JessN: Vanderbilt wrap-up: An inexcusable loss, but a loss UA must bounce back from
- Thread starter JessN
- Start date
We never led the game against Vandy. Teams that lose to Vandy don't win titles. That is not an overreaction. It is a fact.
The next game I coach will be my first. Fortunately, I don't have to be a coach to have a reasoned opinion. This is TideFANS after all - a site "by the fans, for the fans" so let me be a clear voice of BamaNation fandom today ...
This is the type of loss that, if the discipline and lack of focus issues are not corrected TODAY, will have much broader ramifications beyond athletics. UA over the last 17 years has become one of the desired destinations for top students across America. Nick Saban was a large reason for that in leading The University to be excellent in all things. It continues that progress on the academic side. But, losing to Vanderbilt is not excellent. Nothing about yesterday speaks to excellence. Kicking a ball after it is placed is not excellent. Acting a fool on the field is not excellent. Taunting when you're down 20 points is not excellent. Not making adjustments to your plan is not excellent. Having duplicate numbers on the field is not excellent. There are no acceptable excuses. The process will happen or those not getting on board with excellence (whoever they may be) need to be processed.
I think those trying to minimize this loss or compare it to Saban's La Monroe loss don't understand this or, more likely, are in denial. There were maybe 5-10 guys on that team that could be on the 4-deep roster on this team. We're loaded with talent now. We may not be loaded with leadership. We'll see in how players and coaches respond starting TODAY. Sure, they want to win but do they want to do what it takes to win EVERY week? Not sure yet.
We are loaded with fans and the fans will be watching closely because they want us to be part of the process (read: shell out $$$ for NIL payouts). You/they/we may not like how this is phrased but it is a transactional sport now. Thus, TODAY is an important day for what is to come.
Good news is that we're 6 weeks into a 12-week regular season, have a 4-1 record and lots of opportunities in front of us to step up and become excellent. But proper game planning, execution, and leadership has to be there first. JessN predicted a 10-2 season for us. That is still probably the expectation. Losing to Vandy wasn't in that calculation so now we need to win out to make a playoff run IMHO.
Anything else and we'll be playing a directional school in late-December in a not great place.
This is the type of loss that, if the discipline and lack of focus issues are not corrected TODAY, will have much broader ramifications beyond athletics. UA over the last 17 years has become one of the desired destinations for top students across America. Nick Saban was a large reason for that in leading The University to be excellent in all things. It continues that progress on the academic side. But, losing to Vanderbilt is not excellent. Nothing about yesterday speaks to excellence. Kicking a ball after it is placed is not excellent. Acting a fool on the field is not excellent. Taunting when you're down 20 points is not excellent. Not making adjustments to your plan is not excellent. Having duplicate numbers on the field is not excellent. There are no acceptable excuses. The process will happen or those not getting on board with excellence (whoever they may be) need to be processed.
I think those trying to minimize this loss or compare it to Saban's La Monroe loss don't understand this or, more likely, are in denial. There were maybe 5-10 guys on that team that could be on the 4-deep roster on this team. We're loaded with talent now. We may not be loaded with leadership. We'll see in how players and coaches respond starting TODAY. Sure, they want to win but do they want to do what it takes to win EVERY week? Not sure yet.
We are loaded with fans and the fans will be watching closely because they want us to be part of the process (read: shell out $$$ for NIL payouts). You/they/we may not like how this is phrased but it is a transactional sport now. Thus, TODAY is an important day for what is to come.
Good news is that we're 6 weeks into a 12-week regular season, have a 4-1 record and lots of opportunities in front of us to step up and become excellent. But proper game planning, execution, and leadership has to be there first. JessN predicted a 10-2 season for us. That is still probably the expectation. Losing to Vandy wasn't in that calculation so now we need to win out to make a playoff run IMHO.
Anything else and we'll be playing a directional school in late-December in a not great place.
And it isnt becos of their history losing to Bama.
Its becos their recruiting ranking even with transfers for last 5 years would be quite low compared to Bama
Horrible schemes and even softer play from our hiigher recruting classes
BN, your entire post is on-point(s). My snipping of it should not take away a single point. I just didn't want to re-post the whole ... excellent ... post.
Well done, sir.
This may not be the worst Bama loss I have ever seen but it may have been the worst overall effort (this was not a defensive or offensive loss but a total team loss}. Every part of the team contributed. We started the game by spotting them 14 points, then playing poorly to compound the lack of effort. You can say the breaks went against us, but good teams overcome that. It looked like we were spending too much effort trying to rake the ball away from ball carriers and not putting enough effort into knocking them to the ground. Getting a turnover can be great but let us keep the first thing first and the first thing is knocking someone down so that the play is over.
