Are we going to move away from the RPO's now?

bamamick · Jan 11, 2019

When Coach Mac was here we were amazingly balanced in both yardage and number of plays (throwing it versus running the ball). We began to shift some when Kiffin got here, and I think that CNS began to focus more on explosive plays as a stat that mattered. This past year we had the Alabama offense of all Alabama offenses, breaking every passing record out there, but we lost the damn national championship game with crazy play calls in the red zone doing most of the damage to our ability to score.

So does the loss of four very important guys off of our offensive staff preclude a change in philosophy back to controlling the ball, controlling the clock, and grinding out wins rather than dazzling with amazing pass plays? Until Enos left I would not have thought so, but now? Does CNS actually blame the offense for losing that game, or is it just a matter of guys leaving for more prestige or money?

We have the potential to have a road-grader level offensive line and some really good backs next year. It is possible that is what's in Coach Saban's mind when he picks the new staff. We will see.

I was darn sure looking forward to a little continuity around here.

rtr

B1GTide · Jan 11, 2019

I hope so.

bamaga · Jan 11, 2019

I don’t think so, because Nick knows the stress the RPO puts on a defense, along with some spread concepts. But After the debacle on the goal line , I think we “learn” how to run the football again! I’ve seen offenses incorporate most of those concepts. I think some people call it a pro style power spread.

Bama-94-00 · Jan 11, 2019

Bama's O needs better run-pass balance, whether that means more gives on the RPOs or more run only plays.

RollTide_HTTR · Jan 11, 2019

Will the RPOs change? probably depends on the OC

Will we get away from RPOs completely? no. They are way too effective and they are here to stay in all of football IMO. The question is in what form.

cuda.1973 · Jan 11, 2019

If it gets #18.....................who cares? (Just another way of saying none of us have any idea, and "In Saban We Trust".)

This is going to be a long and miserable off-season..................

Bamabuzzard · Jan 11, 2019

I don't think it was a style necessarily as much as it was coaches not correctly assessing the situation in front of them. The old saying of "Run it until they stop it" would have won us the national title Monday night. If the RPO's are working, keep doing it. If simply handing the ball off and running off tackle then between the tackles is working, keep doing it. It was coaches getting caught up in the "missing the forest for the trees" syndrome. The right thing to do was so simple I think they froze. On top of not being prepared enough coming into the game.

bamaga · Jan 11, 2019

It’s funny, all year the NFL played high scoring almost big 12 football. Playoffs come along and it’s low scoring, run the ball and play defense.

allybama2009 · Jan 11, 2019

RUN THE BALL!!! I think RPO'S present a lot of anxiety for defenses. so in moderation i think it is good. I would love to see the Pistol implemented as well as seeing the basic screen pass that was successful back in the day. Heck it beat LSWHOO with the TJ Yeldon screen pass. rtr

crimsonaudio · Jan 11, 2019

If the talent on the OL finally gets some good coaching - something Bama has been missing since Stoutland left - it won't matter what type of offense Saban wants to run, as it will work and look amazing.

Gotta make the right OL coach hire here. I hope Saban chooses wisely.

TNElephantitis · Jan 11, 2019

crimsonaudio said:
If the talent on the OL finally gets some good coaching - something Bama has been missing since Stoutland left - it won't matter what type of offense Saban wants to run, as it will work and look amazing.

Gotta make the right OL coach hire here. I hope Saban chooses wisely.

Yes. Technique and discipline has got to be emphasized. It seems like since 2012 we’ve had one or two guys on the line that is constantly committing penalties or getting beat when we used to have a uniformly disciplined O Line

Intl.Aperture · Jan 11, 2019

crimsonaudio said:
If the talent on the OL finally gets some good coaching - something Bama has been missing since Stoutland left - it won't matter what type of offense Saban wants to run, as it will work and look amazing.

Gotta make the right OL coach hire here. I hope Saban chooses wisely.

He does tend to be flippant about these sort of things. :wink:

Special K · Jan 11, 2019

crimsonaudio said:
If the talent on the OL finally gets some good coaching - something Bama has been missing since Stoutland left - it won't matter what type of offense Saban wants to run, as it will work and look amazing.

Gotta make the right OL coach hire here. I hope Saban chooses wisely.

I agree. If only we could clone a younger Joe Pendry....

Bamabuzzard · Jan 11, 2019

TNElephantitis said:
Yes. Technique and discipline has got to be emphasized. It seems like since 2012 we’ve had one or two guys on the line that is constantly committing penalties or getting beat when we used to have a uniformly disciplined O Line

This^^^^^ x1000! For the last several years we've always had "that one guy" who before each game you could go ahead and chalk him up for three or four drive killing pre-snap penalties. Lester Cotton is that current guy. But he's only one of what seems a string of about three more over the last five or six years.

crimsonaudio · Jan 11, 2019

Intl.Aperture said:
He does tend to be flippant about these sort of things. :wink:

I'd argue his last two choices were poor - skewed too far in one direction, and we saw the result Monday night.

He's not perfect, one can only hope he remains open-minded enough to learn. Bama hasn't had a truly dominating OL in a long time now.

crimsonaudio · Jan 11, 2019

Special K said:
I agree. If only we could clone a younger Joe Pendry....

Or Stoutland - both were excellent OL coaches. That's what is needed, imo.

RTR91 · Jan 11, 2019

crimsonaudio said:
Or Stoutland - both were excellent OL coaches. That's what is needed, imo.

Stoutland's problem was evaluating OL talent. He could coach and teach, but he didn't seem to be able to evaluate. Pendry did both really well.

CoachJeff · Jan 11, 2019

What's wrong with RPOs?

B1GTide · Jan 11, 2019

CoachJeff said:
What's wrong with RPOs?

First, run blocking. The o-line does not know if it is run or pass, so they cannot be aggressive in their blocking or they could end up too far down field. This allows the LBs to hit gaps much more easily. Second, the RB does not know if he is getting the ball or not, so he cannot be as aggressive from the snap in attacking the LOS. He has to wait to see if the QB let the ball go to really ball. Third, the blocking schemes have to account for both possibilities. It is much easier to open holes for running plays if they are designed run plays, and it is easier to get back in pass protection if you know that it is a pass play. Fourth, RB in pass protection - the RB has no idea if he is going to be getting the ball or picking up a blitzer at the snap. This has hurt Alabama many times this year.Goodness, I really could go on and on.

Designed run or pass plays can be repped enough times that the blocking becomes second nature and is much more difficult to exploit.

cuda.1973 · Jan 11, 2019

Could be mistaken, but wasn't there a play where we were called for illegal blocker downfield? Anyone know if it was a RPO? Could well have been.

Everything has its strong points and weaknesses. Any choice is made to exploit a weakness, on the opposing side. And leaves you open to that choice's weaknesses, for the opposing side to exploit. (Which in turn leads to the chess match where we win one year, and Clumpson wins the next year. At least that is one way to rationalize away what happened on Monday night.)

Are we going to move away from the RPO's now?

All-American

TideFans Legend

Hall of Fame

All-American

Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame

FB Moderator

Hall of Fame

1st Team

Administrator

1st Team

All-American

All-American

FB Moderator

Administrator

Administrator

Super Moderator

Suspended

TideFans Legend

Hall of Fame

TideFans.shop - NEW Stuff!