🏈 The Good, The Bad and The Ugly vs. FSU

[Krimson]

Ten Bears called me a few moments ago and even he is pissed. His take is Bama will have a new DC in 2026.

I concur with his assessment. We're trying to make chicken salad out of chicken shit as of tonight. We need men to stop the run and all we have is the specialty positions on defense trying to out scheme them. Lawson and Jefferson are not SEC starters.

Hope he's correct

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Hope he's correct

A much cheaper and more realistic scenario.

 

[mando]

Good- The opening drive was a thing of beauty. 15 balanced plays. Leaned on the run game and let Simpson settle in, overcame a 3rd down penalty, and ran some nifty and effective red zone plays. At the time, I was feelin' good...

The RB's ran hard and for a young group, I thought they played well... was really impressed with Kevin Riley (a player I honestly wasn't too high on when he signed). They never really got the ground game going consistently again after that opening drive, but when they did run it, those guys made the most of what yardage was available. And, they held onto the football.

Germie Bernard had a great game... thank goodness for him. He's as steady and consistent as they come.

Talty hit a FG, yeah! And was on target for the 53 yarder at least...


Bad- Ryan Williams has got to catch the football better.

Lawson looks like he's at 80% speed at best and that is hurting the defense, a defense which doesn't need any help when it comes to self-inflicting wounds.

Felt like Grubb & Co. maybe got away from what was working well early, but the FSU defense certainly had a lot to do with that.

The OL showed too many cracks, too many breakdowns, especially when the run game evaporated and FSU could tee off. That led to Simpson getting very uncomfortable in the pocket, bringing his eyes down too soon at times. Other times, he held the ball too long, which led to rushed and off target throws. He just looked like he was in a blender back there... hindsight being what it is, that was a tough game and tough environment to make a 1st career start. He will learn from it though. And he did show some toughness.


Ugly- As nice as the opening drive was for the offense, the defense was equally as disappointing on FSU's first possession (and most thereafter). Really thought they'd come out and set the tone. Instead, the DL got eaten alive which led to the DB's getting burned up. Later, the ILB's were out of position and getting gashed by QB runs.

Just like last year, the defense can't get off the field clean after the Bama offense puts it in for 6. Overall, a really bad day for them in pretty much every possible way.

[whistle blows] Alabama is flagged for an undisciplined penalty

DeBoer is now 4-4 in games where Bama was at least a 14 point favorite.


Random Thoughts- I'm thankful Lee Roy Jordan didn't have to witness that.

I can't stand Gus, but I'll give him credit. When Bama is the opposing team, he brings his best gameplans. I saw enough of his auburn (and UCF on their midweek) games to know that he isn't normally that good. But for whatever reason, he has Bama's number... and I hate it. On a related note, I don't know how they'll finish things out, but FSU is definitely a better team than they were last year. Bama should have handled them, but they are closer to 2023 FSU than 2024 FSU. That team was night and day different from last season.

That game had a 2000 at UCLA feel to it. We score quick, feel good about ourselves, and then the shit gets real and eventually hits the fan. I was at that game in 2000... I'm glad I wasn't at this one today.

There is no doubt in my mind at this point that in spring and fall camp, the Bama OL going up against the Bama DL, does no favors for the OL. I believe it provides a false sense of success... not just for the players, but for the staff, and casual observers. I say this, because for the second year in a row, the reports, some of which I've even gotten first hand, don't match the results on the field when the season begins.

I think it was @Krimson who tried to warn us that Wommack was fool's gold when he was hired. I pushed back on that idea at that time. I'm not ready to fold and cash out on him yet, but I need to see a better product considering some of the athletes he's got to work with. Time and patience is starting to run real short.

Nothing stings as bad as the truth and at the time, most of us thought it was a dumb comment to make, but Castellanos was indeed right. The fear of Alabama is officially gone. History would emphatically tell us that one day, the fear will return. But who knows when. I'm greedy and I enjoy it, so hopefully sooner, than later.

Lastly, I feel like an absolute loser for how I built up this team in recent weeks. Yes there were lingering questions, but I was sure things had been fixed. I had them pegged as a 1 or 2 loss regular season team, and they got big boy'd by FSU right out of the gate. On the flipside, I'm not sure anyone had this pegged whole thing pegged more than @mando (in terms of serious posters), with his cautious, somewhat skeptical, wait and see approach.. I'd add @Kirk Van de Graaff to that very short list of Bama prophets as well, but those are from conversations off the board.

