🏈 "Preseason magazines bullish on Alabama" By Aaron Suttles, TideSports.com

[planomateo]

“Alabama will dominate on defense,” Phil Steele said. “I have them rated as the best defense in the country. They have 10 starters back. They’ve got my No. 1-rated linebacker group, No. 1-rated defensive back group and No. 4 defensive line. When your weakness is my fourth-ranked defensive line … I don’t think I’ve ever said that before.”

It’s not just the brutes on defense that Steele favors. He ranks the Crimson Tide’s running backs as second-best in the nation and the offensive line as No. 1.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=rivals-1241119

 

[ericd]

All of this sounds great. I just hope the players aren't reading this stuff and think this is all automatic.

 

[ElephantStomp]

Our coaching staff will have them ready and will keep their focus

 

[shipley00]

"No. 1 offensive line... in the country? based on what I saw las year, I don't see #1 in the sec (although that's the same thing right ) I think Barret Jones is one of the top OLs in the nation, but unless Cyrus seriously impresses in fall camp, BJ will be playing a new position. This is the same Ol from last year that struggled to pass block against the better sec schools. Tell me what I'm missing?

 

[TerryP]

"No. 1 offensive line... in the country? based on what I saw las year, I don't see #1 in the sec (although that's the same thing right ) I think Barret Jones is one of the top OLs in the nation, but unless Cyrus seriously impresses in fall camp, BJ will be playing a new position. This is the same Ol from last year that struggled to pass block against the better sec schools. Tell me what I'm missing?

Injuries. There's one place to start.

Since you mentioned Barrett, he was dealing with a pretty severe ankle injury during the last part of the season. Healthy against Mich. St.

Fluker missed four games with a groin injury.

Carpenter. He dealth with an ankle injury from the Penn State game throughout the season. Healthy against Michigan State.

That's both tackles injured in the regular season. I'd say, that matters a lot when it comes to results, eh?

Most importantly, experience. Combined, we have 90 career starts along our offensive line which leads the SEC. Last years leader in starts in the SEC? Auburn. The year before? Alabama. The year before? Florida.

See the trend here?

I don't think Phil Steele has more of a clue than anyone when it comes to forecasting the top 10 in the pre-season. But, when it comes to player evaluation and group evaluation, history has proved there isn't any better.

Give me an offensive line you think will be better than ours in the SEC?

And, don't put BJ at the LT spot quite yet. McCullough still has something to say about that battle. And, even if we do slide BJ out to LT, our interior is going to be just fine with the choice of Steen, Warmack or McCullough.

I hope Cyrus sees playing time, but NOT as a starter.

 

[shipley00]

I don't know enough about which other schools are returning starters this season to give a good assesment. Based on last season, I just don't see how our C is on the Remington list, and all SEC 1st team. This vid is just one example. I'm hopeful things will turn around for him. I hope you're right with the injuries taking their toll. With the exception of the Mich St game, didn't see it last season. Not enough to claim #1 in the country.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8f1CoO9HZyg

 

[TerryP]

What am I supposed to be looking for there shipley?

In all the running plays shown in that video there isn't a single one that losses yards. There were four or five out of 20+ that went for a couple of yards. A couple of yards against run blitz's and seven and eight defenders in the box.

I don't find any fault there in the OL. We were down to just Ingram about halfway through that game going back to the injury standpoint.

There were four sacks. Everyone of them came off of blitz's. Again, more men and a blitz...in Tiger Stadium which does have a bearing when you are checking off. A delayed blitz with an empty backfield, a guy coming off the edge with an empty backfield, and two were Chavis threw the sink at us.

LSU had one of the best defenses in the nation last year. And, it was one of those trick plays Miles pulls that ended up costing us the game in the end. Against our defense, not our offensive line.

We should have won that game. Call it the turnovers if you like...one off of a tipped ball the other off of a delayed blitz—empty backfield again.

Help me out here shipley...where's the breakdown in the offensive line I'm supposed to see?

