D.C. Reeves
Ran some numbers on my offensive chart after finishing up the Iron Bowl stuff tonight:
Of the 31 dropbacks by Sims in the win over Texas A&M, Alabama blocked with only its five OL 22 times. That's a stark contrast to earlier in the season and a good sign for how Saban and Co. feels about his offensive line and Sims' comfort in the pocket.
Against Florida, Sims' first SEC game, Alabama blocked with 5 guys on just 3 of his 21 dropbacks in the first half. That's extra help on 18 of 21 snaps, showing that they wanted him to be comfortable in the pocket (and work out issues like a young LT and problems at RG) early on.
Obviously this can be a schematic situation - Florida's DL is good, Auburn's not as much so no need to block for more. However, compare that to LSU. Alabama blocked with 5 guys on 27 of 46 occasions against a talented LSU defense on the road in a hostile environment. So still, that's a sign of growth for the OL and growth in the coaching staff's belief that both Sims and the OL can get it done without using extra players to keep the pocket in tact.
SHOTGUN TEAM?
It's official after the Iron Bowl: Alabama is now a shotgun-based offense. Of 61 plays, it ran out of the shotgun or pistol 51 times (only 2 were Pistol as well). Kiffin's base set has become a shotgun, three wide receiver look with Yeldon/Henry next to Sims, Cooper/White/Jones at WR and usually a TE tight to the formation.
I've seen this emerging more and more. I asked Saban about it earlier in the year and he said they hadn't really run shotgun any more than in previous years (and at that time, that may be true but since I just started charting the offense this year I have nothing to compare it to). Even if that was the case back then, there's no way Saban has had many games with 83.6 of his plays not run under center.
There are plenty of variations of that, of course. Jalston Fowler can come in and make it a RB to each side of Sims in the shotgun, he can line up as an offset TE or he's even seen more and more action in the slot or out wide (usually a product of some sort of read option play, he's not running 9-routes out there or anything).
https://alabama.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=427&tid=207293736&mid=207293736&sid=885&style=2
Ran some numbers on my offensive chart after finishing up the Iron Bowl stuff tonight:
Of the 31 dropbacks by Sims in the win over Texas A&M, Alabama blocked with only its five OL 22 times. That's a stark contrast to earlier in the season and a good sign for how Saban and Co. feels about his offensive line and Sims' comfort in the pocket.
Against Florida, Sims' first SEC game, Alabama blocked with 5 guys on just 3 of his 21 dropbacks in the first half. That's extra help on 18 of 21 snaps, showing that they wanted him to be comfortable in the pocket (and work out issues like a young LT and problems at RG) early on.
Obviously this can be a schematic situation - Florida's DL is good, Auburn's not as much so no need to block for more. However, compare that to LSU. Alabama blocked with 5 guys on 27 of 46 occasions against a talented LSU defense on the road in a hostile environment. So still, that's a sign of growth for the OL and growth in the coaching staff's belief that both Sims and the OL can get it done without using extra players to keep the pocket in tact.
SHOTGUN TEAM?
It's official after the Iron Bowl: Alabama is now a shotgun-based offense. Of 61 plays, it ran out of the shotgun or pistol 51 times (only 2 were Pistol as well). Kiffin's base set has become a shotgun, three wide receiver look with Yeldon/Henry next to Sims, Cooper/White/Jones at WR and usually a TE tight to the formation.
I've seen this emerging more and more. I asked Saban about it earlier in the year and he said they hadn't really run shotgun any more than in previous years (and at that time, that may be true but since I just started charting the offense this year I have nothing to compare it to). Even if that was the case back then, there's no way Saban has had many games with 83.6 of his plays not run under center.
There are plenty of variations of that, of course. Jalston Fowler can come in and make it a RB to each side of Sims in the shotgun, he can line up as an offset TE or he's even seen more and more action in the slot or out wide (usually a product of some sort of read option play, he's not running 9-routes out there or anything).
https://alabama.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=427&tid=207293736&mid=207293736&sid=885&style=2
