🏈 "Alabama's defense isn't as good as it has been." What's this based on other than speculation? Through three games...

[TerryP]

@TUSKtimes, best quarterback season we've seen in a long time

 

[mando]

My perception is based on the following:

Preseason talk set the mindset that we will be inexperienced, have depth issues and we have a new D coordinator which creates the expectation that we will not being as dominate. Once the seed is planted hard to not find ways to justify.

Adding to this perception is that the rush D is 8th in the SEC which is certainly below the Bama standard.

I would fully expect this to change with each snap as the D and the D coordinator gain experience and grow depth.

Not worried long term. I think Saban knows a little bit about defense.

Roll Tide.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Bama hasn't played anybody that is somebody at this point so the stats are pretty much useless. I want to what happens when we play a team that can run the ball really well and then we're will better understand the deal. I believe A&M is going to be a real test for Bama. Now I have been wrong before....can you feel me.

 

[TerryP]

Bama hasn't played anybody that is somebody at this point so the stats are pretty much useless.

Didnt last year. Fair comparison?

 

[EasyTider]

I’m reserving my opinion until Saturday night. If we break it off on TAMU,then I’m all in!!

 

[JoshB]

Bama hasn't played anybody that is somebody at this point so the stats are pretty much useless. I want to what happens when we play a team that can run the ball really well and then we're will better understand the deal. I believe A&M is going to be a real test for Bama. Now I have been wrong before....can you feel me.

So, who did Alabama play in the first three games last year that is so much better than the three this year? And at some point the "no competition" BS has to go out the window. Heard about Bobby Petrino's offense and how hard it would be to stop until the game happened. Same with Ole Miss. Now suddenly they are shitty offenses?

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I’m reserving my opinion until Saturday night. If we break it off on TAMU,then I’m all in!!

Ed Zackery....Dis game gonnna tell uz something.....

Oh and make sure that receiver #13 from A&M is covered...that guy caught everything vs the Fighting Dabo's.

 

[SnakeFan]

Also, when you are scoring at will, more possessions for the other team and also, more time playing second and third team defense.

I was really having a hard time accepting the 300 yards rushing against our Defense until this.

 

[TUSKtimes]

So, who did Alabama play in the first three games last year that is so much better than the three this year? And at some point the "no competition" BS has to go out the window. Heard about Bobby Petrino's offense and how hard it would be to stop until the game happened. Same with Ole Miss. Now suddenly they are shitty offenses?

This team has been hearing a lot of myths so far this season. It will always take time to sort out who we are. Dari over on SEC Network has been trying to temper fans by repeating that Bama hasn't played anyone yet. Well, the only team Lousiville has lost to after 3 games is Alabama. The only team Arkansas State has lost to is Alabama and it may not feel like it, but the only team Ole Miss has lost to is Alabama. So how do you know Alabama hasn't played anyone yet? Going to be a lot of mythology and hype about Bama going forward. Especially with our dominance.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

I like numbers. Even when you look at the whole "Bama hasn't played anyone", numbers give you a peek into what they have done with what they had to face.

Currently, against Bama, our opponents are averaging:

16/37 passing (43%) for 201 yards, 1.67 INT, and 1.33 TD per game.

In their games against other opponents these same teams have accomplished:

20/30 passing (66%) for 292 yards, .67 INT, and 2.5 TD per game.

That means Bama is averaging allowing 20% fewer completions, 33% fewer yards, and 47% fewer points per game with 149% more interceptions interceptions while facing 20% more pass attempts.

For rushing, against Bama:

31 rushes for 101 yards and 0 TD

Against other competition:

37 rushes for 195 yards and 2 TD

So Bama is facing 20% fewer attempts and allowing almost 50% of the yards with no scores.

Now, these stats do hide a few things.

We struggled against Louisville's passing game. They only average 126 yards per game elsewhere but passed for 252 against Bama. They also passed about twice as many times as in any other game so that probably skewed those numbers.
Arky State put up decent numbers passing against us, but we held them way below their average and much of that did come later. They also passed 51 times in the game, which means they averaged very little per attempt.
Ole Miss skews our average heavily. They average 68% completion for 407 per game outside Bama but against Bama they could only come up with 32% complete for 133.

My take away is that we have an effective run defense and our pass defense is getting better every game.

 

[TerryP]

I’m reserving my opinion until Saturday night. If we break it off on TAMU,then I’m all in!!

Ed Zackery....Dis game gonnna tell uz something.....

Oh and make sure that receiver #13 from A&M is covered...that guy caught everything vs the Fighting Dabo's.

If you put Arkansas State against Clemson you'd find their receivers having a field day as well. The weak spot of their defense is their secondary.

If we going to use Clemson as a measuring stick on A&M we can't simply dismiss the point A&M only managed 71 yards rushing against Clemson and a third of that came when their defensive line lost containment on Mond.

 

[rocknthefreeworld]

their defensive line lost containment on Mond.

