Bama Game Thread: Official Postgame Thread - Bama vs. UTw...

[GrayTide]

Yep. My point was that there comes a time when the torch gets passed.
I am not sure we are at that point, but this photo shows what it feels like.

Well said, TW, and I regrettably agree with you.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I don’t think Saban has lost his ability to coach at an elite level think he’s lost his leverage with the players. How do you discipline a player who can just mail it in and transfer with no problems. They’re sloppy and soft bc there’s no way to force them to be great

If so, how are other coaches (like Smart) somehow immune to this?

 

[crimsonaudio]

Are you gonna start bidding too? No disrespect but we can’t out spend everyone. We are not a rich fan base, nor a rich state. We don’t have oil or Nike money. It is what it is

So poor old Alabama has ranked at or near #1 in recruiting every single year for the last decade-plus yet somehow NIL is the issue?

Sounds like an excuse to me.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

If so, how are other coaches (like Smart) somehow immune to this?

Smart has our recruited us on the DL for a few years.

I don't think that's the only difference but I do think it's a significant one.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Tbh this season isn't our problem. The last 2 are. Inexcusable we didn't have a championship team with Bryce at QB.

This year could have been seen as more of a rebuilding year with the QB drop off if we had won 1 and competed for another the last 2 years.

 

[Redwood Forrest]

When I heard Coach Saban say we were going back to running the ball and winning with defense my first thought was "HUH?" With what? First, we need a D that can hold the score down and then we need a QB who is consistent. The score indicates we have neither. There is no quick fix to the D but there is a gunslinger QB on the bench.

 

[GrayTide]

What if they win out from here, how would this double digit loss affect their chance at a playoff spot?

At this point regardless of who takes over at QB this team will not win out. After last night I said a 10-2 season at best, but having read some very good takes on here, I am leaning to an 8-4 or 7-5 based on the team I saw last night. Can it improve, certainly, will it improve, who knows.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

At this point regardless of who takes over at QB this team will not win out. After last night I said a 10-2 season at best, but having read some very good takes on here, I am leaning to an 8-4 or 7-5 based on the team I saw last night. Can it improve, certainly, will it improve, who knows.

I don't think we lose 5 games. Maybe 3 or 4 though. Depends on a few things.

I do think we almost definitely drop at least 1 more though

 

[LeBron47]

If we would commit to a run first mentality and play action passes when necessary we would control the clock and not put stress on the defense as we did many times last night. The defense was not the problem they did great until they were gassed. They were put in impossible situations when the game was on the line with interceptions. They did not have a pass rush that put consist pressure on Ewers. The times they did they made Ewers look worse than a high school player.

If we are going to be a pass first team then Ty should be the man…Bucher like Milroe is a turn over machine when teams know we are going to pass. Milroe could have easily had five interceptions tonight… he threw into triple coverage many times.

if I am Rees I go to running first and start thinking of the game in ten yard increments and design plays that can gain ten yards in three plays. If you pick up first downs then touchdowns take care of themselves. That is a game I think Milroe can execute and win. Control the game control the clock and KS defense will get you the wins. Time for Big Boy Football and let this basketball on the grass go away

 

[BamaMoon]

I've read enough to know this is a "freak out thread." Many of you are doing exactly what we say we despise the media doing every time CNS loses a game.

I see reasons to be concerned. But this was one game and it's not even a conference game.

Let's not give up on this team yet!

 

[2003TIDE]

So poor old Alabama has ranked at or near #1 in recruiting every single year for the last decade-plus yet somehow NIL is the issue?

Sounds like an excuse to me.

yeah apparently we are #1 in excuses now days.

im really curious where all the sunshine pumpers are that said I was panicking when I posted on last weeks game thread that our OL play was disappointing after all the hype. I’m also scratching my head trying to figure out how people think a QB change is going to fix what happened on the field last night.

 

[crimsonaudio]

I've read enough to know this is a "freak out thread." Many of you are doing exactly what we say we despise the media doing every time CNS loses a game.

I see reasons to be concerned. But this was one game and it's not even a conference game.

Let's not give up on this team yet!

Not giving up, but it's natural to ask why Bama looks and plays the way they are.

And I suspect many are like me - not really reacting to the results last night as much as how this game was a continuation of what we've seen from Alabama for the last few years.

This is a different team than 2022 and 2021, sure, but the tendencies, the sloppiness, getting physically dominated - they look the same. And these are not the hallmarks of a well-coached and well-prepared team.

 

[2003TIDE]

Smart has our recruited us on the DL for a few years.

I don't think that's the only difference but I do think it's a significant one.

QB pressures have been feast or famine since season #1 of Saban’s time here. When you have to have a D line of 1st round draft picks to get consistent pressure, you can’t say it is a recruiting problem. It’s pretty obvious it is a system problem. I’m not saying CNS is a terrible DC. It just is what it is.

 

[GulfCoastTider]

I think Coach may be thinking he loses the team if he moved a different direction from Milroe. They felt he had earned it.

I’m guessing Buckner moves into the Starter role by mid-season

If that's the case then he never "had" the team to begin with. A coach can't coach by mutual assent.

