🏈 Position Concerns This Season

[alabama mike]

Please list your concerns from most concerned to least concerned for the upcoming season:


1. Kicking game- we lost Foster and Mandiel to graduation. We will have new personnel on punts, kickoff and field goals.

2. Secondary- last season we just did not play good coverage overall, man or zone. We have several returning players that are trying to lock down a starting spot and two, incoming freshmen with big high school careers.

3. OL- the running game and passing game starts and finishes with this group.

4. QB- this is my least area of concern bc Coach Kiffin will utilize the plays that best fit the player that wins the job.

 

[psychojoe]

I would have to say the kicking game as well. I have no doubts that the coverage will continue to be as good as it has been over the last several years. Cody Mandell was quite a weapon for the last several seasons because he had a knack for kicking it close to the goal line. Not every punter has this skill. Cade Foster broke our hearts at Auburn with the misses, but he was quite a good kickoff man. He was able to put his kickoffs inside the 10 but not in the end zone much of the time last season, and this gained field position for us. He also had some tackling skills as well.

QB next, but not a huge concern. Saban and Kiffin will put whoever our guy is in position to do what he does well.

Secondary next, but not a huge concern. We have experienced talent coming back at the safeties, as well as some talented newcomers. Lots of talent at the corners, with plenty of competition for playing time. CNS coaches this group himself, and he will put the guys on the field who know their stuff best. encouraging that Eddie Jackson is back, and not in a black jersey.

OL- again, not a huge concern. Experienced starters coming back, as well as reserves who saw a lot of PT. Jackson and Robinson as newcomers will really push hard for playing time. It will be a matter of finding the five guys who play best together. I am sure that search is already well under way.

Once again I have on my crimson tinted glasses, but I think we will be very good this year.

 

[jdpas29]

If our running game can't carry this team, we are going to drop a couple of games minimum. You will know within a short period of time whether this OL is capable of making holes consistently for these backs. If so, we may win out with good defensive play. It is possible this year that the defensive line could be good enough to make up a bit for the secondary with a little extra QB pressure. I sure hope so. RTR

 

[alabama mike]

@jdpas29 I think with our stable of quality backs they will be able to help us along on offense until the line and QB play stablizes. I agree with you that our DL will have to get pressure on the QB and not allow someone to pick us apart in the secondary.

 

[Bamabww]

Kicking game is a big concern for me.

OL may be next biggest concern.

Pleased with our RB's and I think our defense will be one of our best ever.

 

[TerryP]

Red Zone offense. All encompassing there where we need people simply to do their damn job.

Field goal kicking.

Offensive line concerns are based on who fills the left tackle position. Cam brings one set of concerns, Dom another.

Depth at interior linebacker.

 

[UAgrad93]

1.Play calling and execution in the RED ZONE! This was an issue late last season. I personally think after the Miss State game that Saban probably hinted around to Nuss that some changes may be made and he might want to look for future employment elsewhere after the season.
2.Place kicking/Punting. Shelley was automatic for us in the past, then we had the inconsistencies of Foster last season. Hopefully, Griffith will have gotten over his growing pains and perform like Shelley. Mandell was a weapon his last 2 years!! He developed a knack of hanging it high and pinning the return guy into the boundary. His averaged ballooned from his freshman to senior year, almost 8 yards a punt longer! A lot to put on a freshman, but hopefully, JK Scott is up to the task.
3.Left side of the Oline is a concern for me. I know that AK is back at LG but he was a liability more times than not last season. Maybe it was his knees still weren't 100% but he looked more than a step slow at times. As @TerryP stated, Who takes the LT spot? If it is Robinson, questions due to inexperience. If Jackson, question his ability to pass block an edge rusher? We know that he is a roadgrader as a run blocker, but he must be quick enough to defeat the guy off the edge on a rush.
4. Corner play. We have a multitude of experience coming back but that doesn't mean a lot in success. We have some bright young talent too. Pick your poison. I know Coach Saban will put the best ones out there.
5. QB play. This may be the year that our QB must really only need to be that "game manager". Whether it be Sims or Coker, play within your abilities and protect the damn ball! I'm afraid that with Blake, he may take some ill advised shots trying to prove that he is the guy. High risk high reward type things! With Coker, he presses too much due to the enormous expectations that the fanbase and media have placed on him.

 

[bama alum]

Agree with Terry about red zone execution

 

[TerryP]

2.Place kicking/Punting. Shelley was automatic for us in the past, then we had the inconsistencies of Foster last season. Hopefully, Griffith will have gotten over his growing pains and perform like Shelley. Mandell was a weapon his last 2 years!! He developed a knack of hanging it high and pinning the return guy into the boundary. His averaged ballooned from his freshman to senior year, almost 8 yards a punt longer! A lot to put on a freshman, but hopefully, JK Scott is up to the task.

Scott's been getting good hang time since he's been on campus which gives hope. Then I consider kicking talent translating to the field in live SEC play and my optimism becomes cautious.

