🏈 I am here to eat crow.....

[rammerjammer]

@TerryP and @Brandon Van de Graaff, have heard my frustration throughout the year(s) with our O-line coach Mario Cristobal. I have to say after the Arkansas game I was quite ready for him to go elsewhere. I know they guy can recruit like nobody's business, but we are not the same mauling line we had back in 11-12. We have hashed and re-hashed this dead horse and beat it like a 15 yo male learning what his privates parts are for...........I digress.

While I was disappointed in the performance of some of our O-line Monday night, a lot of credit has to be given to Venebles and the D-line of Clemson. That team was #1 for a reason.

I said all that to say this. TP and BVG both assured me that, while Stoutland could coach, he wasn't the best at evaluating talent. It has taken some time and to get us back to the level of the Barret Jones, DJ Fluker, Chance Warmack type O-line that came to spoil us in the first part of this decade. While we are not there, It appears that we are trending back that direction. From here on out, I will lay off the Cristobal.

..........I prefer my crow with a little salt, pepper, and some Crystal hot sauce.

 

[rick4bama]

@rammerjammer I have not always like what you wrote, but your opinion about what you thought was wrong with the team. I have always enjoyed reading your posts. The crow tastes better over an open flame. :bamadance:

 

[TerryP]

I'll buy your drinks for the day ... bill me.

 

[94 Grad]

I'm not so sure you need to eat crow yet... I'm not sold on any of our Oline play... who or what is at fault can be debated, but our Oline has been subpar for years.

Granted Clemson had a good Dline, but many other teams didn't struggle as much as we did blocking them. FSU RB went for almost 200 yards and averaged 9.1 per carry... they lost because of turnovers. Syracuse went for 242 rushing ave 7.1 vs Clemson. USCe had their top two rushes go for 7.5 and 6.5 average, and I don't think they are much of a rushing team....

Our Oline was the weakest part of our game for most of the year. We had TONS of negative plays and breakdowns. I think the coaches did a good job of "running" away from those issues and game planning, but when we hit Clemson it was a different beast. We HAD to score to win... field position with punts and clock grinding wasn't going to cut it. I think we were vary fortunate that Clemson broke down on some big plays that we took advantage of with OJ and one long run with DH. I don't recall ever driving the field on their Defense... I think all our points came off special teams/short field and broken coverage long strikes. I'll take it, but I'm glad we didn't have to rely on the consistency of the Oline for the duration of the game.

If you look at the other games we played, they were mostly close at least through halftime. The pounding running game with a field posstion punt coupled with a OUTSTANDING defense wore done the other team until our Oline could impose it's will (really until the opposing Defense was so tired that it was equal to our Oline and DH could then impose HIS will). Against Clemson, we couldn't stop their offense so we had to score and move the ball consistently. Field position and Defense were not going to win that game.

 

[jdpas29]

Jackson had a tough task Monday night. I can't fault him too much for missing some blocks. Their Interior linemen were so big and often required a little extra from our guards which stranded Jackson a bit. They reminded me of how our 2009 defense operated with Dareus i think back then.

Anyway... I thought the blocking was pretty good on most of the passing downs. Coker held the ball a bit long early in the game. Looked like he "didn't want to screw it up". type thing.

 

[Tidestalker]

I'll gladly take my medicine as well.

Adam Griffith- I'm sorry for all the times I roasted him. Usually I roasted Saban for continuing to use him, but obviously he proved his Coach right.

Land Kiffin - He's better than I gave him credit for. And if he stays another year, I have to apologize again because I thought no way he goes more than 2 at UA.

Drake - For all the times this season I complained about how he bounced it outside... No i see why lol

OJ Howard - He did real good Monday night... Even though they just forgot to cover him, he still had to catch and run. The 3d down late down the sidelines was the best play of his career.

Coker - Good enough to get it done. Tough as shit. Have to tip your cap, especially after the raw deal he got vs Ole Miss...

RTR

 

[wiregrass_bamaguy]

Truth be known, if someone reposted what we wrote during spring training and this past year's game threads; many of us would be eating crow. While we were not always perfect; we were good enough and thats all that matters.

 

[BigCrimson]

I'm still skeptical about Cristobal. He very well may be able to recruit better talent but the amount of negative plays we had this season was bad. Us winning the national title doesn't all of a sudden absolve him of criticism. Our offensive line can definitely get a lot better.

 

['65 Cobra]

I'm still skeptical about Cristobal as well. And Dominic Jackson was pretty horrendous. Yes, he had a tough blocking assignment but there were several plays when he just completely whiffed and others where his feet looked they were cast in concrete.

I think Cristobal should be shuffled to "TE Coach" or something and bring in another O-Line coach.

 

[alabama mike]

Well said rammer!

 

[Mr. Grey Hulk]

This team is a very special one. Full of guys the fan base has overly criticized, or quickly dismissed. The stars that we followed got us to the past 2 games but it was the "rejects" that won it. There is enough crow to go around I'm sure.