🏈 DeBoer's future at Alabama and the most likely path ahead (from my perspective)...

[Scrape&Search1032]

Reason and logic has always pointed towards It takes time. Said that from day one..

I agree in principle.... but if we keep getting performances like we did against FSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt. And we end up 8-5 or 7-6, should he really get more time after that? Now if he shows improvement, yes I agree. We cannot accept regression if that is what happens, there's no excuse for that.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

Reason and logic has always pointed towards It takes time. Said that from day one..

Also, I've been watching the sopranos again. And it just so happened as I'm typing my last reply out, this scene comes up.

 

[mando]

I agree in principle.... but if we keep getting performances like we did against FSU, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vanderbilt. And we end up 8-5 or 7-6, should he really get more time after that? Now if he shows improvement, yes I agree. We cannot accept regression if that is what happens, there's no excuse for that.

I agree with this also but honestly you usually can tell early if it is on the right path. With that said CNS lost like his last 4 or so games year one but you could see glimmers of what it would become. Year two he knocked the door down game one.... Honestly that is what I was expecting against FSU but we all know he was far from what happened.

 

[TerryP]

Reason and logic has always pointed towards It takes time. Said that from day one..

So many pieces to this pie...

You and I have discussed, on a number of times, how we need to separate the Saban era because the game of football had changed. In 2015, "basketball on grass" wasn't the same joke it was in 2011. When it comes to how the game is played today we've seen DeBoer adapt: his record proves this.

We hit Chapter Two several years ago with the transfer portal. In hindsight, it was only a problem for teams that were competing for the best bowl games and the playoffs (time recruiting replacements.) Overall, it went fairly smoothly. It certainly created parity among the top programs.

With the current staff, Chapter two is a great read. The recruiting has been top-notch and they've brought in some good players through the portal while maintaining the roster. (It's easy to forget DeBoer took over the program with the 85 and that January he had about half of that.)

In my book we're now into Chapter three: the NIL. Except, this chapter is no where near its conclusion. I mentioned his vision for the program. The overall picture isn't finished making it impossible to know the end result of his own vision.

More importantly, these kids have no idea what the final result is going to be. They spent their later, formative years of high school in a world full of inconsistencies. I find it no surprise to see it play out in other areas (though that FSU game is still inexplicable.)

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On a different note, but somewhat related...

The additions to the SEC and schedules have made winning 10 games in a season a benchmark again. With 12, and schedules like we saw with some teams, it meant little to nothing. That changed.

The same applies here, IMO. No longer can people get a realistic grasp of how a coach will do in two seasons; three may be too short with the portal and ever changing compensations.

 

[TerryP]

Honestly that is what I was expecting against FSU but we all know he was far from what happened.

How much of this is due to how little we knew of FSU? People can't honestly point to 2-10 as a definitive indication of '25 no more than they could point to '24 with the '23 FSU record in mind. Far too many variables.

Very, very few believed FSU would come together as they did. A lot have chosen to judge Alabama based on half of the story.

 

[TerryP]

I'm not on the fire DeBoer train but I'm not on the "He's got everything turned around now" train either. Having those issues week one of year 2 is hard to explain. Last year I get, to a point, and I think the majority gave him a pass first year but week 1 year two looked bad. He needs to show consistency is all I'm saying. The team is talented but if he can't at least get them to give effort every week, he's got major issues.

Hard to explain? All I've come up with is the punch to the mouth. Everyone underestimates FSU which seemingly gets left out of the conversation.

The poor play in week one wasn't lost on me. I made a joke about the speed and the defensive guys over running their gaps. I didn't expect them to all get to the same gap quickly. It was disappointing because that's basic football: they were getting killed with something as simple as a counter.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

How much of this is due to how little we knew of FSU? People can't honestly point to 2-10 as a definitive indication of '25 no more than they could point to '24 with the '23 FSU record in mind. Far too many variables.

Very, very few believed FSU would come together as they did. A lot have chosen to judge Alabama based on half of the story.

I agree to a certain extent about the uncertainty of this FSU team and how'd they would look. But here's the thing, there's a TON of film on Malzhan's offense. You watch film to learn their tendencies as a play caller, situational stuff... like if we get them to 3rd and whatever, this is what they usually call on they specific down. If they come out in this, or have this particular personnel on the field, then we say this play call, or this one....

