Game 1 WKU @ Alabama (Week of game discussion)

[Bamabuzzard]

I can't post the video due to the language, but IMO this guy gives the best breakdown of CKD's offense, and some of the things (especially blocking schemes) we will see this weekend. He does a great job of breaking down the blocking schemes that our OL will be running this season. It is highly impressive if you have time to watch it.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

One good thing about having a new coach is that the game will be broadcast on ESPN. I'm pretty certain that this game would have been shown on the SEC Network if Saban were still coach. I cannot get the SEC Network where I live unless I pay extra to get it. I feel it's probably not worth the purchase just for me to watch Bama play a few cupcakes teams each season.

 

[mlh]

I have been thinking about this. Certainly, that has been our strategy to date...play vanilla ball against weaker opponents and not show anything for future opponents to practice and scheme against. But this is a new era and a new head man with a different perspective. Why not run all the playbook in this game? Everything we have practiced to date, let's do it in a game to improve it. If this offense is truly one driven by unpredictable play calling then all it does is make future opponents work harder on more stuff in practice before they play us. Then it does not matter because, if we are unpredictable, then we execute up the field based on past experience on the field in previous games. I don't know. Just glad talking and speculating season is coming to a close on Saturday.

Since we're implementing a totally new offense, I'm sure we're still learning. I think we need to use these early games to continue to "practice" and get familiar with the new schemes, rather than hold our cards close to our chests.

 

[Ledsteplin]

One good thing about having a new coach is that the game will be broadcast on ESPN. I'm pretty certain that this game would have been shown on the SEC Network if Saban were still coach. I cannot get the SEC Network where I live unless I pay extra to get it. I feel it's probably not worth the purchase just for me to watch Bama play a few cupcakes teams each season.

There's not a lot of "big" games this week. Everyone seems to have cupcakes. So I think even with Saban, it probably would be ESPN.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Since we're implementing a totally new offense, I'm sure we're still learning. I think we need to use these early games to continue to "practice" and get familiar with the new schemes, rather than hold our cards close to our chests.

There's zero benefit in holding our cards against anyone during the first half of the season. The quicker this offense can become second nature to everyone, the better. The only way to do that is to run plays over and over.

 

[Krymsonman]

Isn't he almost 30? 😁

I guess he's still not quite as old as that guy starting his 9th year at Miami.

 

[AWRTR]

I can't post the video due to the language, but IMO this guy gives the best breakdown of CKD's offense, and some of the things (especially blocking schemes) we will see this weekend. He does a great job of breaking down the blocking schemes that our OL will be running this season. It is highly impressive if you have time to watch it.

View attachment 45259

Really nice video. It was well worth the watch. I love videos that get into the weeds of all the concepts.It makes it more fun to watch the game. I do think he is right that Bama doesn't have the smaller faster OL to do some of the things we saw UW do last year so as CKD works to bring in new classes of players we may have to wait a minute to see some of these run concepts.

 

[gtgilbert]

It looked to me like several teams blitzed Bama's offense at least 46% of the plays in 2022 and 2023. They had Young scrambling to make a play, and sacking Milroe. But I think this offense is better prepared for blitzes, than those of the last two seasons. I hope WKU does blitz a lot. It would be a good test for Bama's offense. Other better teams will definitely blitz later on.

The offense last year was designed to account for high pressure, but the QB didn't pull the trigger on the passes or read the pressures.

 

[Ledsteplin]

The offense last year was designed to account for high pressure, but the QB didn't pull the trigger on the passes or read the pressures.

The defenses blitzed a lot in 2022 and 2023. More so than normal. It had an affect.

 

[gtgilbert]

The defenses blitzed a lot in 2022 and 2023. More so than normal. It had an affect.

Yes, but the reasons for that in 22 and 23 had completely different root causes.

in 22 BOB didn't use a highly varied route tree in his play calls. he called a lot of mid/deep crossing and streaks. The quick underneath or short/mid concepts were there, but not very often. Without as much pressure to defend the short zones, defenses were able to send a bit more pressure.

in 23, CTR actually called a lot of depth variable routes and concepts with the primary options being specifically designed to get the ball away faster, but JM simply wasn't pulling the trigger to make the passes he should have made AND he'd just stand there when pressured and didn't have very good pocket presence or mobility. Once defenses figured that out they were able to sit back in deeper drops and wait on the back end. I'm not sure they blitzed as much as you think. Sure they blitzed some, but often they'd change up pressures, bringing more from a side but still with 7 guys back in coverage zones, as they knew they probably had plenty of time to get there.

