| FTBL Second Half Letdown
- Thread starter bamatommy
- Start date
Looking at it from the outside one would think it was due in part to the *comfy* leads they're carrying into the half. It seems that way to me. You know, hey we're killing these guys we can let off the pedal and cruise now.
I'm sure it's more then that, I'm just saying that's the way it appears. :?
I was SO ready for that game to end today!
I'm sure it's more then that, I'm just saying that's the way it appears. :?
I was SO ready for that game to end today!
G
Guest
Personally, I have not been comfortable with a lead for virtually the entire season. Playing a full 60 minutes was one of the problems that we were supposed to fix from last year, and its still here. That kind of stuff will do a couple of things:bamadezz said:
1) get you killed in November, and
2) keep you from being thought of as a Championship contender when the time comes.
It is our biggest issue, because it permeates the entire team.
If we are going to let the opponent sneak back into it, I would like to see the second half opened up with the "second stringers" and "starters" sharing time. At least in this manner every play will be played like they are trying to earn the #1 spot. If we don't compete against the opponent, maybe we will compete against ourselves.
BamaFan615
Member
Comfy leads is what I certainly think it starts with. And the other team gains momentum, which is tough to control when you're playing against good SEC teams. And keep in mind...Ole Miss is exactly that, a good SEC team. They went in to the Swamp and legitimately beat the Gators.
Now, I'm going to defend our team a little bit. When I first saw JPW's INT I was saying to myself "what the hell was he thinking", but then they showed the replay of it, so here's my question. Since when can the defensive back, bump a WR (Mike McCoy) off his route, 15 yards down field. That play killed us. We were driving and should have recieved a 15 yard penalty IMO that would have put inside the redzone. Had we scored a TD on that drive it would have been all but over.
Now, I'm going to defend our team a little bit. When I first saw JPW's INT I was saying to myself "what the hell was he thinking", but then they showed the replay of it, so here's my question. Since when can the defensive back, bump a WR (Mike McCoy) off his route, 15 yards down field. That play killed us. We were driving and should have recieved a 15 yard penalty IMO that would have put inside the redzone. Had we scored a TD on that drive it would have been all but over.
G
Guest
I love Alabama football, and I miss the state a lot. Being on the west coast (LOS ANGELES), all I hear is about USC. I will say, I think we have problems because we become lackluster team during the 3rd and 4th quarters of games. I don’t know if it’s because we don’t have the leadership, intensity, or the will to impose ours on others. Big leads could contribute to this as well.
Whatever the variable may be I believe it needs to be fixed. CNS is working on it we all know that. At some point during this season it will come back to haunt us. Being as young as we are, I hope it’s just not having the ability to focus because of youth. We all know that championship teams know how to finish games. We are not their yet, but that’s what season is for growing and learning, I just hope we get on the express in the next week or so because we are going to need it. For the up coming schedule
Whatever the variable may be I believe it needs to be fixed. CNS is working on it we all know that. At some point during this season it will come back to haunt us. Being as young as we are, I hope it’s just not having the ability to focus because of youth. We all know that championship teams know how to finish games. We are not their yet, but that’s what season is for growing and learning, I just hope we get on the express in the next week or so because we are going to need it. For the up coming schedule
It is going to cost us this year, if Bama doesn't start correcting whatever the problem is for the second half letdowns. I'm sure Coach Saban preaches it everyday in practice. I'm woundering if we need to be behind at the half to see if we can come out with some more intensity in the second half.
UT is going to be ready for us this Sat. especially after the tail kickin we laid on them last year. They have a pretty good D, and could upset us. We need to stat "finishing" plays and an entire game and this Saturday would be a good day to start.
UT is going to be ready for us this Sat. especially after the tail kickin we laid on them last year. They have a pretty good D, and could upset us. We need to stat "finishing" plays and an entire game and this Saturday would be a good day to start.
maybe going for the jugular on the first few possessions of the 3rd would be better than coming out flat and trying to run the ball. i love running the ball as much as anyone, but if you look at our starts in the 3rd quarter in 3 or 4 big games this year, we do not run the ball well coming out of the locker room.
come out and take 3 shots downfield back to back!?!?!
or maybe script the first 10 plays or so of the 2nd half and have them be variants or different plays that the other team didn't see in the first half?
something has to change or this will spell at least one loss to a power running team that can play field position with us.
come out and take 3 shots downfield back to back!?!?!
or maybe script the first 10 plays or so of the 2nd half and have them be variants or different plays that the other team didn't see in the first half?
something has to change or this will spell at least one loss to a power running team that can play field position with us.
