YUPI'd probably agree...not sure the talent was terribly different though Georgia's secondary was probably better, but Georgia definitely had a better game plan (and Clemson probably studied it and perfected it).
YUPI'd probably agree...not sure the talent was terribly different though Georgia's secondary was probably better, but Georgia definitely had a better game plan (and Clemson probably studied it and perfected it).
I'd call the skill talent a wash. The thing he gets with OU is the plethora of targets across the board: WR's TE, H-back, RB's, etc. If you watch us there are as many as 8-10 different receivers catching the ball and we have 3 5-star freshmen receivers in camp now. I think our scheme provides him more opportunity to rack up passing stats. The question is, can he consistently put the ball where it needs to be.As has been mentioned already...Jalen will have to do more because the OU defense is that bad...and they will be going up against high power offenses in their conference games. I do think Jalen will eclipse his own personal records for yards passing and TDs scored. Him being able to tuck and run bodes well for him. He is a threat to score with his feet in the redzone almost every time.
Now...it is safe to say that OU doesn't have better receivers than Jalen had his last 2 years at Alabama...so in terms of him having more explosive talent around him...that is not the case. Tua has more talent around him and we are truly a threat to score on every play with Najee in the backfield. I can't imagine we would score more than 42 per game on average just because we won't need to.
Conclusion: Jalen will end up with better numbers because he has the physical talent, playcalling, and average defenses he will be going against.
It is obviously one persons opinion but I believe that Steve Sarkisian may be the best prepared Offensive Coordinator in Coach Saban's tenure at Alabama. Along with that he has the deepest offensive talent pool of Saban's time at Alabama with a two deep offensive lines that could start in all but the top five or so teams in the country. Sark's offense will be explosive in passing and rushing and will be more ball control emphasis but will be able to go over the top when the opportunity arises. This team will be an offensive powerhouse. The question I have is... Will Alabama's defense be able to shut down the opposing running game in the big games in the way the defense has on Saban's best defensive teams? To me this will determine Bama's season. I am a great fan of Jalen Hurt's and will root for him to take Oklahoma undefeated but there is simply no way that Oklahoma has the offensive line talent to support him as Bama does this year. As always we will have to play it on the field and see if key players can stay healthy!I'd call the skill talent a wash. The thing he gets with OU is the plethora of targets across the board: WR's TE, H-back, RB's, etc. If you watch us there are as many as 8-10 different receivers catching the ball and we have 3 5-star freshmen receivers in camp now. I think our scheme provides him more opportunity to rack up passing stats. The question is, can he consistently put the ball where it needs to be.
You’re probably right. But knowing the heisman is on the line, part of me says you suck it up and continue but I keep forgetting today’s athletes are not allowed to do that like they were back when Coach Bryant played with a broken leg against Tennessee.UGA was that much better and Tua got hurt early.
The bolded statement is the most concerning thing for Jalen at OU this year. It's my understanding they are basically starting a new O-line unit. Jalen's Achilles heel has always been he bolts from the pocket when he feels pressure. While he got better at standing in there at Alabama (saw it against Georgia last year), if he starts getting regular pressure, he'll most likely revert to his former behavior, which is what humans do under intense pressure.It is obviously one persons opinion but I believe that Steve Sarkisian may be the best prepared Offensive Coordinator in Coach Saban's tenure at Alabama. Along with that he has the deepest offensive talent pool of Saban's time at Alabama with a two deep offensive lines that could start in all but the top five or so teams in the country. Sark's offense will be explosive in passing and rushing and will be more ball control emphasis but will be able to go over the top when the opportunity arises. This team will be an offensive powerhouse. The question I have is... Will Alabama's defense be able to shut down the opposing running game in the big games in the way the defense has on Saban's best defensive teams? To me this will determine Bama's season. I am a great fan of Jalen Hurt's and will root for him to take Oklahoma undefeated but there is simply no way that Oklahoma has the offensive line talent to support him as Bama does this year. As always we will have to play it on the field and see if key players can stay healthy!
I think you are seriously under-estimating the fact that Tua will have probably improved along with every aspect of our offense from last year. And if Sark makes us more balanced with the addition of really being able to rush it at will (like we couldn't do it when it mattered most last year), this will be the most lethal offense in college football.I like Sark, but frankly I think he’s got his work cut out to match what Lock accomplished last season with our O. I’m not sure an O can perform any better than ours did last year pre-November. I would love to be wrong....
While OU returns only one starter off the Joe Moore best line in college football winner, the 4 new likely starters are all RS sophs who have been in the program for 2-3 years. It may take a few games for the unit to tell but they will be a top notch O-line when all is said and done.The bolded statement is the most concerning thing for Jalen at OU this year. It's my understanding they are basically starting a new O-line unit. Jalen's Achilles heel has always been he bolts from the pocket when he feels pressure. While he got better at standing in there at Alabama (saw it against Georgia last year), if he starts getting regular pressure, he'll most likely revert to his former behavior, which is what humans do under intense pressure.
Granted, Jalen running wild against Big 12 defenses will be exciting and he'll rack up huge rushing yards, but if his o-line can't protect on passing downs, his passing production won't be nearly as good as some are predicting.
LOL, did you start watching football in 2015 or something?Sark has one advantage...a proven D. To consider him on the same level as the "QB Whisperer" is simply not based on reality.
Riley was still playing for TxTech when Sark was coaching championship teams at USC. Sark has a far more substantial resume.I wouldn't put Sark on the same level as Lincoln Riley at least not at this point in their careers.
On some plays, the defense just wins. Accept that, throw the ball away and live to play another down. If Tua has learned that, his yardage may drop from last year, but his ability to win championship will go up.“The experience last year, I feel that’s big. To be able to admit defeat — if you’ve got to throw it away, throw it away. If you’ve got to take a sack, protect the ball and take the sack as opposed to trying to spin away and make a play.”
That's true and fine but who are you hiring between the two today?Riley was still playing for TxTech when Sark was coaching championship teams at USC. Sark has a far more substantial resume.
As my OC? Sark. No question about it.That's true and fine but who are you hiring between the two today?
Interesting. I couldn't disagree more.As my OC? Sark. No question about it.
I have seen Sark offenses defeat some of the best defenses, in college and in the NFL, for decades. Riley's offenses have lost in those big games, time after time.Interesting. I couldn't disagree more.
Yea but when? Offenses change so quickly especially in the last decade that it seems silly to put Sark doing well a decade ago above Riley tearing it up now. Not to mention Kiffin was there for some of that and the HC at the time was one of the better overall coaches in history.I have seen Sark offenses defeat some of the best defenses, in college and in the NFL, for decades. Riley's offenses have lost in those big games, time after time.
You can’t detract from Sark by using his head coach if you’re going to excuse Riley’s horrific defenses, it’s an uneven playing field.Yea but when? Offenses change so quickly especially in the last decade that it seems silly to put Sark doing well a decade ago above Riley tearing it up now. Not to mention Kiffin was there for some of that and the HC at the time was one of the better overall coaches in history.
And sure Riley's offenses lost games, most recently vs Georgia and Bama but largely because the defenses were so terrible. It's not as though he failed to score on us or Georgia when facing us with equal talent.
Meanwhile Sark took an elite NFL offense and turned it into just a good one. Which is obviously a different coaching job but still a data point IMO.
I think Sark is a good coach and I was one of the few who was excited when we hired him again but I just don't think he's on the level of Riley right now as an offensive mind.