@Brandon Van de Graaff I really do want to believe but that is blindly following based on what my eyes are seeing and the results on the field. The only data point I have that keeps or kept me hoping that was tangeable is CKDs results everywhere he has coached. Now at Bama I have not seen anything that makes me believe that he will produce at the to the Bama standard thus my wait and see approach. He has to show me and anyone that thinks he is the next CNS is simply dillusional. The Talking heads and player tough speach does not make it happen on the field. People are trying to draw conclusions from reports and maybe even going to practices but in the end you have to do it on the field. Honestly what I think is preventing the on the field results is the OL/DL. Now why is that? That is what CKD gets paid a lot of money to figure out and until he does his teams are going to keep struggling.

The fools gold appears to be our DL is week so we are not getting a good read on the OL. I think you mentioned this in your post.

But for whatever reason, he has Bama's number

With regards to Gus, I did a quick search and he is 3-5 against Bama as a head coach and 4-7 overall so I am not sure that qualifies him as having Bamas # but he has had more success than a lot of people,

 

[Krimson]

A much cheaper and more realistic scenario.

Can't happen soon enough for me. Not sure how loyal to Womack he'll be or how much pressure he will get to make a change.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

With regards to Gus, I did a quick search and he is 3-5 against Bama as a head coach and 4-7 overall so I am not sure that qualifies him as having Bamas # but he has had more success than a lot of people,

I'm more talking scheme, and offensive success wise... he's made things difficult for Bama under 2 different regimes now. I seriously doubt there is another team out there he's had that level of success against when also factoring in how good Bama has been during those years.

 

[mando]

DeBoer was 3-0 against Lanning.

One of those data points that keeps/kept me hoping but in a wait and see mode as you know. You surely do not achieve that record w/o substance but for whatever reason it is not translating at Bama. Maybe in the Pac-12 or these other conferences where it is not as much about the line of scrimmage and all you need is great skill guys it works. That is not enough in the big boy football league.

CKD seems to be a very likeable guy and people have talked about his secret weapon being relationships. Again people are trying to find reasons for optimism and why CKD is going to be successful. In the end as the Bear said the same things win that have always won. I know Bear and CNS were going to be hardasses. They were not going to be your friend so doubt they would be touting relationships as some magic potion for winning. Now in the recruiting side of things sure that helps but at some point just like being a parent you can't be their best friend.

Even with all that said, things are usually not as good or bad as what we see in the first game. Here is hoping that really is the case with this team going forward.

 

[TideatMileHigh]

@Brandon Van de Graaff I really do want to believe but that is blindly following based on what my eyes are seeing and the results on the field. The only data point I have that keeps or kept me hoping that was tangeable is CKDs results everywhere he has coached. Now at Bama I have not seen anything that makes me believe that he will produce at the to the Bama standard thus my wait and see approach. He has to show me and anyone that thinks he is the next CNS is simply dillusional. The Talking heads and player tough speach does not make it happen on the field. People are trying to draw conclusions from reports and maybe even going to practices but in the end you have to do it on the field. Honestly what I think is preventing the on the field results is the OL/DL. Now why is that? That is what CKD gets paid a lot of money to figure out and until he does his teams are going to keep struggling.

The fools gold appears to be our DL is week so we are not getting a good read on the OL. I think you mentioned this in your post.


With regards to Gus, I did a quick search and he is 3-5 against Bama as a head coach and 4-7 overall so I am not sure that qualifies him as having Bamas # but he has had more success than a lot of people,

Gus is the Anti-Saban...a one trick poney imo. His whole gimmick was built around oofy doofy trickery causing confusion for Saban style teams that were built to dismantle pro-style offenses.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

One of those data points that keeps/kept me hoping but in a wait and see mode as you know. You surely do not achieve that record w/o substance but for whatever reason it is not translating at Bama. Maybe in the Pac-12 or these other conferences where it is not as much about the line of scrimmage and all you need is great skill guys it works. That is not enough in the big boy football league.

