🏈 I never thought

[mando]

The fact he is the only LB in dime shows just what a lack of talent Bama has at ILB.

I can get behind this with one added word "lack of experienced talent". I think there is talent it is just young. It does not change the fact they are getting gashed at times.

I agree with you on losing #32. That was a major blow.

 

[TerryP]

Terry...why in the hell is #35 on the filed when Bama is in dime if he can't chase.

Plugging the middle as a MIKE

He knows what's going on a lot better than Harris does right now so there's your reason for not seeing #8. That's no different than Kaho, Benton, and Moody. Sure, one might be faster than the others but let's not forget the role of the MIKE in dime. It's the hole being plugged, it's the run stoppers role.

One thing I think is important to keep in mind when thinking about personnel groupings with Dime. Traditionally, you'd see a 3-2-6. Bama plays its Dime-Rabbit far more than your traditional Dime so we're watching a 2-3-6 with two outside linebackers who are playing the role of defensive ends. You'll see it morph into a 4-1-6 look.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

What you're seeing as a decline in talent, others are seeing as inexperience. This "Bama standard" some expect out of true freshman linebackers isn't realistic in my opinion.

I'm thinking saying Lee is "too slow" is a misnomer as well. Too slow for what? He's not supposed to be chasing down quarterbacks scrambling outside and he's not supposed to be catching 4.4 guys either. Plugging the middle as a stout MIKE? That's his role.

He is great on plays in front of him, but I think he's a step slow getting to the flat and scraping in pursuit. Having Christian Harris beside him contributes to him looking slower, because he's similar to some of our previous linebackers, some of which have excelled as a spy on a mobile QB. I don't think Lee could pull that off.

 

[NickelDoubleDog]

Just FYI

Ole Miss scored 21 of their points and gained 303 of their 476 yards (64%) after Alabama went up 45-10

 

[Crtuneman]

I will put my 2 cents in since everyone else is. I'm a talented armchair coach just like everyone else. Here are some issues that still have not been addressed as far as I can see.
1. Poor tackling. Even with the first team D we are seeing plenty of missed tackles. Is this a lack of effort? Poor technique? Bottom line is our defense is not physical and intense.
2. 3rd down percentage. Ole Miss converted 50% on 3rd down. I know several times the QB broke contain and he is fast, but it's a big problem. Yes our offense scores quickly, but the defense is responsible for getting the other team off the field, and so far this year they have not been doing it.
3. Penalties. Big problem on both sides of the ball.
4. Coverage. We are getting beat at the LOS and WRs are running free. So far we've only been burned a couple of times but a good QB is going to destroy our secondary. Diggs is about the only one who is consistent in coverage. Surtain is steady but not consistent.
5. I'm not even gonna talk about kicking because it just makes me cry.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

I will put my 2 cents in since everyone else is. I'm a talented armchair coach just like everyone else. Here are some issues that still have not been addressed as far as I can see.
1. Poor tackling. Even with the first team D we are seeing plenty of missed tackles. Is this a lack of effort? Poor technique? Bottom line is our defense is not physical and intense.
2. 3rd down percentage. Ole Miss converted 50% on 3rd down. I know several times the QB broke contain and he is fast, but it's a big problem. Yes our offense scores quickly, but the defense is responsible for getting the other team off the field, and so far this year they have not been doing it.
3. Penalties. Big problem on both sides of the ball.
4. Coverage. We are getting beat at the LOS and WRs are running free. So far we've only been burned a couple of times but a good QB is going to destroy our secondary. Diggs is about the only one who is consistent in coverage. Surtain is steady but not consistent.
5. I'm not even gonna talk about kicking because it just makes me cry.

My sauces tell me Delong was arrested Saturday after the game and the charge is impersonating a punter.

 

[TerryP]

He is great on plays in front of him, but I think he's a step slow getting to the flat and scraping in pursuit. Having Christian Harris beside him contributes to him looking slower, because he's similar to some of our previous linebackers, some of which have excelled as a spy on a mobile QB. I don't think Lee could pull that off.

