I still think we got the right guy (Coach DeBoer)

gtgilbert

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Yes he did but he'd already made him some money before our game. He was considered one of the best pass rushers in the country, not just the SEC. We found out why Saturday, LOL
which makes it even more maddening that for some reason we were rolling the pass-protection calls AWAY from him. Not sure if that was a coaching error, or player errors in making the right call at the LOS, but it was just ludicrous watching it.
 

Bamabuzzard

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which makes it even more maddening that for some reason we were rolling the pass-protection calls AWAY from him. Not sure if that was a coaching error, or player errors in making the right call at the LOS, but it was just ludicrous watching it.
That's a player error. Not sure which player it is but either or the QB make our line calls.
 

gtgilbert

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That's a player error. Not sure which player it is but either or the QB make our line calls.
generally I agree and would say it's QB error as they have to call the alignment as the OCenter can't see it all that well once over the ball. There is some crazy outside chance that for some reason the game plan was calling it another way, or that they formationed us into a protection call that they knew would slide away from #5, although I do think that is very doubtful.
 

Bamabuzzard

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cdub55

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Patience is the key. Sark went 5-7 and 8-4 his first two years at UTx. CKD already has as many wins in six games as Sark did his entire first season. So I don't foresee an 8-4 second season.
Comparison is the thief of joy (reason Aubarn fans are always miserable). Texas was a dumpster fire after Mac Brown.
Herman 32-18
Strong 16-21

In Sark's defense, he had a complete overhaul to get them back to being competitive at the national level. CKD has had his own hurdles to cross but they weren't anything to the level of Sarks. Hopefully we can keep squeaking by and start to figure a few things out to give us a chance to make a run once the playoffs come calling.
 

Bamabuzzard

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Comparison is the thief of joy (reason Aubarn fans are always miserable). Texas was a dumpster fire after Mac Brown.
Herman 32-18
Strong 16-21

In Sark's defense, he had a complete overhaul to get them back to being competitive at the national level. CKD has had his own hurdles to cross but they weren't anything to the level of Sarks. Hopefully we can keep squeaking by and start to figure a few things out to give us a chance to make a run once the playoffs come calling.
The comparison's overriding point is when a proven winner is given time, he ultimately wins. CKD is starting in a better position than Sark, so given time, he will win.

At Alabama, not winning NC's is the thief of joy. ;)
 
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Isaiah 63:1

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Probably at 35k or in an airport somewhere
He was the best hire we could have made at the time and under the circumstances.

For anyone inclined to parrot Finebaum, you can't complain about the CKD hire without also naming someone who not only would have been better -- even with the benefit of hindsight -- but also would have accepted. I can't come up with anyone that meets both tests.

Coaches who might reasonably meet the first test include Sark, Kirby, Lanning, Day, Dabo, Whittingham, Kelly, and Kiffin. We're complaining (yours truly included) about things like team composure/character, and HC sideline clothing style. Yet from amongst this list are at best two who might have accepted: Dabo and Kiffin. Would we do either of those deals even now? Some of us would; I suspect many more of us would not. As for the others, overlooking the unlikelihood of their accepting:
  • Sark - Can't seem to stay married. Can he still stay sober? I don't mean to pick on him for getting divorced twice or being a recovering alcoholic; just pointing out that both are risk factors, and the former might indicate a character flaw depending on the circumstances.
  • Kirby - ThUGa is the closest thing to late 1980's-vintage Miami we've seen of late. And now he's channeling Woody Hayes (okay, that's a stretch, but it's a fun stretch). Worst haircut in college football.
  • Lanning - Proved himself to be of questionable coaching character this past weekend with his abuse of the rules in the waning minutes against TOSU.
[Note - the above coaches are a combined 0-6 against CKD the last 2.5 seasons]​
  • Day - Nothing bad to say about him.
  • Whittingham - Early returns from Utah's playing in the Big XII (no one's idea of a strong conference) are not encouraging. Also 0-1 against CKD.
  • Kelly - Imagine the Alabama fan outrage when he (a) admits to being inferior on the day to someone beating us badly, or (b) dances awkwardly with a recruit; or (c) puts a student on a cherry picker to film practice on a windy day.
So, for anyone who doesn't like the CKD hire, what would you do differently?
 

cdub55

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The comparison's overriding point is when a proven winner is given time, he ultimately wins. CKD is starting in a better position than Sark, so given time, he will win.

At Alabama, not winning NC's is the thief of joy. ;)
I agree. Wasn't quoting your post to disprove it but for reference.
 
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RollTide_HTTR

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He was the best hire we could have made at the time and under the circumstances.

For anyone inclined to parrot Finebaum, you can't complain about the CKD hire without also naming someone who not only would have been better -- even with the benefit of hindsight -- but also would have accepted. I can't come up with anyone that meets both tests.

