🏈 Looking at 2012 through the glasses I bought in the spring of 2010. Things don't look the same to m

[TerryP]

If there was a hashtag for lines we're going to hear and read over the next few months it would look like this.

#BamalosesalotonD

#Bama2010ptduex

You get the point, right? You're going to see a lot of the national media, close to 100% of our rivals, and a good number of Alabama fans focused on that one thing: starters lost on the 2011 defense. It's going to be a very easy segway to start discussing what we looked like in the spring of 2010 and see comparisons between the two.

Some of the comparisons will be valid.

So, before we jump into that pool answer me this.

We had three losses in 2010. The game against Auburn I'd like to leave out of this conversation. We can use it if you'd like, but it was such a game of two halves it tends to disqualify itself.

So, those losses we suffered to LSU and South Carolina.

Why do you think we lost? To make it even simpler, if there was just one thing you could change what would it be? More starting experience on the defensive side of the ball?

 

[psychojoe]

Interesting thought. To me the lack of experience on the corners was what hurt us most in 2010. Menzie, Milliner had never played at the D-1,Menzie was coming off an injury, Dre was mainly special teams as a frosh.This time around Milliner has two years experience, Fulton has seen the field some, Belue and Dixon have same juco experience level Menzie haid but hopefully neither will have that type of injury issue. Corners not as good as last year, but better than 2010.Safety we had Barron as a two year starter, Lester lightly used. This year we have lester as atwo year starter, likely Sunseri as the new starter, plus Clinton-Dix and a very exciting freshman. 2012 a bit better than 2010 to start with.At LB we had Hightower (coming off a kneee injury) as a two year starter, Nico as a one year starter, Upshaw starting as jack after playong a lot there in his first two years, a committee at Sam in 2010. This time we have a three year starter in Nico, Mosley who was the #1 guy in several packages, Depriest who looked very good as a frosh. Hubbard and Dixon will battle for Jack, Mosley could move to Sam. IMO we will be worse at Jack, better at Mike and Will than in 2010, Sam who knows. Will is about the same.On DL we had Dareus, Square, Chapman carrying the load. Square is still around, becoming a really good player. Jesse Williams has already done some spectacular things on D. It will be interesting to see if he settles at nose or DE this year. Quentin Dial will be a big factor as well. Also looking at Stinson with a couple of years under his belt, Ivory coming on, Pagan has loads of ability. Deeper on DL than in 2010 and about as talented. I don't think we will be as big play prone on defense this go around. Other than the occasional breakdowns that 2010 D was actually pretty good.

 

[BamaCore]

Can't break it down much better on defense than Joe just did. From what it seems to me (and this is an outsider looking in) this team looks like it will be a lot hungrier than it was in 2010. I can't say that with 100% certainty or anything...as I don't know any of the players nor their relatives or friends...but just seeing stuff on twitter from some of the players makes it seem as if they still feel they have something to prove. The way the season went and all the scrutiny they got when it was announced Bama was in the BCSCG seems to have stuck with them. That chip on their shoulder mixed in with the fact that we're not losing quite as much as we did in 2010 honestly make me think next season could be a very special season. Could we end with the same results as 2010? It's possible, and it wouldn't surprise me nor disappoint me in the long run if we did...granted we beat Auburn and Tennessee.

 

[psychojoe]

granted we beat Auburn and Tennessee.

You're my kind of guy!

 

[TerryP]

OK, going to throw these in the mix.

Across the NCAA in 2010, the most INT's by a team? 24. There were two teams with 23, and two SEC teams with 22—Alabama and Florida.

We ended up ranked #13 in the nation in pass defense.

A lot point to Stephen Garcia as the reason we lost to South Carolina. Frankly, a QB throwing for three TD's would make you think that...except for the fact he only had 200 yards passing all day. Hell, USC just barely broke the 300 yard mark for total offense in that game.

LSU had 208 through the air.

