Question: Will the '19 Defense improve?

[Tidetwin]

I feel better seeing that depth chart, honestly. The new blood will have some contributors as well. Hopefully we can have some more depth in the rotation. I think with the new high flying offense the defensive strategy may need to change a bit to accommodate. We dont need to hold everyone under 10 points with this O.

The depth and experience look great. Linebacker play is still the great unknown and our greatest weakness.

 

[USCBAMA]

D should be better next year, specifically the secondary which was young and/or inexperienced this year. It'll be interesting to watch Clemson next year as their team will be almost a mirror image of this year's Bama team - returning a ton of young talent on offense but losing the heart of their defense - they lose 7 starters plus a couple of key backups. They lose their entire starting DL plus their top backup DL, plus their best CB and their best LB.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

Question is, who's gonna coach them? We are losing coaches left and right.

Good chance that Coach Saban's Black Book has info on several young coaches who may be ready to move to the big time. OR... With the NFL turnover this year, Coach Saban may offer someone who wants a shot at stability.
My guess would be that a lot of young guys who are relatively unknown would accept a pay increase, and the notoriety of coaching at Alabama.

Here's a question to all guys who work for a living.
WOULD YOU ACCEPT A JOB AT DOUBLE YOUR SALARY FOR WORKING AN ADDITIONAL 15-25 HOURS A WEEK.
If your honest and think about your family,
I think a lot of guys would accept a job at Alabama.
I know I would have. I managed to work 10-20 hours extra a week, before I worked a second job.

 

[CrimsonEyeshade]

The depth and experience look great. Linebacker play is still the great unknown and our greatest weakness.

Agreed. Dylan performed far below his potential, and Mac looked lost almost season long. Would be curious to have a transcript of Saban's season-closing thoughts with both of them.

 

[Ole Man Dan]

I certainly hope we curtail the trash talking and strutting around after making a tackle. Knock them on their butt, help them up, pat them on the head, then do it again.

I think we'll be better next year with more experience for our young guys this year. We also have top-rated talent coming in. But I hope we can do better with the game planning. We seemed confused and missed a lot of assignments, especially in post-season play.

The strutting around by Williams after a sack didn't sit well to me.
Don't get me wrong, I like Williams, but I think he would have been better, not calling attention to himself.
Let his tackles speak for themselves.
I think back to the 'Throat Slash Gesture' and penalties.

 

[gtgilbert]

Agreed. Dylan performed far below his potential, and Mac looked lost season long. Would be curious to have a transcript of Saban's season-closing thoughts with both of them.

I hesitate to type this, but I put a lot of that on Mack. he's got a lot of tools, but I am not convinced he was able to become a leader / playcaller and I think that made Moses also play tentative. I recall in one of the earlier games this season when McMillon had subbed in and was making the calls, you could actually hear him, very well and very clearly making calls, id'ing alignments and making changes. He sounded assertive and in charge and everyone knew exactly what was going on. I can't recall ever hearing Mack like that. I'm not calling for mcMillon over mack or anything like, but mack has to get a lot closer to the way mcmillon was calling those things out, OR the staff is going to have to see if Moses can step up into the play caller role.

 

[DrollTide]

We will need a lot of production out of the incoming class, but I feel good about that. We have a great mix of raw talent and seniority.

I also think there may be a simplification of the defense coming. Saban's "Thou shalt not gain thee a yard" era is over, I expect, and we'll move to a more opportunistic defense, a takeaway defense, that perhaps gives up more yards but gives us a better "exchange ratio" in terms of drives. This will also allow hyper-athletic incoming bluechips to contribute sooner.

EDIT - dont want that to sound like total abandonment of previous principles, just a moderate change in acknowledgement of the fact that field position is becoming less important than possession.

 

[TiderJack]

The strutting around by Williams after a sack didn't sit well to me.
Don't get me wrong, I like Williams, but I think he would have been better, not calling attention to himself.
Let his tackles speak for themselves.
I think back to the 'Throat Slash Gesture' and penalties.

I was somewhat OK with it but when he did it on a TFL when we were down 21 pts and they were driving it did not sit well with me either. That's when you shut up, get back in the huddle and try to do it again.

 

[TiderJack]

We will need a lot of production out of the incoming class, but I feel good about that. We have a great mix of raw talent and seniority.

I also think there may be a simplification of the defense coming. Saban's "Thou shalt not gain thee a yard" era is over, I expect, and we'll move to a more opportunistic defense, a takeaway defense, that perhaps gives up more yards but gives us a better "exchange ratio" in terms of drives. This will also allow hyper-athletic incoming bluechips to contribute sooner.

EDIT - dont want that to sound like total abandonment of previous principles, just a moderate change in acknowledgement of the fact that field position is becoming less important than possession.

