🏈 GAME THREAD 🏈🏆 Alabama Football Falls to Georgia in the CFP National Championship Game, 33-18

[RollllTide!]

Hey @JoshB & @BamaFan334 . My Grandpa told me never to argue with a fool. He said it's hard to tell which one is the fool. JMO

 

[BamaFan334]

I didn't turn anything around, it's exactly what happened. I "talked down" about a Heisman's play, nothing I said was personal. Yet, here you are calling me "unstable," you can't tell the difference in being critical of a football team and taking personal shots. That is not my fault. I'm not responding again, send me a DM if you wanna talk about it further.

Umm, yeah I can. You clearly can't differentiate the slop you threw out last night that can't even be backed up with stats from the reality that unfolded for months before all of our very eyes.

I have no desire to DM you, I'd rather hash it out in public for everyone to see.

 

[ElephantStomp]

I think Bryce himself disputed it last night. I hope I'm wrong but being elite and supposedly the best players in the country means being able to overcome that sort of stuff IMO. He showed he could do it with some of those throws but then he did things like taking inexcusable sacks inside the 10, bailing on plays long before he needed, refusing to run when he actually had the opportunity, forcing bad throws, losing his cool, etc. He's a terrific QB but I personally held him to a standard that, considering every receiver on the roster is supposedly a 4 star or better, he could overcome it and maybe that's more on me but it is what it is.

I got frustrated with him a couple of times, thought he should’ve taken off a few times, thrown the ball away a couple of times, but if Hall catches one of his drops and Latu catches the one in the end zone we’re having a different convo because we win.

I was more pissed off at BOB’s stupid play calling

 

[JoshB]

I got frustrated with him a couple of times, thought he should’ve taken off a few times, thrown the ball away a couple of times, but if Hall catches one of his drops and Latu catches the one in the end zone we’re having a different convo because we win.

I was more pissed off at BOB’s stupid play calling

I usually find myself getting pissed at BOB, too, but I really didn't have a problem with it last night. I know everyone wants to yell "run da bawl" but when we did try it was 2 yards in a cloud of dust. I dont see that changing by force-feeding it 10-15 times more. To win we were always going to have to throw. Too many mistakes were made all around. My stance on Bryce will surely soften and when he throws that next 80-yard bomb I will think he is the second coming of Lance Harbor again I'm sure.

 

[rick4bama]

I can't think of any reason to be very up set with with Golden or BOB? Who you should be up set with is Coach Saban? He the one that hired them! We all know it fall on his shoudler about the winning and losing! We all know Sark beat Cow patties, but Coach Saban got the win.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I can't think of any reason to be very up set with with Golden or BOB? Who you should be up set with is Coach Saban? He the one that hired them! We all know it fall on his shoudler about the winning and losing! We all know Sark beat Cow patties, but Coach Saban got the win.

So...you calling on a firing of Nick? ( i know...ur are not...)

 

[rick4bama]

So...you calling on a firing of Nick? ( i know...ur are not...)

No!! I guess what I need to say if anyone not likely any coach on Bama staff. I think the best way in doing this. To talk to the Man who hired them! Does that make sense? Hey! we already lose the QB coach to Oklahoma. So maybe one or two of these other guy will head off to another team?

 

[BamaMD]

Several issues came back to bite us in that that. The lack of playing time for our young and inexperience players really hurt. Drops killed us. It is easy to catch balls in practice, but actual game time on the biggest stage is totally different. We really needed Bryce to be Johnny Manziel with all the injuries, but that not his style of play (just yet). He's learning. But injuries were the real issue. Both starting WR's, both starting CB's, 3 RB's, a starting DE and an underperforming offensive line. No way jawja beats us if we are full strength. No way.

