lupoi should have never been the DC and IMO, Saban knew it but convinced himself otherwise because of his recruiting prowess - Locksley too. It's probably the reason it took him so looong to name him even though he was on the staff. A number of people said that Lupoi was not ready but thought that his shortcomings could be masked. He was not impressive when facing the media.

Your take is very fair. My comment was that many Bama fans make it out like Kiffin deserved the lion share of the blame for the Ohio St game. I’ve often felt that we would have never made it to the Sugar Bowl in the 1st place without kiffin. Kirby couldn’t prevent a DB from throwing over 400 yards and 44 points at home.

 

[Bill from NYC]

I think that our OL can handle their defense, even without Dickerson. Owens looks pretty good and our TEs and RBs are all good blockers.
My only worry is the middle on defense. I am not overly fond of Dale at the Nose. He doesn't penetrate like Quinnen Williams or Payne. Now, perhaps he isn't asked to. Maybe he is told to just occupy blockers; I don't know.
I think that if Will Anderson and Christian Barmore kick some serious ass, we will be unstoppable.
I'm looking at 40-17 Crimson Tide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[B1GTide]

I think Waddle is a decoy, I could be wrong but no way he is close to 100%. It’s going to be near impossible to stop Bama but the same can be said for Ohio State. If we have to choose Najee or Smith, I say we stop Najee. To paraphrase Woody, 3 things can happen when you throw the ball and 2 of them ain’t good. Take your chances with Smith, try to get pressure on Jones. Maybe they score every time, maybe you get a tip and interception. I think this will be a very high scoring game.

The saying from Woody is as dated as his offense. Are you afraid when Fields drops back to pass? Well, Mac Jones is a more accurate passer than Fields, with better receivers.

I fully expect Day to try to stop Najee. That is what he does - take away the run game. I think that will result in Alabama getting ahead early because the most dangerous part of their offense is their pass game, and Day will force Alabama to pass. Yes, Najee can wear you out, but Alabama is killing people in the air. They average almost 11 yards per play because they throw the ball so efficiently and effectively, not because of Najee.

As for Alabama stopping our offense - they have the same problem. But their weakness is in a different place - their ILBs are suspect while our secondary is suspect. I expect Day to attack the middle of the field, with a few vertical shots to keep the safeties back. I expect the Bucks to score 30+ points in the game.

 

[deltatider]

Our front 7 is solid and really coming into their own since the end of the Indiana game. Justin Hilliard is a man on a mission and I think or linebackers can slow Harris.

My concern is the secondary and our secondary against your receivers. They are young and learning in real time. This was an area that we had some misses in recruiting and losing guys to the first round of the draft finally caught up this year. Hooker started the year at safety, but has been out the last 3 games. Proctor is an upgrade IMO but can take bad angles at times. Wade can also be soft in coverage, bail way to early, and get turned around. Lathan Ransom will be a star in the future but he is a Freshman that is just now starting to get meaningful reps.

I have nightmares of Smith catching a WR screen, making one man miss, and taking it to the house, similar to what Sammy Watkins did to us back in ‘13

Is Wade your best DB?

 

[deltatider]

The question - can we get pressure on Mac when only sending 4 while also stopping Najee? Because if we can't do both then we have to choose - Najee or Smith. That is the problem that no defense had solved to date, and Alabama has faced 2 defenses as good or better than ours.

And, to be honest, if Waddle plays and is even close to his former self, we are screwed. Because if that is the case then we will not be able to stop everything on any play. We will have to guess. Guess wrong and you give up a 70 yard TD to any of those guys. Keep 3 safeties back in coverage like we did against Clemson at times and Najee runs all over us. The Alabama o-line is so much better than Clemson's as to make Clemson look weak.

If Alabama has Waddle, can we get to Mac and stop the run without any help from the safeties? If not, Alabama could score on every single drive.

BIG which defenses that Bama has played this are most comparable to the OSU defense?

 

[buckeyeFB_]

- I'm very excited to see the see the battle between Tommy Togiai/Haskell Garrett & the Bama interior O-line. I'm sure both sides will have their share of wins/losses there.

Watching Surtain vs. Olave/Wilson will be fun also.

- I think both teams will score over 30. We'll be watching the two best O-lines (in my opinion) in all of football, and each team has a top-end QB and great talent at RB, WR, and TE.

I'm definitely a little nervous about containing DeVonta Smith, and Bama's receivers in general. Furthermore, Clemson had some success throwing to Etienne out of the backfield and I don't think that was fluky. I think that's something that works really well against our defense when called at the right time and I'm sure Sark will notice that on film.

- Bama will be the first team we've played this season that runs a 3-4 defense and I'm a little concerned that it could throw our offense's rhythm off at first when making calls/checks at the line, but I don't think it'll last more than a couple drives (if at all).

- A couple weeks ago I commented on a post and said something along the lines of how Ohio State wouldn't be able to just "out-talent" Bama (like we did against Clemson), and I still think that's a point worth bringing up. We're not used to going up against a team who truly matches up with us across the board in terms of raw talent.

Against Clemson, it was obvious that our D-line was too talented for their O-line, our O-line was too talented for their D-line (granted I do think Clemson's two true freshmen they had on their D-line will be absolute monsters over the next two seasons), and our receivers were too talented for their defensive backs. When I watch Bama, however, it's clear they don't lack raw talent anywhere.



I can't think of anything else to touch on right this minute. I'm hoping for a good, injury-free game. I have tremendous respect for the Bama fanbase and program, and I really appreciate how welcoming everyone on the TideFans site has been to me since I first started posting a few weeks back. Honestly, I'm just really excited our teams finally get to play each other again (and that Clemson is out of the picture)!

