🏈 1 for last 7 FGs; offensive lack of creativity

[It Takes Eleven]

Let's get him

Isn't he a verbal?

 

[bamanaf]

Spot on Cobra. Nothing "spoiled" about discussing what we all see with the glaring problem areas of our offense. Most of us enjoy discussion of what it takes to be Championship caliber! Good constructive criticism in the first post... past two games way too conservative, way to predictable.

Im glad we have Ga Southern to hopefully work on a few more options before we face au.

 

[BamaCore]

Spot on Cobra. Nothing "spoiled" about discussing what we all see with the glaring problem areas of our offense. Most of us enjoy discussion of what it takes to be Championship caliber! Good constructive criticism in the first post... past two games way too conservative, way to predictable.

Im glad we have Ga Southern to hopefully work on a few more options before we face au.

Talking about what it takes to be a champion and acting as if you know better than a man that has helped guide a school to two undefeated regular seasons, only 6 regular season losses, and it's first Heisman winner are two COMPLETELY different things. Maybe I'm just tired of stuff like this. Hell, I remember a good portion of people screaming for Star Jackson to take over the QB system in 2009 when McElroy had a bit of a slump! Where is he now? Fourth string at Georgia State? My point is that McElwain, in my opinion, hasn't warranted all the criticism he gets. People always think THEY know the solution to the problem, but it's never as simple or as easy as they would have you think.

 

[TerryP]

A couple of random thoughts...

Someone should use the search engine for this site, look up Cade Foster's recruitment. The comments read the same back then as they do today on Adam.

Terri Saban was quoted as questioning why we run the offense we do. It's Saban's offensive scheme. It's really a situation where understand "this is who we are" or it's a situation where one feels "it's better to criticize than accept."

I saw a reference earlier to comments during the Shula era. In all actuality, it's more along the lines of comments heard during Stalling's era.

Even if we don't make it to the BCSNC, can anyone complain about an 11-1 regular season and the invite to a BCS bowl game?

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Spot on Cobra. Nothing "spoiled" about discussing what we all see with the glaring problem areas of our offense. Most of us enjoy discussion of what it takes to be Championship caliber! Good constructive criticism in the first post... past two games way too conservative, way to predictable.

Im glad we have Ga Southern to hopefully work on a few more options before we face au.

The MSU playcalling, by design, was conservative. As Terry said, this offense is Saban's and it is there to score enough points and then shorten the game. The playcalling for LSU (reverse to Maze, pass from Maze) wasn't that conservative, but as the game wore on it became more conservative because both coaches rightfully recognized the next team to make a mistake would likely lose. Playcalling in OT wasn't my favorite, but the wheel route to Trent was a high risk/reward play that, if completed, we'd all be happy as clams.

RTR,

Tim

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Even if we don't make it to the BCSNC, can anyone complain about an 11-1 regular season and the invite to a BCS bowl game?

Not complain, just disappointed. I knew anything accomplished last season (such as SECC) would be a bonus given the level of defense; however, I believed last year and through the LSU game that this would be our year for another championship. Knowing that next year's team will not be as good as this one bums me a bit as well. I'm not saying we've peaked, but the D will not be as good next year.

This is a very premature statement, but given the players and coaches we have, I'll be very disappointed if the Saban era produces just one SECC and one NC.

RTR,

Tim

 

['65 Cobra]

Spot on Cobra. Nothing "spoiled" about discussing what we all see with the glaring problem areas of our offense. Most of us enjoy discussion of what it takes to be Championship caliber! Good constructive criticism in the first post... past two games way too conservative, way to predictable.

Im glad we have Ga Southern to hopefully work on a few more options before we face au.

Thanks, bamanaf and I agree with your comments. I don't think anyone here including myself ever said or even intimated that they were more qualified than any given coach or any more expert. Just making observations as passionate fans and also taking in and observing comments from fans of other teams that play against us who have an unbiased perspective. I think that is the whole point of a fan Forum - so that fans can discuss their observations openly and with passion. At no point in this thread did I see any posts that were less than lucid and rational in their observations and criticisms about our offense. I also noted that there were no personal attacks or extreme comments. In fact, the whiniest threads have come from people criticizing this kind of thread.

My whole point is that in order to continuously improve, you have to always self-assess to identify weak spots and negative habits. You also have to recognize, that there is skill and talent among other coaching staffs as well and if you become too predictable, those other staffs will figure out how to stop you. This is the SEC and you have to assume that the other teams will figure it out if you don't constantly do it better. If you wait for a loss to occur, you're already too late. The self-assessment process is continuous.

 

[gumboman]

A couple of random thoughts...

Someone should use the search engine for this site, look up Cade Foster's recruitment. The comments read the same back then as they do today on Adam.

Terri Saban was quoted as questioning why we run the offense we do. It's Saban's offensive scheme. It's really a situation where understand "this is who we are" or it's a situation where one feels "it's better to criticize than accept."

I saw a reference earlier to comments during the Shula era. In all actuality, it's more along the lines of comments heard during Stalling's era.

Even if we don't make it to the BCSNC, can anyone complain about an 11-1 regular season and the invite to a BCS bowl game?[/QUOTE]




With a first year QB.....I won't. I expect excellence, just like everyone else. I also understand the reality of the situation. No matter how bad I want us to win every game. Fact is that our defense wins championships. Always has. Always will. I guess we could resort to the awbren double-reverse, flea-flicker or the statue of liberty. :lance:

 

[BamaDelta]

I'll be the first to admit I don't love Saban's offensive schemes. We didn't learn much in our 3 losses last year. We pounded a Michigan State team that just couldn't match up to our talent.