If we can contain him and keep coverage from breaking down then it will be as good night for the defense. That is really where the test comes in here. If you get tons of pressure but he escapes it to find a receiver or scramble down field (like old drunk boy did at A&M against us) then the pressure is useless.

 

[TUSKtimes]

If we can contain him and keep coverage from breaking down then it will be as good night for the defense. That is really where the test comes in here. If you get tons of pressure but he escapes it to find a receiver or scramble down field (like old drunk boy did at A&M against us) then the pressure is useless.

Really didn't help that our OLBers were as big as defensive ends and we were huge along the DL. These days speed is the name of the game in the world of spread em out. Back then only LSU matched up well with that Johnny Football kid.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

I get the natural defense to the normal "the sky is falling" response from our typical fan base overreactions. Granted, I was not aware that the majority rushing yards against against us on Arky State was in the fourth quarter of that game thus skewing the stats a good bit. This certainly alludes to the idea that overall stats can be misleading (such as 8th in rushing D in the SEC).

So if that is part of the angle here (overall stats can be misleading), how can we say that the competition up to this point (see their overall stats) isn't bad at rushing?.... It's double speak. For me here is what I am seeing:

1st. ABOUT US: The front 7 has seen a great deal of playing time especially considering last years rotations due to injuries. Yet a clear Alpha Dog LB hasn't stood out at this point. This type of LB has been a staple of CNS. I thought that would be M Wilson or even D Moses. They have been good but not exceptional...yet. I do chalk this up to the change of D Coordinators. It just takes some time to get to full playing speed without thinking. Also, the only shining bright spot of the DL has been Q Williams. He's been spectacular actually. R Davis continues to under-perform. Buggs seems to be coming along & making progress. I'm NOT saying we are bad on the DL; I'm saying I don't see the shut down presence that we've seen in '15 or '16. I'm hopeful & I have 100% confidence in CNS of whom I am certain is all over this way more than any of us.

2nd. ABOUT our Competition: Be careful at comparing last years numbers to this year simply because last years numbers were decimated with injuries. We SHOULD be better at this point because of that alone. Also, we all know that none of these teams we've played are run first teams. Just look at their emphasis of their OL. The line of scrimmage is where the run game starts & we have not played against any OL that is even comparable to a solid run team such as UGA, LSU, Clemson or Auburn. This makes me fundamentally leary of the stat side of how other teams have played against our competition up to this point. IF any of our competition had put up similar numbers to say LSU, my entire point would be worthless. But they haven't.

To be clear or reemphasize, I am not saying we are bad, sub-par, just ok, or just good. We are pretty dang good. Any team that shuts out Ole Miss for 62 unanswered points is dang good. I just haven't seen much yet to say that we are awesome with the exception of our pass defense. The front 7 needs to continue to improve, which they have been. And this weekends game is really going to tell me much more about how good (if not great) we are in the front 7.

 

[TerryP]

Really didn't help that our OLBers were as big as defensive ends and we were huge along the DL

Jennings is playing in the 265 range and Miller around 245.

In 2012 Hubbard was playing around the 245 mark and Dickson was in the 260's as well as Devall.

 

[TerryP]

Also, the only shining bright spot of the DL has been Q Williams. He's been spectacular actually. R Davis continues to under-perform.

Williams hasn't seen near the number of double teams that Davis has this season.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Also, the only shining bright spot of the DL has been Q Williams. He's been spectacular actually. R Davis continues to under-perform.

Williams hasn't seen near the number of double teams that Davis has this season.

JMO but the question is how good is the 4 Bama defensive lineman? Or they elite or just good. Those 3/4 guys will determine whether this bunch is really a True contender for that big ole trophy. I believe the 7 behind them are going to be OK......please no injuries at inside LBer.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

Also, the only shining bright spot of the DL has been Q Williams. He's been spectacular actually. R Davis continues to under-perform.

Williams hasn't seen near the number of double teams that Davis has this season.

That makes sense & I think that will change a bit now that folks have to account more for Williams.

 

[sean]

i believe no matter who we play and how well we do against them...if we run the table and beat everyone easily like in the first three games....there will be those saying it was a down year for everyone else. they will refuse to give us credit for being a good team. they will say it was because the other teams were having a bad year, not that we were better than them. they HATE to give BAMA praise and love to put them down any chance they get. they believe BAMA never earns anything and is just lucky.

 

[TUSKtimes]

Jennings is playing in the 265 range and Miller around 245.

In 2012 Hubbard was playing around the 245 mark and Dickson was in the 260's as well as Devall.

What is that? Confirmation that we haven't downsized our defensive scheme? When we were taking on the Johnny Footballs of the world we were recruiting for that 260 lbs. behemoth and putting them all across the field and telling them, "now, go get Johnny." Yeah, that worked well and for Ole Miss too.

By downsizing our scheme, we have eliminated so many of these defacto defensive ends in our recruiting and started bringing in more DBs and safeties, and many more "smaller" DL for depth as we learned to play more specialist in our nickel and dime coverage. The fact that we still have some LBers with there hands in the dirt around the 260 range doesn't change one thing about downsizing our defensive scheme for these spread teams.