🏈 What has happened to our rushing game?

[Joe]

I thougt that Florida had a great game plan for stopping the run but after today I am wondering where has it gone? It looks like Ingram is waiting too long for his blocking and at times Richardson did not look like he was running as hard as he usually does. This is the same defense that Auburn ran for over 330yards against. There is no way that any team should hold Alabama to less than 100 yards rushing with the two great backs we have. I hope we see an improved rushing attack next week.

 

[Crimson&WhiteGecko]

I absolutely agree with you that no team should shut down our running game like they did. We have too much talent. Granted USC has a good defense but I think we abandoned the run way to soon. They were not stopping the wildcat all that much but we had to pass & then McElroy would get sacked thus taking the running game out b/c of too much distance to cover on the 3rd down. Prime example was when he had 2nd & 5 to go w/ #22 & #3 & we ran two pass plays; one for a loss. Then went for the fake FG. No excuse.

 

[NTT]

Yeah our M.O. is to run the ball and run the clock. Kill momentum by keeping the ball for 7 or 8 min. We haven't done that the last 2 games. keeps our YOUNG defense on the field and tired. 16 rushes for our backfield is crazy. Ingram looked pissed and he ran off the field first. he may have some comments if a mic gets stuck in his face to early for our offensive strategy.

 

[TidePride50]

I think the early deficit played a factor in the playcalling, but no excuse for two of the best backs in the country to only get a combined 17 carries.

 

[Tideboy]

I'll call a spade a set spade and may get busted down for it. OC needs to get his head out. Run Ingram and Richardson until we get stopped. Then keep rushing them in the 4th when we can mash the D. Screw this balanced attack thing. Our D is not good enough to let them keep getting possesions.

 

[bamarooski]

Our O-Line got whipped period in the run blocking! I think we looked tired! In our pass blocking 8 sacks wow, but GMAC needs some of that blame because he wouldn't pull the trigger down field!

 

[BAMA JAMMA]

I was wondering why we weren't runnning to the perimeter much today.

 

[Duder]

I absolutely agree with you that no team should shut down our running game like they did. We have too much talent. Granted USC has a good defense but I think we abandoned the run way to soon. They were not stopping the wildcat all that much but we had to pass & then McElroy would get sacked thus taking the running game out b/c of too much distance to cover on the 3rd down. Prime example was when he had 2nd & 5 to go w/ #22 & #3 & we ran two pass plays; one for a loss. Then went for the fake FG. No excuse.

This. Bama went away from the run too early. McElwain went away from what got him there. South Carolina has a great defense this year, much better than I thought, but Bama could've forced room. Someone referenced Auburn running for more than 300 yards against this defense--keep in mind that Cam Newton had almost 200 of those yards by himself, Dyer didn't find running room until late. Most of Cam's yards came on designed QB runs to the outside of the field and broken tackles. In your defense, I think USCjr's defense has improved since we played them.

I do agree that Bama went away from the run way too early. It is their bread and butter and the quickest way to demoralize a team. If I was an OC with those two guys in my backfield I'd run it 60+ times a week.

 

[bamadezz]

Running game never got a chance to get started. We did abandon it way too fast, leaving McElroy trying to do way too much. I feel like we'll learn from this and hopefully pick up and come back with a head of steam. We were humbled and it's time to focus on the next opponent.

 

[BamaCore]

This is the first regular season loss since 2007. I'm going to hold off my armchair coaching for more dire circumstances.

 

[joeman546]

I think the early deficit played a factor in the playcalling, but no excuse for two of the best backs in the country to only get a combined 17 carries.

