Former player Mike Johnson overview on Kalen DeBoer and Bama after two years

[RammerJammer14]

I'm seeing a shift back to power football in the teams that have been successful the last five years. What do UGA (21/22), Michigan '23, Ohio St '24 and Indiana '25 have in common? All four ran their offense out of a power football base, supplemented with very good, physical defenses. If we're not moving closer toward that model, we're not winning a NC anytime soon. The style offense we currently run is too easy to stifle for physical style defenses. They push our OL around, smother our running game and don't give our QB hardly any time to throw the ball. Not a great recipe for championship football.

That's what happened to DeBoer's UW team in the national title game against Michigan. DeBoer's offense (offensive line) couldn't physically hold up against the physicality of the Michigan defense. We've seen the same signs here for two years.

I will also note that Saban started working toward shifting to more of a power game after the QB heavy Os from Tua through Bryce. Only got that one year of recruiting in though before retiring.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I have to wonder where Greg Byrne is in all of this..................is he ok with things as they are, or has he discussed with DeBoer about the changes he plans on implementing or even made suggestions about what needs to be done? I would think he would be in the middle of it...........I agree we should be patient and see what happens, but patience only goes so far as everyone knows, and the idea of Huskies 2.0 wont sit well with Bama fans, alumni or boosters

 

[bamaga]

The moment DeBoer got hired one of the first questions was whether a West Coast offense could work in the SEC. We'll be going into season 3 without an answer which is a bit troubling because if a philosophy is going to be successful it usually doesn't take long to know. It took Saban, Smart, and Cignetti just one season.

He doesn’t really run a west coast. It’s more of a spread with some west coast principles. The west Coast still works in the NFL, Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan and his tree use a WCO, though both have been modernized from the original Bill Walsh modified offense. McVay’s Rams RBs ran for over 2000 yards this year from a WC style offense. It can be done. The Rams, The Seahawks , The Broncos all run a variation of the West Coast. All playing in conference championship games. The Seahawks use 6-3, 274lb Robbie Ouzts as a fullback in their variation of the WCO. BTW, just to round out the 4, Josh McDaniels is a heavily modified Erhart Perkins with a variation of the run and shoot thrown in type OC.
Anyway
I listen to Mike Johnson a lot on 92.9 . You have to listen to something sitting in traffic, and you can only take so much news in Donald Trump’s America. He called out the lack of a RB led running game all year, and the offensive line cohesion . He has said before it’s the lack of total understanding of the concepts in the running game. Backs not running the way the play is blocked, the linemen not taking on the right defenders when they pull. I thought Grubb would fix some of that when he arrived, not that he is a big run OC, but his gruff exterior would light a fire where it was needed. I guess I was wrong.

 

[bamaga]

I have to wonder where Greg Byrne is in all of this..................is he ok with things as they are, or has he discussed with DeBoer about the changes he plans on implementing or even made suggestions about what needs to be done? I would think he would be in the middle of it...........I agree we should be patient and see what happens, but patience only goes so far as everyone knows, and the idea of Huskies 2.0 wont sit well with Bama fans, alumni or boosters

I hope not, as much as we want change, we have to let the Coach, coach. For better or worse.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I hope not, as much as we want change, we have to let the Coach, coach. For better or worse.

Since he is the AD, I'd imagine he is vested in the success of the team and the athletic programs.............somewhere down the line he will have to inquire.

Hopefully some good comes out of things

 

[TDBama78]

I have to wonder where Greg Byrne is in all of this..................is he ok with things as they are, or has he discussed with DeBoer about the changes he plans on implementing or even made suggestions about what needs to be done? I would think he would be in the middle of it...........I agree we should be patient and see what happens, but patience only goes so far as everyone knows, and the idea of Huskies 2.0 wont sit well with Bama fans, alumni or boosters

If this doesn't pan out ,and some where down the road, IMO it won't, I'm not so sure I want G Byrne hiring the next coach. If a mechanic messes up your car trying to fix it, do you take it back when he's already proven to you he's not capable of doing the job.

 

[gtgilbert]

I hope not, as much as we want change, we have to let the Coach, coach. For better or worse.

Well, the AD wouldn't be pushing for specific changes i.e. you need to run this offense or hire this coach or whatever, but he should certainly be having the discussion along the lines of- "Those losses, especially the way we lost, don't meet our level of expectations. What are you planning to do to address that?"

 

[CB4]

If this doesn't pan out ,and some were down the road, IMO it won't, I'm not so sure I want G Byrne hiring the next coach. If a mechanic messes up your car trying to fix it, do you take it back when he's already proven to you he's not capable of doing the job.

I feel pretty certain that Byrne has probably had initial meetings with CKD concerning the past season and plans or changes CKD might be planning. Of course this is pure conjecture on my part. However, given the narrow window as it relates to possible assistant or staff changes after late signing/transfer portal and the start of spring practice, this would make the most sense.
Byrne most likely reports directly to the President and/or the Board of Trustees, and with football being the largest revenue producer in his department, you can feel certain there are questions about his plans for the future.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

Well, the AD wouldn't be pushing for specific changes i.e. you need to run this offense or hire this coach or whatever, but he should certainly be having the discussion along the lines of- "Those losses, especially the way we lost, don't meet our level of expectations. What are you planning to do to address that?"

