Changes for next year

WylieTexasTider

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Obviously we had a great season and we have great players and Saban is the GOAT. Curious what changes/adjustments will you like to see/think we will see?

I have several I think we will see.

1. New ILB coach. I know Golding is a good recruiter, just wonder if Nick is sacrificing coaching/teaching for recruiting.

2. The play calling under Enos to use more of a power running game.

3. More aggressive D scheme. I get we did not have Miller tonight but, they hardly brought an extra guy. Seemed like Lawrence had 6-7 seconds all night. I almost feel Tosh was hired for the DC role in order to keep his recruiting prowess.

I have one I’d really like to see, Davis, Williams and Thompson to all say they are coming back to win a title like Clemson’s group did last year.

Again, great team, great staff. Not being negative, just expect changes and we will be back next year. Just like Nick changed offensively a couple of years ago, I expect him to make the changes on D.
 

KrAzY3

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2. The play calling under Enos to use more of a power running game.
I think there was some scoffing when I started saying this last season, but from what I've seen the key to Alabama's success is a dominant running back, not a dominant quarterback. Tua joins the list now, but Alabama actually hasn't won most their championships with quarterbacks having great seasons. It tends to be quarterbacks having ok seasons and a team that leans on the running back (dominant seasons, like they had from Ingram, Richardson, Lacy, and Henry). It doesn't take a lot of imagination to see how that could have changed the outcome this game.

If Alabama isn't slinging the ball around, they might have less big plays, but they also probably don't have the two turnovers. Furthermore, if they did have a dominant power running game, it's harder to imagine Alabama being kept out of the end zone as often either... so there is something to not becoming overly reliant on great quarterback play, because there's so much finesse required there, while a powerful running back is more reliable.
 

WylieTexasTider

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I think there was some scoffing when I started saying this last season, but from what I've seen the key to Alabama's success is a dominant running back, not a dominant quarterback. Tua joins the list now, but Alabama actually hasn't won most their championships with quarterbacks having great seasons. It tends to be quarterbacks having ok seasons and a team that leans on the running back (dominant seasons, like they had from Ingram, Richardson, Lacy, and Henry). It doesn't take a lot of imagination to see how that could have changed the outcome this game.

If Alabama isn't slinging the ball around, they might have less big plays, but they also probably don't have the two turnovers. Furthermore, if they did have a dominant power running game, it's harder to imagine Alabama being kept out of the end zone as often either... so there is something to not becoming overly reliant on great quarterback play, because there's so much finesse required there, while a powerful running back is more reliable.
Agree 100%! I love Tua and we would not have been where we were tonight without him. However, I think our offense can be that much better if we have a little more balance. One thing I also think Tua needs is a little humility. To basically say Clemson did nothing to effect our offense was a little classless. They fooled Tua on the pick 6, plain and simple!
 

KrAzY3

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Agree 100%! I love Tua and we would not have been where we were tonight without him.
The flip side of course if when you are down, having Tua is really, really nice. Alabama doesn't have the championship last year without what he did, so I'm not trying to bash him at all. I do hope that a dominant/physical running back can emerge though, Alabama has the talent but they need to cultivate that smash-mouth identity on offense some.
 

PA Tide Fan

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Agree 100%! I love Tua and we would not have been where we were tonight without him. However, I think our offense can be that much better if we have a little more balance. One thing I also think Tua needs is a little humility. To basically say Clemson did nothing to effect our offense was a little classless. They fooled Tua on the pick 6, plain and simple!
I sort of feel differently. I think we needed to throw the ball around to try and score more points this season because we all knew that our defense was not quite up to usual Bama standards. Running the ball is fine when you have a dominant defense but our defense was good but not great. As far as Tua not giving Clemson credit I sort of understand. A person always wants to feel they control their own destiny and can always win if they play their best. One of my hobbies is chess and when I lose I always feel it was because of my own mistakes as opposed to great play from my opponents. Football is basically a game of chess played with 11 players per side instead of pieces so I can relate to him.
 

bvandegraff

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Mar 13, 2014
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I hope Saban and Enos decide to unleash the beast that is Najee Harris next season. That said, the biggest need for improvement is on defense. Let's see if some these early-enrolling 5-stars can press the returning starters to up their game.

Saban's response to losing a recruiting "title" to UGA last year was to bring on young, aggressive recruiters. That worked. I'm extremely curious about what his response will be to tonight's events.
 
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russtang

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No major changes IMO.

Play calling has to be better against good teams-when it counts.

Tua needs to be coached that it's ok to throw underneath or to backs for 10 yards at a time instead of homerun every play.

More power run game. Oline needs to work on that.

Staff continuity would help IMO.

I don't know what to say about defense. Assignments, alignments, calls etc.
Less injuries would make a big difference.

Special teams that weren't a liability would be great.
 

Power Eye

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I think there was some scoffing when I started saying this last season, but from what I've seen the key to Alabama's success is a dominant running back, not a dominant quarterback. Tua joins the list now, but Alabama actually hasn't won most their championships with quarterbacks having great seasons. It tends to be quarterbacks having ok seasons and a team that leans on the running back (dominant seasons, like they had from Ingram, Richardson, Lacy, and Henry). It doesn't take a lot of imagination to see how that could have changed the outcome this game.

