Let's Talk About the Elephant in the Room: OC Play Calling and Receiver Development

[rtr90]

I am stunned that we did not develop DSanders as tight end when he was awesome in high school and still continued to allow one exTE to drop passes.

 

[Padreruf]

I am stunned that we did not develop DSanders as tight end when he was awesome in high school and still continued to allow one exTE to drop passes.

He may not have wanted to do that...CNS has said before that for the most part he allows players to pick their position. They may encourage a player to change -- a la Diggs -- but they do not force it. He said to the effect that football is a tough game and if you're playing a position you don't like it is that much harder.

 

[WMack4Bama]

For selfish reasons, I share your sentiment. But as it was told to me, he had no interest in playing offense, which is how we were able to land his pledge in the first place over OU (who wanted him to play TE).

I am stunned that we did not develop DSanders as tight end when he was awesome in high school and still continued to allow one exTE to drop passes.

 

[gtgilbert]

For selfish reasons, I share your sentiment. But as it was told to me, he had no interest in playing offense, which is how we were able to land his pledge in the first place over OU (who wanted him to play TE).

And let's not act like he's not a really, really good player on the edge. He's not Anderson, but no one is. He was pushing Allen hard for the starting job before the season and was rotating some with him before Allen went down, then played really, really well as a starter until he was hurt, opening the door for Turner who just would not let go of that role. Sanders would start and be a significant contributor at just about any program other than 'Bama. I hate we are losing him, and respect that he never seemed to complain, did his job when called on, and finished out the best he could. As long as he goes to a team we don't play, I wish him all the best.

 

[AlexanderFan]

And let's not act like he's not a really, really good player on the edge. He's not Anderson, but no one is. He was pushing Allen hard for the starting job before the season and was rotating some with him before Allen went down, then played really, really well as a starter until he was hurt, opening the door for Turner who just would not let go of that role. Sanders would start and be a significant contributor at just about any program other than 'Bama. I hate we are losing him, and respect that he never seemed to complain, did his job when called on, and finished out the best he could. As long as he goes to a team we don't play, I wish him all the best.

Just a bad timing kind of thing. It's unfortunate we couldn't find somewhere on the defense to get him on the field. I understand the desire to play, and he proved he can play well, but patience on his part may have landed him on the inside if he could pick up the nuances, or even a specialty role in rabbit packages or something. I guess we will never know.

 

[WMack4Bama]

Agree 100%. I especially liked him playing in space.

And let's not act like he's not a really, really good player on the edge. He's not Anderson, but no one is. He was pushing Allen hard for the starting job before the season and was rotating some with him before Allen went down, then played really, really well as a starter until he was hurt, opening the door for Turner who just would not let go of that role. Sanders would start and be a significant contributor at just about any program other than 'Bama. I hate we are losing him, and respect that he never seemed to complain, did his job when called on, and finished out the best he could. As long as he goes to a team we don't play, I wish him all the best.

 

[BamaBoySince89]

I am stunned that we did not develop DSanders as tight end when he was awesome in high school and still continued to allow one exTE to drop passes.

If you look at his recruiting highlights, he wasn’t too bad of a TE. He could be used similar to Bowers or Washington from Georgia

 

[uafan4life]

When I'm sitting in the stands calling our plays pre-snap at around a 50% clip, I know Kirby and Co are hitting at least 75%.

 

[BamaMoon]

When I'm sitting in the stands calling our plays pre-snap at around a 50% clip, I know Kirby and Co are hitting at least 75%.

Predictable and unimaginable. Almost vanilla. So NFLish, which is probably where he really wants to be.

 

[92tide]

When I'm sitting in the stands calling our plays pre-snap at around a 50% clip, I know Kirby and Co are hitting at least 75%.

that reminds me of being in the stands for the semi-final game vs u dub in 2016. but at least we won that one

 

[selmaborntidefan]

that reminds me of being in the stands for the semi-final game vs u dub in 2016. but at least we won that one

This reminds me of something - because everything reminds me of something.

That year I went to all but one of our home games. My brother played HS football for two years. Played is a strong word, he wore a uniform with pads and stood on the sidelines, but I digress. We began playing a little game with each other every time Alabama had the ball - "what play they gonna call?" We only disagreed with each other MAYBE 5% of the time, and we were correct about 70% of the time.

That's when we knew, "Our hope for the national title is that this defense is appears to be good enough to ride."

 

[buckeyeFB_]

All good - I've no problem with CNS choosing to keep things 'tasteful' - but I also couldn't care less if people whine when he lets the men feed.

My primary point is whining about RUTS means you're a pansy. Don't like it? Stop it or deal with it.

I also don't think it counts as RUTS when you have your whole 2nd-team offense in the game...

Plus, it'd only be opposing fans complaining about RUTS, and who cares about that. Opposing coaches understand because they'd all love to get their 2nd-team kids some meaningful game reps too.

 

[VirginiaTide57]

Yeah that's what I saw too. Should have been on the bench

amazing that the coaching staff felt he was the best option…I’m still trying to process that

 

[selmaborntidefan]

The funny thing with RUTS has always been this:

a) 1970s and 80s Oklahoma or Nebraska pound in 48-54 ppg - "Wow, this might be the most awesome offense in the history of the game!"

b) Miami scores a little bit above what's necessary to beat Maryland, 46-14 - "but did you run up the score?"

