2017 Week 11 Game Week Thread (Practice Reports, Press Conference Updates, etc.)

BamaInBham said:

Hardly. Pruitt is much better against spread teams than Kirby ever was - his record against AU is far superior to Kirby's. He is much more creative with blitzing. As much as I like blitzing in certain situations, I dreaded Kirby's blitzes because they rarely got there. We began to call third downs, even 10+ yards, third and Kirby. CJP has supposedly and wisely simplified things - one of the legit criticisms of Saban's approach; less time in college is a big issue. Maybe part of CKS's "trouble" was the transition of the defensive philosophy, but Pruitt was already ahead of the curve when he returned. Yes, it's Saban's defense but every DC puts his stamp on it - and Saban is open to suggestions and change. We see it plainly on the offense (McElwain vs Nuss vs Kiffin vs Daboll), it's also true with the D. It matters who the coordinator is and IMO, and many others Pruitt is an upgrade.

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Such short memories and such sad attitude. Think... 2011. That's all... 2011. Put it in your pipe and smoke it. 2011.

If you guys really want to debate this, give it a thread. I'll be there. I'd be glad to hear the bamanation response. I think they will set the record straight. In the meantime, I'm not gonna sit here and waste my time on short memoried homers but while I have no complaints about Pruitt, this uncontextual, ahistorical rubbish is just not right. Just ridiculous. It's true, we blitz differently this year... Because the situation and personnel are different. The game is different. Our pass rush is different. I enjoyed our defensive performance this year so no criticism of that unit intended, but just rubbish on rubbish that Pruitt is better than Smart. Must have all been bitten by zombies. Can't believe I'm reading reasonable posters spreading rubbish. As DC goes, Kirby's in the Hall of Fame. And, yes they all learn from many sources, but they also imitate Saban. As far as college defense goes, there is saban and there is everyone else, and it's not even close. So don't go acting like Pruitt invented the stopper to tin horns.

LA4Bama said:

The game has changed from slow to up pace since Smart started as our DC, which precludes some of that late change stuff.

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LOLUFUNNY


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LA4Bama said:

You act like there has been one defense... but we all know the defense changed to adapt to up pace and spread offense. Our blitz packages changed year by year under Smart/Saban for a long time. We did all kinds of different stuff in 2011 than we did in 2013 than we did in2015.

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Look, I like Smart a lot and have enjoyed watching him grow the program in GA, so I am not saying that Smart stinks as a DC. And I am not just looking at Pruitt's work at Alabama over the last 2 years. I am also looking at the work that he did at FSU and at GA before he came back to Alabama.

Pruitt blitzes far more frequently than Smart did at Alabama, and than he currently does at GA. Smart believes in getting pressure on the QB with 4 or 5 people - 4 if possible. Pruitt believes in sending an extra person (or more) from virtually anywhere on any play, regardless of down or distance. Pruitt wants the offensive coordinator worried about where the extra pressure might be coming from on every play. It makes preparation more difficult, and it puts a lot more pressure on the offense. Venables does the same thing at Clemson.

If I were to sum up the major differences between guys like Pruitt/Venables and Smart, I would simply say that they attack the offense on every play. Smart's defenses are a lot more passive. Both philosophies work, but many (including me) prefer to see the defense on attack.

B1GTide said:

many (including me) prefer to see the defense on attack.

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One of the most frustration situations is to watch as the offense has time, and feel like that quarterback is going to find someone the more time passes by. If the team can bring pressure, that forces his hand, even if it does mean someone somewhere is probably open.

When you have a lot of new guys on the field, the surest thing to do is not to blitz. We really need some of the guys on the defensive front take up the challenge and make that a sustainable plan. It was really the only way forward longterm anyway, we were going to play somebody you can't blitz to win the whole thing.

Philosophically you could kinda see that Pruitt and Smart aren't even very similar. Maybe that spilled over into the interpersonal/professional?

G-VilleTider said:

Good to hear Jonah and Minkah seem to be going full speed.

What do you gurus make of this?

"Freshman Daniel Wright was the Money with the second-team dime defense. "




And this?

"Safety Keaton Anderson, who has played linebacker in the past, was shadowing Holcombe"

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With Anderson, I think it's necessity at this point. We really don't have anyone else at LB so a Safety is next option. I wouldn't be completely surprised to see hootie or harrison getting some looks here just in case (assuming Thompson, wright or mckinney can step up some), Not a knock on him as he's done a great job on special teams and I'm optimistic that the move to S could help him get onto the field other than special teams down the road.

With Wright - could be combo of things. He was playing against LSU before the game was 'comfortable' (if it ever was). I think with Minkah limited, Knott out and whatever the heck is going on with Thompson, I'm sure the staff is looking for the next guy in line to be ready to step up just in case. It's not like minkah needs a ton of reps in practice now to know what to do, so we can take it a bit easier on him WRT reps and get some of the other guys more work just in case he's limited.

In the limited viewing (and my questionable memory) Daniel Wright has looked pretty good. So long as he has veterans around him to get him in the right play and passes off/picks up his man on swaps, he will do fine. Good athlete and I think gets his head turned to the ball very well. I know I have made that comment about him at some point in the season.

Wilson Monroe said:

In the limited viewing (and my questionable memory) Daniel Wright has looked pretty good. So long as he has veterans around him to get him in the right play and passes off/picks up his man on swaps, he will do fine. Good athlete and I think gets his head turned to the ball very well. I know I have made that comment about him at some point in the season.

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Plus he has a little Ronnie in him. He was mixing it up a little against LSU after a punt.

He's also one of those guys that the staff likes which means he's probably a quick study and does all the small things. Seems like the exact kind of young man you'd want for a "break glass in case of emergency" depth situation. He might miss a few plays because he's not athletically equivelent but should be in position and may even help other guys too.

I just watched the LSU game again and I am more than a little impressed with the play of the guys who stepped in for your injured players in this game. I know that they are physically talented, but they switched off well on the sweeps and kept the ball in front of them on every play. If I did not know better, I would have sworn that they were starters out there.

And I want to say again how much I love this board. You guys are not just casual football fans. You know your players and coaches, and you understand the intricacies of the game. Instead of rants, you have real conversations about what is, why it is, and what can be done to make it better. Great membership here.

:cheers2:

LA4Bama said:

LOL yourself. smart was our DC forever, and you are ready to award Pruitt the crown over such a short term, when he learned from Smart. Not a chance in hell. The game has changed and Pruitt has done a fine job so far, but in case you didn't notice, UGA doesn't stink and guess who's running that program. Some very sour grapes indeed.

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He may have learned a few things from Smart, but Pruitt is from my area. I've known his family and friends all my life. I know for a fact that he impressed Saban years ago on his first interview. He was diagraming plays on the board and held Saban's attention for an hour at his knowledge of defense. Don't make him out to be a wet behind the ears kid. Don't forget his success at Florida St and Georgia too. I appreciate everything Smart did for us, but I am appreciate everything that Pruitt is doing for us now and it is a lot.

rgw said:

He's also one of those guys that the staff likes which means he's probably a quick study and does all the small things. Seems like the exact kind of young man you'd want for a "break glass in case of emergency" depth situation. He might miss a few plays because he's not athletically equivelent but should be in position and may even help other guys too.

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I've thought that Anderson is a Cory Reamer type player. Really smart and studies the game so what he may not have athletically is made up for by being in the right spot by processing a play faster than everyone else. I saw him play a good bit at Florence High and he was almost always in the right place.

The previous 2-3 pages are a prime example of what makes this site addictive. Loads of intelligent football talk, zero sniping.

Take a bow, all of you.