My preliminary analysis of Bama vs Michigan...

[Bamabuzzard]

This particular Alabama team is viewed as weaker than past models. This may be true. Even Saban questioned this fall if they had to talent to win it all. Statistically you normally look for big splashy stats but they just aren't there. They have gotten to this point with team effort more so than individual talent. One group has a bad day, another group does something extraordinary to win. Then there is Milroe, the X factor. On paper he's not a top QB, Then you see him rip off a 25 yard run when he looked contained, you see him complete a 4th down 31 yard TD pass. He's not going to blow up the whole game, he's going to mess up, he's going to get sacked. But then he's going to do some stuff that leaves both fan bases just shaking their heads in disbelief. All I know is I would hate to face a QB like that.

It's not, it's just different. Once the staff figured out the type of offense to run with this group the amount of elite talent on the roster has become obvious, from the OL, QB, TE's, WR's, RB's etc. I'll also predict this, Kendrick Law (Captain Shreve High School, in Shreveport, LA's own) is not far from becoming the "Deebo Samuels" in this offense. You can see it coming.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I think Michigan is going to have the same question UGA didn't realize they were going to have until they got into the game, and that's can you handle the massive and powerful OL for an entire game? Evidence of how powerful this OL has become started to show very early in the SECGG when Booker threw one of UGA's defensive linemen three yards backward and kept going. I think it caught UGA's players and coaches off guard how powerful this unit had become. I take nothing away from Michigan's DL, but I'm not sure I can point to a team on their schedule and say "Yeah, that OL is equal to or better than Bama's". If there is, I stand corrected.

 

[SkullDuckery]

It's not, it's just different. Once the staff figured out the type of offense to run with this group the amount of elite talent on the roster has become obvious, from the OL, QB, TE's, WR's, RB's etc. I'll also predict this, Kendrick Law (Captain Shreve High School, in Shreveport, LA's own) is not far from becoming the "Deebo Samuels" in this offense. You can see it coming.

I was watching the 49’ers scheme him with little dump passes that hit him stride, Debo did the rest. If we ever get to that point with Law, watch out!

 

[selmaborntidefan]

 

[BamaInCummingGA]

Some of y'all really need to chill.
I don't believe the local Michigan fan is trying to be snarky or anything. It's his sense of humor.
He's been a pretty good poster.

 

[BamaInCummingGA]

Dude, then you have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE SAYING on this board if you think the SEC has “had Alabama’s back”. They literally tried to destroy our program and it took the GOAT to revive it. Bama relies on Bama 1st and always.

And just how would he have known?

 

[selmaborntidefan]

This particular Alabama team is viewed as weaker than past models. This may be true. Even Saban questioned this fall if they had to talent to win it all. Statistically you normally look for big splashy stats but they just aren't there. They have gotten to this point with team effort more so than individual talent. One group has a bad day, another group does something extraordinary to win. Then there is Milroe, the X factor. On paper he's not a top QB, Then you see him rip off a 25 yard run when he looked contained, you see him complete a 4th down 31 yard TD pass. He's not going to blow up the whole game, he's going to mess up, he's going to get sacked. But then he's going to do some stuff that leaves both fan bases just shaking their heads in disbelief. All I know is I would hate to face a QB like that.

This team plays more together as a TEAM than some collections of INDIVIDUALS that we've had who were talented but didn't always mesh quite so well.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Meat chicken is coming to play. Their strategy is what has won championships since the beginning of time, run the ball, stop the run, play defense. They are coming with a physical game so we just have to give it right back to them. I like our chances.

 

[cbi1972]

I think Michigan is going to have the same question UGA didn't realize they were going to have until they got into the game, and that's can you handle the massive and powerful OL for an entire game? Evidence of how powerful this OL has become started to show very early in the SECGG when Booker threw one of UGA's defensive linemen three yards backward and kept going. I think it caught UGA's players and coaches off guard how powerful this unit had become. I take nothing away from Michigan's DL, but I'm not sure I can point to a team on their schedule and say "Yeah, that OL is equal to or better than Bama's". If there is, I stand corrected.

Michigan's DL is strong and deep. Ought to be a good game.

 

[davefrat]

The defensive adjustment that helped Alabama stymie Georgia in SEC Championship


I also don't know what AU was doing and why Bama failed to adjust, but hope we are as quick to fix problems in the playoffs as we were in the SECC instead of being out of position and missing tackles.

Idk much about X's and O's, and although I think Freeze is a Sleaze, he's a really smart offensive mind.

I'm not surprised that he confused our D all night long.

 

[davefrat]

Meat chicken is coming to play. Their strategy is what has won championships since the beginning of time, run the ball, stop the run, play defense. They are coming with a physical game so we just have to give it right back to them. I like our chances.

I like the matchup and feel confident that we will do well in a straight-up smashmouth kind of game.

I like our chances.

