Is This A Pivot Point Game For The Season?

[twofbyc]

I do know it is a must win psychologically for this team. It wound go a long way to building confidence and righting the ship.

I agree - but every game for at least the next four or five are must wins, and pivotal less so with each passing week. I think after next three games we’ll know, no more guessing, about how Bama finishes the season.
Theoretically, I don’t think either 11-1 or 8-4 is out of the realm of possibilities, by any large measure. We know a) they haven’t looked great the last two (although I cannot dis the D after last week - any time you keep the other team from driving and scoring all game it’s a win for that side of the ball), b) they have a ton of talent and c)lastly, the uncertainty surrounding this team’s season is at 8.5 magnitude.
Tomorrow we’ll know more - but it may be just more of the same.

 

[crimsonaudio]

OOF!

The SEC's most successful early down offenses in standard time ahead of WK4:

 

[TideEngineer08]

OOF!

The SEC's most successful early down offenses in standard time ahead of WK4:
View attachment 36957

We couldn't have been that much higher last year either. Incredibly frustrating and a colossal waste of talent. I cannot think of any other way to put it.

 

[glorydays1990]

I just dont see the talent on the offensive side. I dont think we have a 1st or 2nd round draft pick on that entire side of the ball.

RB position is very below standard to me. WR group its hard to evaluate with the QB play, but I'm not seeing a 1st round talent running around out there. OL and QB play to date speak for themselves.

Plenty of talented guys on the D side of the things. Kool-Aid will probably be the 1st corner taken. Kicking game is elite for the college game. Just dont see it offensively.

 

[TideEngineer08]

I just dont see the talent on the offensive side. I dont think we have a 1st or 2nd round draft pick on that entire side of the ball.

RB position is very below standard to me. WR group its hard to evaluate with the QB play, but I'm not seeing a 1st round talent running around out there. OL and QB play to date speak for themselves.

Plenty of talented guys on the D side of the things. Kool-Aid will probably be the 1st corner taken. Kicking game is elite for the college game. Just dont see it offensively.

I don't think they've been developed.

While it is true that recruiting rankings are subjective, there is simply no way, statistically speaking, for a team to have almost all 4 and 5 star talent and there not be NFL draft picks among them.

 

[glorydays1990]

Draft pick

I don't think they've been developed.

While it is true that recruiting rankings are subjective, there is simply no way, statistically speaking, for a team to have almost all 4 and 5 star talent and there not be NFL draft picks among them.

draft picks sure. I don’t see the first or second rounders… hopefully they develop into them soonerrather than later but right now I see a sheer lack of talent on that side of the ball

 

[bamaga]

No, Bama by 30

 

[TideEngineer08]

Draft pick


draft picks sure. I don’t see the first or second rounders… hopefully they develop into them soonerrather than later but right now I see a sheer lack of talent on that side of the ball

Oh I meant to qualify that. Yes... I think it is borderline statically impossible to have almost 100% 4/5 star players and there not be any of those guys to go in the first 2 rounds of the draft.

So something is off. Either there has been a massive over ranking of the players Alabama has signed, or these guys are not being developed.

I agree to this point in the season it does not seem like Alabama has any guys on the offensive side of the ball that will go in the first 2, maybe even 3 rounds next April. Hopefully that changes between now and then. We need it to.

 

[spidermayin]

I was just watching some highlights of the 2020 team vs Ole Miss and Auburn. Man, did we have some offensive talent and great play calling that year to take advantage of our personnel. Compare it to this year's team that struggled mightily to have any consistency against a bad USF team and it's just so hard to watch. I don't think we have anybody on offense that can just take the game over and make plays. We had a glimpse of that with Roydell Williams in the last game, but I think USF's defense was gassed.

 

[BamaInCummingGA]

I'm just not sure how to measure Ole Miss to say that it is a pivotal game. To me, they are not as good as they were last year.

They may not be but they're a dang site better than USF..........

 

[BamaInCummingGA]

Lane's never been one to take is foot off the gas. If he has a chance to put up points he will. And my worry is he'll have plenty of chances due to our inability to sustain drives and our QB's inability to take care of the football

The difference here is that Lane may be eyeing "The Job" and knows if he runs the score up/embarrasses Bama he will likely not get his shot at it.

 

[GrayTide]

Deleted

 

[BamaInBham]

I am of the opinion that Alabama has fallen to the level of a mid tier SEC program when we fear Ole Miss. The premier programs are now UGA, LSU, and UT. We are now on the level with USCe, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas, and Auburn. For those who still believe we have the best talent in the SEC, I do not buy this. I think our recruiting is overrated and so is the coaching. I hope I am wrong, but we have serious problems and, am afraid we do not have an answer.

I agree with your general assessment. Bama's talent is overrated, IMO, especially on offense. Only Bond and maybe Haynes are possible 1st or 2nd rounders - Niblack can be a difference-maker, but he is a TE. There's more on D.

But where Alabama is really lacking is on both LOS. This is a killer. Added to the talent drop, is that both LOS coaches, Wolford and Roach appear to be mediocre at best.

Added to the above is that JM is not a good fit for the type of offense Alabama prefers to run. Though I do agree that he should be the QB because TS, who does fit the offense, looks overmatched at the moment; and TB, well, though he processed things much better than JM or TS have done, in fact, well enough to do well, he simply could not execute a forward pass consistently, even the most simple ones. He's a pretty good athlete too.

On top of what this game means for this season, if not careful, it could have significant ramifications for the future of the program. Julian Sayin will be there and no doubt along with all other important recruits is intently monitoring the ongoing state of the program. (The attending fans should be aware.)

Having said all of the above - Bama certainly has enough to beat OM, but will they?

IMO, LSU and especially UT do not belong on the same line with UGA as premier programs. In fact, the SEC is as bad as I can remember. LSU got boat-raced in the 4th by a good, though overrated FSU team and UT lost convincingly to a discombobulated UF. They are good programs but hardly premier.