🏈 Key expected as Alabama's new OL coach per sources. Mario Cristobal expected to move

[RTB X Bot]

 

[TerryP]

Splitting coaching duties for Tight Ends and Tackles from Guards and Centers would be an first under Saban.

 

[rueben]

Word on sports' talk radio is Brent Key from UCF will be new O-line coach and Mario will become tight ends / tackles coach... whatcha heard?

 

[UAgrad93]

As long as it keeps him on staff. Mario is a stout recruiter and has landed some top talent in the Miami area.

 

[rolltide66]

Breaking out the TE's from Booby Williams, hopefully he can concentrate on ST's and they will continue to improve. The blocked kicks and the returned kicks last year were promising, and don't know if we can attribute the OS kick in the championship game, but since Booby is in charge of the ST's, have to give him credit. (never thought I would). But looking at the utilization of TE's since he has been charged with them, well, we could have done just as well without TE's. Maybe the break out game by OJ in the NC game woke everyone up. My biggest concern for the upcoming year is for a QB to be able to get the ball to Ridley, Foster, Stewart, Howard, Dieter, et al. The line lives up to their potential and we have a semblance of a running game....

 

[rueben]

Oops...I did not see this already posted...Mah bad.
Also hearing Key is a great recruiter... ( if you could see me, you would see my "shocked face.")

 

[OldPlayer]

There's a limit to the number of on-field coaches allowed. What's being eliminated?

 

[UAgrad93]

9 on field assistants I believe. Is someone moving into a desk position or possibly retiring?

 

[rammerjammer]

@TerryP had you heard any rumblings of this at all? This seems odd to me from the outside looking in. Not trying to say that there is any resemblance of what is taking place down on the plains with the dissension among the ranks........but Bobby Williams has been over the TE since Saban arrived. Is this just some fresh faces to change things up (much like Kiffen's hire to open up the offense) . Did Kiffen have anything to do with this? ( by requesting some change)

You have always hinted to staff changes in the past ie Thompson leaving (both times), Bo Davis leaving for his hiatus to Texas. Kind of caught me off guard with this change up.

 

[TerryP]

@TerryP had you heard any rumblings of this at all?

The only comment that resembles a hint was a guy saying "he's not stopping improving in coaching staff's." I took at to mean on the GA side of things ...

Again. To me, it's an odd move. It's unprecedented with Saban.

 

[rueben]

The only comment that resembles a hint was a guy saying "he's not stopping improving in coaching staff's." I took at to mean on the GA side of things ...

Again. To me, it's an odd move. It's unprecedented with Saban.

Do you think Kiffin may have instigated it?

 

[TerryP]

Do you think Kiffin may have instigated it?

A shift with a dual-threat and two different blocking schemes?

 

[MacLittle13]

It is odd, but I think everyone can agree that there was a lot of room for improvement on the offensive line. If Key is an exceptional position coach (and I don't think Saban would go for it if he weren't) and you can get an upgrade at the position without losing a stellar recruiter (in Cristobal) it's a win/win.

The only place I think could be a strain is Cristobal's ego. This is just an observation from 3 states away, but Cristobal was a head coach before he came here, it seems like a demotion for him, to go from OL coach to TE's and Tackles...but I guess Cristobal isn't looking to work his way up thru the position coaching ranks. He's probably learning from Saban to become a head coach again. As long as he's happy...like I said, win/win.

Separately, the OL issue is interesting. Maybe we could get another thread going about it, but does this signal a change in philosophy back to more power football? Or is this an attempt to get someone better at teaching zone blocking principles? What season did Bama switch to the zone blocking scheme? Was it 2011 or 2012? Cristobal got here in 2013, is zone blocking his thing, or was Saban putting a square peg in a round hole?

I know I would like to see Bama get ride of the zone blocking scheme all together. Maybe some of the coaches on this board can explain the logic behind it, but it seems to me, if you can get the biggest strongest linemen in the country, why would you not line them up and just go out and kill everything that moves. It seems that confusion due to not knowing assignments is what kills this offense. There are way too many blown assignments, WAY too many tackles for loss, and entirely too many sacks for the amount of talent out on the field. What does it take to get a solid, consistent unit? Is the way forward a better zone blocking scheme, or switching back to power?

 

[rammerjammer]

@TerryP, I promise I do not know @MacLittle13 and I did not put him up to responding to this thread. :naughtydevil:


I stated after the O-line won that 250 pound trophy that I wouldn't say anything else about Cristobal......and I won't.

 

[AFF]

Alabama Football’s Staff Shakeup

 

[TerryP]

@TerryP, I promise I do not know @MacLittle13 and I did not put him up to responding to this thread. :naughtydevil:


I stated after the O-line won that 250 pound trophy that I wouldn't say anything else about Cristobal......and I won't.

I don't know if a shift to dual threat QB means dividing blocking responsibilities.

 

[MacLittle13]

@TerryP, I promise I do not know @MacLittle13 and I did not put him up to responding to this thread. :naughtydevil:


I stated after the O-line won that 250 pound trophy that I wouldn't say anything else about Cristobal......and I won't.

I have posted for a while, but personally I don't know anyone here, nor do I really know any of the personalities. I have been around Tidesports, then the Woolly, and now here. I am a lifelong Alabama fan, I graduated from Guntersville High School, and later UAH, and now live in McLean VA. My cousin has a Sports Radio show in Huntsville and writes for TI. I rarely see or speak to him though, so don't ask me about any rumors.

Now that I got that off my chest. I think RammerJammer agrees with some of what I was saying...without going negative about anyone, do you think this is a sign of going back to a power ground game, or is it signaling Saban "doubling down" on the zone schemes?

I'm sure RammerJammer can chime in to this subject without even bringing up the former OL coach.

 

[rammerjammer]

I have been a huge proponent of putting Joe Pendry back at the O-line position. I have wanted Cristobal off the line for a while. After the Arkansas game this year, I was ready for him to go.

Brandon and Terry kept telling me that a lot of our issues dealt with the fact that Stoutland couldn't evaluate and/or recruit all that well. (with the caveat that Saban ultimately signs off on who we offer) We have suffered from not having as good of talent the past few years that we had with the likes of Fluker, Jones, Warmack along the line. Nonetheless, you stated a lot of what I have whined about for the past few years. I don't know crap about zone blocking or who needs to be in which gap, yada, yada, yada. I could tell that we were not the mauling dozer type O-line that we were from 2008-2012.

I was just jabbing at Terry because he has talked me off the ledge more than once with Cristobal and my frustration with the line.

 

[alabama mike]

I like the move personally. If we have to change our offense up again with the shift of Coker to the next starter, then this could be a good thing.

 

[footballer]

I don't know much about blocking schemes, power, zone or what ever. I do know for sure there have been way too many negative offensive plays since Mario came on board. Whether there is a breakdown in communication, premature movement, not knowing or remembering the snap count as in slow to block their man or just flat out getting their ass handed to them. Truth? Mario was just not getting the job done. I welcome the change.