The “New” Alabama Offense Under DeBoer/Grubb

[Ole Man Dan]

There are lots of dimensions of 'talent', some of which matter more and some of which matter less to being a successful QB.

JM is FAST, he appears and is said to be super strong, he can throw the ball a long way and/or throw the ball hard. Of those strengths, only 1 really matters for being a good QB.

What JM hasn't yet shown is:
The ability to know plays/D formations and make pre-snap reads
The ability to make reads, even simple reads, during a play
The ability to get the ball out quick (this isn't about the throwing motion, it's about his processing before he even starts to wind up)
Ability to be consistently accurate with any depth/length of passing.

All these are REQUIRED for being an average, much less being a good QB and really, if these things aren't there, it doesn't matter how hard a person can throw a ball.


ABSOLUTELY!!!!

Yep, the problem for MILROE is not his running. On pass plays, by the time Milroe figures out the Defense, they are sacking him for a 10 yard loss. Years ago we had a similar problem. A friend of mine was the QB. He was great on long passes, but he threw short passes with the same velocity. Short passes literally hurt when you caught them. He didn't complete very many short passes. He tried to run the ball. He had a good RB that got very few touches. Shame.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

Why would they do that??? They just ran an offense that had less talent than what they'll probably have even next year at Bama and it led that team into the NC game.

Why resort to an offense/QB that is so limited when it's very likely one of the other 3 can run your full offense?

I mean, if after they see TS, DL and the new wonder kid JS and they think they have to do that fine, but I just don't know what is motivating this idea that somehow JM deserves another shot at "Lank part 2."

A two man QB rotation? As if letting JM run a simplified version and one of the others run the full offense? Again, why?

Only way I see a QB rotation is if it's TS rotating with DL and/or JS and they are all running the Grubb offense.

Only caveat to this is if JM pulls off the stunner and can totally change and adapt to what will be expected of him.

But, my point is JM is the one who needs to change to fit the offense, NOT changing the offense to fit JM. Been there; done that. It didn't work.

JM is the one who needs to change to fit the offense, NOT changing the offense to fit JM. Been there; done that. It didn't work. We can beat bad teams with little or no effort, problem is the expanded SEC has several teams who will beat us unless we run a full offense. This means we need a QB who reads defenses, and makes rapid decisions. THIS DOES NOT SOUND LIKE LAST YEARS MILROE. ( I borrowed some text from BamaMoon... He hit the nail on the head.)

 

[oskie]

... <snip>

But, my point is JM is the one who needs to change to fit the offense, NOT changing the offense to fit JM. Been there; done that. It didn't work.

Very succinctly put. Well said. Thank you.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Yep, the problem for MILROE is not his running. On pass plays, by the time Milroe figures out the Defense, they are sacking him for a 10 yard loss. Years ago we had a similar problem. A friend of mine was the QB. He was great on long passes, but he threw short passes with the same velocity. Short passes literally hurt when you caught them. He didn't complete very many short passes. He tried to run the ball. He had a good RB that got very few touches. Shame.

Freddie Kitchens...?

 

[Wmdudleyjr]

Unless Milroe learns how to play QB, he won't be starting at QB next season.

Unless Milroe learns how to play QB, he won't be starting at QB next season.

I'd guess either Simpson or Sayin.

I'd guess either Simpson or Sayin.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Rees didn't have the benefit of seeing much of Jalen Milroe prior to spring 2023. So after the season started, he made what adjustments he could to get the most out of his potential. DeBoer and Grubb have more film to look at before Spring. They'll have time to work with him to identify and correct whatever issues need to be addressed, along with making the most with his talents. I think we'll see big improvements. I'm excited to see what Jalen can do in DeBoer's offense. Also how Haynes, Miller, and the TEs will be utilized.

 

[B1GTide]

Rees didn't have the benefit of seeing much of Jalen Milroe prior to spring 2023. So after the season started, he made what adjustments he could to get the most out of his potential. DeBoer and Grubb have more film to look at before Spring. They'll have time to work with him to identify and correct whatever issues need to be addressed, along with making the most with his talents. I think we'll see big improvements. I'm excited to see what Jalen can do in DeBoer's offense. Also how Haynes, Miller, and the TEs will be utilized.

I am excited to see what the starting QB can do in DeBoer's offense. I am not fixated on any one player.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I am excited to see what the starting QB can do in DeBoer's offense. I am not fixated on any one player.

No, and there are 4 QBs to look at

 

[TD7]

No, he really didn't. Rees completely changed the offense approach to accomodate what JM could, and could not do and that was at the expense of being able to leverage more variety in play calling to keep defenses guessing. Despite that, even in the playoff game, JM wasn't seeing simple things that a vast majority of HS level QBs can at least recognize, even if they might not have the physical ability to do something about it. See the video I just posted in response to your other post...

You are correct. Milroe has very difficult time reading coverages. PFF did a study of the SEC QB's and he was dead last in the conference in how long he held the ball. A lot of those sacks were on him because he has what we call in the coaching circles "slow eyes".

 

[LittleLexi]

CKD started Penix as a freshman, I'm not certain Sayin won't be the guy next year.

I can promise you it will not be someone who gets sacked 4-6 times a game.

 

[gtgilbert]

Is it possible that the CKD and the new OC will be able to fabricate an offense where Milroe can be ultra successful? And might they opt to go with a two QB rotation?

