| FTBL What are your (non-Bama) takeaways from the mid point of the 2019? We're through week seven.
- Thread starter Max
- Start date
TerryP
Staff
Frustrating? I can understand that.
It's my opinion there's a couple of factors that aren't being considered. One, the youth mentioned and two, the way the game has changed.
The era where we looked at time of possession has passed. If you look around the FBS you can find less than a handful of teams that still go mano v mano, ground and pound the ball. Playing to the strength of the defense just doesn't work anymore. Why? There are too many teams with a few offensive skill players who can take any defense to task.
It's been said for years if you are going to be superb on the offensive side of the ball with the ability to hit big play after big play your defense is going to take a step back. The adage, "defense wins championships" doesn't fit any longer. You have to have a VERY good offense to beat the top notch teams around FBS today. I'd dare say you can't field both.
There's a desire to see Bama play "murder ball" in the old Saban style. Teams can't win in the 2008-2012 vintage Alabama style any longer. Hell, we just saw it on display in Athens where Kirbs is trying to be 2009 Bama a decade later. In the same afternoon we saw the Texas vs OU game described as a defensive slugfest.
It's to the point, literally, if you can't win in a scoring sprint until the gun sounds ... you can't win it all today.
I realize I'm beating the same horse again this season but I truly believe there's only one true metric to judge a defense through: efficiency.
- Six drives against UofSC ended with the 'Cocks not putting points on the board.
- Six drives against Ole Miss ended with the same.
- There were more against A&M this past weekend.
rocknthefreeworld
Member
As much as I hate to say it, in some respects the old style always meant I was biting my nails in every game. This year is a lot different. TerryP talks about efficiency so I dug the drive numbers some.
Looks like we faced 41 first half and 35 second half drives by opponents this year (76 total) and they scored on 9 in each half (18 total). So that puts the first half at 22% scoring and the second at 26% (24% overall) for our opponents. We are stopping them 76% of the drives. On our side of the ball we have had 37 first half and 33 second half drives and scored on 25 and 21 respectively (46 scores in 70 drives overall). The puts us at 68% first half and 64% second half for a 66% overall for the game. Against SEC opponents we are a little different. Opponents score on 7 out of 20 first half and 7 out of 18 second half drives (35% first half, 39% second for a 37% average). But Bama actually scores even better at 14 out of 18 first half and 10 out of 17 second half for averages of 78% first, 59% second and 69% overall. I attribute that to Tua staying in longer on those games.
Now, gonna look at LSU real quick. Against all competition, they are scoring on 47 out of 79 drives (65% first half, 54% second, 59% overall) and allowing scores on 19 out of 77 (28% first half, 21% second, 25% total). Against the 2 SEC opponents and Texas (to give us both 3 games) they are scoring on 62% first, 50% second, for 56% total and opponents are scoring at 30% first, 44% second, and 37% total.
So basically, while allowing about the same amount of scoring to opponents, Bama is outscoring LSU tremendously. Against all competition we are scoring on 66% vs 24% allowed while they are 59% vs 25%. Against "decent" competition, we are scoring 69% vs 37% allowed while they are 56% vs 37% allowed. Looks pretty damn even to me on defense but our offense is way above them.
Looks like we faced 41 first half and 35 second half drives by opponents this year (76 total) and they scored on 9 in each half (18 total). So that puts the first half at 22% scoring and the second at 26% (24% overall) for our opponents. We are stopping them 76% of the drives. On our side of the ball we have had 37 first half and 33 second half drives and scored on 25 and 21 respectively (46 scores in 70 drives overall). The puts us at 68% first half and 64% second half for a 66% overall for the game. Against SEC opponents we are a little different. Opponents score on 7 out of 20 first half and 7 out of 18 second half drives (35% first half, 39% second for a 37% average). But Bama actually scores even better at 14 out of 18 first half and 10 out of 17 second half for averages of 78% first, 59% second and 69% overall. I attribute that to Tua staying in longer on those games.
Now, gonna look at LSU real quick. Against all competition, they are scoring on 47 out of 79 drives (65% first half, 54% second, 59% overall) and allowing scores on 19 out of 77 (28% first half, 21% second, 25% total). Against the 2 SEC opponents and Texas (to give us both 3 games) they are scoring on 62% first, 50% second, for 56% total and opponents are scoring at 30% first, 44% second, and 37% total.
So basically, while allowing about the same amount of scoring to opponents, Bama is outscoring LSU tremendously. Against all competition we are scoring on 66% vs 24% allowed while they are 59% vs 25%. Against "decent" competition, we are scoring 69% vs 37% allowed while they are 56% vs 37% allowed. Looks pretty damn even to me on defense but our offense is way above them.
I do think the D played better against A&M. Not buying that in this day and time you still can't have a suffocating defense that is hard to score against. A Saban coached D should always be at the top of the D standings and this team is not. Shouldn't we be top 5 or 10 in defense and close to the top D in the SEC? Is that an unrealistic expectation for a Saban coached team? I do not think so.
I fully expect this D to get better as the year progresses. I also think they will be really good next year if we do not lose to many players to the NFL. Should be less holes to fill.
50+yeartidefan
Member
You think departures were bad last year...wait til u see this year.....
LSU can put points on the board with anybody but their defense is suspect.