Step slow getting to the flat magnified by a bad lane/angle getting to the flat. He's not Dylan Moses, that's for sure. There's a few seconds between them in the shuffle and dash. Angle improvement comes with experience.

I'm reminded ... 2008, SECCG, Bama gets a facemask call on Dont'a, wasn't it? He was young/inexperienced at the time (great football IQ) and that one play arguably changed the outcomes of the game. It certainly was a momentum shift. We don't look back at that game and the linebacker play and say "no talent," we look back and see "bad angle" which resulted in the flag.

That's all I'm pointing to here. We can't simply say "there's a huge talent dearth" when we're watching so many freshman. We can't expect them to be playing to a "Bama standard" when they've had so little time within the Bama system. Maybe I'm alone in that view...sorta doubt it.

On another note ...

A lot of Bama fans: Auburn isn't any good on offense (something I believe to be true) but they're great on defense. Great on defense at Auburn...but the Bama defense, to date, is terrible.

Auburn has Bama in one category this year: run defense. That reflects itself in Total Defense where Auburn is allowing five fewer yards per game than Bama (with 20 fewer plays faced as well.)

A great defense allowing 320 yards per game.
A horrible defense allowing 325 yards per game.

There's a 40 yard difference in rushing yards allowed: 95 versus 135 with Auburn having 30 less rushing attempts faced. (Did you know Ole Miss had 58 rushing attempts? I glanced at at the media guide, #5 in most opponent rushing attempts was 71 with Tennessee. The most Auburn has faced this season is 38 attempts.)

Score Defense? Bama allowing three fewer with a horrible defense versus a great defense.
Passing defense? There's a 35 yard difference in what Bama is allowing versus ... yep, that great defense.

In retrospect...we saw a guy with several head coaching positions who is also known for his offense and QB's running take advantage of a weakness we all knew existed.

I never thought we'd see the offensive talent Rich Rod has with play calling and schemes simply dismissed...a lot like people dismissed the suggestion Cut would have a few things up his sleeve when Duke faced Bama.

 

[JoseyWalesTheOutlaw]

Saw this comment about the Bama defense posted on The Rant.....good stuff

Issues on D are layered and multiple.

The DL...Dale/Eboigbe/Barmore - All have good tools and good power but all 3 have an experience issue. When they make "big plays" they have often cheated (guessed) to blow past the guy attempting to block them. If your assignment is 2-gap and you choose one over the other it creates a crease in the front both side-to-side and in depth with uneven penetration. Wider of depth spacing causes one of the other players to have to reach in an effort to cover more space.

Our front requires assignment spacing to stuff the run. Assignment spacing is learned and is not pure athleticism. Barmore has not played as much as his talent suggests he should because the coaches do not trust him to handle his assignment. Dale and Eboigbe have the same issue but it is not as dramatic.

The LB issues...
Lee is a run stuffer. He is not a sideline-to-sideline guy. He is still thinking too much and the only cure for that is experience. Counting on him to cover mistakes by other guys is foolish. He is still attempting to master his assignments. If a guy in front of him guesses at a gap rather than playing 2-gap, Lee cannot trust his cues and is also attempting to fill an additional gap that is not his to fill. All of that adds to his inability to play fast without thinking. Some is his fault but at least as much is the fault of the guys in front of him.

Harris is the Will (sideline-to-sideline guy). He is still learning to scrape. If the Mike is slowed by thinking he changes the scrape path the Will has to take. If the DL in front of him guesses and does not play 2-gap a big OL guy has a clean shot at a young LB that is thinking rather than just reacting. Even if he beats the OL in his face or scrapes a little deeper than he should have to do, he is a step or two late and tries to use speed to make up the distance. He is now a little out of control &/or on a bad angle to where he should be.

Lee and Harris need to master their basic tasks before they can have spying a QB added to their load. The only way we can spy right now is with #15 or #5. Carter is not mentally into his game like he was last year - not sure if he is frustrated by being passed by younger guys or what is up but he needs a neck-up check-up by the coaches. #15 is running the backend, add spying to that and his Defense-QB role will take a hit.