In my opinion, any marginally efficient offense they could come up with is still going to require a massive degree of improvement from milroe. Even a pure QB run based offense will require a lot more capability to make reads, and then we are not using the offensive style that made him successful.

 

[gtgilbert]

You are correct. Milroe has very difficult time reading coverages. PFF did a study of the SEC QB's and he was dead last in the conference in how long he held the ball. A lot of those sacks were on him because he has what we call in the coaching circles "slow eyes".

Totally not shocked by that. I would bet it was last by a long shot also. It's freaking obvious even in practice when he's not even having to process anything.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Freddie Kitchens...?

Freddie wasn't running anywhere with that tank body and beer belly (God love him). I was thinking Brody at first but he didn't really want to run either.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Rees didn't have the benefit of seeing much of Jalen Milroe prior to spring 2023. So after the season started, he made what adjustments he could to get the most out of his potential. DeBoer and Grubb have more film to look at before Spring. They'll have time to work with him to identify and correct whatever issues need to be addressed, along with making the most with his talents. I think we'll see big improvements. I'm excited to see what Jalen can do in DeBoer's offense. Also how Haynes, Miller, and the TEs will be utilized.

I love Jalen and I can say that his problem is decision making. He does not read the field well initially and slow to make reads based on that after the ball is snapped. These guys are QB gurus so maybe he can be whispered but in the end it comes down to who gets done what they want done. If there are other guys more natural to the way they want to run the offense then it is over. But DeBoer himself said they adapt to the talent they have so if Jalen gives us the best chance at the QB position then I am sure the coaches will find a way to make it work.

 

[gtgilbert]

Rees didn't have the benefit of seeing much of Jalen Milroe prior to spring 2023. So after the season started, he made what adjustments he could to get the most out of his potential. DeBoer and Grubb have more film to look at before Spring. They'll have time to work with him to identify and correct whatever issues need to be addressed, along with making the most with his talents. I think we'll see big improvements. I'm excited to see what Jalen can do in DeBoer's offense. Also how Haynes, Miller, and the TEs will be utilized.

Or the coaches may implement their offense, and chose the players who execute that system the best instead of trying to change their approach just to fit one player, possibly at the expense of the other players on the team.

Also, the coaches can't work directly with the players outside of what the NCAA limits on hours/dates/lengths of practices. They can meet with him, and point out developmental needs, but they cant work with him at all.

 

[BamaBoySince89]

I love Jalen and I can say that his problem is decision making. He does not read the field well initially and slow to make reads based on that after the ball is snapped. These guys are QB gurus so maybe he can be whispered but in the end it comes down to who gets done what they want done. If there are other guys more natural to the way they want to run the offense then it is over. But DeBoer himself said they adapt to the talent they have so if Jalen gives us the best chance at the QB position then I am sure the coaches will find a way to make it work.

I don’t know how he’ll gravitate to learning a new system. Granted Penix ran it at Indiana with the same group of coaches (KD & RG) and he showed flashes at times Indiana. To me it was like the light clicked on once he got more experience in the system. Milroe wouldn’t have the luxury of time being in this offense and getting developed all in one season. I guess my biggest concern would be if this offense is predicated on the QB making the right reads and knowing what the defense is throwing at them, will we see of the same struggles with Milroe. Having legs, speed, and a cannon can’t substitute for general awareness and the ability to see the field.

 

[AlexanderFan]

I don’t know how he’ll gravitate to learning a new system. Granted Penix ran it at Indiana with the same group of coaches (KD & RG) and he showed flashes at times Indiana. To me it was light the light clicked on once he got more experience in the system. Milroe wouldn’t have the luxury of time being in this offense and getting developed all in one season. I guess my biggest concern would be if this offense is predicated on the QB making the right reads and knowing what the defense is throwing at them, will we see of the same struggles with Milroe. Having legs, speed, and a cannon can’t substitute for general awareness and the ability to see the field.

Posters have been trying to explain that, but some people think that not being able to process at a major college quarterback level is some sort of insult. The vast majority of people can't process information and translate that into physical activity in 2-4 seconds. Heck if they could quarterbacks wouldn't be the most important position on the field.

 

[gtgilbert]

I don’t know how he’ll gravitate to learning a new system. Granted Penix ran it at Indiana with the same group of coaches (KD & RG) and he showed flashes at times Indiana. To me it was light the light clicked on once he got more experience in the system. Milroe wouldn’t have the luxury of time being in this offense and getting developed all in one season. I guess my biggest concern would be if this offense is predicated on the QB making the right reads and knowing what the defense is throwing at them, will we see of the same struggles with Milroe. Having legs, speed, and a cannon can’t substitute for general awareness and the ability to see the field.

I haven't watched a ton of film, but in the limited amount I have seen, Penix was several orders of magnitude better in his first year as a freshman than JM was in his 3rd season.

The new system, even more than what the Alabama system was supposed to be but was not last year, is predicated even MORE on the QB being a point guard. that's just not what JM has shown to date.

 

[gtgilbert]

Posters have been trying to explain that, but some people think that not being able to process at a major college quarterback level is some sort of insult. The vast majority of people can't process information and translate that into physical activity in 2-4 seconds. Heck if they could quarterbacks wouldn't be the most important position on the field.

More like processing in 2/10s of a second. 4 seconds gets you sacked, a lot...

 

[Tidelines]

Looks to me like the Mack kid transferring in would be ahead of everyone starting out. Maybe the light is ready to come on for him. This first year will be really important for DeBoer. He needs to get off on the right foot to help recruiting.