State of Alabama defense

[bamaga]

Second half of season(last 5 games) , Bama out scored opponents 253-36. Some serious butt whoopins on SEC competition, including 2 rivals!

 

[BamaInCummingGA]

For all (including myself) who were down on PG it's time to give credit where credit is due. I don't know what sparked the better play from the defense but our players, as a group, seem to be in better position to make plays and are communicating much better. If we're gonna lay the blame at the foot of the DC for the earlier poorer performance then we gotta man up and be willing to give him props, too.
Good job, PG. Keep the improvement rolling.

 

[Intl.Aperture]

For all (including myself) who were down on PG it's time to give credit where credit is due. I don't know what sparked the better play from the defense but our players, as a group, seem to be in better position to make plays and are communicating much better. If we're gonna lay the blame at the foot of the DC for the earlier poorer performance then we gotta man up and be willing to give him props, too.
Good job, PG. Keep the improvement rolling.

Agreed. It's easy to punch him when things weren't going well. But having a lack of injuries and a good run of consistency helped him, I think. The defense has adjusted well, played with more effort, and maximized their strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. You HAVE to credit the DC for a lot of that. Good job Coach Golding. Thanks for sticking with it this season and turning in a very good Alabama defense. Now to finish strong. (Really hoping I don't eat my words in the next few games.)

 

[jashleyren2]

Just a note about Florida.

Our defense is better than theirs. Our offense is better than anyone's.

 

[Special K]

For all (including myself) who were down on PG it's time to give credit where credit is due. I don't know what sparked the better play from the defense but our players, as a group, seem to be in better position to make plays and are communicating much better. If we're gonna lay the blame at the foot of the DC for the earlier poorer performance then we gotta man up and be willing to give him props, too.
Good job, PG. Keep the improvement rolling.

I was also down on PG pretty bad, but certainly willing to give him credit for the improvement. I think one thing they've done is simplified somewhat and guys are just playing ball and flying around more now.

 

[Tenntiderman]

You are correct about today's environment. I'm even afraid to refer to them as "salty" because I fear we will get an automatic 15 yard penalty for bad intentions in today's football scene.

You mean like.....hitting somebody? Yeah....still some arm grabbing going on..but not meaning that as a seripus complaint. Thankful that the D is miles better than before. Malachi Moore reminds me of some hitters we had back in the 70s

 

[Tenntiderman]

I was also down on PG pretty bad, but certainly willing to give him credit for the improvement. I think one thing they've done is simplified somewhat and guys are just playing ball and flying around more now.

Yeah for sure. Better LB play. We will see Lawrence or Fields if we beat Florida. Maybe both. But their Defenses will see Jones Corps. So there is that. Aim will be to make Jones run the ball...even tho no one has done that.

 

[Tenntiderman]

You are correct about today's environment. I'm even afraid to refer to them as "salty" because I fear we will get an automatic 15 yard penalty for bad intentions in today's football scene.

They are playing with a bit of 'confidence' now. Didnt look that way early on. At least to us that wrote about it here.. Seems like 2nd half adjustments come easier than first few games. Certainly more than last year if memory serves. Maybe someone can find if that is true or not. Just going by how it looks on TV

 

[tideindc]

I’m also very pleasantly surprised with our D, which obviously has been fabulous. However, I honestly don’t feel as if we’ve played against any particularly good quarterbacks so far..which has been our ( and most teams’) Achilles heel. . So , at the risk of being a killjoy, I’ll withhold congratulations until the “real season” starts for us next week. That said, I also feel our D is better than it’s been the past few yrs...possibly because we haven’t been decimated with injuries.

 

[CoachJeff]

I am waiting until after the season to give PG tons of credit. The defense certainly looks better, but the season starts Saturday.

 

[Con]

I am waiting until after the season to give PG tons of credit. The defense certainly looks better, but the season starts Saturday.

It is definitely a three game season now.

 

[bamaga]

Other than the LSU game, our tackling in space is much better. I don’t know if that is CPG or position coach. Probably position coach

 

[colbysullivan]

I am waiting until after the season to give PG tons of credit. The defense certainly looks better, but the season starts Saturday.

That's where I'm at currently. Has he improved this year? Absolutely. Is he still the worst DC in Saban's tenure? Yup. His success will be measured in championships.