Coaches who might reasonably meet the first test include Sark, Kirby, Lanning, Day, Dabo, Whittingham, Kelly, and Kiffin. We're complaining (yours truly included) about things like team composure/character, and HC sideline clothing style. Yet from amongst this list are at best two who might have accepted: Dabo and Kiffin. Would we do either of those deals even now? Some of us would; I suspect many more of us would not. As for the others, overlooking the unlikelihood of their accepting:
  • Sark - Can't seem to stay married. Can he still stay sober? I don't mean to pick on him for getting divorced twice or being a recovering alcoholic; just pointing out that both are risk factors, and the former might indicate a character flaw depending on the circumstances.
  • Kirby - ThUGa is the closest thing to late 1980's-vintage Miami we've seen of late. And now he's channeling Woody Hayes (okay, that's a stretch, but it's a fun stretch). Worst haircut in college football.
  • Lanning - Proved himself to be of questionable coaching character this past weekend with his abuse of the rules in the waning minutes against TOSU.
[Note - the above coaches are a combined 0-6 against CKD the last 2.5 seasons]​

  • Day - Nothing bad to say about him.
  • Whittingham - Early returns from Utah's playing in the Big XII (no one's idea of a strong conference) are not encouraging. Also 0-1 against CKD.
  • Kelly - Imagine the Alabama fan outrage when he (a) admits to being inferior on the day to someone beating us badly, or (b) dances awkwardly with a recruit; or (c) puts a student on a cherry picker to film practice on a windy day.
So, for anyone who doesn't like the CKD hire, what would you do differently?
I mean, I'm not judging DeBoer's tenure yet. It's way way too early. But my ideal hire was always Sark. There was just no way he was leaving Texas.

Obviously Kirby also would have been a home run but he also isn't leaving UGA unless he decides to take a shot at the NFL.
 
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bvandegraff

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Not mention that regardless of DeBoer's success elsewhere, he's never faced the kind of schedule week in and week out that he's facing this season.

We brag about the SEC being so tough...because it is.

There are literally no weeks off in this conference...a lesson that was hard-earned the last couple of weeks.
Agreed. Not only that, but this is an SEC with TX and OK freshly added, and with TP/NIL allowing teams like Vandy and USCe to compete. It took major guts to accept the Bama job on Saban's heels and with one of the toughest schedules in years if not ever, and with the current climate of (excessive) player empowerment in CFB. The UGA win blinded us to the inevitable growing pains this youthful team with high turnover, new coaches and new schemes would experience in year one.

CKD is what, 109-13 as a HC? His record has earned our trust for the time being, even if means a lot of Maalox moments this season. Of course, we Bama fans aren't known for our patience, which is only amplified in this Hot Take/Finebaum era of instant overreactions and short-term thinking.

Did Saban leave a lot of talent for CKD? Yes. Did he also leave some areas of deficiency? Yes. Courtney Morgan is doing amazing work in recruiting, so it stands to reason that those gaps will be filled over the next few years.

I'm still bullish on CKD until his body of work (6 games is too small a sample) influences me otherwise.
 

Bamabuzzard

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I mean, I'm not judging DeBoer's tenure yet. It's way way too early. But my ideal hire was always Sark. There was just no way he was leaving Texas.

Obviously Kirby also would have been a home run but he also isn't leaving UGA unless he decides to take a shot at the NFL.
Those are the ONLY TWO who would have been viewed as a "better" (on paper) hire than CKD. Byrne hired the best candidate that was truly available.
 

cdub55

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Agreed. Not only that, but this is an SEC with TX and OK freshly added, and with TP/NIL allowing teams like Vandy and USCe to compete. It took major guts to accept the Bama job on Saban's heels and with one of the toughest schedules in years if not ever, and with the current climate of (excessive) player empowerment in CFB. The UGA win blinded us to the inevitable growing pains this youthful team with high turnover, new coaches and new schemes would experience in year one.

CKD is what, 109-13 as a HC? His record has earned our trust for the time being, even if means a lot of Maalox moments this season. Of course, we Bama fans aren't known for our patience, which is only amplified in this Hot Take/Finebaum era of instant overreactions and short-term thinking.

Did Saban leave a lot of talent for CKD? Yes. Did he also leave some areas of deficiency? Yes. Courtney Morgan is doing amazing work in recruiting, so it stands to reason that those gaps will be filled over the next few years.

I'm still bullish on CKD until his body of work (6 games is too small a sample) influences me otherwise.
I can give you 87,000,000 reasons he shouldn't receive a Nobel Peace prize for accepting the job. He made a choice that would have been easy for a lot of coaches.
 

JDCrimson

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I dont think we made the wrong hire with CKD. But if he is as open minded and even keeled as he demonstrates and respects that Alabama has well-established values, then he should be willing to accept insight from Byrne and Saban about how to operate within the program and win in the SEC.

But if he gets his dander up because Byrne says hey Kalen we wear collared shirts on the sideline during games at Alabama, then we did hire the wrong coach.
 

Tidewater

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Anybody talking seriously about getting rid of Coach DeBoer is insane. As insane as someone saying in all seriousness Bama should have hired Elvis Presley to coach football. If someone said that, you would say to yourself, "This guy is loony. Never listen to anything he says."

I am not impressed with this defense's ability to get off the field on 3rd down.* I am not impressed with the team's loss of composure at times. I'm not impressed with the team self-discipline at times. I'm not impressed with this team's ability to sustain offensive drives.

I am light years away from being ready to pull the plug on Coach Deboer. If he has a couple of losing seasons, then we can talk replacement. Until then, Bama fans need to relax a bit.


* Pate says Alabama's defense is 120th in the nation in "plays run against."
 

Tidewater

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But if he gets his dander up because Byrne says hey Kalen we wear collared shirts on the sideline during games at Alabama, then we did hire the wrong coach.
That is, well, not near the top of my priorities for the coach at Alabama. I personally do not care if he wears a loin cloth and a light coat of oil if his team plays with ferocity and discipline and dominates and strikes fear into the hearts of opponents.
Sure, a collared shirt is not a big ask, but I can literally think of 100 things that are way more important to me than what the coach wears. Maybe 1,000 things.
 

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