 

[BamaMoon]

main takeaways:

1) Milroe was really really bad. Having one really bad interception is a problem. Having two? Then it enters very very bad game territory. On a scale of interceptions from 1 being a ball your reciever drops into the arms of a defender and 10 being a bad throw and bad decision, these were like 9.85s. His pocket presence is nonexistent and he is constantly stepping right into the pressure. At other times he makes a bad dash backwards and sideways after his first read isn't wide open......he was really bad in the A&M game(which was the last meaningful action he had), and he was really bad again tonight. I don't know if we have anyone better or not(I guess not?), but to act like he isn't the biggest problem is silly imo. Yes we may have other problems too, but not having a qb in 2023 is a killer.

2) Way too much blame is being thrown on the offensive line for the pass blocking. Pocket after pocket like the 2020 season(those were the best pockets mac was stepping into I've ever seen) are very atypical. In the real world, a pocket eventually breaks down somewhat......even when the protection is *very good*. The bigger problem is milroe's management of the pocket. Time after time he would actually be responsible for pivoting right into the collapse of the pocket. A lot of people in this forum have an unreasonable expectation for what a pretty good pocket will look like in 2023. Just because pass protection wasn't 2020 level doesn't mean it was bad. Now the bigger problem with the offensive line was they were getting good push for the run game the first possession or two, but after that not so much and it was very inconsistent. I thought after our first series- "we can just run right at these guys time after time, even if they know it's coming". Clearly, we *couldn't* do that.

3) The defense was very good in the first half, and then had some problems in the secondary(and DL- no pressure) for much of the second half. But again, here some have to adjust their expectations. Nobody really *consistently* stops a good offense like that in 2023 anymore. Expecting that to be the standard like it's 2008 is just not realistic.

And it's for that very reason why having a qb like Milroe is just not going to get it done in today's college football environment. I don't know how we got in this situation actually where roster management was such that their was no above average qb ready to step in for the 2023 season. Very frustrating......

I think I agree with 100% of what you said. I felt like JM's footwork got him into half the the sack last night and the rest of the time he was not willing to step up in the pocket when it started to collapse, as it always will eventually.

Only thing I'll add is this: go back to a power running game and try to control the LOS sounds enticing, but you better have a QB that can stand in the pocket and throw a few 3rd down completions to move the chains. We don't have that guy at QB right now.

 

[crimsonaudio]

If you've not read @JessN 's post-game write-up, please do so - here's the link.

 

[Tenntiderman]

I going to say a couple things then lay low and ponder things until Monday.

This is why I refused to buy into all the ridiculous hype that happened all week. Some of the Qb comparisons to past greats were eye rolling. It was Middle Tenn. We fans need to stop getting excited from ponding peewee teams.

This team has problems. The same problems that have plagued this team for a few years now. Subpar to bad OL/DL play. Not protecting the pocket consistently and not getting pressure, even with blitzes, consistently. DB coverage on deep balls isn’t consistent. Penalties, penalties, penalties point to a discipline problem. The difference this year is we do not have a generational QB to cover up some of these deficiencies and bail us out.

So what has been causing these issues over the last few years? Until that is answered and fixed I don’t expect things to change much. Could this team go on a run and make it to the SEC CG? Maybe. Could this team lose 3-4 more games? Maybe.

Right now, my expectations are not low or high, I just don’t know how to feel. Maybe I should ask my Auburn friends how they handle it.

This. CMS is in a tough position. He has hired ND's OC...Kentucky's OL coach....Miami's(?) 2ndry coach.....and the most successful DL coach I can recall in several years is coaching the Texas DL..on and on. So I guess Banks was correct. BD stadium was just bigger with more people. It was a dogfight that felt to me like Bama was at a disadvantage from the get-go. Texas even looked to be in better conditioning. The look on CNS' face during the game spoke to me. I think I had the same expression...even when we went up by 3. I had seen nothing to make me think that our Defense could affect their QB or that our CBS would be in the same zipcode as their receivers. Sometimes a team loses in spite of how good they are...but this group has not been there. Can't say they are good, but I know they could be. Not sure who has the most glaring deficiencies? The staff? Or the team itself? A lot to consider. Everybody involved. The players + coaching staff= team. Is it fixable? CMS recently said this team "may not have the talent it takes to win a NC". Maybe he inferred that also included the Staff. Because that OL is now a liability. Monroe has got to be shell shocked on this Sunday morning. Seen this before....been a long time. We will survive. We will.

 

[BamaMoon]

I don't know where to drop this thought, but here's probably the most appropriate place.

Amid all the concern for the season and dynasty and questions surrounding them, we've officially reached the place where THE FEAR OF LOSING/REGRESSING IS FAR GREATER THAN THE ENJOYMENT OF WINNING.

That's kinda sad, but I suppose inevitable when we've been on a run like the like 15 years.

 

[Tenntiderman]

A lot I’d like to say but I just don’t have the emotional energy.

Two years ago after the A&M loss I was mad.

Tonight I’m just resigned to the reality of it all.

This.

 

[Con]

I think Coach may be thinking he loses the team if he moved a different direction from Milroe. They felt he had earned it.

I’m guessing Buckner moves into the Starter role by mid-season

I thought this last night. Milroe won the team and Coach had to let things play out. The game was an early season game and doesn’t effect the conference. It kind of felt like an “I told you so moment”.