| FTBL Sink or Swim time this Saturday against Ole Miss...

Brandon Van de Graaff

A defensive deity, inventor of the Concussion.
Staff
Alabama hasn't lost 2 September games since Saban's first season in 2007. I think this week's game tells us a lot about how this season ends up... like 2007, or something with much more promise?

Saban made it clear yesterday that Milroe has been given the keys... it's now up to him, those around him, and the staff to make it work. How do they do that? IMO, while you can't change the playbook at this point, you can tailor it to best fit what Milroe does best and focus on those things, and cut your losses on some of the stuff that he continuously struggles with. Meaning, despite his long term plan to become a pro-style passer, focus more on zone reads, designed runs, quicker designed throws (slants, screens, etc). The deep ball will be there still and one thing he's proven is he can handle that part of it.

The offensive line (and backs in pass protection) must get their shit figured out, now. We know that in the past the Tide OL is a slow starting unit... this OL came in with more hype than any we've seen since the 2020 (even more than them, honestly)... bigger, badder, better, etc. Time for Wolford to earn his money and the best 5 to settle in and play much closer to their potential... if they do that, they'll be fine.

I'd like to see the RB rotation grow. I'm not asking or expecting Jam Miller or Justice Haynes to be out there on 3rd and 11 very often, but I'd like to see them get a couple of spot carries a game, at least in some short yardage situations.

There's lot of noise around the program right now... some of which is legitimate... most of which isn't. But drop this game to Ole Miss, the noise gets louder, the clutter starts to pile up... and for a team that lacks Alpha leaders... that's a recipe for disaster.

The good news? This Ole Miss team has holes in it (and issues of their own), and a victory over them would be a huge confidence boost... depending on how the game plays out, Alabama might find that edge they've lost, and start to form an identity. I'd like to see the Tide offense attack the hell out of the Ole Miss LB's. Stress them in every way possible in the run and pass game. Do unto them as some did unto Bama under Golding.

As far as Kiffin... He just can't help himself, but he's doing his team zero favors by throwing gas on this week's game. He's done it before, and win or lose, he'll do it again... It's a good look into the window of why he will never be Alabama's head coach. And maybe UA is in so much disarray that they don't answer the bell, but why poke them? Why go out of your way to publicly disrespect Kevin Steele, a coach that the players love? That alone should have the entire Alabama team motivated to drag them (and would in the past)... but with this Tide team, we'll have to wait and see. It's been a long time though since I've seen an opportunity like this for an Alabama team to rally around each other and use adversity as a means to recalibrate and punish. I feel certain that they can... but unsure that they will... either way, we will find out soon enough.
 
I think you nailed it on the head 100 percent. I think in some way, this week hopefully will gel together and finally get on same page. I don't think we will see a bad offense 3 weeks in a row.

This is the money game not just for the players, but for the assistant coaches. I'm watching DL, OL and Safeties.
 
The morning of the MTSU game @bamaledge started a thread about Milroe. After the game you were looking forward to Texas and talking about how Milroe might develop. Even after going 10/13 on 3rd we still didn't see any intermediate routes.
The deep ball will be there still and one thing he's proven is he can handle that part of it.
We're still looking for those routes; rather, completions.

I'd like to see the Tide offense attack the hell out of the Ole Miss LB's. Stress them in every way possible in the run and pass game.
Can I beat this horse again? It's not quite dead. Intermediate ...

One thing that's crossed my mind a few times I can't shake...and I don't know if it's been a Roach/Golding thing or it's just a by-product of the defense. We've seen a lot of over pursuit from the front six/seven over the last several years. Is that something we see Rees and company look for this weekend? You mention the RB's, Jase has a knack for cutting back.
 
The morning of the MTSU game @bamaledge started a thread about Milroe. After the game you were looking forward to Texas and talking about how Milroe might develop. Even after going 10/13 on 3rd we still didn't see any intermediate routes.

We're still looking for those routes; rather, completions.


Can I beat this horse again? It's not quite dead. Intermediate ...

One thing that's crossed my mind a few times I can't shake...and I don't know if it's been a Roach/Golding thing or it's just a by-product of the defense. We've seen a lot of over pursuit from the front six/seven over the last several years. Is that something we see Rees and company look for this weekend? You mention the RB's, Jase has a knack for cutting back.
I definitely think it's Roach/Golding. How many times we saw our players over pursing this past weekend and almost had sacks ? If Golding has shown us anything, He will be very aggressive on blitzes and if OL can pick it up, recognizing what's coming, I think we can outsmart them.
 
This is the money game not just for the players, but for the assistant coaches. I'm watching DL, OL and Safeties.
Their running game last weekend made their living on the corners: GT didn't have enough speed. IF Ole Miss has the same intent Saturday it's more about the DE's than DL as a whole...more on the OLB's and CB's than the safeties.

I have a hard time seeing Ole Miss try to run between the tackles. Now, they're adding Oatis back in the rotation.
 
Their running game last weekend made their living on the corners: GT didn't have enough speed. IF Ole Miss has the same intent Saturday it's more about the DE's than DL as a whole...more on the OLB's and CB's than the safeties.

I have a hard time seeing Ole Miss try to run between the tackles. Now, they're adding Oatis back in the rotation.
Kiffin will scheme to do lot of quick screen passes, WR screen, bubble screen, He'll deploy quick passes to neutralize the pass rush and will force us to play in coverage. Gotta think they will target Arnold several time. I hope they shuffle the CB position a little to correct that.
 
I am looking at two areas for major improvement against Ole Miss:

1. OL pass protection- we are horrible. I do not care who is playing QB they are going to struggle when they are under pressure constantly from the rush and we are in the shotgun for goodness sakes.

2. Defense keeping the QB in check on 3rd and long. I am tired of seeing the QB drop back and then take off running for a first down or more because we do not have a "spy" on the QB.
 
Their running game last weekend made their living on the corners: GT didn't have enough speed. IF Ole Miss has the same intent Saturday it's more about the DE's than DL as a whole...more on the OLB's and CB's than the safeties.

I have a hard time seeing Ole Miss try to run between the tackles. Now, they're adding Oatis back in the rotation.
But, is he 100%?
 
Ask the guy who gets all the scuttlebutt from all those people he knows around the lake.
There sure are alot here in little ol Alex City.. come check out the new Wicker Point Golf Course and the Benjamin club sometime…
 
Last edited:
@Brandon Van de Graaff I wish I would have heard what I'm hearing about practices this week in week two of camp. But, I get it as to why.

With a Bama win, Sunday's papers will read something like "They ran it again and again and Ole Miss couldn't stop it." I don't know if it's a correction or a key they've found ... but something is being pounded in this week. Is it game plan or fundamentals?

It's a sense on a Thursday morning...
 
@Brandon Van de Graaff I wish I would have heard what I'm hearing about practices this week in week two of camp. But, I get it as to why.

With a Bama win, Sunday's papers will read something like "They ran it again and again and Ole Miss couldn't stop it." I don't know if it's a correction or a key they've found ... but something is being pounded in this week. Is it game plan or fundamentals?

It's a sense on a Thursday morning...

I'd love to see Milroe run the ball as much as McClellan and Williams...and Hayes and Miller will Saturday.
 
Back
Top Bottom