The good news, We have a week off for the coaches to shore up some of the assignment issues and the young players get some extra coached film time to correct errors. Then we get 3 weeks to see what they learned and another week off to expand the correction. If the 1st week off goes well, the coaches can add more of the defensive system back in during the 2nd week off.

Should we make it that far, after the SEC Championship game, the coaches get another mini-camp to get the D package more fully installed with players that by then should have enough experience to take it on.

and later he added...…..

One additional point for those on the "DC/LB coach sucks" train. Golding has managed to get two true freshmen to play at a very good level. A level above what you should expect with their lack of experience and the assignment requirements of the Saban defense system. There were two guys most of us viewed as "better" than the ones we got. One is at Tennessee and the other is at Georgia. Based on the impact those other two players have had this year compared to the impact the two we got have had...I like the two we got. They are both playing at a high level mentally.

The level they are playing at is a really good sign for them going forward but also says Golding has done a fantastic job of getting them ready to play week in and week out.

In other words...STFU about Golding. He is helping 6 freshmen grow up on the fly in our complex defensive system. That is amazing work!

... I believe this poster was talking to me...…Aight

 

[rammerjammer]

I'm reminded ... 2008, SECCG, Bama gets a facemask call on Dont'a, wasn't it? He was young/inexperienced at the time (great football IQ) and that one play arguably changed the outcomes of the game. It certainly was a momentum shift. We don't look back at that game and the linebacker play and say "no talent," we look back and see "bad angle" which resulted in the flag.

@TerryP it was indeed Dont'a. I remember that one. He was playing alongside Rolando. I think something else that factors in all of this. We were in year 2 of Saban and the players had bought in. We were just starting to see good football for the first time in almost a decade. I'll give it to Fran that he put a good team on the field in 2002 offensively and defensively. Outside of that year, we had not seen a defense that was aggressive and attacked and played like smash mouth. Kines was a great interview and a good coach, but I didn't like his defensive style/philosophy. Ellis Johnson was the same way under Dubose. Read and React.

I think having seen 10 years of defensive dominance and a defense that has been able to reload and over come injury/graduation/NFL early entry......it would appear that a young inexperienced team does not get the same lee-way it would have 11 years ago.

 

[Tidestalker]

It's been said a few times... But we just need to keep improving. Particularly at LB but we also need Dale, Eboigbe, and potentially Barimore to become winners at the LOS.

On the back end is where I'm more concerned. Mostly because the passing game is what generally beats us, if anything, in those big games. I saw very little of the game but did notice Shy Carter once again out matched physically and giving up contain on a run play. The next play they completed a deep ball on him...But it was a fantastic catch & throw. The ILB's are young and can improve quickly... I'm thinking he and Mayden are too old for that type of learning curve. Just a matter of them limiting mistakes and not getting exposed.

 

[Crtuneman]

On a side note, we had a Ben Davis sighting Saturday. He made a couple of plays and looked good.

 

[It Takes Eleven]

Step slow getting to the flat magnified by a bad lane/angle getting to the flat. He's not Dylan Moses, that's for sure. There's a few seconds between them in the shuffle and dash. Angle improvement comes with experience.

I'm reminded ... 2008, SECCG, Bama gets a facemask call on Dont'a, wasn't it? He was young/inexperienced at the time (great football IQ) and that one play arguably changed the outcomes of the game. It certainly was a momentum shift. We don't look back at that game and the linebacker play and say "no talent," we look back and see "bad angle" which resulted in the flag.

That's all I'm pointing to here. We can't simply say "there's a huge talent dearth" when we're watching so many freshman. We can't expect them to be playing to a "Bama standard" when they've had so little time within the Bama system. Maybe I'm alone in that view...sorta doubt it.

On another note ...

A lot of Bama fans: Auburn isn't any good on offense (something I believe to be true) but they're great on defense. Great on defense at Auburn...but the Bama defense, to date, is terrible.

Auburn has Bama in one category this year: run defense. That reflects itself in Total Defense where Auburn is allowing five fewer yards per game than Bama (with 20 fewer plays faced as well.)

