Can We Take a Moment to Admit Our Idiocy in the Offseason?

[Oregon Tide]

I know there a few threads discussing some of the points below, but I thought this would be a good cathartic experience for us all. What were we thinking?

The narratives around starting Milroe over Simpson or Buchner ("Why would Saban let a QB transfer if he wasn't going to play"?) are one thing. Many of you on this very board can go back to your post history and cringe.

"This team has quit"
"Saban has lost it"
"Receivers are only catching balls for their favorite QB"
"Someone told me race is a factor in why [x] is starting/not starting" (yes, this happened)

But I'm not here to talk about the QB battle which has worked out exactly as Saban imagined. I'm not saying it did not have rocky moments, but I am saying Saban knew what was best for this team all along. Which brings me to...

Coordinator hires. Boy, we sure settled. We just had to have Glenn Schumann, Jeff Grubb (or Lebby) or [insert hot coordinator hire here]. But then...

"Saban can't get the guys he wants! They're turning him down!"
"Saban won't let them run their offense/defense. He's costing us good hires!"
"No one good wants to work for Saban anymore!"

Obligatory: "The dynasty is dead" / "It's been a fun ride" / etc etc etc

R E L A X

We all knew from the beginning Saban knows best. Or did we forget? Would we have these same objections before *gasp* we went two seasons without a championship??? (never mind we played in the 2021 title game)

Now look at this team. Now look at these coordinator hires. Now look at this QB.

Now, just look (again) at the G.O.A.T.

 

[bamaga]

Over reaction and critical hot take posts are what make message boards work. If it was just play breakdown and agreement with coaching decisions, Tidefans probably wouldn’t exist. That said, I agree!

 

[Carollovestide]

I’m afraid I was guilty of some of the above . Today I know …… Never doubt the GOAT . He obviously knows what the hell he is doing !!!! DUH !!!!!!!

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Idk that we can confidently say that the dynasty is alive. But I do think we clearly overreacted especially with Milroe.

 

[81usaf92]

Boy when we have a great moment and are full of excitement leave it to the sunshine pumpers to bring up old wounds in a broad thread to bring us back down….

There is way too much to unpack so I will address some that are just wrong.

1) No one knew how the quarterback battle was going to turn out until after the USF game including the staff. Sure by Texas there was probably a general feeling but it was far from clear cut. They went out and got Buchner because both Milroe and Simpson had horrible springs. There is verifiable.

Milroe had a horrible 2nd scrimmage and throughout camp Buchner was gaining serious ground. This could be a case of either a guy playing tight because he is looking over his shoulder or a different player in practice and game. Who really knows.

2) The coordinator hires are mostly because everyone was tired of the last 5 years being the most talented team in the nation but coming up short because of coaching. But treating both positions as the same is not giving proper context of why many had issues (This is one I didnt)

- Offense- Lets start here. I think generally noone really had any crazy expectations or a short list for the job. So I think most were okay with anyone. However when Grubb accepted the job and then 24 hrs later decided to stay I think more people had issue with it. Tommy was always a good pick, however I know some had, and still have issues with him. But the guy comes in and doesnt know who his quarterback is going to be until September. The guy draws up some amazing plays, but our execution hasnt always been there.

-Defense- Well this one is the more contentious one. Its more because Golding had given us some of the worst defensive embarrassments ever, and it was a position that many looked as the most important item to address. There were 3 schools of thought to address this: 1) Just find someone that can make adjustments and simplify the system 2) Find the flavor of the month amongst DCs and 3) The Pruitt Cultists. Groups 2 and 3 were probably the majority of the fanbase and it didnt help that guys like Dodd and Pate were flaming the fires in that direction. In the End we got what we needed and hopefully Groups 2 and 3 can be happy with the results.


Anyways people not pleased with the coordinator picks is very normal amongst fans.

3) dynasty dead… I’m kinda with @RollTide_HTTR I think that may depend on the interpretation of what the dynasty is. The days of just expecting to just to get to Atlanta are over let alone having a realistic expectation of making it to a national championship. So in that context I can see it being over, but in the common usage of it by eeyores no.

 

[Tidewater]

We do you mean "we?"

 

[GulfCoastTider]

Nothing good will come from this thread. There are too many strawmen to unstuff here.

There are no safe choices in life or football. Coach Saban only makes mistakes occasionally. His choices have resulted in six new trophies in the Bryant Museum and a country that's sick and tired of losing to Alabama.

That's why this job is his until he (or Miss Terry) says otherwise. Remove the leeway he's earned to take risks he thinks are worthwhile and you hasten the day that he (or she) says "we're through."

 

[Windsortide]

I must admit I really struggled a long time with the questioning of board members around coaching decisions (CNS) and who played QB. But I am hopeful all of us may be able to celebrate the SEC Championship in Atlanta together. So let’s look forward and not behind and support the Tide. Roll Tide Roll

 

[81usaf92]

Nothing good will come from this thread. There are too many strawmen to unstuff here.

Yeah and it always seems to come after a big win. But usually not to this degree. Much of what the OP is saying is lacking sufficient context of what was actually being said. Yes some went too far with their assessments but there was much more of it grounded in some sorta truth.