I don't ever recall a lot being said about RUTS until Jimmy Johnson did it to Notre Dame in 1985. I'm not saying that's the first time in history it came about, but that's the first time I recall the media going whole hog after someone. And at least it's understandable in Johnson's case - he was mad because Miami was ranked behind Oklahoma in the polls and out of the running for the national championship even though they'd beaten OU head-to-head in Norman, 27-14. And the ploy worked since Miami did rise to #2 in the AP poll.

It's just always been funny to me that certain teams - most notably OU and Nebraska - got free passes for blasting teams back into the Stone Age and tons of ink about how great their offenses were but when it was Jimmy Johnson or Steve Spurrier, they were called classless and worse.

Look at these scores:
56-20, 84-13, 69-19, 72-29, 67-13

Those are five Nebraska scores from 1983. "Look how AWESOME they are!"

62-14, 65-0, 56-13, 51-10, 47-7 - "Spurrier shouldn't be such a jerk!" (1996 Florida)

The game lasts for 60 minutes. The only reason a coach of the winning team should be backing off the throttle is if the other team's offense signs a note that they're not going to score, either.

 

[rtr90]

amazing that the coaching staff felt he was the best option…I’m still trying to process that

mind boggling that we can notice his attitude on a few shots on TV but the coaching staff can tolerate? I guess the Auburn game earned him some grace points

 

[CB4]

mind boggling that we can notice his attitude on a few shots on TV but the coaching staff can tolerate? I guess the Auburn game earned him some grace points

His blocking this year was atrocious. I can't count the number of blocks he missed this year when he was brought in motion against the formation to block on an inside trap. He would either whiff or get blown up.

In the third or fourth game this year he finally executed like he should on his blocking assignment and I was thinking "okay, lesson learned, he's working his way out of the doghouse". Then he reverted back to the same old crap.

I think Monday night was "a dance with what brung ya" decision. He was what you had.

 

[BamaHoosier]

I think BOB is a fine offensive coach. He’s no Sark or Kiffin, but who is. As much as he’s been hated, we forget it was still his gameplan and playcalling that gave us our first QB Heisman. BY is a generational talent, but BOB still got him there. I still want him gone.

My problem with him is purely stylistic. His balance always seems to be off, he never brings anything unexpected to the table, and we’ve struggled to convert in the red zone. None of those issues are new, they were just exacerbated by the championship game because of the caliber of D we were facing.

I also realize he was hamstrung all season by a bad OL and a thin RB room. But nearly every game we’d hit a point where we start finding success with the run game, we’d get to the goal line, he’d call 3 straight passes that didn’t work, then we’d kick a fg. I think a perfect example was our opening drive of the 2nd half on Monday. It was the only time of the game BRob got cooking. He rips off multiple chunk runs, gets pulled, BOB calls 5 straight screen plays, drive stalls and the offense never got back into rhythm.

I’d compare BOB to Daboll. No one on this board liked Daboll when he was here, but his system has turned Josh Allen into an elite QB, and now he’s a top head coach candidate. Why didn’t he work out here? Because his system is better for NFL style of talent, and he couldn’t find a way to seamlessly fit it to the pieces he had.

I wish BOB no ill and think he played a fine hand for what he was dealt. I just don’t think he’s the right fit here. And if CNS disagrees with me, then I have no issues giving him another year to see what he can do with a full cupboard.

 

[TideEngineer08]

The funny thing with RUTS has always been this:

a) 1970s and 80s Oklahoma or Nebraska pound in 48-54 ppg - "Wow, this might be the most awesome offense in the history of the game!"

b) Miami scores a little bit above what's necessary to beat Maryland, 46-14 - "but did you run up the score?"

I don't ever recall a lot being said about RUTS until Jimmy Johnson did it to Notre Dame in 1985. I'm not saying that's the first time in history it came about, but that's the first time I recall the media going whole hog after someone. And at least it's understandable in Johnson's case - he was mad because Miami was ranked behind Oklahoma in the polls and out of the running for the national championship even though they'd beaten OU head-to-head in Norman, 27-14. And the ploy worked since Miami did rise to #2 in the AP poll.

It's just always been funny to me that certain teams - most notably OU and Nebraska - got free passes for blasting teams back into the Stone Age and tons of ink about how great their offenses were but when it was Jimmy Johnson or Steve Spurrier, they were called classless and worse.

Look at these scores:
56-20, 84-13, 69-19, 72-29, 67-13

Those are five Nebraska scores from 1983. "Look how AWESOME they are!"

62-14, 65-0, 56-13, 51-10, 47-7 - "Spurrier shouldn't be such a jerk!" (1996 Florida)

The game lasts for 60 minutes. The only reason a coach of the winning team should be backing off the throttle is if the other team's offense signs a note that they're not going to score, either.

No one had a problem with John Heisman and Georgia Tech beating Cumberland 222-0 either.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

No one had a problem with John Heisman and Georgia Tech beating Cumberland 222-0 either.

And that was a spiteful, middle finger, run up the score game if there ever was one

 

[TideEngineer08]

And that was a spiteful, middle finger, run up the score game if there ever was one

I did some research. Apparently Cumberland disbanded their football program that year. In baseball, they beat Georgia Tech 22-0, and were accused of using professional ringers during the game. Heisman refused to allow them out of their contract to play the football game. So they had to put together a team of volunteers and Tech just so happened to beat them 222-0...

Yeah that was some old school spite.