Game Thread: Offical Post-Game Thread Bama vs. New Mexico State

bamacpa said:

Maybe it's just me, but we had starters in this game awfully late it seems.

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Not just you. I thought the same thing. If we're up by 35 over NMSU, we should be thumbing through the program to figure out who's on the field for the Tide.

Playing the backups helps morale, builds depth, gets experience for the backups, makes everyone practice harder if they know they'll get some playing time, and prevents injuries and keeps the starters fresh as the season progresses.

mlh said:

Not just you. I thought the same thing. If we're up by 35 over NMSU, we should be thumbing through the program to figure out who's on the field for the Tide.

Playing the backups helps morale, builds depth, gets experience for the backups, makes everyone practice harder if they know they'll get some playing time, and prevents injuries and keeps the starters fresh as the season progresses.

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I can't be sure, but I thought I noticed the first team OL still in even after MJ came in relief of Tua. If what some are saying is true....that it's not a talent issue but a need for them to have more time to learn to play together then I have no problem with them playing more.

Concerning the defense, I think that's a little bit of a different story. I saw some people "griping" about giving up 10 points to New Mex. St. but I think the points came after we starting subbing out on defense. We've got to decide what we prefer as fans. A shutout but leaving our best playing in the preserve that or letting the inexperienced play and giving up a few points as they gain experience. In a blowout win like Saturday, I'd take getting the defense out and giving up a few points.

Few things that I noticed from this game:

Kelian Robinson had 5 carries for 80 yards averaging 16 yards, while Najee Harris had 12 carries for 68 yards averaging 5.7 and Brian Robinson Jr 11 carries for 57 yards averaging 5.2. Part of that is on OL not sustaining their blocks once they get to second level and part of that is on RB reading their holes. I am somewhat concerned with this group, but I think at this point, we will see Robinson moving past Ford for #3 spot and may pass Robinson if they don't improve soon. Najee has to stop trying so hard and let the play come to him naturally.

We aren't controlling the Possession of Time very well. NMSU had the ball for 32 minutes while Alabama had almost 28 minutes. This simply will not work. Part of that was on players not fully invested in the game in 4th quarter.

We need to get the ball in Waddle hand more. We've heard a lot about players behind Waddle, Smith, Ruggs and Jeudy, but we gotta get the young receivers some reps.

Given what we've seen the last two weeks, We will probably won't open up playbooks until LSU game.

TIDE-HSV said:

This was a glorified scrimmage for hire. Moon is right. And, yes, the OL needs more time together...

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I was really surprised as I walked back to my car to hear that Jeudy scored the TD that put us up 52-7. We need to build some depth to replace him and an injury to an irreplaceable player when ahead 38 would be hard to understand.


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TIDE-HSV said:

This was a glorified scrimmage for hire. Moon is right. And, yes, the OL needs more time together...

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Agreed and getting Mac some reps with the 1's was part of it also IMO.

Bamabuzzard said:

Najee's running style isn't conducive to how this oline is currently blocking. Najee's style seems to be for him to be patient and wait for the hole to open then hit it. Where as K Robinson's seems to be "one cut" and get to north and south as quick as possible even if it means the hole hasn't fully developed as open or opened up at all. The holes the Oline are currently opening aren't staying open long. So hitting them at the right time and getting to and through them quick, are paramount. Until the OL gets better I expect Harris to continue struggle to reach what we know he can do.

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I agree but I think some of Najee's patients is really indecisiveness.

Bamabuzzard said:

I'm sure it is considering there's no hole to run through or the hole he sees immediately closes before he can hit it. In the two games we've played I can't remember seeing more than a handful of times where I actually saw a defined running lane in between the tackles for our backs to run through. That's not good.

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I'm hoping that situation will improve when Deonte Brown returns from suspension; last year the running game didn't really start clicking until he became a starter.

There was one time when Najee dove into a pile when he should have made a simple cut to the left and he would have probably scored because there was nothing but green there. I don't know how he missed it unless the play was designed to run over the guard spot and he got so fixated on waiting for the hole to open he was unwilling to bounce it outside.

Here's thing to keep it in perspective.
I know we two games into the season and it is moot point to compare to last year stats, but It does give us rough idea of what we are looking at.

First 2 games for 2018:
Louisville 48 attempts for 222 yards averaging 5.29 yards with 3 TDs.
Arkansas St. 44 attempts for 278 yards averaging 6.32 with 1 TDs.

First 2 games for 2019:
Duke 42 attempts for 145 yards averaging 3.45 yards with 2 TDs
New Mexico 32 attempts for 318 yards averaging 9.94 yards with 4 TDs.

37 yards less than last year, and we scored more 2 more from last year. We will be okay.

Bamabuzzard said:

Najee's running style isn't conducive to how this oline is currently blocking. Najee's style seems to be for him to be patient and wait for the hole to open then hit it. Where as K Robinson's seems to be "one cut" and get to north and south as quick as possible even if it means the hole hasn't fully developed as open or opened up at all. The holes the Oline are currently opening aren't staying open long. So hitting them at the right time and getting to and through them quick, are paramount. Until the OL gets better I expect Harris to continue struggle to reach what we know he can do.

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I understand what you are saying and it does make sense, but I know he had to make some adjustments with his running game. He is missing some of the holes at times and that's not like of him to do that. That's why I wondered if OL shifted to wrong spot and accidently closed the lane for Harris? But if so, he should've made adjustments at last minute. I 'm not worried about them.. To me, they will get this fixed.