3.Left side of the Oline is a concern for me. I know that AK is back at LG but he was a liability more times than not last season. Maybe it was his knees still weren't 100% but he looked more than a step slow at times. As @TerryP stated, Who takes the LT spot? If it is Robinson, questions due to inexperience. If Jackson, question his ability to pass block an edge rusher? We know that he is a roadgrader as a run blocker, but he must be quick enough to defeat the guy off the edge on a rush..

Prexactly!! :clap:

4. Corner play. We have a multitude of experience coming back but that doesn't mean a lot in success. We have some bright young talent too. Pick your poison. I know Coach Saban will put the best ones out there..

That experience, combined with moving Kirby back to the secondary, is where my faith is based.

5. QB play. This may be the year that our QB must really only need to be that "game manager". Whether it be Sims or Coker, play within your abilities and protect the damn ball! I'm afraid that with Blake, he may take some ill advised shots trying to prove that he is the guy. High risk high reward type things! With Coker, he presses too much due to the enormous expectations that the fanbase and media have placed on him.

It's my understanding Coker doesn't get into the social media or spend a lot of time reading online. That should shelter him a bit from all the hoopla. TV? Good lord! I hope those who've said he's a real grounded guy are correct.

 

[JoshB]

Red Zone offense. All encompassing there where we need people simply to do their damn job.

Field goal kicking.

Offensive line concerns are based on who fills the left tackle position. Cam brings one set of concerns, Dom another.

Depth at interior linebacker.

Im not too keen on a true freshman at left tackle but its not like Dominick Jackson has a ton of experience either. Gonna be interesting. Doesnt seem like the staff has much confidence in Shepherd moving there.

 

[TerryP]

Im not too keen on a true freshman at left tackle but its not like Dominick Jackson has a ton of experience either. Gonna be interesting. Doesnt seem like the staff has much confidence in Shepherd moving there.

Here's another way to look at this.

Would you rather be replacing a RG and LT or a RG and RT?

 

[UAgrad93]

Here's another way to look at this.

Would you rather be replacing a RG and LT or a RG and RT?

Better to place parts on either side rather than both on a side!

 

[TerryP]

Better to place parts on either side rather than both on a side!

Prexactly.

 

[alabama mike]

To the average fan or person who did not play football, the complexity of the OL is misunderstood. The key to the entire offense starts and finishes with the men up front. Recognition of the defensive front, shifts, where a blitz is coming or not coming from and where your offensive play is suppose to go can and will mean and adjustment to each OL blocking assignment. The OL has to be able to make a quick adjustment and know who to block or the entire play breaks down...QUICK.

 

[MissingRing]

This is not a direct answer to the question posed, but I would like to challenge the thought being expressed in many forums that, at QB, all Alabama needs this year is somebody to handoff the ball and toss a few short passes. Given the talent level at RB and WR (+ OJ at TE), I understand why people are saying this, but recent history involving the LSU and Auburn games cautions against such optimism. I think that we will need at least the "John Parker Wilson" level of competence at quarterback in order to reach the playoffs.

 

[planomateo]

This is not a direct answer to the question posed, but I would like to challenge the thought being expressed in many forums that, at QB, all Alabama needs this year is somebody to handoff the ball and toss a few short passes. Given the talent level at RB and WR (+ OJ at TE), I understand why people are saying this, but recent history involving the LSU and Auburn games cautions against such optimism. I think that we will need at least the "John Parker Wilson" level of competence at quarterback in order to reach the playoffs.

Agree. I also don't believe we brought Kiffin in to just call the plays given to him. He's coming in to utilize the players, I'm of the opinion that we are going to see something we aren't expecting with him at the helm. Sure he was brought in to develop quarterbacks and recruit as well... We have a ridiculous amount of talent outside of the running game, so we better be using it. Don't get me wrong, I love a good smash mouth game, but I'd like to see us use the tools more than we have (which is silly to suggest given the offensive production the last few years).

 

[bama4life]

Leadership. Who will step it up when needed?

 

[ElephantStomp]

Agree. I also don't believe we brought Kiffin in to just call the plays given to him. He's coming in to utilize the players, I'm of the opinion that we are going to see something we aren't expecting with him at the helm. Sure he was brought in to develop quarterbacks and recruit as well... We have a ridiculous amount of talent outside of the running game, so we better be using it. Don't get me wrong, I love a good smash mouth game, but I'd like to see us use the tools more than we have (which is silly to suggest given the offensive production the last few years).

This has benn my thoughts too. I've thought all a long that Saban didn't bring in Kiffin just to ask Saban what play does he want to run? Because if that was the case Saban wouldn't have wanted to make changes with OC. I honestly believe Kiffin is going to be given the reins to use our weapons that put us in the best position to win games and to dominate our oppponents. I think people are going to be shocked at our offense if they're expecting run, run, run, short pass, run, run, short pass. Nothing in Kiffin's prior play calling points to that even when he was OC at USC