| NEWS ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit foresees Auburn exposing Alabama football's defense in Iron Bowl - Montgomery Advertiser

[94 Grad]

TN played Bama close because Bama gave them points. Two bad missed assignments a fumble in the red zone a blocked punt and a roughing the kicker all lead to TN being close. If we do that against auburn and/or LSU then yes they could upset us. I don’t think that’s rocket science.

Statistically, the TN game was a blowout and domination. It’s rare that any game with those type of stats has a team still in the game in the 4th quarter. Clean up 4 or 5 plays and the score is 63-7. I would expect we’d put a lot of effort into getting those things cleaned up over the closing weeks of the season.

 

[UAgrad93]

No way to replicate pace/tempo of an opponent during practice! As a former “scout teamer” years ago, we had to look at a card for each and every play! We still had screw ups as well. Even if you had the scout team line up and run the same play over and over and over again, you still wouldn’t get the speed and pace of the opponent.
Outside of the 2-3 busted coverages against UT, the defense was pretty damn salty! Roughly 195 yards on 50 snaps!!

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I don't find it difficult to see an opposing coach make a good call that isn't good for Alabama. Heupel was already had the offense in an uptempo mode and the timing was perfect. It happens.

Yep. If u arent ready for it...

 

[50+yeartidefan]

No way to replicate pace/tempo of an opponent during practice! As a former “scout teamer” years ago, we had to look at a card for each and every play! We still had screw ups as well. Even if you had the scout team line up and run the same play over and over and over again, you still wouldn’t get the speed and pace of the opponent.
Outside of the 2-3 busted coverages against UT, the defense was pretty damn salty! Roughly 195 yards on 50 snaps!!

But if u know they play such a pace...coaches have to get info in....quickly
You dont...a big play can be made

 

[UAgrad93]

But if u know they play such a pace...coaches have to get info in....quickly
You dont...a big play can be made

Just going off of experience as a player, but as a former coach, defensive guys don’t want to be unprepared against any play. They want to see it all. They won’t elect to just stay in a “base look” with the game on the line. Different when say you’re up 3 scored and you play prevent. My suggestion would be to stay in a man under with zone over the top or straight zone with maybe an added blitzed or twist game from the front. Offensive guys are the same too. We want to see it all. No surprises! There are a few coaches though, that are willing to sacrifice a down just to quicken the pace.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Just going off of experience as a player, but as a former coach, defensive guys don’t want to be unprepared against any play. They want to see it all. They won’t elect to just stay in a “base look” with the game on the line. Different when say you’re up 3 scored and you play prevent. My suggestion would be to stay in a man under with zone over the top or straight zone with maybe an added blitzed or twist game from the front. Offensive guys are the same too. We want to see it all. NO SURPRISES! There are a few coaches though, that are willing to sacrifice a down just to quicken the pace.

Got....no surprises..... fo sure

College ball...at highest level....

 

[UAgrad93]

I know CNS likes to “pattern match” his defensive calls. I do wonder if this is the real issue and why we have had issues with blown coverages and tempo.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

I know CNS likes to “pattern match” his defensive calls. I do wonder if this is the real issue and why we have had issues with blown coverages and tempo.

Yeah. Good point... hard to understand how we have got to this...

 

[UAgrad93]

Yeah. Good point... hard to understand how we have got to this...

Probably comes from his time in the NFL as a DC. Sometimes, DCs refuse to change!! For the longest, CNS refused to evolve his offense, sort of a fear of the unknown with tempo. He finally evolved there and we have benefited. The stubbornness may be too strong on the defensive side though.

 

[mando]

I will say it yet one more time, Bama plays a clean game and they beat almost everyone. UF not close if, A&M certainly not a loss if clean game. Viles would have been a blow out and it ended up that way anyway.

The Viles had no 1st downs from end of 1st qtr to the 4th. That is domination. Only way Viles scored was 2 blown coverages and a blocked punt. Game could easily have been 52-7 or more as @94 Grad pointed out.

BTW clean to me means small # of penalties, no turnovers, good tackling and no blatant blown coverages. Now sometimes the other teams player just makes a play so you tip you cap to them. That is not what I am talking about when I say a clean game. I am talking about something Bama did or does not do more so than what the opponent does.

 

[Destiny's Child]

As down as I've been about the defense this year, I think some of yall must be seeing a different Auburn team that me.

So I am normally quick to point out when we struggle and in my opinion we are absolutely capable of losing any game we play as we have shown the ability to be disorganized.

Last week I mentioned that we always tend to struggle the week before a bye week and we did. The physical plays we missed I am more willing to let go during that week. Tennessee didnt just start going fast last week.. he didn;t just start running this offense this year. Not being able to get lined up and taking too long to get the play in is on the Coordinators completely.

After the bye week, we normally fix some of our holes and I expect that this year. I think we sail to the Iron Bowl and I don't think that ends up being close. Crowd may be a factor early but they don't have the athletes or any new offensive scheme to cause us trouble if we don’t kill ourself

 

[rammerjammer]

Last week I mentioned that we always tend to struggle the week before a bye week

If you look over the years. UT is the last game before a bye week and have played us close quite a few times. We are typically at week 7 or 8 and look to be running on fumes. That was certainly the case last week. I think the grind of an 8 week stretch with no breaks takes a toll. I have always thought it better when the schedule works out for all the teams to get 2 bye weeks. I wish they would make that happen more often.

 

[BamaFan334]

Crowd may be a factor early but they don't have the athletes or any new offensive scheme to cause us trouble if we don’t kill ourself

Should we lose the Iron Bowl, heck no. In a year where we've seemingly hurt ourselves over and over again, it's entirely possible. Crowd noise, busted coverages, good athletes on the other side of the ball, and a rivalry game to boot? Don't get me wrong, we should roll, but I'm very anxious to see it, because it would really show me if we have a good shot in the SEC Championship if we make it.