Our offense has been inconsistent this year with probably the peak game being Arkansas. Not saying we didn't stay at that level for certain points of other games. In the 1st half we didn't stay at that level with any team but maybe Ole Miss. 2nd half, different story. At Miss. State I don't like that AJ wasn't given plays that I think show confidence in him. Now maybe that was due to the line being shuffled and no Barrett Jones. I don't know, I just felt like I was watching 2005 post-Prothro-injury all over again.

 

[Joe]

Let's get him

Did you see Cade Foster kick in high school? He was a very good kicker who consistently kicked kickoffs through the goalposts. I don't know the reason but Cade does not have the leg he had in high school. Take a look at Cade Fosters old high school kicking videos. He was a great kicker. I am afraid that our problem might be in this coaching staffs ability to develop good kickers.

 

[Joe]

My problem with the offense is the lack of attention to detail. We do not sell the fake to Trent very well and our receivers do not constantly run good routes. For example in the LSU game, if B. Gibson runs the right route then his man does not make the interception and M. Williams scores a touchdown. Look at Gibson's route. If this is the route Gibson should have run then the offensive staff choked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQjPZRRDD64

I think the offensive staff would also benefit by using a few plays with Richardson and Lacy in the backfield at the same time but the staff does not seem to know how to use them just as they failed to use Ingram and Richardson last year. I was watching the NE Patriots last evening and they brought two backs out of the backfield to catch screen passes. Take a look at how Arkansas used Jones and McFaden in the backfield a few years back. I don't want trick plays but more attention to detail and look for ways to use the talent we have in ways that make it hard for other defenses to defend us. It would also help if AJ threw a little more consistently down field and our receivers would not drop passes that hit them in there hands. BTW, the offensive line's pass protection this year has been excellent. There is no reason that we do not have a better passing game than we do with the kind of time our OL gives AJ.

 

[Bo]

Those of you complaining about McElwain and our offense, you do realize that it doesn't matter who the OC is don't you? This is Saban's offense, and it will almost always be conservative.

 

['65 Cobra]

My problem with the offense is the lack of attention to detail. We do not sell the fake to Trent very well and our receivers do not constantly run good routes. For example in the LSU game, if B. Gibson runs the right route then his man does not make the interception and M. Williams scores a touchdown. Look at Gibson's route. If this is the route Gibson should have run then the offensive staff choked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQjPZRRDD64

I think the offensive staff would also benefit by using a few plays with Richardson and Lacy in the backfield at the same time but the staff does not seem to know how to use them just as they failed to use Ingram and Richardson last year. I was watching the NE Patriots last evening and they brought two backs out of the backfield to catch screen passes. Take a look at how Arkansas used Jones and McFaden in the backfield a few years back. I don't want trick plays but more attention to detail and look for ways to use the talent we have in ways that make it hard for other defenses to defend us. It would also help if AJ threw a little more consistently down field and our receivers would not drop passes that hit them in there hands. BTW, the offensive line's pass protection this year has been excellent. There is no reason that we do not have a better passing game than we do with the kind of time our OL gives AJ.

Wow, this is a great post. Well done. Gibson is barely even jogging out there. I also noticed that if Maze led Williams just a bit more, there would have been no INT as Williams had to wait for the ball. Oh well, woulda, shoulda, coulda...

Again, continuous improvement. Too much talent not being utilized and I agree about having Trent and Eddie in at the same time. It also wouldn't hurt to have some of those speed-demon underclassman WRs in there at least to pull DBs away. I understand that AJ has thrown a few picks this year, but he does have talent and I wish they would unleash him more.

There is nothing wrong with being conservative on offense. But there is a real problem if you are totally predictable and therefore easy to game plan against. There are plenty of ways to maintain conservatism while still being creative and more of a challenge to defend.

 

[Joe]

Those of you complaining about McElwain and our offense, you do realize that it doesn't matter who the OC is don't you? This is Saban's offense, and it will almost always be conservative.

I think that you are correct about Coach Saban wanting to keep the offense conservative, but I think the lack of attention to detail is on the OC.

 

[Bo]

The OC, the player's position coach, and mostly, the player himself.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

When we refer to this being Saban's offense, I kinda wonder about how much it is his. I say that b/c McElroy was on Finebaum a while back & he stated that the only time Saban came in to offensive meetings was one time in 2007, that is it. What does that say?

 

[bamanaf]

I think the offensive staff would also benefit by using a few plays with Richardson and Lacy in the backfield at the same time but the staff does not seem to know how to use them

Amen, been wondering the same all year.. along with some of my Bama buddies. Just to throw in some confusing looks using both bulldozers would add to keep any team on their heels and cause a bit more confusion. It doesn't have to be risky type bs, just added confusion to their defenses. Seems pretty basic with the given talent and I don't see a downside to trying it a few times EVERY game??!

 

[St Augustide]

I'm an old linebacker so I absolutley love watching dominating defense. That being said, if you know that the D is reacting to your running back with 8 in the box and you need to loosen them up, how about throwing a flea flicker? I dont want to see trickery all the time but making a defense respect your receivers is just good offense. I for the most part would love for Trent, Eddie and Jalston to get 85% of the carries but loosen them up a little.

T

 

[Bo]

When we refer to this being Saban's offense, I kinda wonder about how much it is his. I say that b/c McElroy was on Finebaum a while back & he stated that the only time Saban came in to offensive meetings was one time in 2007, that is it. What does that say?

When I say it's Saban's offense, I mean that it's Saban's style of offense. And, while he might not be in the offensive meetings, the coaches that are know what he wants them to do.

 

[mongo4bama]

Well something needs to be done with the offense it will keep us from winning a NC this year maybe and in the future.

you need a diverse offense to recruit talent at wr and qb ' I do belive in running the ball but ou passing sheme anf AJ's mechanics are off.