Finally, I'm disappointed we didn't have several curveballs to use against jawja knowing we were down so many starters. Losing Metchie was huge and I'm sure Kirby smiled at the thought of him being out of the game. Obviously I'm no coach, but why not use Milroe in some form (WR, Wildcat with RPO, both Bryce and him on the field at the same time). He's the 2nd fastest player on the team and he sat on the bench. Why not watch the film for the plays that both Kiffin and Sark used to create mismatches and install those specific 10-12 plays. If we needed more speed to create separation, then go 5 WRs and stretch the field and work the middle underneath routes and if have the opportunity to hit a big one then take the shot. This is exactly what jawja did to us with Kool-Aid being one on one with Pickens. You could see that play coming when they lined up. No safety help over the top. I'm literally screaming at the TV before the snap! And Bowers should have been blanketed the entire game. No way he gets lost in coverage. No way! We know where Bennett what's to throw the ball.

Sorry for the rant. Just seems like there were things we could have done to compensate for our know deficiencies with all the injuries. Seems like this would have been a year long process. A couple of plays each week, working on a Milroe package in case Bryce went down. Chess not checkers. I guess that was the beauty of watching Kiffin and Sark. Masters at their craft.

 

[BamaMD]

And I think injuries are a part of football and you can't boast about having the deepest roster in college football and then use the excuse of injuries. Agree to disagree.

I agree, but you don't replace two potential 1st round draft picks with tons of experience with freshman and expect the same production. Now, it happened with Ruggs, Jeudy, Smith and Waddle but that was arguable the best tandem of WRs in college football history. This is when coach has to play these guys regularly during the season to build that confidence. We all know Hall can catch the ball, he's catching balls one handed in pregame like OBJ, but game time is a different level of focus. Thats what our guys need and playing them in garbage time doesn't really accomplish that.

 

[Rolltide24]

Going in to that game, Metchie and Williams combined for 200+ more yards receiving than Bennett had passing. That’s incredible loss of production.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Going in to that game, Metchie and Williams combined for 200+ more yards receiving than Bennett had passing. That’s incredible loss of production.

And yet...

Took Williams going down to tilt the field...

 

[OldPlayer]

No!! I guess what I need to say if anyone not likely any coach on Bama staff. I think the best way in doing this. To talk to the Man who hired them! Does that make sense? Hey! we already lose the QB coach to Oklahoma. So maybe one or two of these other guy will head off to another team?

Saban wears headphones on the entire game and hears what plays and defenses are being called. If he has any issue with what’s being called, he can overrule the call or call timeout to discuss it. Both O’Brien and Golding don’t have total free reign.

 

[Secondand26]

I agree, but you don't replace two potential 1st round draft picks with tons of experience with freshman and expect the same production. Now, it happened with Ruggs, Jeudy, Smith and Waddle but that was arguable the best tandem of WRs in college football history. This is when coach has to play these guys regularly during the season to build that confidence. We all know Hall can catch the ball, he's catching balls one handed in pregame like OBJ, but game time is a different level of focus. Thats what our guys need and playing them in garbage time doesn't really accomplish that.

As far as Riggs, Jeudy, Smith , etc.. - they had obviously proved to Coach by their practice habits that they were ready. Thus, they had played often during the season. I think that this new crop hadn’t figured it out early/ mid-season & thus the lack of playing time.
On multiple occasions I heard Coach reference this with Hall especially.

 

[mando]

You guys forget that this offense needed all the reps they could get. Was a new unit. Also, this offense put up 400 and 500+ against the best D Georgia has ever had. Not chump change even w/o 2500+ yards of offense not on the field due to injuries. Thousand foot view the two major issues in the game was red zone production (turn those FG's into TD's and the results are similar to the SECC game) and the 4th qtr Defense. The 4th qtr defense is still what eats at me. The Red Zone issue at least on two occasions goes away with better execution, Latu dropped a TD and Bryce missed an open #11 in the corner. He was hurried but had the guy open.

I honestly believe that Saban has a standard he is looking for and when starting units are not measuring up he gets them live game reps so they can get closer to reaching that standard. He knows what it takes to win championships so I will defer to how he manages playing time. He has a really good track record.