 

[TerryP]

By the way, we had one coach told he needed to find another job after that game. It wasn't Pendry, it was Bo Davis.

 

[Southern Bama]

Im more concerned over the QB and TE questions rather than the WR question....and if we have the 2nd best RB tandem, who has the 1st ? My last observation.....and I may get slapped around a little for saying it....but I dont see Trent as an " upgrade " from Ingram . I dont question Trents talent, ability...etc....but Ingram is in my opinion the better RB...and better receiver out of the backfield. That being said....I hope he runs for 1750 yds. and 30 TD......

 

[JoshB]

"No. 1 offensive line... in the country? based on what I saw las year, I don't see #1 in the sec (although that's the same thing right ) I think Barret Jones is one of the top OLs in the nation, but unless Cyrus seriously impresses in fall camp, BJ will be playing a new position. This is the same Ol from last year that struggled to pass block against the better sec schools. Tell me what I'm missing?

WHAT?! We didn't have the Offensive Line we started the season with from October until they finally came all back together in the Bowl Game. how can you just look past that? and i REALLY dont get the shots at Vlachos, the dude is pretty much considered by everyone (analysts, coaches, etc.) as one of, if not THE best Center in the nation. so where does that come from? oh and he wanst just a pre-season All SEC THIS year he was All-SEC last year.

 

[TerryP]

Im more concerned over the QB and TE questions rather than the WR question....and if we have the 2nd best RB tandem, who has the 1st ? My last observation.....and I may get slapped around a little for saying it....but I dont see Trent as an " upgrade " from Ingram . I dont question Trents talent, ability...etc....but Ingram is in my opinion the better RB...and better receiver out of the backfield. That being said....I hope he runs for 1750 yds. and 30 TD......

I haven't seen Steele's rankings on RB's, but I'd guess it would be Wisconsin. They had two of their guys rush for over 1000 yards last season and a third that missed that mark by four yards.

 

[TerryP]

Vlachos is considered to be one of the top five centers in next years NFL draft. I've seen some projections as him being the second center taken in the draft behind the guy at Ohio State.

 

[Southern Bama]

I haven't seen Steele's rankings on RB's, but I'd guess it would be Wisconsin. They had two of their guys rush for over 1000 yards last season and a third that missed that mark by four yards.

And didnt they get the QB transfer from North Carolina State.... Russell Wilson....? Sounds like Wisconsin has some awesome potential on the ground.

 

[JoshB]

I haven't seen Steele's rankings on RB's, but I'd guess it would be Wisconsin. They had two of their guys rush for over 1000 yards last season and a third that missed that mark by four yards.

Hes got us #2 behind Oregon but this was before Hart went out with the injury. Then again he mainly just talked about Richardson & Lacy in the magazine, with a brief mention of Hart. Wisconsin is listed at #7 surprisingly, Auburn is ahead of them (#4).

And just to go along with Mr. Steele (who by the way was one of the very few magazines that didnt pick us to repeat last year (and got really destroyed by Alabama fans for it) and picked Auburn to be a sleeper team) he has us unranked in QB's (he does 1-38), #2 like I said in RB, #31 at WR, #1 at O-Line, #4 at D-Line, #1 at LB, and #1 at DB (which he literally says that he made the blurb about Bama's DB's the longest of any blurb on the position rankings because in his opinion the the gap between #1 and #2 at DB is THAT big). He has us at #20 on Special Teams.

and yes he picked us to meet Oklahoma in the National Title game. Also, he has Barrett Jones (OG), Trent Richardson (RB), William Vlachos (C), Mark Barron (S), Dont'a Hightower (LB), Robert Lester (S), and Courtney Upshaw (LB) on his Pre-Season All America list and even way more on his Pre-Season ALL SEC list.

 

[TerryP]

Hes got us #2 behind Oregon but this was before Hart went out with the injury. Then again he mainly just talked about Richardson & Lacy in the magazine, with a brief mention of Hart. Wisconsin is listed at #7 surprisingly, Auburn is ahead of them (#4).

