| FTBL š PRE-GAME THREAD: Mercer brings a variation of the Wing-T and the Wishbone offense.
- Thread starter TerryP
- Start date
A 69-0 rout of NAIA Point University was a good start for them. They look more Wing-T than Bone. I glanced at their roster, and they of course have a moderate size disadvantage. Interesting that 13 of their 17 offensive linemen are Freshmen.
Hope we do not have a Georgia Southern type game on D.
Any team that from West Point, Ga. That hold a team from Macon, Ga to just 69 points can't be all that bad! Point U. itself has on been around for about 9-10 years.
That was the tin horn game, right? These guys are a major step down from GASouthern. Tough to estimate a score on this since we'll probably work to shorten the game vs. backups playing hard, but it's a 50+ game in my mind.
JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
Member
Coach Saban's opening remarks on Mercer:
A lot of Saturday's game is going to be about setting the edge: something Braswell is pretty good at doing. SECN has the game at 4ET.
From yesterday morning:
Gonna be a lllllllllllooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggg day for Mercer.
After an impressive opener, Coach Drew Cronic and his Mercer Bruins migrate to the Tuscaloosa savannah for an elephant hunt this Saturday. These cubbies may find themselves in a role reversal this weekend where the hunter becomes the hunted. This will not be a Kodiak moment for these Macon maulers, as they find out the only victorious Bear in Tuscaloosa is remembered by his name on the stadium and a statue out front.
Leonardās Loser ā Mercer by 55
Leonardās Loser ā Mercer by 55
Wow, that's great. Really brings back some fond memories!!
I'm concerned about injuries. The wishbone or wing T use a lot of cut blocks and low blocks. I know coach will have them ready but I would hate to see D lineman getting those knee injuries that are common with low blocks. Am I right in thinking that the NCAA made cut blocks illegal this year or did I dream that?
TerryP
Staff
A few. None past five yards of the LOS, none outside the tackle box. Allowed inside but there are stips on that as well. It'll be tough to call.
Here is a pretty good highlight video of the Spring 2020 Mercer/Citadel game. Their blocking schemes seem to be more typical than the heavy cut of the Wing-T. Playing a superior opponent, though, will probably increase cuts - it's the great equalizer, slowing stunts, minimizing upper body strengths, and keeping passing lanes open.
JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
Member
Nick trying to get this teams attention.....
-- Saban started off by recalling beating Texas A&M earlier in his tenure and ābringing to peopleās attentionā to the famous ārat poisonā quote. Saban then continued by saying his team did not prove it could play for 60 minutes in Saturdayās game against Miami. He said the team was not ready to practice Monday, and āit was hotā on Tuesday. āWe got every external factor in the world that is affecting our ability to maintain intensityā and practice the way they need.
-- Asked about Mondayās practice, Saban said he wants to see if they have leadership and if players care enough to understand the intensity required to get better. āWe have some guys that are doing the right things. Theyāre trying to set the right example and theyāre trying to pull guys along,ā he said. āWe also have other guys that need to pick it up.ā
-- Saban: āSome people have idea that exertion through the course of the week somehow impairs your ability to play on Saturday. But really you have to have exertion during the week to be ready to play on Saturday.ā More Saban: āWe have some guys that had it backward. Weāre trying to get it fixed.ā
www.al.com
-- Saban started off by recalling beating Texas A&M earlier in his tenure and ābringing to peopleās attentionā to the famous ārat poisonā quote. Saban then continued by saying his team did not prove it could play for 60 minutes in Saturdayās game against Miami. He said the team was not ready to practice Monday, and āit was hotā on Tuesday. āWe got every external factor in the world that is affecting our ability to maintain intensityā and practice the way they need.
-- Asked about Mondayās practice, Saban said he wants to see if they have leadership and if players care enough to understand the intensity required to get better. āWe have some guys that are doing the right things. Theyāre trying to set the right example and theyāre trying to pull guys along,ā he said. āWe also have other guys that need to pick it up.ā
-- Saban: āSome people have idea that exertion through the course of the week somehow impairs your ability to play on Saturday. But really you have to have exertion during the week to be ready to play on Saturday.ā More Saban: āWe have some guys that had it backward. Weāre trying to get it fixed.ā
What frustrated Saban said about Tideās prep for Mercer
The Tide will return to Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday for the first time in more than nine months.
We playing a bunch of future lawyers. That's all you need to know.
This may be one of those teaching games for Saban. Already hinting at such in his pressers. I am not remotely saying Bama loses but they may have a slow start. Will find out if they have the leadership and maturity to avoid it. This is more about creating the right thoughts and habits so the team grows and matures week to week so they are ready when it matters. Can't take a week off and get to where you want to go.
BamaFan334
Member
He's in East Georgia now!
B
Bama News
Alabama is playing a Mercer team that showed no mercy in Game 1
Alabama's Week 2 opponent put up some astronomical numbers in Week 1. The competition, however, wasn't great.
Alabama, beware.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide will look across the field this Saturday, and they will see an undefeated squad that not only has not been scored upon, but is averaging 69 points per game! This colossal collection of talent almost redefined the way the game is played in its opening game, running its opponent right off the field and sending it back to the locker room with a humiliating loss.
Mercer flexed its muscles like nobodyās business in Week 1, putting on a performance that made observers feel like the two teams did not even belong on the same field.
The score was a crisp 42-0 by halftime. Four more touchdowns followed in the second half. With the score sitting at 69-0, backup kicker Caleb Dowden missed his only PAT attempt that kept the Bears from a 70-spot. No word on whether the first-string kicker was simply tired from the previous nine extra points or whether the team was trying to develop depth at the position.
You want the total yardage numbers? How does 778 yards grab you? Mercer never punted and managed to overcome three turnovers. So 13 drives resulted in 10 TDs, two fumbles, one INT. There is technically room for improvement.
Defensively, the ā85 Bears were admiring the ā21 Bears. Mercer allowed 1.9 yards on 52 plays, for a grand total of 99. It picked off a pass, forced 11 punts and did not allow the opposition to advance past the Mercer 46-yard line. It was an overwhelming show of force by a defense that simply swallowed up runners, passers and receivers for four quarters.
The recipients of this beatdown were the Point Skyhawks. Point University is a small Christian school located in West Point, Ga., that competes in the Appalachian Athletic Conference of NAIA. The Skyhawks have won 12 games in their four-plus seasons of fielding a football team.
Clearly, the powerful Bears had no business matching up against a team that had such a talent deficit. Is there anything to be gained by whipping up on a program that clearly doesnāt have the resources and ability to compete on the same level? Wouldnāt Mercer be better off scheduling at least a school that is closer aligned with its athletic goals and priorities? Mighty Mercer once beat Duke in the NCAA Tournament. It has no business dipping down to NAIA in football, basketball or any other sport..
Hopefully, we will soon see the end of these mismatches, where one team performs like an NFL team and the other is made to look like a high school team. These types of blowouts arenāt in the best interest of either program. Letās hope Mercer and Point can get back to their proper level of competition in Week 2.
Mercer have mercy on us please. This is a paycheck game. I hope we play all the bench warmers and the water crew with them.
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