 

[rammerjammer]

Terry, with the statistics you spit out, the thing that sticks out to me is the "big play". You have mentioned it many times because of how aggressive our "D" is, we will give up the occasional big play. I remember some insane stat about how LSU threw for 3 TD's all season in 2010, and one of those was against us for like a 60+ yard play against us due to a break down in coverage. Speaking of Garcia, I think Alshon Jeffery made Garcia look like Tom Brady on that day. Granted Garcia played extremely well, but his receivers made him look like a world beater that day.

All that to say this. We lacked vocal leadership in 2010. I honestly feel that we will have plenty of leadership on D. Nico, CJ, Robert (Lester), and Millner that have all have significant playing time and should provide the necessary leadership needed.

 

[TerryP]

The big play from LSU, if I recall this correctly, was Jefferson to Randle for 74 yards. Big play, broken coverage IF I'm seeing the right play in my head.

It seems Lee had one for 49 as well. Can't recall how that one developed at this minute.

Ashlon did have a hell of a day. 125 yards or so on about 10 catches as I recall. SC's stats were stellar, no doubt.

However, I don't see any of that defining the SC game. The game ended on a play that actually bit us in the ass this year as well: in another loss.

jdpas put a lot of this season on one player. You remember that thread before the fall camp?

 

[bamajt]

Like rammerjammer said, there did not appear to be an on-the-field leader in 2010. Ro. left and Hightower wasn't ready for it.

 

[LBS]

2012>2010

But for Cam Newton, the University of Auburn would not have the horses to have the second half that they did. True, we will not have both Ingram and Richardson in the backfield, but we will have National Championship QB back there facing a Defense in their first year under a new DC. Oh, and lets not forget "Never Again".

Arkansas is an interesting study. If the WRs come around, they could be entertaining. I think, in the end, we will be the more complete team.

LSU will have an epic mad on. CNS will have to do a great job of coaching, but mostly coaching the mental part of the game. The interesting part is guessing what will happen should Bama win in Red Stick. That place will lose its collective mind.

Beyond that, every game is ours to lose.

 

[planomateo]

heck, I'm just curious if CNS circles CLM in Baton Rouge this year, talk about in your head.

 

[jdpas29]

i see some similarities, but not quite as drastic on defense.

this crop of linebackers we have i don't think will have much of a drop off in performance from last season. these guys are good. the secondary will be a little shaky and may give up a few more big plays early in the season. i'm eager to see what happens at the safety position... but i think they'll improve by the 4th or 5th game to the point that it won't be too much of a worry. if we can get past michigan and arky, i'll feel great there. i expect the
D-line will be a slight bit better overall this next season with some depth and new talent. i don't expect a drop-off there at all if the DT play is good. d

on offense, the big difference from 2010 is AJ. he is the kind of qb that can take games on himself and pull out a win or two.

that being said, i do expect to drop 1 game in 2012, but still possibly play for the SEC and NC.

 

[jdpas29]

The big play from LSU, if I recall this correctly, was Jefferson to Randle for 74 yards. Big play, broken coverage IF I'm seeing the right play in my head.

It seems Lee had one for 49 as well. Can't recall how that one developed at this minute.

Ashlon did have a hell of a day. 125 yards or so on about 10 catches as I recall. SC's stats were stellar, no doubt.

However, I don't see any of that defining the SC game. The game ended on a play that actually bit us in the ass this year as well: in another loss.

jdpas put a lot of this season on one player. You remember that thread before the fall camp?

somebody reads my posts!?!?!?!anic::hyper:

 

[TerryP]

somebody reads my posts!?!?!?!anic::hyper:

And actually remembers them occasionally. That should trouble you!

Do you recall the thread? Specifically, we were talking about Will and the interior of our OL.


It's a unit on our offense that holds the key to 2012, and it's also the one one who left the door open for other teams to walk through in 2010.

I could pick several examples of what I'm talking about. But, I'll go with one off the top of my head.

Fourth quarter in Columbia. We're down by seven with plenty of time on the clock.

1st and 10: Handoff to MI for a 5 yard gain.
2nd and 5: Play action pass, USC rushes three DE's and GM scrambles.
3rd and 5(6?): Play action pass, Greg sacked for loss of seven.
4th down: A fake field goal that ends up in an incomplete pass from AJ.