And that is exactly what I was getting at.............he knows the standard and expectations

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I hope not, as much as we want change, we have to let the Coach, coach. For better or worse.

He may not get involved at all, no matter how bad it may get. But I can almost guarantee you the moment big boosters start telling Byrne they are considering pulling their money, and if those amounts reach a material number, I promise you Byrne would have some form of conversation with him. And that should happen regardless if who the coach is. In this day of NIL, we most colleges cant afford for big boosters to start pulling money.

 

[CB4]

He may not get involved at all, no matter how bad it may get. But I can almost guarantee you the moment big boosters start telling Byrne they are considering pulling their money, and if those amounts reach a material number, I promise you Byrne would have some form of conversation with him.

Exactly my point in my previous post. When boosters and the BOT start asking questions and talking about tightening purse strings, Byrne better have some pretty good answers.

 

[JDCrimson]

Exactly my point in my previous post. When boosters and the BOT start asking questions and talking about tightening purse strings, Byrne better have some pretty good answers.

There is your private equity in Bama football...

 

[Jack Bourbon]

He may not get involved at all, no matter how bad it may get. But I can almost guarantee you the moment big boosters start telling Byrne they are considering pulling their money, and if those amounts reach a material number, I promise you Byrne would have some form of conversation with him. And that should happen regardless if who the coach is. In this day of NIL, we most colleges cant afford for big boosters to start pulling money.

It’s possible that a cfb head coach is now like the heads of various types of businesses — job #1 is to go get money from investors. Gladhand. Shmooze. Network.. make friends. Some ppl are good at it, others not. I wish i were better at it, myself

 

[SkullDuckery]

There was nothing finesse about those 49’er teams under Walsh. Not sure how a west coast offense is finesse.

 

[Jack Bourbon]

There was nothing finesse about those 49’er teams under Walsh. Not sure how a west coast offense is finesse.

Yep. Nobody wants finesse

 

[CajunCrimson]

As the talent left declines, the margin for error does too. It’s amazing to me that we have had repeat top 5 classes. The product doesn’t feel like it.

I’ll always pull for Bama, but I’ve moved on emotionally from this staff already. When we finally make the change, I’m sure I’ll drift back.

The team has my support. But it’s only about the clothes at this point. I have only seen 4-5 players that seem to have the Bama pride.

 

[BamaInBham]

I like that he made the point that the early CNS teams turned things around through physicality BEFORE we became stacked with great recruiting classes. He did it with the players he had rather than waiting until he had perfect players.

Consider Brandon Fanney, for example. He was in the two-deep rotation at OLB in 2007 and a starter in 2008. He left the program before 2009 as a fifth year senior. I believe he had gotten himself in the doghouse, but he was also being passed up in the depth chart by better young players. Point is that he, and a lot of other not-so-talented holdovers from the Shula years, was part of a hard nosed, good team in 2008.

In 2008 the SEC was not nearly the bear, in terms of parity and the number of good teams, that it has been since 2023. There were maybe 3 or 4 teams that could compete for an SEC title; today there are 8 or 9. In 08 four teams finished ranked, with an additional team receiving votes, in 25 seven teams finished ranked, with 2 more receiving votes. Since 2008 OU, Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri have been added. All 4 are a legitimate threat, with 3 having made the Playoff in 1 of the last 2 years.

Not saying that Saban didn’t do a better job, maybe so, but 2008 was a completely different world both in the SEC and college football in general is unrecognizable. Even Vandy and OM and occasionally USC are threats today. UK and MSU have upgraded it appears.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Looks like OL coach is gone

 

[CajunCrimson]

Looks like OL coach is gone

Which strategically is bad after you sign 10 new OLmen.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

He doesn’t really run a west coast. It’s more of a spread with some west coast principles. The west Coast still works in the NFL, Andy Reid and Kyle Shanahan and his tree use a WCO, though both have been modernized from the original Bill Walsh modified offense. McVay’s Rams RBs ran for over 2000 yards this year from a WC style offense. It can be done. The Rams, The Seahawks , The Broncos all run a variation of the West Coast. All playing in conference championship games. The Seahawks use 6-3, 274lb Ronnie Ouzts as a fullback in their variation of the WCO. BTW, just to round out the 4, Josh McDaniels is a heavily modified Erhart Perkins with a variation of the run and shoot thrown in type OC.
Anyway
I listen to Mike Johnson a lot on 92.9 . You have to listen to something sitting in traffic, and you can only take so much news in Donald Trump’s America. He called out the lack of a RB led running game all year, and the offensive line cohesion . He has said before it’s the lack of total understanding of the concepts in the running game. Backs not running the way the play is blocked, the linemen not taking on the right defenders when they pull. I thought Grubb would fix some of that when he arrived, not that he is a big run OC, but his gruff exterior would light a fire where it was needed. I guess I was wrong.

92.9 the game only has 2 good shows. The morning show (without squidbilly it would be better) and midday Andy and Randy. Dukes and Bell could go away forever.