I will willingly admit that after the REC scrimmage that I thought if Milroe started then we were in serious trouble. But this is based on the fact that REC scrimmages usually provides more insight on the team than what the media viewings and A day shows. But he has proven that 1) he progressed and 2) that could have been just a bad day. EIther way I never openly cheered against Milroe like some make it out to be.

 

[Oregon Tide]

I come in peace!

This is more hyperbole than anything and truly not meant as a call out thread. In fact, it's a point to unite and push forward (as has been said).

Just look back where we were a couple months ago and now. What a ride and what a job by Coach.

 

[Tidelines]

This was the best game Milroe has played based mainly on his running ability. No argument there. He didn't look good on his deep passes. Still not all that accurate on shorter passes. But he was efficient running the offense. He is our best option no doubt. I don't understand why it took so long to get all the parts working , but hopefully we have. I have worried his passing would get us beat. That's still a fair concern. But if he can run effectively like he did last night it alleviates some of my passing concerns. I'm pulling for him 100%.

 

[Oregon Tide]

Yeah and it always seems to come after a big win. But usually not to this degree. Much of what the OP is saying is lacking sufficient context of what was actually being said. Yes some went too far with their assessments but there was much more of it grounded in some sorta truth.

I will willingly admit that after the REC scrimmage that I thought if Milroe started then we were in serious trouble. But this is based on the fact that REC scrimmages usually provides more insight on the team than what the media viewings and A day shows. But he has proven that 1) he progressed and 2) that could have been just a bad day. EIther way I never openly cheered against Milroe.

Again, not meant to be taken so personally - all in good fun. I'm not going to dig up old posts.

 

[Power Eye]

I take a very different view of what was discussed during the offseason and where we are now. I think how this team has progressed over the last 10 weeks is very much in line with what a huge contingency on this board were thinking and/or hoping would happen. Yes, there were major questions about the offense, particularly QB, and frankly they kind of played out when you look at where we were after the USF game. So, I don't see it as idiocy in terms of what was debated here 12 weeks ago and prior to that.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

I'll admit for quite a while I didn't think Milroe was the right QB and stated it here. But I think for a while Coach Saban may have felt he wasn't the right QB either. I'm not sure that getting Buchner in the off-season was originally intended just to have an experienced backup. I think Saban had doubts about Milroe. I don't think he benched Milroe against South Florida just to avoid injury nor do I think it was just to show the fan base that Simpson and Buckner were worse. I think Saban was not satisfied with Milroe. It's great that Milroe has developed as well has he has and it's possible he may have now exceeded even Saban's expectations but I don't think anyone can claim that Saban knew all along that Milroe was best.

Regarding Rees, I think it's still too early to say whether he is a great OC or just average. In Total Offense we went from a Top 10 offense in recent seasons to 62nd this season (according to TeamRankings.com). In scoring offense we are at 30th this season after being 3rd a year ago. I know, an inexperienced QB along with an inconsistent OL can cause a drop off but are they the only two reasons? Hard to say.

On defense we'd like to think the defense is better under Steele than Golding but the stats show we're about the same thus far in Total Defense and Scoring Defense.

Who knows? Maybe next season Milroe will come up in some Heisman conversations and maybe Rees and Steele will turn out to be two of the best coordinators we've ever had but the point I'm trying to make is that I don't think there was any idiocy about legitimate concerns people had going into the season nor a few concerns that remain today.

 

[rtr90]

I'm not sure that getting Buchner in the off-season was originally intended just to have an experienced backup. I think Saban had doubts about Milroe. I don't think he benched Milroe against South Florida just to avoid injury nor do I think it was just to show the fan base that Simpson and Buckner were worse. I think Saban was not satisfied with Milroe. It's great that Milroe has developed as well has he has and it's possible he may have now exceeded even Saban's expectations but I don't think anyone can claim that Saban knew all along that Milroe was best.

This ...

team has improved and coaches have better pulse of our strengths now

 

[bama2112]

Before cell phones and talk radio ( i know many of you cannot imagine how the world functioned without internet and computers) and when we only had 3 maybe 4 tv stations. People we saying the same thing about Coach Bryant, he had lost it and we need change. Things do change and people pass away. Look what he did in the 70's and look at how Nick Saban has changed with the game, the NIL and he is a spry you fellow in his 70's so he grew up watching the things I comment own. But the thing all winners have in common is their ability to change and adapt. RTR

 

[jthomas666]

Look, it's not like we were advocating bringing back the white helmets...

 

[BamaMoon]

I remember when a few of us wanted Steve Spurrier rather than CNS.

So yeah, everything is debatable in hindsight. As Yogi said, "It's 50/50."

 

[rolltide7854]

I was one of the many who thought if Milroe was the QB we would struggle and I thought Simpson would eventually win the job. I think one thing we didn't consider was that he was coached for 2 years by BOB. I think Bryce was able to overcome it because he had more natural instincts than Jalen does. I think CTR has done a very good job of developing the offense to fit what Jalen does best and Jalen has improved immensely since the Texas game. . One thing that drove me crazy for 2 years was the play clock running down to 1 before it was snapped if we didn't get a delay call or forced to use a timeout and I don't think I've yelled "snap the ball" this year more than 3 times this year.

 

[rolltide_21]

FWIW- I’ve never thought we settled in the DC hire. I think Saban got exactly who he wanted. A veteran who knows the system who could teach these kids what Golding couldn’t/wouldn’t.