That sealed the deal with their next drive putting another seven on the board.

One first down, one, and we're looking at a four point deficit with a lot of time on the clock. But, our offensive line couldn't block well enough to get us the first down when we needed one. Our running game, which is THE staple of our offense, was SHUT DOWN.

IF we would have been able to run the ball more than 64 yards (That's MI and TR combined) we'd have never lost that one. While South Carolina played a hell of a game that weekend, we didn't play any where close to our standard. You've heard the expression, "results weren't up to par?" Well, those results weren't up to quadruple bogey. Hell, it's almost like they had a set rule...double par, quit, pick up and move on.

That's just South Carolina. I've got a few opinions on the LSU game that season as well. :shock:

Before this season I mentioned that Bama had more snaps along the offensive line(IE: experience) than any other team in the NCAA. The closest one to us was Boise State (NCAA wise) and the closest to us in the conference was LSU then followed by Arkansas.

You saw how that experience came into play this year.

FWIW, across the offensive line in 2012, I don't think there is any team in the NCAA that has more experience/starts than the OL for Bama. We were hit by injury in 2010 all along the line. IF we can avoid that?

 

[jdpas29]

Agreed. Have u posted a projection for the starting Oline yet?

 

[TerryP]

Agreed. Have u posted a projection for the starting Oline yet?

No, haven't discussed it or posted anything about it to date. Heck, in conversations with friends we really haven't started talking about the offense yet. Most of it has been the starting rotation in the LB corps.

To the OL? Right now, Barrett sliding to the middle with Anthony on his right. CK takes Barrett's place.

My "concern," if you call it that, is conditioning. Odd, eh, with Cochran it isn't something we talk about a lot. But, if there are a few that could use some more stamina it's on the OL. If you take Fluker as example, he'll get "spelled" a series or two. Not a big deal with me because I like what Austin brings to the table. Heck, Arie isn't half bad either, ya know?

Take a look over some of our back-ups on the OL. Geez, Lutua alone is a starter on most teams in the SEC.

 

[252BAMA]

I know it's sour grapes but I still blame scheduling for the losses in 2010. The SEC killed the best team in the nation with the 6 byes. A team can not play the last two months of the season uphill on an uneven playing field without losing 2 or 3 games. After it was over, Michigan State learned what it was like to play Bama on a level playing field.

And to make matters worse at the beginning, Bama chose to go on the road to Duke rather than buy it out and stay at home. That resulted in the SC game being the 3rd road game in 4 weeks. Furthermore, the SC game was the 3rd consecutive game against a AP Top 15 team. No team in the 75 year history of the AP poll has done that and won all 3 games.

 

[BamaFan615]

heck, I'm just curious if CNS circles CLM in Baton Rouge this year, talk about in your head.

Haha I noticed that during pregame but had forgotten about it...Saban had his game face on as soon as he walked in to the stadium. That was pretty sweet.

 

[BamaFan615]

[video=youtube;nznM-BMJvSU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nznM-BMJvSU[/video]

 

[TerryP]

"...where Les and his wife were posing for a photo shoot."

Just one more example of the direction of Miles and his team for that game. I said then, "just watch, he's encouraging his players to enjoy the environment they are in and that'll be the reason we win this game."

My contention was based on what we had seen from that team, braggadocios is being vague, and the fact they were in New Orleans.

Those two don't mix. Just ask Miami. Or, now, LSU. Or, Harrah's.

I was instant messaging CrimsonAudio when that was shown live. And, we both agreed, "this game is over and we are still an hour away from kick."

 

[BamaFan615]

Agreed. Have u posted a projection for the starting Oline yet?

I haven't heard how Cyrus' rehab on his knee is coming, but if I were to wager a way too early guess, I'd go with: LT-Cyrus, LG-Warmack, C-Barrett Jones, RG-Steen, RT- Fluker.

Of course there's a couple variables in there that could change things...the amount of talent we have behind these "starters" being one of them. I think if Cyrus is 80% back to his normal self the LT position is his, and Fluker will stay where he's at. Barrett Jones will be out there somewhere, as will Warmack.