Poll: Alabama's 2022 Defense effectiveness vs. Offensive scoring

[mdb-tpet]

As usual, feel free to pontificate as to why you picked what you picked, and how confident you are.

 

[BigPoppa52]

After watching the A-day game, it seemed to me that both 1st and 2d string defenses were pretty strong. Thought the combination of Anderson, Turner, and Braswell all lining up on defense along with the freshman tackle (whose name escapes me!) is going to be a terror for any offense. Looks like they could be in the quarterbacks face every time he drops back. To counteract that, the 1st and 2d string offensive lines looked abysmal. The arrival of Steen and return of the injured starters may help, but my question is: do they have enough time to gel? QB's, RB's, and receivers look solid. Leary looks like a starter as does the TE Law. As far as I could see too, Earle only had one bad drop, not the many as first reported. His quickness still makes him a weapon. That all being said, IMHO, championship success lies almost solely in finding a workable combination for the offensive line. Until that happens, scoring might decline. But the defense looks solid and deep enough to cut down other teams scoring as well. Thus my vote.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Considering Bama scored fewer points last year than any Bama team since 2017, I suspect scoring will increase, despite the current question marks at the OL and WR positions. Year two of Bryce and O'Brien will likely yield a more effective attack.

The defense should also be better, by all accounts.

IOW, I chose option two: Offense scoring up, defensive scoring allowed down (bigger margin of victory)

 

[GCtidefan]

Other than JM and JW, WR and TE drops were a problem last year and I believe will be a bigger problem this year. On the flip side, I think the defense will be better all around, so I chose: Less scoring overall

 

[mdb-tpet]

I put this graph together for all of the CNS coached teams at Alabama.

 

[CoachJeff]

The offense wasn't as good as the previous few years last year and I expect a fairly noticeable drop off from even that. It has been over a decade since Alabama had so little in the WR position coming back. That's going to be a serious problem.

Defense should be good, but then again, what good offenses will Bama play until later in the season? The only offense that Bama will play in the regular season with a pulse will be Ole Miss on November 12th.

 

[Patton]

The offense wasn't as good as the previous few years last year and I expect a fairly noticeable drop off from even that. It has been over a decade since Alabama had so little in the WR position coming back. That's going to be a serious problem.

Defense should be good, but then again, what good offenses will Bama play until later in the season? The only offense that Bama will play in the regular season with a pulse will be Ole Miss on November 12th.

What? ...Send me some of that stuff you are on...lol

 

[CoachJeff]

What? ...Send me some of that stuff you are on...lol

What specifically do you have an issue with?

 

[colbysullivan]

What specifically do you have an issue with?

Based on their previous posts, I’d say “the forum in general”…

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Considering Bama scored fewer points last year than any Bama team since 2017, I suspect scoring will increase, despite the current question marks at the OL and WR positions. Year two of Bryce and O'Brien will likely yield a more effective attack.

The defense should also be better, by all accounts.

IOW, I chose option two: Offense scoring up, defensive scoring allowed down (bigger margin of victory)

Yea i agree with this. I think the OL will figure itself out and be better than last year. And that difference should make up for the WR situation.

I also still think/hope that at least one true star WR will emerge though i have no idea who that will be. We've recruited it so heavily the last 2 years that its hard for me to believe we have simply missed on all of those guys.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

I chose less scoring in general. I think we struggle a bit on offense since whoever the WR's turn out to be probably won't match Metchie and Jamo. The OL will be much like last season (lacking depth) so let's pray nobody gets hurt. Bryce Young will still have a very good season although I'd have to bet against another Heisman.

On defense we should be outstanding. Our defense might get some of the praise the UGA defense got a year ago. Speaking of UGA I think this season we will be better than them both offensively AND defensively so I think we beat them rather easily in the SECCG.

 

[Patton]

What specifically do you have an issue with?

1st of all Alabama averaged 40 points a game last year. Thats not exactly "feeble". They had a Heisman winner at QB who is back. They had a 1200 yard rusher with 3 injured guys behind him. 2 for the season.They had the most dynamic WR in America,and another one who caught 151 balls for over 2000 yds the last 2 yrs.And if they could have got to the finish line with both those guys? They would have won another ring I believe.

This year? I would look for Burton to be very productive.Can he put up Metchie #s?..Impossible to foresee. But he is VERY capable with great size and outstanding speed and route-running skills.As I have said before when Harrell arrives? He becomes the fastest guy in the SEC on either side of the ball. Does he put up Jamo #s? Maybe not but will dangerous as hell and productive. Or should/could be. Personally I am not all that high on Brooks. Of course he isnt that quick twitch guy that a Devonta was. Or a JJ,Henry,Jamo,or Jaylen Waddle. But what other teams have that ?...Nobody. But I think he has the skill set to catch 30-40 balls and move the chains for The Tide. And JoJo and Christian Leary are both talented,athletic,and sudden guys with the ball in their hands.And hopefully Holden can perform a Slade-like role with this team. And he is bigger and faster than Slade.