CKD seems to be a very likeable guy and people have talked about his secret weapon being relationships. Again people are trying to find reasons for optimism and why CKD is going to be successful. In the end as the Bear said the same things win that have always won. I know Bear and CNS were going to be hardasses. They were not going to be your friend so doubt they would be touting relationships as some magic potion for winning. Now in the recruiting side of things sure that helps but at some point just like being a parent you can't be their best friend.

Even with all that said, things are usually not as good or bad as what we see in the first game. Here is hoping that really is the case with this team going forward.

One thing that is sticking with me is that they just way too often don't seem well prepared to play (especially on the road) and then show up, get caught in spin cycle, and are way too slow to adjust (especially on defense). And it seems they rarely ever play good offense and good defense at the same time.... it's either one or the other plays well, or neither.

 

[Brandon Van de Graaff]

Gus is the Anti-Saban...a one trick poney imo. His whole gimmick was built around oofy doofy trickery causing confusion for Saban style teams that were built to dismantle pro-style offenses.

I don't disagree. And I can't stand him. He schooled Wommack today though with just his "basic" bag of goodies. Really didn't do anything crazy.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Does anyone know if Womack was interviewed after the game?

He said aw shucks my daddy coached in SEC

 

[mando]

I don't disagree. And I can't stand him. He schooled Wommack today though with just his "basic" bag of goodies. Really didn't do anything crazy.

It is much easier to be basic and have success when you control the line of scrimmage. This is the issue for Bama on both sides of the ball. This is very concerning because I do not believe there is an easy fix. Roberts and Keenan getting back will help but will it make that much of a difference? Of course I hope so but is that fools gold because Formby will still be at RT. Just as concerning was how bad the projected top 10 draft LT played.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

CKD seems to be a very likeable guy and people have talked about his secret weapon being relationships.

I have no idea who he is. I get little from his talks to media and less on the sideline.

 

[mando]

I have no idea who he is. I get little from his talks to media and less on the sideline.

Evidence seems to show people and players like him. Coaches talk highly of him and seem to be loyal to him so there is something there. In the end at Bama he is going to be measured to a different standard as you know.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Gus is the Anti-Saban...a one trick poney imo. His whole gimmick was built around oofy doofy trickery causing confusion for Saban style teams that were built to dismantle pro-style offenses.

He just called plays we knew we're coming and we couldn't stop it. No trickery.

 

[Nothing_But_A_Winner00]

Evidence seems to show people and players like him. Coaches talk highly of him and seem to be loyal to him so there is something there. In the end at Bama he is going to be measured to a different standard as you know.

I still know nothing about him after what you said.

 

[mando]

I still know nothing about him after what you said.

I understand why you say that. We do not know what he does to create the loyalty and likeablility, I do think he has a offensive mindset and tries to stay pretty level emotionally. Beyond that not much more other than he tries to stay positive and does a lot of rah rah coach speak.

 

[We All Bleed Crimson]

Good: Not a thing on Bama's side.
Bad: Deboer's statue on the sidelines ( some say it's Actually him)
UGLY: Where do I begin... Lack of ability of overhyped defense., Lack of fire in this team, The STUPID DEFENSIVE SCHEME WE PUT ON THE FIELD.
the coaching staff's inability to make ANY adjustments or prepare this team for ANYTHING.
Damn, we could not stop a good high school team!!( especially if they have a running QB.

 

[bamatommy]

Good- we can stop eating the rat poisin.

Bad- Getting pushed around on both sides of the line of scrimmage. This has been a trend now for a few years... There is a problem somewhere with the recrutiing or development of the OL/DL.

Ugly- Posters on here that keep dropping the rat poision w/o even seeing the team play the first game.

My head is going to explode if CKD in his press conference does the rah rah proud of how these guys didn't quit. Time to stop with rah rah speach and call it like it is. Talking is cheap.

Here is hoping this is an overreaction and some magical way this will get better but I am not holding my breath.

Amen!!!

 

[bamatommy]

I want to add a Good to mine.

Germie Bernard was a stud today. Played his ass off and carried us on offense. The absolute lone bright spot. He deserves some credit.

 

[bamatommy]

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, IT'S OFFICIAL, DeBoer is on the hotseat....

He will be fired if this doesn't get MUCH BETTER this year and next.