JessN: 2023 Previews: Alabama Crimson Tide

[davefrat]

2021?

Maybe.

I remember less about their capabilities than I remember our infirmities.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

If we'd had a decent TE in the national championship game a couple years ago we very well may have won.

Instead, we had noodle hands who had one foot in the portal and the other on a banana peel.

I think TE is really going to be a strength for us this year. Its rees's bread and butter. I think Niblack is going to be used when we get into a redzone and situationally. I also think we have two great blocking tight ends in Dipree and Lewis.

 

[bamaslammer]

I don't see a lot of superstar power on this team but I think last year it sure "looked" like many on the team were looking for Young to somehow overcome their mistakes and shortcomings. I don't recon they will be looking for a hero this year. They need to be the hero.

 

[gtgilbert]

I think TE is really going to be a strength for us this year. Its rees's bread and butter. I think Niblack is going to be used when we get into a redzone and situationally. I also think we have two great blocking tight ends in Dipree and Lewis.

Maybe. Rees's certainly used the TE a lot at ND, but the reality is that's mostly what he had to work with as they were not exactly strong at WR or RB. I think that's great he made sure he was setting up the offense, the route trees, and the playcalls to the strength of his team so I'm pretty optimistic on him. I just don't know if he's going to look at this team, with this roster and pick the TE spot as a major focus. I think it'll be a part for sure, but I don't know which WR I would pull off the field, allowing the defense to potentially get our of their nickel D, just so I could go into a 2 TE set. If anything, I'd go 2 RBs before I'd go 2 TEs right now, at least until we see more out of the TE group than we have seen so far.

 

[CoolBreeze]

I think TE is really going to be a strength for us this year. Its rees's bread and butter. I think Niblack is going to be used when we get into a redzone and situationally. I also think we have two great blocking tight ends in Dipree and Lewis.

Well that is what Rees cut his teeth on, power running game and hitting open tight ends to move the sticks. Saban says the guy is a smart cookie and I am sure he came to the Capstone to grow so it will be curious watching him attack defenses. I get the feeling he will stick to what has got him here to a certain extent but he will have talent galore to work in his ideal offense. I will just be glad to see the running backs toting the rock for 3-4 yards when we need to.

 

[davefrat]

Maybe. Rees's certainly used the TE a lot at ND, but the reality is that's mostly what he had to work with as they were not exactly strong at WR or RB. I think that's great he made sure he was setting up the offense, the route trees, and the playcalls to the strength of his team so I'm pretty optimistic on him. I just don't know if he's going to look at this team, with this roster and pick the TE spot as a major focus. I think it'll be a part for sure, but I don't know which WR I would pull off the field, allowing the defense to potentially get our of their nickel D, just so I could go into a 2 TE set. If anything, I'd go 2 RBs before I'd go 2 TEs right now, at least until we see more out of the TE group than we have seen so far.

If we are going to a more physical attack, two tight ends might make more sense in a lot of situations.

On a sort of related note, is the H-Back position still a thing?

 

[graydogg85]

2021?

Not quite, IMO.

2021 UGA had approximately 3,760 yards passing between Bennett and JT Daniels, and rushed for around 2,600 yards amongst 7-8 different backs. They averaged 39 points per game.

Not exactly ground-and-pound or even "average" on offense. In fact they ranked 9th nationally in total offense.

This notion that UGA has won back-to-back titles playing "old school" football misses the mark, IMO.
They are physical and disciplined for sure, but they aren't Stallings-era Alabama. They've averaged around 275 passing yards per game during the last two seasons (nearly 300 per game in 2022). They've rushed for only about 10 yards more per game than Alabama on average during that time span.

I honestly can't think of the last team to win an SEC or national title without some level of truly dynamic offensive play. Maybe LSU's conference title in 2011?

 

[BamaMoon]

Jess, unlike previous years, you did not predict our season record. I'm hoping we run the table but thinking 10-2.

IIRC, he does another article where he picks the games and predicts the overall record.

 

[gtgilbert]

If we are going to a more physical attack, two tight ends might make more sense in a lot of situations.

On a sort of related note, is the H-Back position still a thing?

See GrayDogg85s post immediately after yours. While we will likely be playing a more physical style, that does not mean ground and pound all the time - it's certainly not what UGA did in their recent run. Even with Henry, we passed for way more yards than we ran, and typically were very balanced or leaned pass till we got a lead and DH could then just chew them, and clock, up score a couple more and seal the deal. We did that with OJ Howard as the TE who wasn't exactly the most physical blocker from that spot.

I think the physical play is more in reference to the OL being able to create a hole, and taking it personally to make sure if we need 2-3 yards, we get it. We made up some ground in '22 over '21, but still have some room to improve. Last year with Dalcourt and Cohen we simply didn't do that, but with more time from SM and Booker on the field we did ok. LT wasn't a strength last year either.

The challenge with going 2 TE (or an HB), is that teams will adjust by putting in an extra LB, which makes it harder to run. Sure, it an extra blocker, but it's also an extra tackler, and someone who is used to playing in traffic, versus staying with 3 wide, or even dragging a DB through the box with motion, the offense just has more space to work and more lanes to try to take advantage of.

 

[BhamToTexas]

Not quite, IMO.

2021 UGA had approximately 3,760 yards passing between Bennett and JT Daniels, and rushed for around 2,600 yards amongst 7-8 different backs. They averaged 39 points per game.

Not exactly ground-and-pound or even "average" on offense. In fact they ranked 9th nationally in total offense.