I think the main issue was that since we werent blocking well our run game wasnt consistent enough to move the chains and hold possession. I thought we shouldve actually passed downfield more and not be so timid to check down. If you looked at the stats, youd think hed had a great game. Couldve passsed for 350+ if we could pass block, and he would trust his arm more and take a few chances(someone needs to tell him to take chances, he plays safe[ though not chances into say, doublle coverage])

We needed a dominant pass game to stretch out for the run game today, anf we didnt get it. thus the formula for beating us now is "Stack the box and try to outscore them"

 

[ExiledTidefan]

When you're down 21-3, wisdom states that you might try to get back in the game quicker. Running isn't, for most teams, teh way to do it. But our guys grab yards by the bunches running the ball. Seemed to me that SC was filling the middle of the field pretty well, and flying to the ball. We still had a handful of good runs, but it was always followed up by a negative play.

I'm not ready to blame the o line for this debacle today. We win these games by the whole team clicking, and I think we lose them when the whole team is off a bit. I wonder what the pre game warm up looked like. I hear many times that you can tell a lot about a team by looking at that pre game warm up. I can envision us just going through the motions pre game, because our guys are tired and getting beat up. That off week can't come soon enough.

 

[Joe]

I think part of the sack problem was Gmac holding the ball too long. I thought that the OL pass blocked pretty well for the most part. It is going to be intersesting to see how this team responds against Ole Miss.

 

[Rolltide24]

We had 2nd and 4 to go with ALL the momentum at the start of the 4th quarter. Only down by 7 and in 4 down territory, and we call 2 pass plays, after having 5 or 6 sacks already due to GMac not throwing the ball?? That was a mystery to me.

And the pass blocking was not that bad at all, GMac would not throw the ball. How many times did he even attempt to throw a ball away? None. Not sure why, but he was scared to death to throw downfield. And most times he was sacked, not only were guys open downfield, the dump off was also open. It was really strange and very frustrating.

 

[BAMA74]

I'll call a spade a set spade and may get busted down for it. OC needs to get his head out. Run Ingram and Richardson until we get stopped. Then keep rushing them in the 4th when we can mash the D. Screw this balanced attack thing. Our D is not good enough to let them keep getting possesions.

I fully agree with you!!!!!!....so how do peeps say USC shut our run game down with 17 touches combined??????thats called poor play calling and getting away from what we do best!!!!!!!!

 

[AFF]

The reason GMac held the ball so long is that couldn't find an open receiver. Our pass blocking was OK, for the most part until the end when they were tired. GMac should have thrown the ball away rather than take the sacks he took. Our run blocking wasn't up to par, and that was the difference in the game. If we could have run the ball effectively, the result would have been different. We simply didn't have the intensity we needed to win.

But, the sun came up this morning, we're still going to be a top 10 team, and - if we are truly that good - we will win out and go to the SEC Championship game and be in a BCS game at the end of the season. With a few breaks, we might even still be able to win it all again. Especially if we were to get another shot at USC and play like we are capable of playing.

Roll Tide

 

[planomateo]

I can't help but wonder if McElroy's brain was scrambled from the unnecessary hits he took against florida. He had 315 yds in the air, but seemed he couldn't avoid holding the ball and getting hit.

 

[TheChief]

We let the Heisman trophy winner stand on the sideline as we finished losing the game. Just my own opinion, and I'm sure Ingram won't do it, but I think I would "sprain" something for the rest of the year. Why get hurt losing and rushing eleven times in a game somewhere down the road? If he is only going to run eleven times, take care of him and let him be rich next year.

I think it is pitiful to lose on the shoulders of a player who is not your best. 11 carries 46 yards? Every three rushes he had a first down.

Now, get mad and jump right on. The head coach makes five million a year. Not utilizing a Heisman trophy winner is idiotic.

Boom

 

[GivinEmTheBusiness]

As The Bear would say, we stopped running the ball because we were trying to win the damn game!

 

[joeman546]

Pass blocking obeionjg "OK" is not what i call consistent. However, its important to consider the other factors in holding the ball. Receivers not getting open on man, pressure.....ect

But the other part iws a coachability factor. GMac has NFL accuracy, he needs to make use of it.

We did not runblock at all. Using Ingram was not much of an optiion, heisman winner or no. Andrian Peterson himself couldnt have done anything with that.