A great defense allowing 320 yards per game.
A horrible defense allowing 325 yards per game.

There's a 40 yard difference in rushing yards allowed: 95 versus 135 with Auburn having 30 less rushing attempts faced. (Did you know Ole Miss had 58 rushing attempts? I glanced at at the media guide, #5 in most opponent rushing attempts was 71 with Tennessee. The most Auburn has faced this season is 38 attempts.)

Score Defense? Bama allowing three fewer with a horrible defense versus a great defense.
Passing defense? There's a 35 yard difference in what Bama is allowing versus ... yep, that great defense.

In retrospect...we saw a guy with several head coaching positions who is also known for his offense and QB's running take advantage of a weakness we all knew existed.

I never thought we'd see the offensive talent Rich Rod has with play calling and schemes simply dismissed...a lot like people dismissed the suggestion Cut would have a few things up his sleeve when Duke faced Bama.

I'm not a defensive talent naysayer. I'm only making the point about Lee's pursuit/coverage deficiency. I think he'll be a really good one as his reaction time declines. If he drops 10 pounds and transforms the way some do in the S&C program, he could be a great one.

RTR,

Tim

 

[Tidestalker]

I'm not a defensive talent naysayer. I'm only making the point about Lee's pursuit/coverage deficiency. I think he'll be a really good one as his reaction time declines. If he drops 10 pounds and transforms the way some do in the S&C program, he could be a great one.

RTR,

Tim

Good observations... And I think fair ones on Lee. These were the concerns I had on him out of H.S. just simply because of his body type... Not made for having to run & cover quickness in space.

On the positive side, there is no way the staff could have expected him to be in this position this season. Ultimately it must come down to his intelligence and aggression being more suited for the responsibility than the others. I'm just hoping his upside is along the lines of Shaun Dion-Hamilton... I remember early in his HS career they straight told him his body type didn't fit our style. I thought the same when we recruited this dude. Granted the game has adapted over the years to more coverage, but he could develop into that type of player. Just a long shot to happen this season... RTR

 

[TerryP]

I'm only making the point about Lee's pursuit/coverage deficiency.

Not made for having to run & cover quickness in space.

One of the best interior linebackers we've seen when it comes to running and coverage in space has been CJ Mosley: at WILL.

That's one of the points I'm driving towards...we're looking a a kid playing MIKE and he's being critiqued on the talent looked for at the other ILB position.

Lee is a DePriest type of athlete. He may end up being another Foster (played Mike and Will) given time.

Earlier I mentioned Dont'a taking a bad angle in the flat ... coincidently, after CJ was pushed into the role when Nico was hurt as I recall. A lot like Lee and others, seeing a mistake made by one defender and trying to do two jobs at once.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

From my seat....
Early on...crowd could have helped..... hot as ****.....in stands and on field
Ole ms was prepared....get bama in man and outrun LBs....to edge..
QB made some great throws...
Ole ms scored 31....14 on 3s.... 1 on fumble ....
Against our 1sn 2s.....lots 3 n outs...
saban was looking at a lot of players...
.....my thought...you get exposed.....helps later in preparation....long asyou dont lose..... i thought this how AnM would attack the D....

 

[Tidestalker]

One of the best interior linebackers we've seen when it comes to running and coverage in space has been CJ Mosley: at WILL.

That's one of the points I'm driving towards...we're looking a a kid playing MIKE and he's being critiqued on the talent looked for at the other ILB position.

Lee is a DePriest type of athlete. He may end up being another Foster (played Mike and Will) given time.

Earlier I mentioned Dont'a taking a bad angle in the flat ... coincidently, after CJ was pushed into the role when Nico was hurt as I recall. A lot like Lee and others, seeing a mistake made by one defender and trying to do two jobs at once.

I feel like Benton was a perfect fit physically for that type of role... For whatever reason he just never got it mentally. Possibly Kaho as well but he's young.

In a related but unrelated story... Mostly unrelated... My buddy is like 5'7 215 LB's with arms & legs about as long as a small child's. He always says while he couldn't reach the bottom of a tuna can he could sure beat up the sides.... Moral of the story - A little length always helps

 

[bradenob]

I feel like Benton was a perfect fit physically for that type of role... For whatever reason he just never got it mentally. Possibly Kaho as well but he's young.