This notion that UGA has won back-to-back titles playing "old school" football misses the mark, IMO.
They are physical and disciplined for sure, but they aren't Stallings-era Alabama. They've averaged around 275 passing yards per game during the last two seasons (nearly 300 per game in 2022). They've rushed for only about 10 yards more per game than Alabama on average during that time span.

I honestly can't think of the last team to win an SEC or national title without some level of truly dynamic offensive play. Maybe LSU's conference title in 2011?

I definitely wasn't implying Stallings era play. Only that they won without dynamic players at QB or WR. At least compared to what we would consider dynamic the past several years at Alabama.

I think that's where this entire convo started, can we win this year without dynamic play at QB and WR?

 

[graydogg85]

I definitely wasn't implying Stallings era play. Only that they won without dynamic players at QB or WR. At least compared to what we would consider dynamic the past several years at Alabama.

I think that's where this entire convo started, can we win this year without dynamic play at QB and WR?

My apologies, didn’t mean to state that you were implying that. I am more frustrated with the narrative being pushed by the media and other fan bases that UGA is winning with “old school” football because it’s not really true. The closest thing in existence in modern football to Stallings-era (or what I’d consider truly “old school”) is Iowa, and they are good for 8 wins or so per year.

I agree with your question - is it possible to win at a championship level this season without elite QB and receiver play? I’m concerned the answer to that is “no”.

 

[colbysullivan]

I honestly can't think of the last team to win an SEC or national title without some level of truly dynamic offensive play. Maybe LSU's conference title in 2011?

2013 Auburn. They ran the same 4 plays over and over.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

Saban seems to be high on Malik Benson. I've said this before I think Kendrick Law gets lumped in with everyone else that had Drop problems. I don't remember him dropping passes last year. He just didn't get targeted a lot because he was injured.

 

[graydogg85]

2013 Auburn. They ran the same 4 plays over and over.

This is true, but they were quite good at those four plays. Averaged 40 PPG and were 12th nationally in total offense. Ran for 328 ypg on average. Averaged over 500 ypg in total offense.

2011 LSU averaged 355 ypg in total offense (86th nationally). Scored a lot of points that season but quite a few of those points came on defense / special teams.

Football has changed a lot in 12 years. I don’t think you could pull that off today and be a championship-level team.

 

[Windsortide]

I don't necessarily disagree with any of the assessments, but that being said, if we only get average play from both the QB and WR positions, we'll be lucky to even make it to Atlanta, much less win the SEC and get to the playoffs.

Run baby run to set up the pass and just maybe more inclusion of the TE in the passing game. Maybe I am being hopeful.

 

[Windsortide]

Saban seems to be high on Malik Benson. I've said this before I think Kendrick Law gets lumped in with everyone else that had Drop problems. I don't remember him dropping passes last year. He just didn't get targeted a lot because he was injured.

It would be great if he can separate himself from the others and have a 1,000 yard season.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

Run baby run to set up the pass and just maybe more inclusion of the TE in the passing game. Maybe I am being hopeful.

For all the talk about the 2020 team and their passing prowess and the rideouts. They could run the ball really well also. They finished like 23rd-24th or something like that in rushing offense. That doesn't sound great until you remember they finished top 5 or top 10 in passing. IF you are top 5 or 10 in category and cracking the top 25 in the other. Thats actually really freaking good. Because a lot of those teams that are ahead of you are one dimensional team that do one or the other. So they are going to be ranked higher by sheer yards/number of carries stuff like that. To me that's actually biggest difference between the 2019 and 2020 team. (other than the slew of injuries). The ability to run the ball. My point is, i think they're still a place for running the football when it comes to winning championships.

 

[Windsortide]

For all the talk about the 2020 team and their passing prowess and the rideouts. They could run the ball really well also. They finished like 23rd-24th or something like that in rushing offense. That doesn't sound great until you remember they finished top 5 or top 10 in passing. IF you are top 5 or 10 in category and cracking the top 25 in the other. Thats actually really freaking good. Because a lot of those teams that are ahead of you are one dimensional team that do one or the other. So they are going to be ranked higher by sheer yards/number of carries stuff like that. My point is, i think they're still a place for running the football when it comes to winning championships.

I think this team will need to run like when McCarron was growing into the position or even Coker or McElroy. Just one man’s thought about Alabama getting back on top.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

I think this team will need to run like when McCarron was growing into the position or even Coker or McElroy. Just one man’s thought about Alabama getting back on top.

Sort of kind of. You mentioned coker. A lot of CTR's pre-snap motion stuff reminded of when kiffin was here. I think you'll see some dynamic things in the rushing attack. The thing I noticed about rees compared to BoB. While he is a run first guy, Rees set things up to Get your receivers/tight end wide open. Unlike Bob who seemed to call plays like you had to take all 3 downs to get a first down or the DB should always be in coverage for the catch. Thats why I have a lot of frustration with wide receiver drops. Its not like it's as bad as some of us make it sound but Rees is going to get our guys easy layups. So Just catch the ball.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Sort of kind of. You mentioned coker. A lot of CTR's pre-snap motion stuff reminded of when kiffin was here. I think you'll see some dynamic things in the rushing attack. The thing I noticed about rees compared to BoB. While he is a run first guy, Rees set things up to Get your receivers/tight end wide open. Unlike Bob who seemed to call plays like you had to take all 3 downs to get a first down or the DB should always be in coverage for the catch. Thats why I have a lot of frustration with wide receiver drops. Its not like it's as bad as some of us make it sound but Rees is going to get our guys easy layups. So Just catch the ball.

BoB called plays like a NFL OC because that is who/what he is. It is a different game at the college vs pro level. BoB will do some great things in New England.