🏈 POST GAME/VENT THREAD: Bama 33 — West Virginia 23
- Thread starter TerryP
- Start date
Those that know me on here know that I am no sunshine pumper. I am a pessimist but not a bridge jumper as Jill put it, but there are some concerns that will need to be addressed. Thank God that right now Sims and the offense isn't one of them. 99.9 percent of my concerns are about the D. D-line needs to greatly improve and get some kind of rush. The secondary seemed to be non existent or just plain lost most of the night. It was a win and all of us has seen uglier wins that this. Pass drops on both teams could have made the outcome different but in the big scheme of things it didn't. So, enjoy the win.
I'll bet you were itching to use this .gif on the last seconds of the Iron Bowl last year, when they said, "Jeeeez... I sure hope Saban knows what he's doing. If the Tigers run this back for 7, the season is over.!"
So yeah, it would be nice to have a crystal ball, to have invented time travel, and in general to be the guy on the pedestal with the golden staff of knowledge who knows absolutely everything so everyone else's "opinion" seems totally and utterly ridiculous and completely and utterly improbable under the worse case scenario, and in no way on earth can ever happen no matter WHAT!!!. But you are not that guy.
Eddie Jackson didn't play, so I do believe the secondary will improve. I just can't understand where the hell the help was for the CB's. Can't just leave inexperienced corners on an island by themselves, gotta have a safety over the top to help them. Along with that, the 4-man pressure up front is still dismal. Seems like every year we talk about the pass rush unit is going to be the best that Saban ever had and still they are inconsistent. The run D got better as the game went along, but they sure were giving up some yards and a lot of room for the RB. Foster also was late a lot in coverage, but he should get better as he gains more experience. Overall this game pissed me off.
/rant.
/rant.
Also, I hope they seriously aren't going to play that much in the shotgun every game. No reason to have 3-straight passing plays after Yeldon or Henry break off a 10 yard run and are just starting to get warmed up. If they can't stop it, feed the damn beast until they do. Enough of this "balance" shit.
To add to this with a little of my perspective as well.
Trey didn't play—suspended. We don't get beaten in the seam as much as we did with him in. As much as Foster is a run stopper, he doesn't have "the wheels" to keep up with a WR in that route.
Where were the safeties? Often splitting time between watching the middle and playing over the top of the corners.
They kept mentioning Ivory in the game—a game he was suspended for. Reed was also out on the DL. Both would have made a difference.
I'm far from trying to "pump sunshine." However, we're essentially without four contributors three of whom would be starters.
Then there's the point that a good offensive player SHOULD beat the defense every time. We laud that with Cooper, but it's inexcusable with a guy like Smallwood, or White, have success against our secondary?
—....—....—
Here's the thing that gets me a bit...
There are a lot out there calling themselves "realistic." However, all they're being realistic about is voicing their own opinion.
Objectivity? Sorely lacking.
'65 Cobra
Member
For those concerned about D-Line pressure, I would simply contribute that when playing against a HUNH offense, I believe they are taught to maintain gap control and not over-pursue. They could have been somewhat held back. We have alot of new players trying to gel. My bigger concern is how often Sylve got smoked and specific to him, how poor his fundamentals were. For example, on each of the big plays he got toasted, he didn't look back for the ball once. He may have made some plays if he did.
On Blake, well it's one of those things where he had some abysmal passes and he also had some drops (although I agree with the one poster in this thread about the one Cyrus (?) dropped. That ball floated forever and probably should have been picked off). Some of that could be first game jitters, but the dude is a 5th year senior. Of equal concern is the total lack of command he had of the huddle and the line of scrimmage way too often. The other concern is the complete lack of mid-range and deep ball capability. Over time, this will hurt much worse than it did last night. I certainly hope CNS is competing the QB competition open for now.
On Blake, well it's one of those things where he had some abysmal passes and he also had some drops (although I agree with the one poster in this thread about the one Cyrus (?) dropped. That ball floated forever and probably should have been picked off). Some of that could be first game jitters, but the dude is a 5th year senior. Of equal concern is the total lack of command he had of the huddle and the line of scrimmage way too often. The other concern is the complete lack of mid-range and deep ball capability. Over time, this will hurt much worse than it did last night. I certainly hope CNS is competing the QB competition open for now.
Perhaps not, but to say we will be lucky to win 9 games without God intervention levels of change is, at this point, silly and unsupported by the sample size.
BamaFisher
Member
bamafan9201
Member
We were much improved against the spread in the second half. I feel like we sat back and let them try to beat us with base defense in the first half and that just killed us. In the 2nd we made some moves and put people in more man coverage and forced them to get negative plays on first down which cripples the hurry up offense. If you watched, whenever we got a negative play WVU would be slow to get to the ball because they didn't know which play to put in next. This is the formula we'll be using I think for Auburn and A&M. More man coverage with our athletic corners and forcing that QB to be hurried and forcing negative plays on 1st and 10. All in all I think the defense was worlds better in the 2nd half than they were in the first. Though most people may not have noticed the exorbitant amount of offensive pass interference that was not being called on [HASHTAG]#11[/HASHTAG] on their team. Every big play they threw to him he used either a big stiff arm or a push off to create separation.
After watching the TIDE today, here is my take. The offense looked very good, after replacing two linemen with 40+ starts between them and a 3 year starter and two time National Champion at QB! 500+ yards of total offense wasn't bad at all. Sims got the start and did nothing to deserve being taken out in favor of Coker. 24-33 250yds with another 45+ on the ground.
Defensively, when we pushed the pocket, our secondary looked good. When we got no pressure, our DBS were left out to dry. Sylve and Jones, while serviceable, won't be the CBs by mid season IMHO. Jackson, Brown, and Humphrey will replace them. 28yds allowed on the ground not bad. The outside screens and swing passes should count in their rushing since it is like a toss sweep in the Air Raid offense. Too many missed tackles!
The special teams was solid with Griffith 4-4fgs and Scott averaging 50 on 2 punts. The KO return really changed the complexion of the game. Missed tackle really helped!
There are things to work on overall and that is a good thing. You don't want to be perfect in the first game! Peak at the end of the season not game one! The Road to 16 has begun!!
Defensively, when we pushed the pocket, our secondary looked good. When we got no pressure, our DBS were left out to dry. Sylve and Jones, while serviceable, won't be the CBs by mid season IMHO. Jackson, Brown, and Humphrey will replace them. 28yds allowed on the ground not bad. The outside screens and swing passes should count in their rushing since it is like a toss sweep in the Air Raid offense. Too many missed tackles!
The special teams was solid with Griffith 4-4fgs and Scott averaging 50 on 2 punts. The KO return really changed the complexion of the game. Missed tackle really helped!
There are things to work on overall and that is a good thing. You don't want to be perfect in the first game! Peak at the end of the season not game one! The Road to 16 has begun!!
We talked about this the last month or so...
Jarrick ended up starting, and for most of the game playing, the STAR position. That's us playing three safeties and two corners in our nickel.
I do wonder if we don't see Brown replace Jarrick at the STAR to get us better coverage in the seams: definite weakness there.
Sshhh! :naught:
I've been waiting on someone to point that out since last night. You're the first!
Good post, Lance! Accurate observation.
Crimson&WhiteGecko
Member
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