 

[B1GTide]

BIG which defenses that Bama has played this are most comparable to the OSU defense?

GA , Texas A&M and OSU have the top 3 rushing defenses in college football - Alabama has played 2 of them and did very well against both on the ground. But they both have much better pass defenses than the Bucks. Notre Dame was not as good against the run, but still good, but their secondary was very good.

Honestly, Alabama has not faced a team with a defense like OSU - very, very good up front but very, very bad in the back end. That is why I keep saying that the Bucks will have to take chances. It we get 2 or 3 sacks in the game, we will lose. If we get 5 or more sacks in the game, we probably win. Why? Because the pressure will keep you from killing us over the top.

 

[B1GTide]

Additional thoughts about our defense - we are generally untested this year. While Alabama has faced 6 teams in the top 50 in scoring offense, the Bucks have only faced one (Clemson). And, just as one of Alabama opponent's in this category turned out to have inflated offensive stats (Notre Dame), so does Clemson. They played in the ACC, and the ACC does not play defense.

Either way, Alabama played 5 more top 50 scoring offenses than the Bucks and still has a lower points allowed per game average with 19 ppg than the Bucks, at 22 ppg.

I don't know if that is simply because we have not been tested, if we are just now figuring it out, or if we just are not as good as we look on paper.

 

[Bill from NYC]

We were certainly tested by Florida. Imo, Lawrence is miles ahead of Trask, but Florida had those great receivers. Kyle Pitts is the best TE I have seen coming out of college since Kellen Winslow Sr.

What confuses me about OSU is Fields. I'm not really sure how good he is. I AM certain about how good Anderson and Barmore are. I hope they level Fields early and often.

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

 

[The Ols]

I have some bulletin board material that I can’t post here. Very much coach Orgeron from Day...
Surprised and can’t believe it’s real...but apparently tOSU feels the same way LSWho does about owning us...

 

[OSUTideFan]

I have some bulletin board material that I can’t post here. Very much coach Orgeron from Day...
Surprised and can’t believe it’s real...but apparently tOSU feels the same way LSWho does about owning us...

Are you talking about the locker room remarks he made after the big ten championship game, prior to the playoff?

 

[The Ols]

I’ve also read, rumor so not posting, that tOSU is working hard to push the game back a week for Covid...I mean Fields...I mean Covid...that would be the final straw.
if they push it back with a playable amount of players ready to go...then I’m done...that’d be 4 for 4 in manipulating the rules this year...nobody else tried any of that crap..,
Let’s play some football!!! RTR!!!

 

[81usaf92]

I’ve also read, rumor so not posting, that tOSU is working hard to push the game back a week for Covid...I mean Fields...I mean Covid...that would be the final straw.
if they push it back with a playable amount of players ready to go...then I’m done...that’d be 4 for 4 in manipulating the rules this year...nobody else tried any of that crap..,
Let’s play some football!!! RTR!!!

If they do that then they are stupid because it opens up for more time to dissect them and Bama to get healthy as well.

 

[B1GTide]

I’ve also read, rumor so not posting, that tOSU is working hard to push the game back a week for Covid...I mean Fields...I mean Covid...that would be the final straw.
if they push it back with a playable amount of players ready to go...then I’m done...that’d be 4 for 4 in manipulating the rules this year...nobody else tried any of that crap..,
Let’s play some football!!! RTR!!!

IMO this would help Alabama more than the Bucks. Alabama is unbeatable with a fully healthy Waddle. Every day that passes gets him closer to that mark.

 

[The Ols]

Are you talking about the locker room remarks he made after the big ten championship game, prior to the playoff?

Yeah...I took it a bit out of context...went back and watched it. Thought it was new...you’re correct...language but nothing any coach wouldn’t say...

 

[The Ols]

IMO this would help Alabama more than the Bucks. Alabama is unbeatable with a fully healthy Waddle. Every day that passes gets him closer to that mark.

Yes, but tOSU is very beatable w/out Fields.
Put both teams on the field right now.
Bama - Waddle...which has been the norm for more games than tOSU played this year...and tOSU w/out Fields...it’s a boat race...

 

[B1GTide]

Yes, but tOSU is very beatable w/out Fields.
Put both teams on the field right now.
Bama - Waddle...which has been the norm for more games than tOSU played this year...and tOSU w/out Fields...it’s a boat race...

Fields will play no matter what. The only question is how effectively he will be able to run.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Additional thoughts about our defense - we are generally untested this year. While Alabama has faced 6 teams in the top 50 in scoring offense, the Bucks have only faced one (Clemson). And, just as one of Alabama opponent's in this category turned out to have inflated offensive stats (Notre Dame), so does Clemson. They played in the ACC, and the ACC does not play defense.

Either way, Alabama played 5 more top 50 scoring offenses than the Bucks and still has a lower points allowed per game average with 19 ppg than the Bucks, at 22 ppg.

I don't know if that is simply because we have not been tested, if we are just now figuring it out, or if we just are not as good as we look on paper.

If the Sugar Bowl had never happened few would give OSU a chance.

Lightning in a bottle for OSU? Perhaps. Likely, even, considering the emotional level at which they played as well as the preparation OSU's staff likely made before / during the season (such as when games were canceled due to COVID).

But the SB showed how deadly OSU can be when everything is clicking.

I just don't know that anyone can keep up with Bama scoring, and I still believe no team that doesn't play on Sundays can stop this Bama offense.