JessN: Auburn wrapup: Offense's turn to carry Bama to win after Tigers prove too one-dimensional

[JessN]

Auburn wrap-up: Offense’s turn to carry Bama to win after Tigers prove too one-dimensional
by Jess Nicholas, TideFans.com Editor-In-Chief

The Alabama students’ alternative lyrics to “Dixieland Delight” include the phrase, “(Beat) Auburn, LSU, and Tennessee too.”

It was the team’s job Saturday to make sure Alabama didn’t go 0-3 in that key metric for 2022.

Alabama ended up winning comfortably, 49-27. It did so on the back of a solid offensive gameplan, good offensive execution overall, and a defense that … well, at least the defense was capable of reinforcing the reality that this Auburn team has been, and still is too one-dimensional to beat the SEC’s top-half teams.

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[Toddrn]

Thanks, Jess. Let's hope CNS doesn't stand pat and makes the changes that need to be made.

 

[bamafan1966]

Great job as usual...

 

[Tideflyer]

Thanks, Jess. Let's hope CNS doesn't stand pat and makes the changes that need to be made.

That makes for an interesting question in my mind. Who, if anyone, on the staff should CNS RETAIN?

 

[Padreruf]

Thanks...we watched the same game. Why we played a 3-3-5 against a running team is beyond me.

 

[Professor]

One game doth not a career make. Auburn's defense may have made our play-calling look better than it may have actually been.
Although it is very uncomfortable to single out individuals for criticism, Coach Saban will be challenged to do something about our play-calling and the defensive line.
No matter what happens from here on in, it has been another great year for Alabama fans. Fifteen straight years of ten-win seasons will not go unnoticed in the annals of college football.
You heard it here first. We may not be the Number One RANKED team this year, I truly believed that yesterday we were the BEST team in college football.

 

[bamafaninbham]

At some point Coach needs to place coaching above recruiting. We will still have a top 5 recruiting haul every year Saban is here, regardless of who the assistant coaches may be. Go out and get the best assistant coaches who can teach technique and get our players to improve every year they are in the program.

 

[BigPoppa52]

Thanks...we watched the same game. Why we played a 3-3-5 against a running team is beyond me.

Especially against a qb who can't complete a pass into a lake.

 

[Padreruf]

Especially against a qb who can't complete a pass into a lake.

He threw about 3 really good passes...one for a TD. He could not sustain that for the game. Their OL was much better at run blocking than at pass blocking...probably because there were 10 blocking for 1 ball carrier.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Jess, in your opinion, do you think G*ld*ng will be retained, and if so, why? Its like Pete has become Saban's blind spot.

We gave up over 300 yards rushing to a pitiful awburn team, have given up 250+ rushing to other teams yet he's doing a "fine job"?

 

[kenbama]

At some point Coach needs to place coaching above recruiting. We will still have a top 5 recruiting haul every year Saban is here, regardless of who the assistant coaches may be. Go out and get the best assistant coaches who can teach technique and get our players to improve every year they are in the program.

Some years ago, Saban did revamp coaches for more coaching technique vs recruiting. He has swapped couple times, especially in the first years. ex. Sal S, Stoutland.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Good stuff Jess. Although I can see significant changes by Coach in the off season, D Coordinator won't be part of that effort I'm afraid.

 

[VirginiaTide57]

Jess, in your opinion, do you think G*ld*ng will be retained, and if so, why? Its like Pete has become Saban's blind spot.

We gave up over 300 yards rushing to a pitiful awburn team, have given up 250+ rushing to other teams yet he's doing a "fine job"?

Maybe coach figured giving Auburn yards on the ground was worth the clock it burned. Maybe it was a strategy; I don’t know. And that’s what is frustrating so many posters here. We will never know!

 

[gtgilbert]

Thanks...we watched the same game. Why we played a 3-3-5 against a running team is beyond me.

The 3-3-5 is more than likely the right grouping for most of this game. Most of this year we kept running a 2-4-5 so we could keep Turner and Anderson on the field. We got scorched in a couple of games by staying with that package instead of the 3-3. I know you're thinking why not the 3-4-4, but most of the time AU kept 3 WRs in the game with a single back and single TE, and kept them spread out pretty wide and I don't think we want Turner or Anderson to have to try to cover a WR - so the 3-3 made the most sense. AU did go to 1RB, 2TE and 2 WR a couple of times, and Golding did get the 3-4 in a few times against that to match up better. In fact we probably ran the 3-4 more in this game than we did any other this year.