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Tide Gets Just What the Doctor Ordered.

November 5, 2009

By Terry Pellman

Coach Saban made the remark following the Tennessee game that he felt a team reaches its peak after a stretch of six games.  When fans look back at the way the Tide performed in their last two games of their recent eight game stretch that description rang true.

It was a worn out Alabama football team.

It was easy to see how the rest during the off week benefited the Volunteer team.  Even with the advantages the Tide had in depth of talent, Tennessee was able to compete throughout four quarters of play.

Depth was considered one of the reasons the Tide would roll—and to a degree it certainly was considering the push the defensive line was able to summon on the last play of the game.  Yet, the prognostications of how the score would end up were woefully wrong.  As we noted here post-game, this Tide football team was worn out both physically and mentally.

Taking that a step further, Greg Truelove’s commentary on the fans panic on the win was misplaced was spot on. This team needed it’s rest and the season to date had to be taken in perspective.

Now just over 48 hours away from kickoff against LSU just how has the team done these past few days?  Here’s a brief recap of off-week along with a few observations on what the team has been focusing on.

  • The break and rest was just what this football team had to have.  When you consider Rolando McClain commenting (the Thursday before the Tennessee game) he was having a hard time “getting his legs back” it really puts the wear and tear of eight games in a row, five of them SEC contests, in perspective.
  • It’s easy to assume that guys who hold starting positions tend to keep them.  But, as this season has progressed people are still moving on the depth charts.  The back-ups on the offensive line are still a work in progress.  More importantly to some, just which quarterback would take the field if McElroy is injured sees youth beginning to move above experience in the program.
  • Practices have been complete opposites if you were to compare pre-Tennessee to pre-LSU.  Not only is McClain back to his true form, but the entire team has their legs back under them.  In fact it’s almost reminiscent of fall camp where the players were performing with tremendous speed, beginning to tire of hitting each other, and were ready for competitive play.  They look sharp in the assignment work.  The term “ball hawks” couldn’t be more apropos with four and five players meeting at the  point of attack.
  • In my eyes, the most important attribute the rest has energized in this team is the mental aspect.  Players and coaches alike have been very vocal and in a large degree very anal about what happens on the practice field.  They want perfection, on every play, and don’t hesitate to make those demands known.
  • I hope that we don’t have fans who believe they have the staff’s ear when it comes to problems they see on game days.  Fans do have a keen eye even though some areas of weakness can be blatantly evident.  Be rest assured, the staff sees the same things as the “Monday Morning Quarterbacks.”
  • The quarterback to receiver problems seem to be well on their way to being resolved.  Lacking in the live drills this week were the number of dropped balls by the receiving corps.  The dreaded fade route woes have been concentrated on, and look to be improving.
  • Red zone issues have been a focus of concern as well.  In terms of the passing game, it hasn’t been limited to one specific receiver but more emphasis has been placed on including running backs and tight ends in the play calls.  There’s also been quite a bit of emphasis on the power running game in short yardage and goal line situations.

These observations come from different email exchanges and phone conversations over the past week and a half.  They’ve left me with the opinion that this Alabama team fully understands the magnitude of this weekend game.

More important to note:  The Tide is ready to roll.


Written by TerryP · Filed Under Football 
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