 

[B1GTide]

This video does a great job of breaking down just how well Alabama's defense is playing right now:

 

[BamaInCummingGA]

I hear what some of y'all are saying, but give the man some credit.
I know it seems like we have not played anyone in the last couple of weeks but could that perhaps be a result of the product we are putting on the field now that is our defense?
We talk about UF being a challenge but didn't they just get beat by a team we stomped a mud hole in? Our defense held LSWho to 17 points and if but for one or two busted plays they wouldn't have scored that.
I'm not saying PG is the best DC we've had but again, give credit where it is due.
Even against crappy teams you still have to make the right calls as DC and you still have to put the game plan together and such.

 

[Intl.Aperture]

That's where I'm at currently. Has he improved this year? Absolutely. Is he still the worst DC in Saban's tenure? Yup. His success will be measured in championships.

He's not even been here 2 full seasons, right? How could you qualitatively make that statement? Saban has had 3 DC's his entire tenure here with Golding being one of them. Nevermind that last year he had 11 severe injuries to his defense and was forced to start true freshman again SEC defenses. Look, I'm not a Golding apologist, but I find most of the critiques against him to be a bit lame duck. Last year, any team with the same amount of injuries on defense would have finished with 3-4 wins total. I think, this year, we see that with a better stock (keep in mind that the secondary was still very young) they play with better discipline, they adjust better to what the offense is doing as the game goes along, and the players are largely able to execute the gameplan called - which works - which is then a credit to the defensive staff.

I somewhat get wanting to see how the last 3 games go, especially since they are likely against better offensive teams, but sometimes it feels like folks are just looking for a reason to doubt a guy.

 

[colbysullivan]

He's not even been here 2 full seasons, right? How could you qualitatively make that statement? Saban has had 3 DC's his entire tenure here with Golding being one of them. Nevermind that last year he had 11 severe injuries to his defense and was forced to start true freshman again SEC defenses. Look, I'm not a Golding apologist, but I find most of the critiques against him to be a bit lame duck. Last year, any team with the same amount of injuries on defense would have finished with 3-4 wins total. I think, this year, we see that with a better stock (keep in mind that the secondary was still very young) they play with better discipline, they adjust better to what the offense is doing as the game goes along, and the players are largely able to execute the gameplan called - which works - which is then a credit to the defensive staff.

I somewhat get wanting to see how the last 3 games go, especially since they are likely against better offensive teams, but sometimes it feels like folks are just looking for a reason to doubt a guy.

Easy, he’s worse than Steele, Smart, and Pruitt (our best DC by far). Does that mean Golding is bad? No, as I said, he HAS improved. Will he ever be at Pruitt’s level, or even Smart? I doubt it.

 

[KrAzY3]

I am waiting until after the season to give PG tons of credit. The defense certainly looks better, but the season starts Saturday.

I learned that lesson in 2018. I felt like that team was unbeatable, and then all the sudden the defense is getting lit up in the post season. So yeah I am very encouraged by the progress and if the defense shows up against Florida I think it will show we're not heading down the same path.

Florida is the 12th ranked scoring offense (Ole Miss is 14th), but Ohio State and Clemson are ranked higher. So, this will tell us a lot. I really want to owe Golding an apology.

 

[Intl.Aperture]

Easy, he’s worse than Steele, Smart, and Pruitt (our best DC by far). Does that mean Golding is bad? No, as I said, he HAS improved. Will he ever be at Pruitt’s level, or even Smart? I doubt it.

Sure - I'm saying you can't possibly have a sample size large enough to make that statement qualitatively. Help me remember (honestly) when was Steele our DC? 2008?Also, I'd disagree with that. I don't think Steele is very good at all. Pruitt is a great DC. Smart is a good DC. If Golding is here for 2 more years I think we will have a sample size good enough to be able to compare. Right now, comparisons are not apt, and you have to give him credit for how the defense has played as the year has gone along. Not surprised it's some of the same morose pessimists waiting to give a "job well done" after this football team (including this defense) just went an unprecedented 10-0 against all SEC teams - a feat never before accomplished. You don't do that on just one side of the ball.

 

[B1GTide]

I learned that lesson in 2018. I felt like that team was unbeatable, and then all the sudden the offense is getting lit up in the post season. So yeah I am very encouraged by the progress and if the defense shows up against Florida I think it will show we're not heading down the same path.

Florida is the 12th ranked scoring offense (Ole Miss is 14th), but Ohio State and Clemson are ranked higher. So, this will tell us a lot. I really want to owe Golding an apology.

We will learn Saturday night whether the CFP will be a fight, or just more of the same for Alabama.