BREAKING Kevin Steele hired as DC

[CoachJeff]

I just want to see an aggressive defense. Aggressive defenses tend to create turnovers…something we have sorely lacked the last couple years.

Pete's defense this year was neither aggressive nor fundamentally sound.

Gotta be one or the other.

If you're aggressive you can get turnovers or sacks and put the offense in a hole.

If you're fundamentally sound you make the offense execute over and over in order to score and capitalize on any mistakes.

The 2022 defense did neither of these things well.

 

[CB4]

100% truth.

And from a team leader. I still find that stunning.

One thing that has always stood out to me, as a redshirt freshman in 2021, how Will was seemingly “pushed” into that leadership role along with Bryce, another redshirt freshman. To me that spoke volumes about the lack of leadership on the team in both 2021 and 2022 from the upperclassmen. .

I’ll never forget in 2021 how “uncomfortable”’ Will seemed in some of those press conferences and interviews.

Some of that I’m sure was due to transfers/early entry in to the draft. But when you need to depend on two players less than two years in the program as your “leaders”’ that is concerning.

 

[CoachJeff]

One thing that has always stood out to me, as a redshirt freshman in 2021, how Will was seemingly “pushed” into that leadership along with Bryce, another redshirt freshman. To me that spoke volumes about the lack of leadership on the team in both 2021 and 2022 from the upperclassmen. .

I’ll never forget in 2021 how “uncomfortable”’ Will seemed in some of those press conferences and interviews.

Some of that I’m sure was due to transfers/early entry in to the draft. But when you need to depend on two players less than two years in the program as your “leaders”’ that is concerning.

Neither Will nor Bryce were redshirt freshmen.

 

[CB4]

Neither Will nor Bryce were redshirt freshmen.

I stand corrected. They were sophomores. My point being that it was their second year in the program.

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

One thing that has always stood out to me, as a redshirt freshman in 2021, how Will was seemingly “pushed” into that leadership role along with Bryce, another redshirt freshman. To me that spoke volumes about the lack of leadership on the team in both 2021 and 2022 from the upperclassmen. .

I’ll never forget in 2021 how “uncomfortable”’ Will seemed in some of those press conferences and interviews.

Some of that I’m sure was due to transfers/early entry in to the draft. But when you need to depend on two players less than two years in the program as your “leaders”’ that is concerning.

Yeah I think it’s a lot of reasons take NIL combine it with the transfer portal which is still in its infancy combined with CNS blind spot for golding. Combined with COVID that I really think affected both the 2021 and 2022 classes combined with fo with college football transitioning back to physicality and power combined with Bill O’Brien, and that’s how we’ve gotten to where we are today

 

[BamaMoon]

It's definitely changed A LOT! I've got boots on the ground with even younger generation, I coach baseball for ages 9, 12 and up until this season age 14. One of my HS friends is the head coach of a Division, and a very recognizable baseball program, who says the same things. If you live long enough you'll see a lot of changes in your lifetime, says my wife's 93-year-old grandmother.

And this year's Pro Bowl was a flag football game(s). I know they are trying to avoid injuries, but still.

Unless he sensed during the week of practice that Golding had no answer to stopping Tennessee, which it turned out he didn't.

We discussed this during the season, but you could tell we were not playing with confidence and when you can't play with confidence you can't play with aggression.

There seemed to be a lot of see, think and then react when there should have been more of a see and react. This doesn't even account for times we would see and then totally do the wrong thing!

No matter why he said it, it was troubling and telling!

 

[Tide-one-on]

 

[DrJJoyner]

There is the age thing Doc. CKS may be ready for a last hurrah that could last a year or two. JP is considerably younger and as I've noted before, with his baggage, is very likely to want to settle in for the long haul. I think his Head Coaching days are done and great pay, a winning program and a job he is a master at could keep him content until it's time for him to go to the proverbial lake as well.

That's a strong point. And, yes, I do tend to think Pruitt is in a different situation even than Sark in that it's going to be really hard to get the NCAA stink off in the car wash. Then again, it didn't seem to bother Auburn when they hired Bruce Pearl.

 

[DrJJoyner]

And this year's Pro Bowl was a flag football game(s). I know they are trying to avoid injuries, but still.

It's pitiful and I didn't watch. But, honestly, I think it's just an event that ran its course 20 years ago.

I'm old enough to remember when, even for an NFL quarterback, a free week's trip to Hawaii was an inducement. But, even 30 years ago, they were increasingly reluctant to risk injury for an exhibition game nobody cared about.

We're at the point where quarterbacks who have been benched (Derek Carr) or who barely played (Tyler Huntley) are "Pro Bowlers" because the 17 alternates ahead of them bowed out. At the same time, they need to keep putting on a TV show because it gets huge ratings despite being a travesty.

 

[CB4]

Lance Guidry (DC at Tulane) is taking the Miami DC job. Some thought Charlie Strong would be promoted to replace Steele. Also talk as well that Strong may come back to Alabama in some capacity.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Pete's defense this year was neither aggressive nor fundamentally sound.

Gotta be one or the other.

If you're aggressive you can get turnovers or sacks and put the offense in a hole.

