Aaron Suttles
TideSports.com Senior Writer
It wasn't a banner day for the Alabama secondary against Auburn last Saturday night, although safety Nick Perry's third-quarter interception helped change the dynamic of the game.
Overall, though, don't expect too must chest thumping over 456 passing yards allowed and the sheer amount of explosive plays Auburn made in the passing game.
Seven different Tigers receivers hauled in passes, including seven receptions that covered at least 21 yards or more.
The corrections for the lessons learned began Monday on the practice field and in film study, as the team began preparing for the SEC Championship Game.
"I just think that we try to correct the mistakes that we made and show a guy why things happened the way they did, whether it was eye control, not maintaining position on the receiver, not keeping a guy cut off, not playing the right leverage on the guy when you have help," UA coach Nick Saban said. "I think these things are technical in nature, and obviously we want to execute a little better than that. That's how we correct things in the film, and that's what we'll do."
One positive the secondary took from the game was in how reserve cornerback Bradley Sylve, who started in the season-opening game against West Virginia but not since, emerged in the second half when the team looked for any option to slow down Auburn's Sammie Coates.
Coates had catches of 34, 68, 40 and 53 matched up against various UA defensive backs, including Eddie Jackson and Geno Smith. He had none against Sylve.
"We were very happy for him," Perry said. "We knew that Bradley, he can come in, he can do the same things that Cyrus Jones can do and Eddie can do, and his number was called, he made the most of his opportunity."
For Saturday's game, it depends on the coaches' decision after this week of practices to determine who starts against Missouri.
"Well, we haven't really decided yet," Saban said. "Eddie played well for us all year long. Bradley did a nice job when he went in the game last night. Probably see how things go in practice this week and make a decision later on in the week about that."
Players expressed support for Jackson, who has been a solid contributor at corner for much of the season.
Jackson's played in nine of 12 games after sustaining a major knee injury during spring practice. He's recorded 34 tackles, one interception, four pass break ups and five passes defended.
"(We tell him) Just don't worry about it. It's one play," Perry said. "Playing defensive back, you gotta have a short-term memory, and you've just got to forget those bad plays and just move on to the next play."
https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1710976
TideSports.com Senior Writer
It wasn't a banner day for the Alabama secondary against Auburn last Saturday night, although safety Nick Perry's third-quarter interception helped change the dynamic of the game.
Overall, though, don't expect too must chest thumping over 456 passing yards allowed and the sheer amount of explosive plays Auburn made in the passing game.
Seven different Tigers receivers hauled in passes, including seven receptions that covered at least 21 yards or more.
The corrections for the lessons learned began Monday on the practice field and in film study, as the team began preparing for the SEC Championship Game.
"I just think that we try to correct the mistakes that we made and show a guy why things happened the way they did, whether it was eye control, not maintaining position on the receiver, not keeping a guy cut off, not playing the right leverage on the guy when you have help," UA coach Nick Saban said. "I think these things are technical in nature, and obviously we want to execute a little better than that. That's how we correct things in the film, and that's what we'll do."
One positive the secondary took from the game was in how reserve cornerback Bradley Sylve, who started in the season-opening game against West Virginia but not since, emerged in the second half when the team looked for any option to slow down Auburn's Sammie Coates.
Coates had catches of 34, 68, 40 and 53 matched up against various UA defensive backs, including Eddie Jackson and Geno Smith. He had none against Sylve.
"We were very happy for him," Perry said. "We knew that Bradley, he can come in, he can do the same things that Cyrus Jones can do and Eddie can do, and his number was called, he made the most of his opportunity."
For Saturday's game, it depends on the coaches' decision after this week of practices to determine who starts against Missouri.
"Well, we haven't really decided yet," Saban said. "Eddie played well for us all year long. Bradley did a nice job when he went in the game last night. Probably see how things go in practice this week and make a decision later on in the week about that."
Players expressed support for Jackson, who has been a solid contributor at corner for much of the season.
Jackson's played in nine of 12 games after sustaining a major knee injury during spring practice. He's recorded 34 tackles, one interception, four pass break ups and five passes defended.
"(We tell him) Just don't worry about it. It's one play," Perry said. "Playing defensive back, you gotta have a short-term memory, and you've just got to forget those bad plays and just move on to the next play."
https://alabama.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1710976
