Question: Will Bama ever return to a physical running game?

editder said:

I agree that the coaching made a difference in this last game, but I think the first time they won had more to do with their having a hotshot QB than with coaching.

In the first two NC games they had a great QB while we had mediocre ones at best. Either team could have won both games, but the point is that we played them toe-to-toe. When we both had mediocre QBs in 2017, we handled them easily. I think it's interesting that the one time we both had great QBs they slaughtered us. A lot of it was due to bad coaching during the game, but I think it was also the overall coaching philosophy that led us away from a physical running game (with competent passing for balance) and hard-nosed defense.

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TIDE-HSV said:

IDK. It could be. I expect a good offense. I think it's just a matter if the defense gels or not...

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GrayTide said:

That is precisely why I made my statement, and I should have been clearer. I think the new staff should be a massive upgrade over last year's from top to bottom. There is no doubt that as long as Tua is healthy we should be able to score a lot of points, with the caveat that Tua will have to mature as a QB. Maturity meaning, play within himself, see the entire field not just throwing to the streaking WR on a go route, avoid pressure and throw the damn ball out of bounds rather than taking an unnecessary sack and hit. My concern is at LB and the secondary. I know we have talent everywhere and some returning experience, but, as Earle said, the defense needs to gel quickly. If we can avoid the injury bug of the past 2-3 years on defense then I may have to eat my words, and I will be here for hopefully, an unsavory meal.

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GrayTide said:

That is precisely why I made my statement, and I should have been clearer. I think the new staff should be a massive upgrade over last year's from top to bottom. There is no doubt that as long as Tua is healthy we should be able to score a lot of points, with the caveat that Tua will have to mature as a QB. Maturity meaning, play within himself, see the entire field not just throwing to the streaking WR on a go route, avoid pressure and throw the damn ball out of bounds rather than taking an unnecessary sack and hit. My concern is at LB and the secondary. I know we have talent everywhere and some returning experience, but, as Earle said, the defense needs to gel quickly. If we can avoid the injury bug of the past 2-3 years on defense then I may have to eat my words, and I will be here for hopefully, an unsavory meal.

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81usaf92 said:

The secondary is probably going to be the best we have had for some time, linebacker is probably going to be a question mark depending on Lewis’s health. But overall we are probably going to be better on defense than we were last year.

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92tide said:

i certainly hope so, because last year was atrocious at times.

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81usaf92 said:

Once Diggs went down, our secondary became a serious problem. We have more experience and talent coming back this year.

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B1GTide said:

Are you forgetting that you fired Kiffin a week before that game, and that your play calling and tempo both changed during the Clemson game? That is coaching (or play calling, but by the OC, so coaching).

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81usaf92 said:

The secondary is probably going to be the best we have had for some time, linebacker is probably going to be a question mark depending on Lewis’s health. But overall we are probably going to be better on defense than we were last year.

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editder said:

I think if they had played Bryant we would have won the game, Kiffin or no Kiffin.

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