If Alabama isn't slinging the ball around, they might have less big plays, but they also probably don't have the two turnovers. Furthermore, if they did have a dominant power running game, it's harder to imagine Alabama being kept out of the end zone as often either... so there is something to not becoming overly reliant on great quarterback play, because there's so much finesse required there, while a powerful running back is more reliable.
The reliance on the offense, and specifically the passing game,has been my fear all season that it would eventually come back to bite us. Primarily, I felt like we’ve gotten to where we were by controlling the clock and limiting our defensive plays over Saban’s tenure. Couple that with superior defensive talent and we’ve been unstoppable.

Maybe those days are gone and I’m slow to catch-on, but I felt like the running game was there all night. Granted, we aren’t as talented on D as years past, but I felt like we played into Clemson’s hands by throwing the ball and forcing our D to be on the field most of the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Lastly, we just didn’t have a playmaker on D this year that could really force a TO, ala Eddie Jackson or Minkah.
 

WylieTexasTider

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Saban's response to losing a recruiting "title" to UGA last year was to bring on young, aggressive recruiters. That worked. I'm extremely curious about what his response will be to tonight's events.
With all the young talent here and coming in I really hope the response will be to bring on a couple of very good teachers and X/O guys. First thing he has to determine is can Tosh grow and become another Kirby or Pruitt? I really think Saban only promoted him so he didn’t lose his recruiting abilities.
 

ReturnToGlory

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The reliance on the offense, and specifically the passing game,has been my fear all season that it would eventually come back to bite us. Primarily, I felt like we’ve gotten to where we were by controlling the clock and limiting our defensive plays over Saban’s tenure. Couple that with superior defensive talent and we’ve been unstoppable.

Maybe those days are gone and I’m slow to catch-on, but I felt like the running game was there all night. Granted, we aren’t as talented on D as years past, but I felt like we played into Clemson’s hands by throwing the ball and forcing our D to be on the field most of the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Lastly, we just didn’t have a playmaker on D this year that could really force a TO, ala Eddie Jackson or Minkah.
Had problems with running game once we got down to red zone and then it was tough sledding. Probably needed to run the ball until the red area then throw once we got down there.
 

KrAzY3

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Saban's response to losing a recruiting "title" to UGA last year was to bring on young, aggressive recruiters. That worked. I'm extremely curious about what his response will be to tonight's events.
I almost made a "You won't like Saban when he's angry" post.

If you look, the bigger the losses the more Alabama seems to bounce back. 2008 loss to Florida (and Oklahoma) brought us the decimation of Florida and win over Texas. 2010's uncharacteristic struggles gave way to a mutilation of Michigan State in the bowl game and a team that ended up dominating LSU in the 2011 championship game. Etc... I think 2013 was about the only year (since 2007) where Alabama had a heartbreaking, season ending loss and didn't follow it up with true greatness the following year.

I'm not sure what Saban will do, but I think seeing his team perform poorly in some areas and losing an important game does seem to free him up in some ways. This has his attention, he'll be attending to it, that's for sure.
 

Gallowglas

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We struggled tonight on offense, for sure, but credit Clemson with some solid defensive schemes on 3rd down and in the red zone for most of that. It wasn't the fault of any imbalance of run versus pass. We could have run the ball all night and I think we'd have still not won that game without an improvement in how we played defense. And, yes, even there Clemson put together some amazing throws and catches and for many of those you have to give credit to skill. That said, Lawrence had all night to throw and our secondary got lured out of position on a number of different critical plays.

I'm happy with the balance of run versus pass. Our offensive stats bear out the success there. The pass rush, the secondary, and kicking are where we need the real help.
 

JessN

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I think there was some scoffing when I started saying this last season, but from what I've seen the key to Alabama's success is a dominant running back, not a dominant quarterback. Tua joins the list now, but Alabama actually hasn't won most their championships with quarterbacks having great seasons. It tends to be quarterbacks having ok seasons and a team that leans on the running back (dominant seasons, like they had from Ingram, Richardson, Lacy, and Henry). It doesn't take a lot of imagination to see how that could have changed the outcome this game.

If Alabama isn't slinging the ball around, they might have less big plays, but they also probably don't have the two turnovers. Furthermore, if they did have a dominant power running game, it's harder to imagine Alabama being kept out of the end zone as often either... so there is something to not becoming overly reliant on great quarterback play, because there's so much finesse required there, while a powerful running back is more reliable.
I think the game is so different now from where it was just 5 years ago that if you go back more than that you risk running into the "dead ball era" of college football. You certainly do once you start talking about Stallings' teams of the 90s.

Teams aren't winning anymore without great QB play. Three of the four teams in the CFP had great QBs, and it should have been four because Notre Dame should never have been invited -- in large part due to just that, an offense that sputtered under pressure because it couldn't make plays from the QB position.

I don't discount the need for a great RB, too, but if you don't have a good-to-great QB these days you're just going to struggle at the highest level of the game.