I think it is a lot to do with the team mentality and maturity. It's like they go out there in the second half and play "not to lose" instead of playing to win it. Almost like they're afraid and defensive, rather than going out there and just kicking rear ends around like they did in the first half.
jdpas29 said:
yep, they do need to come out and go for the jugular. I don't know whether Saban knows it or not, but when you have a 24-3 lead going into the third and all you want to do is run the ball and try to run out the clock...you're sending a major message to your team...and that is not a good message. It's a message that you don't have faith in them. It's like...oh boy...we've got the big lead we want...now let's not blow it...let's just run the clock out. Sorry, but you're not going to win many games that way.
TerryP
Staff
Crimsonblood82 said:
While that thought is sound in theory, it isn't something we've done.
That was said after the UGA game but when you break the play calling down it didn't reflect the theory.
The OM game doesn't either. We had more passing attempts called than running plays.
When we needed to kill the clock, late in the 4th, a dropped pass by Walker put that idea to rest.
It goes back to what Saban says. It is not what you do but how well you do it. I think it is due to so much youth on the team. It is mental focus but not lack of intensity. Saban has said that Hightower and Julio are an exception to this. We have not played a complete game yet.
Okay, I am going to go against the grain and not blame the lack of intensity against the boys playing the game in the second half and say it has a lot to do with the folks that are calling the shots (ie coaches). We have had a great game plan every game, but you know what. Other teams know how to adjust to game plans and they have do so at half time. Maybe we need to throw something else at them after half time, also I think we get way to comfortable nursing a lead and working the clock with the run. Nothing wrong with that, it is smart to use the clock to your advantage, but not to the point of being predictable by a good defense.
TerryP
Staff
elbatider said:
Like I said in an earlier post in this thread.
There is nothing to support the theory we are nursing the clock by running the ball.
Our pass to run ratio in the last half of yesterday's game was as close to 50-50 as you can get.
12 rushing attempts, 11 passing attempts. We only had one series where we ran the ball every time. In that series Ingram ran for 19, then 6, followed by 2 and was stopped on 3rd and 1.
4 plays, took up less than 3 minutes of the half.
The same thing was said after the UGA game, but, like this one, the facts didn't support the notion.
This goes back to the review written for this site after the UK game. The perceptions of what is happening on the field are not the realities of what is happening on the field.
Quite frankly, this notion falls into the same category as those complaining about the lack of a pass rush from our DL when their purpose in the 3-4 isn't anything more than disrupting the pocket. They are doing that.
TerryP said:
Okay, but it feels like we are at the time I'm watching it
I guess what I am trying to say is that if we are doing the same thing in the second half that we did in the first half then it isn't only the players at fault. Whatever is happening I hope our coaches get it straighten out soon.
You can't blame the play calling but give credit to Ole Miss If memerory serves me right Ole Miss came out and ran the 2nd half kickoff back to around mid field converted a 4th down con. and then scored on a fake field goal. And cody got hurt on the drive to so all the MO had to be on thier side. Alabama throws a big pass play on thier frist poss. of the 2nd half. then a int. so the Mo goes back 2 Ole Miss
TerryP
Staff
rooster03 said:
You are spot on with what you are remembering.
While Cody was out of the game on the 4th down conversion he wouldn't have been in on that play anyway...at least I seriously doubt it since it was a 4th and 4 situation. (even with Cody out, they still didnt have any success running up the middle of the field. Chapman and Gentry did a good job in that regard.)
On the fake FG, when the holder ran up to the line and was shouting something it dawned on some of them that a fake was a likely possibility. I remember wondering if we were ready for one. Cody would have likely been in on the fake but you'd have to question if him being on the field would have had an impact re: stopping the fake.
What KIND of fake is something no one knew...
Nutt was pulling out all the stops he could on that drive.
G
Guest
Tied into the 2nd half letdown is special teams or lack of (specifically kickoff returns). We're just short of pathetic on length of the kick and number of times the opposition starts @ around the 35 or so.
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