 

[mando]

Should we lose the Iron Bowl, heck no. In a year where we've seemingly hurt ourselves over and over again, it's entirely possible. Crowd noise, busted coverages, good athletes on the other side of the ball, and a rivalry game to boot? Don't get me wrong, we should roll, but I'm very anxious to see it, because it would really show me if we have a good shot in the SEC Championship if we make it.

Matchups and roadgame etc... are variables so not sure it does tell us much about the SEC Championship game. I will repeat as I have often, if Bama plays clean we win against the Barn and likely UGA. Now I do agree they have done that less often this year but I believe through my crimson glasses that CNS will get this cleaned up before then. Not going to be many games with blocked punts, kickoffs returned for a TD etc....

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Matchups and roadgame etc... are variables so not sure it does tell us much about the SEC Championship game. I will repeat as I have often, if Bama plays clean we win against the Barn and likely UGA. Now I do agree they have done that less often this year but I believe through my crimson glasses that CNS will get this cleaned up before then. Not going to be many games with blocked punts, kickoffs returned for a TD etc....

Or errors that are unforced....
But...thats the difference for a lot of teams....
Its just we are seeing more of Bama doing this year...

See how they play starting next week

 

[BamaFan334]

Matchups and roadgame etc... are variables so not sure it does tell us much about the SEC Championship game. I will repeat as I have often, if Bama plays clean we win against the Barn and likely UGA. Now I do agree they have done that less often this year but I believe through my crimson glasses that CNS will get this cleaned up before then. Not going to be many games with blocked punts, kickoffs returned for a TD etc....

I just meant if we could play a solid game, we have a chance in the SEC Championship. If we play like crap and squeak by, then there is no way we all of a sudden get it together and beat the #1 team with some out of character performance. The crowd in Atlanta will be 75/25 Georgia, confirmed many times before. If we can't get up for the Iron Bowl, then I don't think we can beat Georgia. It will be a testament to the team on whether or not we have the mental ability to get over our mistakes and play to our ability. The Iron Bowl will say a lot about this team and it's prospects moving forward with the postseason.

 

[Destiny's Child]

I just meant if we could play a solid game, we have a chance in the SEC Championship. If we play like crap and squeak by, then there is no way we all of a sudden get it together and beat the #1 team with some out of character performance. The crowd in Atlanta will be 75/25 Georgia, confirmed many times before. If we can't get up for the Iron Bowl, then I don't think we can beat Georgia. It will be a testament to the team on whether or not we have the mental ability to get over our mistakes and play to our ability. The Iron Bowl will say a lot about this team and it's prospects moving forward with the postseason.

As much as I don’t see a path where we lose to Auburn without serious self inflicted wounds.. which we have proven that we are proficient at, I also don’t see us beating Georgia this year unless we are capable of filling some serious holes. Mainly, Davis versus our center and guard and their barrage of ends and linebackers versus number 79. Their d-line has dominated much better players all year long. I do think our run stopping improving does give me a glimmer of hope as I think we can keep it close. But the best way, in my opinion, to attack the dogs is with quick passes to game breakers on the outside. And 4-5 yard them to death. That would have been easy for the last 2 or 3 years but we are lacking explosiveness out there minus Williams but he has shown a propensity to drop the ball and an inability Or unwillingness to block for his brother.

 

[mando]

I just meant if we could play a solid game, we have a chance in the SEC Championship. If we play like crap and squeak by, then there is no way we all of a sudden get it together and beat the #1 team with some out of character performance. The crowd in Atlanta will be 75/25 Georgia, confirmed many times before. If we can't get up for the Iron Bowl, then I don't think we can beat Georgia. It will be a testament to the team on whether or not we have the mental ability to get over our mistakes and play to our ability. The Iron Bowl will say a lot about this team and it's prospects moving forward with the postseason.

As will LSU, Ark etc.... This is about Bama cleaning up itself not the opponent. I also do not get all of the Georgia fear. I know you used to be a UGA fan so maybe that is some of it. Are they a good team sure but we are still BAMA with BAMA talent and we are still in their head. I think we have a higher ceiling if we can clean up stuff. I am indeed drinking the Bama Kool-Aid but I have seen this script before and CNS usually comes out on top.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

As much as I don’t see a path where we lose to Auburn without serious self inflicted wounds.. which we have proven that we are proficient at, I also don’t see us beating Georgia this year unless we are capable of filling some serious holes. Mainly, Davis versus our center and guard and their barrage of ends and linebackers versus number 79. Their d-line has dominated much better players all year long. I do think our run stopping improving does give me a glimmer of hope as I think we can keep it close. But the best way, in my opinion, to attack the dogs is with quick passes to game breakers on the outside. And 4-5 yard them to death. That would have been easy for the last 2 or 3 years but we are lacking explosiveness out there minus Williams but he has shown a propensity to drop the ball and an inability Or unwillingness to block for his brother.

And have QB n receivers to do that....NO drops

As @mando put it...its aboutbama...not the opponent

 

[bamanc50]

Herbie makes some good points but we have to remember he will attack and put down Bama any time he gets the opportunity. He's still butt hurt about Bama getting into the 4 team playoffs a few years ago over OSU. Another like him is Chris Doering (gator guy) picking Ole Miss. to slaughter Bama. He was butt hurt because his gators were not able to beat the Tide. These guys just have a platform to spew their bias feelings instead of sticking to the facts. Of course, it's interesting because folks can come on boards like this and expose them for who they really are.