As for changes going forward, unless Alabama brings in another offensive specialist like Locksley -- who was hired primarily because of his spread background -- the offense is bound to get a bit more conservative, and honestly it probably needs to, especially if other teams are able to do to Tua what Clemson did with disguising their pre-snap alignments. To that end, a few things I wouldn't be surprised to see next year ...

* Locksley's replacement being a defensive assistant, not an offensive assistant.
* A change in how defensive playcalls come from the sideline. I would expect a new assistant or even Saban himself to be more involved.
* Some change in the OL. Either approach, or the coach himself. I think there's some fire behind the smoke about Key moving on, anyway.
* I say it every year and Saban never listens (g), but we've got to start playing more people at WR and on defense in order to counter fatigue. Granted, the second-team DL this year never came together (outside of Ray; Mathis finally stepped up from about MSU onward), but we're going to have to commit to it nonetheless. Watching Buggs and Williams run out of gas in the second quarter got old. The one thing Dabo absolutely does better is substitute. It keeps people fresh and keeps players on the bench interested.
 

KrAzY3

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Teams aren't winning anymore without great QB play. Three of the four teams in the CFP had great QBs, and it should have been four because Notre Dame should never have been invited -- in large part due to just that, an offense that sputtered under pressure because it couldn't make plays from the QB position.
I think you covered it, but I don't want to understate the need for good play at the position. I just think it's important not to become over-reliant. It's nice to have the weaponry and sometimes it is a necessity. But, I think it easily turns into over-reliance on quarterback play.

I can't blame them either, if you can dial up a touchdown almost at will, that's a powerful weapon not to use. But I think there are times when the team is better served trying to do other things, in terms of their long term development. I suppose that's the real challenge, how to do you develop and utilize an elite quarterback, without letting your success hinge entirely on his play? To me, I like it better when it's something like the Clemson game from the 2015 season. Coker throws for 300, Henry runs for 150 (or even Notre Dame where AJ throws for 260 and Eddie runs for 140), to me that's what I want to see. Anyway, thanks for the good response.
 
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MTGYBama

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Lots to go over.


I think the entire defensive staff will be evaluated and I expect some turnover. Maybe in the form of repositioning duties or bringing in a more experienced coach.

We need a vocal leader on defense. I know, the rah rah guy is cheesy and cliche, but we sorely missed a Ryan Anderson or a Ashawn Robinson type.

There needs to be a come to Jesus meeting on attitudes, especially on defense. Some accountability. Also, this Bama didnt seem to have the mental toughness of other teams. No one is scared of Bama anymore. We're mortal, we can be beat. How do we respond?

Offense needs to be more pro style than RPO. The RPO doesnt need to completely go away, but going fineese bit us mutliple times this year when we needed to be physical...

O Line needs more consistent production based on the talent available. Probably need to make a change here. Some new blood, ideas.

Still, great season. 14-1, SEC Champs is an incredible year. Roll Tide! Next year...
 

bamablood6

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Mar 27, 2006
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OL coaching has not been good for years. And yes play players to rest starters and develop them. Q and Buggs are done at halftime. Defensive staff is lost. MLB play is subpar and digressing as it seems the coaching is not there because Mack and Moses got worse it seems and there is no one getting developed to back them up. And stop with all the leg/foot injuries on defense....injuries have been ridiculous. Shavers needs to develop but hardly plays to develop.

Missing on Collins and Ross as the big WR has hurt. Bama WRs rarely break a tackle as they are not big tall guys. They are good but Bama needs a big tall WR.... shavers please stand up.

Enos will probably be more of a physical play caller. Like Marcus Spears said.... I bet coach is about to get back to trying to have a physical smack you in the mouth team. He knows he has to have offense though.

This team was undisciplined at times, played sloppy a lot this year, had breakdown after breakdown on defense..... There were some deprh issues at some positions but This coaching staff never got it together in my opinion.
 

chuaner

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Aug 26, 2008
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where did you see Williams, Thompson, and Davis say they are coming back?

Obviously we had a great season and we have great players and Saban is the GOAT. Curious what changes/adjustments will you like to see/think we will see?

I have several I think we will see.

1. New ILB coach. I know Golding is a good recruiter, just wonder if Nick is sacrificing coaching/teaching for recruiting.

2. The play calling under Enos to use more of a power running game.

3. More aggressive D scheme. I get we did not have Miller tonight but, they hardly brought an extra guy. Seemed like Lawrence had 6-7 seconds all night. I almost feel Tosh was hired for the DC role in order to keep his recruiting prowess.

I have one I’d really like to see, Davis, Williams and Thompson to all say they are coming back to win a title like Clemson’s group did last year.

Again, great team, great staff. Not being negative, just expect changes and we will be back next year. Just like Nick changed offensively a couple of years ago, I expect him to make the changes on D.
 

Redwood Forrest

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Well, there is enough blame to spread around but my view is "it was Men against Boys". The second half we were pushed and shoved around. Dominated. Really dominated. We looked unprepared and over-rated. It has been a long time since I felt embarrassed but last night was embarrassing. I would ask one question, however: "That kicker ranks LAST in FBS with miss PATs. Is that the best the GOAT can come up with?" Really? Seriously?
 

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