It is not being inexperienced that is the problem, it is not having great leadership in the locker room or on the field. Alabama has been one of the youngest teams in college football for 15 years. Players leave early for the NFL or for more playing time elsewhere.
Youth is not the problem.
That’s the thing…all our experienced players have run the Saban defense. Look at Moore…like 4 years running that system and then bam…here’s a new system. So there is no one but the coaches who really know this defense. Which translates to no on field leaders. It would have been nice to bring in a safety or lb experienced in this defense back in January to help with the transition.Youth/inexperience is the problem with regard to the missed assignments of our new defensive scheme. I'm not sure how familiar you are with the show Roman Harper and the guy from Auburn does on the SEC Network (Cueblec???). Harper broke down several of our defensive mishaps and he said IT IS NOT THE SCHEME but the players not being familiar with the new system. If the player had done what he was supposed to pre-snap the 4th and 9 TD against USCe would have never happened.
Harper showed on that play there were three presnap misreads by our defense that if read correctly would have given away what they (USCe) were doing , which side they were going to, and which side they weren't going to. But we didn't read it right and it left the WR wide open. Three players missed three pre-snap keys and just like that, we've got a WR running downfield wide open.
But this defense we were told was supposed to be much less complicated than the Saban defense and thus much easier for the players to learn.That’s the thing…all our experienced players have run the Saban defense. Look at Moore…like 4 years running that system and then bam…here’s a new system. So there is no one but the coaches who really know this defense. Which translates to no on field leaders. It would have been nice to bring in a safety or lb experienced in this defense back in January to help with the transition.
Everyone complains that the lb’s are catching folks. Well it’s probably because there is hesitation on what to do….which is a killer of defenses.
But this defense we were told was supposed to be much less complicated than the Saban defense and thus much easier for the players to learn.
That may be true that it’s less complicated but 99% of college defenses are. I mean these kids on roster have to rewire their brains after learning a defense like that for years. Just a thought trying to bring some levity to the situation.But this defense we were told was supposed to be much less complicated than the Saban defense and thus much easier for the players to learn.
We need more guys reacting and not thinking. Which gap am I responsible for? Which area am I covering? What receiver am I redirecting? Etc...That’s the thing…all our experienced players have run the Saban defense. Look at Moore…like 4 years running that system and then bam…here’s a new system. So there is no one but the coaches who really know this defense. Which translates to no on field leaders. It would have been nice to bring in a safety or lb experienced in this defense back in January to help with the transition.
Everyone complains that the lb’s are catching folks. Well it’s probably because there is hesitation on what to do….which is a killer of defenses.
I agree that the problem is not effort but execution, i.e., making the proper reads pre-snap and then doing your part post snap. We are very in-experienced in this particular defensive scheme -- time and experience are the only teachers.
UT had plenty of talent when Sark went there, but they struggled through his first season. Looking through crimson colored glasses we thought UA could walk on water...but it is not reality.

Bama needs an alpha on both sides of the ball. Those alphas would then hold everyone accountable.
Right now we've got exactly zero of that.