And just to go along with Mr. Steele (who by the way was one of the very few magazines that didnt pick us to repeat last year (and got really destroyed by Alabama fans for it) and picked Auburn to be a sleeper team) he has us unranked in QB's (he does 1-38), #2 like I said in RB, #31 at WR, #1 at O-Line, #4 at D-Line, #1 at LB, and #1 at DB (which he literally says that he made the blurb about Bama's DB's the longest of any blurb on the position rankings because in his opinion the the gap between #1 and #2 at DB is THAT big). He has us at #20 on Special Teams.

and yes he picked us to meet Oklahoma in the National Title game. Also, he has Barrett Jones (OG), Trent Richardson (RB), William Vlachos (C), Mark Barron (S), Dont'a Hightower (LB), Robert Lester (S), and Courtney Upshaw (LB) on his Pre-Season All America list and even way more on his Pre-Season ALL SEC list.

Another reason I think the Arkansas game has a real good chance to be ugly.

I read the DB breakdown but can't remember. Did he mention Menzie at all?

 

[TerryP]

Here's irony for you shipley.

CSS is broadcasting that Bama vs LSU game right now. :lol:

 

[JoshB]

Another reason I think the Arkansas game has a real good chance to be ugly.

I read the DB breakdown but can't remember. Did he mention Menzie at all?

He did but only in saying that he returns along with returning starters Dre Kirpatrick & Dee Milliner (also mentioning he had Menzie as one of higher ranked JUCO transfers last year).

 

[bamatommy]

All of this sounds great. I just hope the players aren't reading this stuff and think this is all automatic.

Amen to that!

 

[LBS]

I honestly think that we are virtually to the point to where Coaches will be the determining factor (a good place to be for us), unless injuries become a factor.

 

[shipley00]

What am I supposed to be looking for there shipley?

In all the running plays shown in that video there isn't a single one that losses yards. There were four or five out of 20+ that went for a couple of yards. A couple of yards against run blitz's and seven and eight defenders in the box.

I don't find any fault there in the OL. We were down to just Ingram about halfway through that game going back to the injury standpoint.

There were four sacks. Everyone of them came off of blitz's. Again, more men and a blitz...in Tiger Stadium which does have a bearing when you are checking off. A delayed blitz with an empty backfield, a guy coming off the edge with an empty backfield, and two were Chavis threw the sink at us.

LSU had one of the best defenses in the nation last year. And, it was one of those trick plays Miles pulls that ended up costing us the game in the end. Against our defense, not our offensive line.

We should have won that game. Call it the turnovers if you like...one off of a tipped ball the other off of a delayed blitz—empty backfield again.

Help me out here shipley...where's the breakdown in the offensive line I'm supposed to see?

First off, I'm not trying to take shots at WV, just point out some issues I had with his play last season. I had very high expectation last year for our OL. You made a very good point about all the injuries the OL had. I’m NOT saying WV had an all around crappy game. There were plenty of plays he did quite well. There were also plenty of plays that he did poorly. Last season there were games where sometimes he looked really good, and others where he looked really bad. As for this game:

0:43 He gets driven 4 yards into the backfield on a running play.
1:11 He gets driven 4 yards into the backfield on a running play.
1:43 He gets beaten bad and the QB is almost sacked.
3:15 Goal Line. No push. 1st try he’s stud up. Second he’s pushed back a yard.
4:23 He gets driven back two yards and thrown down on a running play.
5:08 He gets beaten bad and has to tackle the defender from behind to prevent the QB sack.
6:42 He misses his assignment, falls down, and his defender plugs the hole and stops the RB.
7:56 He wifs on his guy, falls down, and the QB is sacked, fumble, we lose the ball.

Yes LSU has a very good DL. That said, these are not the kind of plays I’d expect for a Remington Candidate or first team SEC Center. He did an overall good job for us last year. I’m hoping he’ll correct some things, has been hitting the weights, and will have a superb Senior season. I always pull for our players, but I do tell it like I see it. I expect WV to have a good season, and if he lives up to the billing, I'm never cheap with the praise.