 

[BamaMoon]

Yes, but the reasons for that in 22 and 23 had completely different root causes.

in 22 BOB didn't use a highly varied route tree in his play calls. he called a lot of mid/deep crossing and streaks. The quick underneath or short/mid concepts were there, but not very often. Without as much pressure to defend the short zones, defenses were able to send a bit more pressure.

in 23, CTR actually called a lot of depth variable routes and concepts with the primary options being specifically designed to get the ball away faster, but JM simply wasn't pulling the trigger to make the passes he should have made AND he'd just stand there when pressured and didn't have very good pocket presence or mobility. Once defenses figured that out they were able to sit back in deeper drops and wait on the back end. I'm not sure they blitzed as much as you think. Sure they blitzed some, but often they'd change up pressures, bringing more from a side but still with 7 guys back in coverage zones, as they knew they probably had plenty of time to get there.

That's the first thing I'll be looking at tomorrow night. How fast JM gets the ball out? Forget about getting thru 3 or 4 progressions (which is where he should be at this stage of his career) but can he recognize the first couple of reads and get the ball out to those receivers "when" they are open?

That'll tell us a lot about the future if he can do that proficiently.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

Since we're implementing a totally new offense, I'm sure we're still learning. I think we need to use these early games to continue to "practice" and get familiar with the new schemes, rather than hold our cards close to our chests.

I would rather the team to focus on base offense/defense and let them get comfortable in it. There is no need to open up the playbook this early in the season especially when we play Georgia in few weeks.

 

[JustNeedMe81]

That's the first thing I'll be looking at tomorrow night. How fast JM gets the ball out? Forget about getting thru 3 or 4 progressions (which is where he should be at this stage of his career) but can he recognize the first couple of reads and get the ball out to those receivers "when" they are open?

That'll tell us a lot about the future if he can do that proficiently.

Let me tell you this: He has improved so much this off season and I think he will be able to show us that tomorrow night. What's funny is that I"m not actually focused on Milroe for tomorrow. I'm more focused on WR and their routes running. Can they get open? Can they block? On Defense I want to see how aggressive they are that's pretty much it. I have no expectations for tomorrow's game. I just wanted to see how they do and go from there.

 

[mlh]

Let me tell you this: He has improved so much this off season and I think he will be able to show us that tomorrow night. What's funny is that I"m not actually focused on Milroe for tomorrow. I'm more focused on WR and their routes running. Can they get open? Can they block? On Defense I want to see how aggressive they are that's pretty much it. I have no expectations for tomorrow's game. I just wanted to see how they do and go from there.

Fingers crossed

 

[Ledsteplin]

Let me tell you this: He has improved so much this off season and I think he will be able to show us that tomorrow night. What's funny is that I"m not actually focused on Milroe for tomorrow. I'm more focused on WR and their routes running. Can they get open? Can they block? On Defense I want to see how aggressive they are that's pretty much it. I have no expectations for tomorrow's game. I just wanted to see how they do and go from there.

I've heard good things about the route running. I think they'll all do well. Prentice is one of the best. Freshman Bubba Hampton is a really good route runner, but we may not see him.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Let me tell you this: He has improved so much this off season and I think he will be able to show us that tomorrow night. What's funny is that I"m not actually focused on Milroe for tomorrow. I'm more focused on WR and their routes running. Can they get open? Can they block? On Defense I want to see how aggressive they are that's pretty much it. I have no expectations for tomorrow's game. I just wanted to see how they do and go from there.

I'm not sure WKU has the defensive personnel to put Milroe in situations where he struggled the most. Texas got him with disguises as did Michigan and if UGA had to do it over again they would have done the same thing. Do you think WKU has the personnel to put him in those situations?

 

[BamaMoon]

Let me tell you this: He has improved so much this off season and I think he will be able to show us that tomorrow night. What's funny is that I"m not actually focused on Milroe for tomorrow. I'm more focused on WR and their routes running. Can they get open? Can they block? On Defense I want to see how aggressive they are that's pretty much it. I have no expectations for tomorrow's game. I just wanted to see how they do and go from there.

I hope you are right about JM.

But the receivers were open last year and often he couldn't find them.

I hope both QB and WR click from the first snap!

 

[AlexanderFan]

I'm not sure WKU has the defensive personnel to put Milroe in situations where he struggled the most. Texas got him with disguises as did Michigan and if UGA had to do it over again they would have done the same thing. Do you think WKU has the personnel to put him in those situations?

No, so he’s either going to have to force himself to do the things he needs work on, or we will see him go back to his comfort and throw deep against outclassed athletes, like he did early last year.

 

[bamajas]

I would rather the team to focus on base offense/defense and let them get comfortable in it. There is no need to open up the playbook this early in the season especially when we play Georgia in few weeks.

Counterpoint: Unload as many formations and motions as possible to let them know what all we can do without them knowing what we will do

 

[BamaMoon]

Counterpoint: Unload as many formations and motions as possible to let them know what all we can do without them knowing what we will do

Furthermore, I'd argue if we can't run the offense against WKU in game one will we be able to against Wisky and Georgia in games 3 and 4?

So yeah, I think this is different than most game one cup cake games. We are playing against ourselves more than WKU in this game.