 

[Joefus]

I’m pretty nervous about them still stealing signs tbh. I’ve never known a cheater to stop cheating just bc they got caught. Whether it’s love, financials, or athletics they just can’t help themselves. Heck even after being called out by several teams Clemsons opponents just started running plays into a huddle. I worry bc it was clear Clemson had our signals in that 2016 championship game and we just kept trucking along without changing a thing.
That being said RTR and I’ll be at this game screaming till I physically cant anymore

 

[gtgilbert]

If there is a liability, he became it by the rest improving. He’s the smallest lineman with the toughest job. He’s literally crashed into every play so he presses on his snaps to try to get into position.

Watch the games. When he’s playing well the snaps are fine. If he’s in a dogfight, that’s when they get squirrely

Getting Roberts next to him also helped drastically. SM stretched even harder when he knew he had some type of combo with DD, who really never has executed those well at all, even going back to his OC days. Knowing that Roberts could at least hold his point long enough for him to be able to engage helped him tremendously

 

[gtgilbert]

Can't believe I'm going to quote Joey Galloway, but he's suddenly seeming like a voice of reason (especially compared to Booger on the reveal show Sunday, but I digress).

Anyway, JG made a great point. He said there's no way for UM to simulate/prepare for what JM is going to be like. They haven't seen anyone like him and they have no way to prepare for it.

Since JM's legs/arm/improvisions have been the difference in most games any in our last 6 games or so, this will likely continue.

So what do you do? Play him like Georgia with 2 spies? Even though he struggled early he adjusted and made them pay. Do you bring the house? He slips out of the pocket and it's a 20 or 30 yard game or even a house call. Play 2 deep safeties? Finally, he's settling for dump off routes under the defense in the flats that turn into easy gains or 1st downs. Load the box? He'll grin and hit you with a deep ball! Stop the running back? CTR will call a QB run with pulling guards and it's another HUGE gain.

you said it. Play 2 deep or even deep 3rds. While JM has improved, he's still very, very inconsistent with the check downs and shorter throws that require a bit more timing. When teams have done this to us, JM has pretty often, even in the last several games, not taken the shorter/easier throws that have been wide open and would have been solid gains. If I was calling the D, I'd force him to prove to me that he could consistently make the right read and hit the checkdowns short. I'd change the 'spy' player so the drops into the shorter areas of the field wouldn't be obvious. I'd disguise coverages like UGA did against Tua so that JM couldn't really trust a more simple pre-snap read. Again, JM has improved, but that's his least good area right now so I'd try to force him into it.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Michigan's DL is strong and deep. Ought to be a good game.

They'll need to be

 

[Con]

Michigan is Joe Frazier
Bama is Ali

Let's hope the game goes like the 2nd and 3rd fights then.

 

[landonew]

It’s really difficult to look at Michigan in the same light as Georgia. What position group on their team is truly Elite? How many starters this year started against TCU last year, and why wasn’t the team prepared for that game. I’m very interested for someone, perhaps our friend from Michigan, to break down their position groups and also the 9 players projected to be selected in the 2024 nfl draft. If you truly have elite talent, where is it and how does Michigan exploit that advantage?

Bama has an Elite secondary. Our CBs are consensus first round draft picks, our STAR DB is a consensus All American, one of our safeties is projected to be drafted in the 3rd round, and our other Safety was rated as the top Juco transfer at his position when transferring this year, he should play on Sundays but his raft projection is not yet certain, as he’s missed considerable time due to injuries. We have Elite Edge rushers, and our interior defensive line is serviceable. We have very good depth at each position, as an example Koolaide was removed from the Georgia game due to a concussion, and his replacement broke up two passes in response to being targeted by Georgia.

This secondary is talented enough to play man and cover any receiving core in the country. This gives our coaching staff tremendous flexibility in terms of schematical in-game adjustments, which was evident when we played LSU, Ole Miss, and Georgia. And it would appear that we’ll be relatively healthy on defense, certainly far healthier than we were against Georgia.Our Offense is not elite. They can be explosive at times. They’ve done a nice job of protecting the football. JM will get sacked 2-4 times. It’s the price we pay for him extending plays and generating explosive runs in critical situations.

It’s always hard to compare talent. Looking at objective metrics, Alabama is objectively more talented than Michigan. For instance, we have 18 five star recruit compared to Michigan’s two. We also have more four stars, and fewer three stars. https://247sports.com/Season/2023-Football/CollegeTeamTalentComposite/

Before we pass judgment or make predictions, perhaps you could educate us a bit on Michigan’s personal groups as requested above.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

I'll say this about Michigan. Unlike Georgia they have at least played Ohio State who recruits at an elite level. We were the first team of that variety that Georgia had played all year.

 

[colbysullivan]

My comment was meant to be positive toward Lord Saban and the SEC. No way you guys would have let this nothingburger blow up into what it has been and tear down one of your strongest teams. Not trying to be smug, just firmly believe there is no there, there.

By calling the scandal a “nothingburger”, you have shown your true ignorance. You guys should have been banned from postseason play.

 

[colbysullivan]

Michigan's DL is strong and deep. Ought to be a good game.

It’s not as good as aTm’s line IMO