If you're fundamentally sound you make the offense execute over and over in order to score and capitalize on any mistakes.

The 2022 defense did neither of these things well.

But other than that they were GREAT!

 

[Bamabuzzard]

But, of course, that's the source of their anxiety! Anything less than sweeping the regular season, winning the SEC Championship Game, and then dominating the two rounds of the CFP is considered a letdown by most of the fan base.

Beat Tennessee? It's what you're expected to do.

It wasn't always like that, even in the Saban era.

Beginning with the BCS and through the CFP model, there isn't much room (except for one time) to lose two games and still be in title contention. Most big-time college football programs are holding themselves to the same standard we are, we've just done a lot better job at meeting the standard, so we've become the poster child of "too high expectations". But in reality, Clemson, LSU, Ohio St, etc, all expect to only lose one game, AT MOST, every year.

Once the 12 team playoff begins all of the above goes away. We'll be able to have a two loss, maybe three loss season and still get in. But until then, you're only afforded one loss to even have a chance at getting in.

 

[mdb-tpet]

I'm not "giddy" over the Steele hire, but I also remind myself that we aren't in need of a complete defensive overhaul to get back to championship standard. We literally only need to improve in one maybe two areas and that's it. We're not in 2007 mode where we're retooling the entire program.

Just to put a fine point on it, we were 1 or 2 plays from the playoffs this year and maybe another playoff game against Georgia. Even a moderate defensive improvement could put us back in the playoffs again next year.

 

[graydogg85]

I will contend that under CNS, the defensive coordinator is (and always has been) far less important than the offensive coordinator.

I still view CNS as the de-facto DC. It’s his scheme, his coverages, etc..

The only significant modifications during his tenure at UA have been the personnel we recruit (smaller / faster at some spots) and more time spent in nickel and dime sets as some variation of the spread has become the default offense for most teams.

Personally I think a lot of the criticism on Pete was misplaced; modern offenses have gotten so good and rule changes and officiating have tilted so heavily towards offense that it’s nearly impossible to stop a high powered offense these days without said offense short-circuiting itself.

Things might be better with Steele (or any other coordinator), but if so, it’ll mostly be due to better personnel being in the right spots. At the end of the day, the system will be the same. I think CNS knows that, which is why I think Pete would still be our DC if Ole Miss hadn’t thrown a bunch of money at him.

 

[crimsonaudio]

But, of course, that's the source of their anxiety! Anything less than sweeping the regular season, winning the SEC Championship Game, and then dominating the two rounds of the CFP is considered a letdown by most of the fan base.

Beat Tennessee? It's what you're expected to do.

It wasn't always like that, even in the Saban era.

So what? Is that supposed to be an excuse?

I don't excuse mental softness. They knew the expectations (that were set by years of mentally strong players before them) when they signed the LOI.

 

[westide]

If Gol*ing was my coach I would need some Prozac.

 

[colbysullivan]

I will contend that under CNS, the defensive coordinator is (and always has been) far less important than the offensive coordinator.

I still view CNS as the de-facto DC. It’s his scheme, his coverages, etc..

The only significant modifications during his tenure at UA have been the personnel we recruit (smaller / faster at some spots) and more time spent in nickel and dime sets as some variation of the spread has become the default offense for most teams.

Personally I think a lot of the criticism on Pete was misplaced; modern offenses have gotten so good and rule changes and officiating have tilted so heavily towards offense that it’s nearly impossible to stop a high powered offense these days without said offense short-circuiting itself.

Things might be better with Steele (or any other coordinator), but if so, it’ll mostly be due to better personnel being in the right spots. At the end of the day, the system will be the same. I think CNS knows that, which is why I think Pete would still be our DC if Ole Miss hadn’t thrown a bunch of money at him.

No

 

[bamacon]

THIS


If you wanted Pruitt, you should think steele is a great hire.

Its all but confirmed that steele is a marionette for Pruitt until he can take over

Or at "worst" a mentor for Armstrong/robinson as they learn sabans defense.

Well they definitely have a guy that doesn’t mind a 1-2 week contract

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

DuBose seemed like a lazy hire at the time. He only had one year as DC, 1996. Alabama lost three times that year: 13–20 at Tennessee, 16–17 at Miss State, and 30–45 against Florida in the SEC Championship Game. We'd have fired Pete Golding for that.

I should have put that in blue................for sarcasm. I didn't care for him as a DC either. He could coach D Line, but that was about it..........

As for Steele, he is here so I will take a wait and see approach............we shall see how the defense responds, and I think the Texas game will tell us alot

 

[DrJJoyner]

So what? Is that supposed to be an excuse?

I don't excuse mental softness. They knew the expectations (that were set by years of mentally strong players before them) when they signed the LOI.

Oh, I don’t like it either. But, yes, this is a very different generation, in which the superstar athletes have been coddled for years before starting college. And we—and I very much include myself in this—ask more of 18-, 19-, and even 20-year-old kids than we do even of soldiers in terms of never-failing discipline and mental toughness. At least soldiers have older squad leaders and platoon sergeants right there beside them. The coaches can only train ‘em up and then coach them in between series.