As of today, IMO, Ohio St. is playing the best all-around football of anyone in the country. I know who have they played and I get that since I live here.
UGA laid an egg this past Sat. I look for them to come out the rest of the season and play mad.
Wisconsin has a very solid defense and that running back is lights out. Looking forward to later this month I believe when Ohio St. and Wisconsin square off.
Penn St. is hard to read, yes, I know their record is perfect but they have some tough games ahead.
Florida has been impressive. They are a much better team with the kid they are playing at QB (cant think of his name, Tasker?)
Oklahoma still has the offense but that defense scares me if I am a Boomer fan.
nd still want then to lose every time they play. Who do they have left that will be favored? Nobody!
Cant make my mind up on Auburn yet. They still have UGA to play and that game is going to eliminate one team for sure.
Clemson is the king of the ACC.
Oregeon is the best in the Pac 12.
As of today, IMO, Ohio St. is playing the best all-around football of anyone in the country. I know who have they played and I get that since I live here.
UGA laid an egg this past Sat. I look for them to come out the rest of the season and play mad.
Wisconsin has a very solid defense and that running back is lights out. Looking forward to later this month I believe when Ohio St. and Wisconsin square off.
Penn St. is hard to read, yes, I know their record is perfect but they have some tough games ahead.
Florida has been impressive. They are a much better team with the kid they are playing at QB (cant think of his name, Tasker?)
Oklahoma still has the offense but that defense scares me if I am a Boomer fan.
nd still want then to lose every time they play. Who do they have left that will be favored? Nobody!
Cant make my mind up on Auburn yet. They still have UGA to play and that game is going to eliminate one team for sure.
Clemson is the king of the ACC.
Oregeon is the best in the Pac 12.
BamaFan334
Member
I was the outlier calling it a solid hire and that they were going to get better under the fire that Coach O brings with him. I refuse to be corralled into a group with the rest of yee. I think the funniest part is Herman at Texas. Texas thought they stole a coach, LSU thought they lost out, but now we've seen where LSU has looked better than Texas since both hires took place. I freaking love it. Horns Down.
BamaFan334
Member
It's so funny, because my dad (Georgia fan), who is always like "this is our year" yadda yadda, had tempered expectations, almost like he was hedging his bets this year with "we're one year away". That quickly evaporated after the first game and he was saying they were a Championship worthy team and finally gonna get us this year. So after a few arguments over who had their lights first, their not so great depth on defense, and their idiot offensive coordinator going away from Swift late in games we had last week, I haven't heard from him since Thursday.
TerryP
Staff
Out of 130 teams Bama is 14th nationally in scoring defense: 4th in the SEC. They are hard to score against. 36% of the points scored against Bama have come in the fourth quarter. A&M tacked on seven with less than three left on the game clock, Ole Miss with just over two minutes, South Carolina less than two minutes. As soon as you take away garbage time TD's you're looking at a top 10 scoring defense nationally, second in the SEC in the same category.
Right now, it is.
No reason just to "think" the defense played better against A&M. They did. They've progressed each week. Expecting progression, from a Saban defense, is certainly something you should expect.
Speaking of scoring defenses:
2019: 17 pg.
2018: 18 pg.
2017: 12 pg
2016: 13 pg.
2015: 15 pg.
2014: 18 pg.
Not a great deal of fluctuation there in the most important defensive measurement, is there? All the while starting how many guys who wouldn't have seen the field five years ago due to their lack of experience?
Expectations, mixed with perspectives, often don't clearly tell a story.
Personally, I'm seeing a team that's about right on track. Honestly, it mirrors what we've seen with the offensive line when it's been pointed to time and time again they'd be getting there by the time the Tide is getting to game five.
Side Note: UGA is #1 in total defense and run defense in the SEC. They're also ranked at #10 in defensive efficiency. Bama? Fifth, with Wisconsin (pitching four shutouts) leading the way.
Again, my view here ... but, it's all about efficiency and we're watching a team, currently ranked fifth, improving each week.
(By the way, did you happened to notice how much time the defense spent in Rabbit Saturday? That's a defense that's susceptible to the running game and we're watching a defense that's playing whom up the middle? Frosh, frosh, frosh ... )
Non-Bama takeaways:
- I'm happy for SMU to finally get back to respectability.
- I'm impressed with the Wisconsin D. Impressive!
- Amused at the typical media frenzy about who should be "IN" at this point. It will take care of itself as usual.
- I think that everyone is dismissing Clemson too early... statistically, they look about like last year for the most part.
- LSU's offense looks surprisingly dangerous.... jury is still out on the D.
- Missouri's D is better than I thought it would be.
Ok so my desires - teams getting sub 300 yards per game, less than 100 yards per game rushing and scoring average in the 14-17 points range. We are not there especially in SEC games.
For my eyes that is the measuring stick but I do understand where we are with the youth.
I need to think more about the defensive efficiency. Efficiency has not been an area of have normally followed. I always looked at the metrics above to define the standard.
TerryP
Staff
Building on that observation ...
Got to tip your hat to Baylor as well. 0-11 two years ago, a game over .500 last year with seven wins, and now one of the few remaining undefeated teams in the nation.
Matt Rhule can flat out coach. Dont forget what he did at Temple before going southwest to Waco.
I believe the new coach has Texas Tech moving in the right direction as well.
