Rewatching last year's games

[Tidewater]

This is the time of year I rewatch last year's games to refamiliarize myself with the players and their development over the year.
I just finished watching the Fla State game.
Frustrating game.
Lots of lackadaisical play especially the defense. Running game worked well in the first drive, then Alabama abandoned it entirely.
Germie Bernard had himself a heck of a game, though. Ty played pretty well when he wasn't running for his life.
On to ULM on which Alabama took out its frustrations.

 

[bamaga]

This is the time of year I rewatch last year's games to refamiliarize myself with the players and their development over the year.
I just finished watching the Fla State game.
Frustrating game.
Lots of lackadaisical play especially the defense. Running game worked well in the first drive, then Alabama abandoned it for the year.
Germie Bernard had himself a heck of a game, though. Ty played pretty well when he wasn't running for his life.
On to ULM on which Alabama took out its frustrations.

FIFY

 

[arthurdawg]

Sounds like a somewhat painful chore...

Heck... Cleaning up the effort and preparedness issue is at least a game won or lost this year...

 

[CrimsonTitles]

FIFY

Why does everyone say we stopped trying to run the ball last year or didn't try enough? I distinctly remember people getting mad at Grubb for running the ball too much, because it wasn't working.

After going back and looking at the numbers, we ran the ball 434 times (adjusted for sacls) to 523 pass attempts last season, which is roughly 55% to 45%. That's actually a lot for a DeBoer- Grubb offense, where it's usually closer to 60/40 or even 65/35. There were two games where we didn't run the ball much, but we also couldn't bc were down too bad.

Though I gotta admit, even I'm a bit surprised it's that high on runs, because when I went the other day and picked out the big games for another discussion, we ran the ball closer to 38-40% of the time in those games , but thats about normal for a Grubb-DeBoer offense.

 

[bamaga]

Why does everyone say we stopped trying to run the ball last year or didn't try enough? I distinctly remember people getting mad at Grubb for running the ball too much, because it wasn't working.

After going back and looking at the numbers, we ran the ball 434 times (adjusted for sacls) to 523 pass attempts last season, which is roughly 55% to 45%. That's actually a lot for a DeBoer- Grubb offense, where it's usually closer to 60/40 or even 65/35. There were two games where we didn't run the ball much, but we also couldn't bc were down too bad.

How about this, we didn’t put enough effort into the run game from top down. All FIFY are jokes, or do you not get that?

 

[CrimsonTitles]

How about this, we didn’t put enough effort into the run game from top down.

I'm not picking, I was just honestly curious bc I've heard Bama media people that I listen to daily have said the same thing, and had me scratching my head a little bit, because it doesn't match my memory at all. I was just curious where that notion comes from.

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

I just finished watching the Fla State game.
Frustrating game…Running game worked well in the first drive, then Alabama abandoned it entirely.

You’ve heard of Ryan Grubb, right?

 

[Tidewater]

Why does everyone say we stopped trying to run the ball last year or didn't try enough? I distinctly remember people getting mad at Grubb for running the ball too much, because it wasn't working. We ran the ball 434 times (adjusted for sacls) to 523 pass attempts last season, which is roughly 55% to 45%. That's actually a lot for a DeBoer- Grubb offense, where it's usually closer to 60/40. There were two games where we didn't run the ball much, but we also couldn't bc were down too bad.

I do not know if Alabama gave up on trying to run, but I believe run blocking got worse as the season progressed and pass blocking got a little better but Ty was injured.
I just think Ty's injury against So Car hurt the passing game badly.

You’ve heard of Ryan Grubb, right?

Yeah, I know. I suspect there is a learning curve in coming to the SEC. Passing too much works against PAC-12 defenses, but against SEC defenses, you have to run more and commit to the run. Hopefully Coach Grubb has watched a lot of film in the off-season and learned that.

 

[Isaiah 63:1]

Yeah, I know. I suspect there is a learning curve in coming to the SEC. Passing too much works against PAC-12 defenses, but against SEC defenses, you have to run more and commit to the run. Hopefully Coach Grubb has watched a lot of film in the off-season and learned that.

Abandoning the run was a major reason he got canned by the Seahawks.

 

[BamaMoon]

How's this? I think we tried to run it TOO MUCH last year. It was painfully obvious we didn't have the horses (both OL and RB) to do it successfully.

I know this! I'm ready to move on to this year. I expect it will change to some extent and I hope the biggest change is we will have the horses to make it happen!

 

[Tidewater]

How's this? I think we tried to run it TOO MUCH last year. It was painfully obvious we didn't have the horses (both OL and RB) to do it successfully.

I know this! I'm ready to move on to this year. I expect it will change to some extent and I hope the biggest change is we will have the horses to make it happen!

I think that once Ty got hurt against So Car, his passing abilities were fairly limited and opposing teams respected the pass a little less and stacked the box, stuffing Alabama's running game.
Maybe it would have been been better if Bama had started Mack until Ty was healthy, but Ty had patiently waited for his opportunity, wanted to play, and was a leader of the team. Was a physically diminished but experienced Simpson better than a healthy but less experienced Austin Mack? The coaching staff stayed with Ty but sports are brutally competitive and opposing defensive staffs saw how limited Ty was and game planned accordingly.

 

[Power Eye]

I think that once Ty got hurt against So Car, his passing abilities were fairly limited and opposing teams respected the pass a little less and stacked the box, stuffing Alabama's running game.
Maybe it would have been been better if Bama had started Mack until Ty was healthy, but Ty had patiently waited for his opportunity, wanted to play, and was a leader of the team. Was a physically diminished but experienced Simpson better than a healthy but less experienced Austin Mack? The coaching staff stayed with Ty but sports are brutally competitive and opposing defensive staffs saw how limited Ty was and game planned accordingly.

I made the argument heading into the playoff game with Oklahoma that Mack should start over Simpson. I actually thought it going into the SECCG, but kind of thought that might be dangerous for purposes of getting in the playoff.

I thought that we had a chance at beating Oklahoma with Simpson, which we obviously did, but that there was no way we were beating Indiana with Simpson. In retrospect, it probably didn't matter if it was Mack or Simpson against Indiana, but it seemed clear that Simpson was extremely limited. That was never intended to be a knock on Simpson, but rather a belief that a 100% Mack probably gave us a better chance than a 75% Simpson.

 

[Tidewater]

I made the argument heading into the playoff game with Oklahoma that Mack should start over Simpson. I actually thought it going into the SECCG, but kind of thought that might be dangerous for purposes of getting in the playoff.

I thought that we had a chance at beating Oklahoma with Simpson, which we obviously did, but that there was no way we were beating Indiana with Simpson. In retrospect, it probably didn't matter if it was Mack or Simpson against Indiana, but it seemed clear that Simpson was extremely limited. That was never intended to be a knock on Simpson, but rather a belief that a 100% Mack probably gave us a better chance than a 75% Simpson.

I agree with you. Not a knock on Simpson, he was patient for years, was tough and wanted to play, and was a leader. I admire his pugnaciousness. But he was a member of the walking wounded by late in the season. Maybe if the backup QBs had gotten more reps during the season, it might have helped. I don't know. Indiana was a pretty good team by December.