Go back and think about how many times you saw a wad of players standing upright while their running backs step by step picked up another yard or two or three and the defense side stepped along with them. If one guy has the ball carrier by the ankles, he is not moving forward. Maybe it is not that simple, but it seems pretty basic.
Go back and think about how many times you saw a wad of players standing upright while their running backs step by step picked up another yard or two or three and the defense side stepped along with them. If one guy has the ball carrier by the ankles, he is not moving forward. Maybe it is not that simple, but it seems pretty basic.
Yeah, only thing BN failed to mention was Vandy played with a mad on ‘cause ‘Bama outbid ‘em NIL-wise for a swing OL from Mich State (Geno VanDeMark) who they needed yesterday to move the pile and the LOS about as much as a fish needs a parasol to keep from getting wet.
The lack of discipline and the apparent feelings of entitlement among the players bothers me more than the loss itself. If, as a coach, you are not teaching sportsmanship, class and (as stated above) pursuit of excellence, then what is the point? These are the qualities that the players need in order to have successful adulthoods, to acquire wisdom.
My family, almost all of whom are UA graduates, are simply shaking their heads in disgust.
My family, almost all of whom are UA graduates, are simply shaking their heads in disgust.
I would gladly accept this legacy.
The things that concern me for the rest of the season:
1. If Vanderbilt's offense did what it did to Alabama's defense with inferior players, consider what a team with gifted players will do. The rest of Alabama's opponents now have a blueprint for how to beat Bama. I know the option isn't the norm in the SEC, but most teams have the caliber of coaches and players capable of quickly adding some wrinkles into their preferred offense.
2. The team culture. Celebrating after a score while you're getting bulldozed by Vandy is completely inexcusable. Completely. Acting like a spoiled kid when things aren't going your way is completely inexcusable. Completely. If that isn't fixed next week, then I think Alabama may have made a huge misfire with DeBoer.
2a. Pride and toughness. It really looked like Alabama's defense didn't want to be playing...at all. I get it for the first couple of series, maybe even the first half. But how did that not get corrected at halftime? Good coaches make halftime adjustments. If that doesn't get fixed, see the last sentence of #2 above.
1. If Vanderbilt's offense did what it did to Alabama's defense with inferior players, consider what a team with gifted players will do. The rest of Alabama's opponents now have a blueprint for how to beat Bama. I know the option isn't the norm in the SEC, but most teams have the caliber of coaches and players capable of quickly adding some wrinkles into their preferred offense.
2. The team culture. Celebrating after a score while you're getting bulldozed by Vandy is completely inexcusable. Completely. Acting like a spoiled kid when things aren't going your way is completely inexcusable. Completely. If that isn't fixed next week, then I think Alabama may have made a huge misfire with DeBoer.
2a. Pride and toughness. It really looked like Alabama's defense didn't want to be playing...at all. I get it for the first couple of series, maybe even the first half. But how did that not get corrected at halftime? Good coaches make halftime adjustments. If that doesn't get fixed, see the last sentence of #2 above.
I tend to agree with what you are saying, especially that parity in college football has arrived, thanks to changes in the transfer rules and the onslaught of paying players. The SEC will remain a powerhouse though because of the lure to sign quality athletes. But, I believe we will see the consistently top SEC teams will shift to the Longhorns and even Oklahoma because those two teams have huge purses (oil money) that can and will outbid other conference teams. Let's face the music, we are going to struggle to successfully sign the best athletes. In fact, this shift has already begun. Today's cream of the crop athletes have little interest in getting an education: just show me the money.
Is your implication that the school is now so focused on excellence that it will expunge what isn't? Meaning the president and AD won't let the football team continue with the themes we saw against Vandy, or are you saying that the school better have that mindset, or risk a ripple effect across the institution?
The NIL/transfer era may benefit Vandy more than most other SEC team. Vandy is a roster in the SEC that can offer mid major players a roster spot and playing time. With the right vision i think Vandy can and is improving its roster. Besides Vandy cant really adhere to its academic standards simply because players can transfer freely so why even try.
There’s a video online which shows Ryan Williams and a couple other players mimicking Vanderbilt and calling for a “light day” and score 150. in all my years of watching Alabama, I can’t recall such blatant disrespect of an opponent. This years team needs Mark Ingram, Julio, Mincha etc to set them
Straight. Might be over reacting but has DeBoer lost this team?
Straight. Might be over reacting but has DeBoer lost this team?
If that's true then maybe losing is right and just.
If true, DeBoer is at a significant crossroads in his coaching career. How he handles that kind of behavior at Alabama will take him down one of two paths. I hope he understands what hangs in the balance of his decision.
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