As it stands now, we have 9 starters coming back on D and 8 on offense so we do not need a "lot" of production out of the incoming class. A couple may start and some will play but they will provide depth and compete against all the other 4* and 5* guys who are not returning starters to get on the field.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

As it stands now, we have 9 starters coming back on D and 8 on offense so we do not need a "lot" of production out of the incoming class. A couple may start and some will play but they will provide depth and compete against all the other 4* and 5* guys who are not returning starters to get on the field.

This has got to be one of the most experienced teams returning we've had recently. Anyone have stats on that?

 

[TiderJack]

This has got to be one of the most experienced teams returning we've had recently. Anyone have stats on that?

Agreed and I don't have the stats but I don't recall having 17 returning starters in the Saban era.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Lots of returning talent - that's good. But we saw what an experienced (15 games is experienced) D can still do when not properly prepared. We're going to need to see Scott and Golding both really improve at their coaching positions for this talent to perform where it's capable of - it seems like the ILB regressed throughout the season and the DB seemed to languish developmentally.

 

[Ledsteplin]

Lots of returning talent - that's good. But we saw what an experienced (15 games is experienced) D can still do when not properly prepared. We're going to need to see Scott and Golding both really improve at their coaching positions for this talent to perform where it's capable of - it seems like the ILB regressed throughout the season and the DB seemed to languish developmentally.

I don't know they regressed as much as the opposing defenses got tougher as we got into the later schedule. In any event, I would hope any glaring defensive issues be addressed and solved in spring and fall practice.

 

[ACE2]

I have told my Tide friends that "DEFENSE" wins championships for all my life and I still believe it. If you look at Saban's track record he has won every year because of defense. I really struggled at times with our guys giving up so many yards, big plays, and points this year. Bama gave up 23, 31, 21, 17, 21, 28, and 44 points. They absolutely could not get off the field on 3rd down. Something must change next year. I am not sure if its play calling or talent but boy we really looked lost and confused at times.

 

[rgw]

Really hope we get a two-deep rotation going at each OLB position next year. With Lewis, Jennings, Allen, and Anoma it just doesn't make sense to do anything other than liberally rotate these guys. Mathis and Ray ought to be fine players for the DL but depth is the question mark. I don't even know what the two-deep looks like over there.

The last time we had our entire secondary (base, nickel, and dime packages) return was 2011. 2016 was the next season closest in terms of secondary continuity because of Tony Brown being out to start the season. You know what those two seasons had in common?

 

[RTR91]

I have told my Tide friends that "DEFENSE" wins championships for all my life and I still believe it. If you look at Saban's track record he has won every year because of defense. I really struggled at times with our guys giving up so many yards, big plays, and points this year. Bama gave up 23, 31, 21, 17, 21, 28, and 44 points. They absolutely could not get off the field on 3rd down. Something must change next year. I am not sure if its play calling or talent but boy we really looked lost and confused at times.

Some of this is just not true.

First, Alabama was #15 going into the title game by allowing opponents to convert 31.9% of their third downs. After Clemson converted 67%, Alabama dropped to #24 (34.2%).

Second, Alabama finished #12 in scoring defense by giving up 18.1 points per game. That's holding their opponents to 15.5 points per game less than their average.

Third, UA fave up an average of 319.5 yards per game, which ranks #16.

Finally, you mention the big plays. I'm not going through the Clemson plays to check right now, but I can tell you of the 56 "explosive" (20+ yards) given up by the defense in the previous 14 games 36 came when Alabama was up by 20+ points. Only nine were in the first quarter.

 

[RTR91]

Really hope we get a two-deep rotation going at each OLB position next year. With Lewis, Jennings, Allen, and Anoma it just doesn't make sense to do anything other than liberally rotate these guys. Mathis and Ray ought to be fine players for the DL but depth is the question mark. I don't even know what the two-deep looks like over there.

The last time we had our entire secondary (base, nickel, and dime packages) return was 2011. 2016 was the next season closest in terms of secondary continuity because of Tony Brown being out to start the season. You know what those two seasons had in common?

With the depth at LB, there should be a few rotations. Parks and Latu should get playing time behind the ones you mentioned. Plus, the ILB guys. Hopefully, it happens this year.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

Lots of returning talent - that's good. But we saw what an experienced (15 games is experienced) D can still do when not properly prepared. We're going to need to see Scott and Golding both really improve at their coaching positions for this talent to perform where it's capable of - it seems like the ILB regressed throughout the season and the DB seemed to languish developmentally.

True. But you gotta think we'll be better off with Diggs back healthy and Surtain a year older (I'm sure he gets a ton of outside coaching).

I'm hoping there is a change in Golding's responsibilities or something. Or at least some kind of fix for the ILBs

 

[Texas_tide]

I feel good with next years D.

I think depth was lacking on D line. Hopefully Alfano is as good as stated.

 

[CoachJeff]

The question is: who will have a season ending injury? That has become a pattern.