In a related but unrelated story... Mostly unrelated... My buddy is like 5'7 215 LB's with arms & legs about as long as a small child's. He always says while he couldn't reach the bottom of a tuna can he could sure beat up the sides.... Moral of the story - A little length always helps

I have to say - sometimes the reason a team is in this position is that we miss on a recruit, OR we get a recruit that just doesn't work out. It happens. For us, now, not only did we have some bad injuries at LB, but some of the heir apparents haven't helped us - B Davis, Benton. Even Kaho has been supplanted by a pure frosh who played in the secondary last year. Just one of those things that hasn't helped. At other time, Ro, Dante, CJ showed up early and it worked out great. Not so much right now.

 

[Tidestalker]

I have to say - sometimes the reason a team is in this position is that we miss on a recruit, OR we get a recruit that just doesn't work out. It happens. For us, now, not only did we have some bad injuries at LB, but some of the heir apparents haven't helped us - B Davis, Benton. Even Kaho has been supplanted by a pure frosh who played in the secondary last year. Just one of those things that hasn't helped. At other time, Ro, Dante, CJ showed up early and it worked out great. Not so much right now.

Great point. Ultimately, good players find the field, but studs make plays. Some of those guys haven't become good players to Saban's standards.

I think... Actually I'm sure, that the toughest part of recruiting is trying to judge how desperate a player will be once they get to college. All these kids are dominant in HS, and all of their "reference checks" are positive. Meaning coaches, teachers, parents generally tell the coaches what they want to hear. No one wants to dog a kid out and take away potential opportunities. So evaluating how a kid is going to digest the college competition and their level of desperation is not easy... The fact that Saban has found so many high level players and draft picks is a true testament to his ability to do so... Because so many dudes all over the country flame out when it starts to feel like a full time job.

 

[Rolltide24]

I also think we have the talent, just not the reps and game experience. It will come. Will it come quick enough to win out this year? I'm not sure. We have a number of strong offenses ahead of us.

I think we've got to get more pressure on the QB. Through 5 games in 2018 we had 18 sacks and 9 INT's. Through 5 games in 2019 we've had 10 sacks and 6 INT's. Significant drop off in pressure.

We're allowing 3rd down conversion rate of 33% (25 of 76) in 2019 vs 26% (19 of 73) in 2018. So a drop off, but still not awful. What worries me is USC and Ole Miss each converted 8 3rd downs. That's a lot of extended drives.

The running QB is giving us fits again. Luckily UGA and Clemson don't have those type QB's, if we all make it that far. O/U and OSU are different stories.

We're fortunate in the offense output. Like last year we are averaging over 50 per game (52 in 2019 vs 54 in 2018). I don't see any teams scoring 50 on us. Barrett Jones said on the radio call Saturday that CNS doesn't like just outscoring teams to win games. May have to employ that strategy a few more times this year.

We had starters in the game on D later than I wish we'd had them. Several were still in during 4th quarter Ole Miss drives. Same for offensive starters. I get nervous knowing our recent history of the injury bug. When we're up 28 in the second half, take those guys out. Likely can't rest Tua as much as we could last year so we need to take advantage of the opportunities when we have them.

 

[Elderfalsedemigod]

We had starters in the game on D later than I wish we'd had them. Several were still in during 4th quarter Ole Miss drives. Same for offensive starters. I get nervous knowing our recent history of the injury bug. When we're up 28 in the second half, take those guys out. Likely can't rest Tua as much as we could last year so we need to take advantage of the opportunities when we have them.

I know what you mean about being nervous over injuries but I think having folks play later in the games early in the year does help prepare them for games later in year where they have to be out there. IMO that was one of the things that hurt last year is the offense was accustomed to being off the field by early 3rd quarter and then did not deal with adversity when they had to play full game in SECCG and playoff games. I just feel like this team needs all of the 1st team reps in game time that it can get. Yes even the offense that is clicking so well.