But you would have to be a Sage or have a crystal ball to know exactly what Aaron Anderson,Kendrick Law,Kobe Prentice,Shazz Preston,and Isiah Bond are about or how they will develop.What I do know is all 5 of them are very athletic,fast as hell,and can catch it.And we really have no idea how Jurrassic Niblack and Danny Lewis will transition.

I know that MOST TIDE fans dont really have an idea just how good and explosive that Jahmyr Gibbs really is and how much difference he will make in this attack if used correctly,And I am positive BOB will do just that.Trey Sanders is healthy(er) also and Jase and Roydell offer up a lot of versatility when they get back to 100%. I love the potential of this offense.

But these things are not the real issue I had with your post.That would be about your opinion of "prolific" offenses. Of course I agree with your perception that The Tide will be pretty damn good on Defense.

 

[CrimSonami]

Bigger Margin based on "Crimson Glasses" factors of;
1 - Healthier RB depth and versatility.
2 - O-Line comes together under new coach and personnel.
3 - BO'B game planning and play calling to better fit the personnel capabilities.
4 - WR's group getting their collective act together (route accuracy and reduced drops)
5 - This defense will be a top 5 (probably better) during the CNS era especially the LB group.

 

[BamaMoon]

I'm not a betting man, but if I was I'd say scoring up and defensive allowance down!

Everyone agrees defense is going to be special.

And remember, the real issue on offense last year was the running game, not passing game. I suspect that'll improve with better OL play, better/more healthy running back room, and BY being even better.

 

[Tubafore]

It's interesting that all but one vote so far is for fewer points allowed. I think we may like our defensive prospects this year.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Less scoring overall.

Last year's defense started out a bit shaky, but ended the year sneaky-good. I expect 2022 to be materially improved over that. LBs will be the best we've had in years, maybe ever.

I have my worries about the OL, the WRs' reliability, and the RBs ability to perform from two perspectives...(1) running behind an OL that could charitably be termed a work in progress, and (2) the degree to which three guys have recovered from serious injury.

Even with Neal, last year's OL wasn't stellar. Whether it was coaching, recruiting misses, or normal progress, I don't know. But this year's version will have to show on the field that they're an improvement before I'll believe it. So far, that hasn’t happened.

WRs, other than Burton, can't seem to catch the dang ball. Way too many drops, and it wasn't just ADay. Those are drive-killers, and we saw the impact in the NCG. I’m not looking for the second coming of Ozzie Newsome or Devonta Smith. I just want somebody who can catch a soft pass that hits them in the sternum.

Apart from Gibbs, RB has multiple question marks. From all reports, Gibbs looks to be for real. Miller looked better than I would have expected, especially since he had the handicap of running behind a 2nd OL that wasn't good enough to crack an already-suspect 1st OL.

Sanders, you just don't know. I always expected that injury to have a 2-year recovery period, and was pleasantly surprised that he contributed as much as he did in 2021. Great heart. But even after 2 years, there's no way anybody, even Sanders himself, will know what his new ceiling is until the season starts.

McClellan and Williams are coming off ACLs, and no matter what anybody says, between physical recovery, mental recovery, and getting back into football shape, those take a calendar year to return to pre-injury performance. Freshmen can often help at RB with the ball in their hands. But few come out of HS with the necessary blocking skills. So playing time, especially if they don't show up until summer, can be limited because of that.

At RB, seems like every negative has a "Yeah, but..." silver lining, and every positive has a, "Yeah, but..." dark cloud. I just don't think there's any way to predict what our running game will be, and until August we won't know any more than we do right now.

Both the running and passing games will depend on the OL being improved. Realistically, some guys will work out, and some will continue to be suspect. So I expect offensive performance to slide a bit. We're still talking about a championship-contending team, but one with vulnerabilities which, if not remedied, could prove costly against championship-contending opposition.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

As usual, feel free to pontificate as to why you picked what you picked, and how confident you are.

I couldn't vote and do SNASS.
SO...

S.N.A.S.S.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

The offense wasn't as good as the previous few years last year and I expect a fairly noticeable drop off from even that. It has been over a decade since Alabama had so little in the WR position coming back. That's going to be a serious problem.

Defense should be good, but then again, what good offenses will Bama play until later in the season? The only offense that Bama will play in the regular season with a pulse will be Ole Miss on November 12th.

Transfer portal

 

[JayBama_in_PCOLA]

Last season, we avg 39.9 on offense and 20.2 on defense. I expect to avg around 45 and give up around 14 on our way to #19.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Last season, we avg 39.9 on offense and 20.2 on defense. I expect to avg around 45 and give up around 14 on our way to #19.

I hope you’re right.

But in the meantime, until we know for sure, can you point me in the general direction of whatever it is you’re enjoying (after work hours, of course)?