Point being, there's a shit ton of film on this guy, why in the world did it look like we were completely lost at times? Any kind of misdirection play they called, they usually got a big play out it. And a lot of that is us not reading out keys correctly and looking at the wrong thing. Gus loves to pull his guards in the direction the play is going, read those and you'll get to the ball and make a play. We struggled immensely with that, why? I still don't understand it. There was also the problems with discussed before, not being gap sound, overrunning plays, busted coverages, etc....

Then you've got the effort problem to go along with all that, not being violent in stacking and shedding blocks, not finishing tackles, not running to the ball with Max effort, and just straight up quitting on certain plays. I cannot stress enough how badly I never want to see us play like this ever again. I can handle a loss where we may get straight up beat, but to lose like that? No.... I can't stomach that at all.

 

[Scrape&Search1032]

Hard to explain? All I've come up with is the punch to the mouth. Everyone underestimates FSU which seemingly gets left out of the conversation.

The poor play in week one wasn't lost on me. I made a joke about the speed and the defensive guys over running their gaps. I didn't expect them to all get to the same gap quickly. It was disappointing because that's basic football: they were getting killed with something as simple as a counter.

We've also seen offenses similar to what see saw against FSU last season as well. Vandy and Oklahoma did a lot of the same things FSU did to beat us. So it's not like this is entirely knew. I just don't get it.

 

[Krimson]

Hard to explain? All I've come up with is the punch to the mouth. Everyone underestimates FSU which seemingly gets left out of the conversation.

The poor play in week one wasn't lost on me. I made a joke about the speed and the defensive guys over running their gaps. I didn't expect them to all get to the same gap quickly. It was disappointing because that's basic football: they were getting killed with something as simple as a counter.

FSU played fundamentals with intensity. I think they're a solid team but I don't think they were more talented than Alabama.
Alabama showed a lack of fundamentals and a lack of effort, that's what's hard to explain to me.
Have had concerns on the defense since Womack was announced, and the defense was bad, but the issues were present on both sides.

 

[mando]

How much of this is due to how little we knew of FSU? People can't honestly point to 2-10 as a definitive indication of '25 no more than they could point to '24 with the '23 FSU record in mind. Far too many variables.

Very, very few believed FSU would come together as they did. A lot have chosen to judge Alabama based on half of the story.

Agree the FSU debacle was inexplicable.... No doubt FSU improved but Bama 2nd year should have also.

So many pieces to this pie...

You and I have discussed, on a number of times, how we need to separate the Saban era because the game of football had changed. In 2015, "basketball on grass" wasn't the same joke it was in 2011. When it comes to how the game is played today we've seen DeBoer adapt: his record proves this.

We hit Chapter Two several years ago with the transfer portal. In hindsight, it was only a problem for teams that were competing for the best bowl games and the playoffs (time recruiting replacements.) Overall, it went fairly smoothly. It certainly created parity among the top programs.

With the current staff, Chapter two is a great read. The recruiting has been top-notch and they've brought in some good players through the portal while maintaining the roster. (It's easy to forget DeBoer took over the program with the 85 and that January he had about half of that.)

In my book we're now into Chapter three: the NIL. Except, this chapter is no where near its conclusion. I mentioned his vision for the program. The overall picture isn't finished making it impossible to know the end result of his own vision.

More importantly, these kids have no idea what the final result is going to be. They spent their later, formative years of high school in a world full of inconsistencies. I find it no surprise to see it play out in other areas (though that FSU game is still inexplicable.)

---

---

---

On a different note, but somewhat related...

The additions to the SEC and schedules have made winning 10 games in a season a benchmark again. With 12, and schedules like we saw with some teams, it meant little to nothing. That changed.

The same applies here, IMO. No longer can people get a realistic grasp of how a coach will do in two seasons; three may be too short with the portal and ever changing compensations.

Couldn't agree more... perfect storm, the GOAT retires, NIL/Portal changes, completely new coach and culture with new system... All of why I felt it was going to take time and it has. I still did not expect the really poor performances againts the Vandys and now FSU. Seeing them look totaly unprepared and over matched is hard to swallow as growth pains.