🏈 Who do you believe is the best OC for Bama in the Saban era (split from Sark's health thread.)

[TideatMileHigh]

He is an excellent OC. Best one we've had under Saban IMO.

ADMIN EDIT:

Major Applewhite / Joe Pendry
Mac
Nuss
Kiffin
Daboll
Locksley
Sark

 

[TerryP]

He is an excellent OC. Best one we've had under Saban IMO.

In my view it's between Sark and Kiffin. I'd give the nod to Kiffin on his ability to see the big plays but overall scheme? Tough choice for me.

It's also a question that has a lot of variables due to the changes we've seen on offense throughout his tenure.

 

[NickelDoubleDog]

In my view it's between Sark and Kiffin. I'd give the nod to Kiffin on his ability to see the big plays but overall scheme? Tough choice for me.

It's also a question that has a lot of variables due to the changes we've seen on offense throughout his tenure.

Kiffin, IMO, did the heavy lifting in taking the offense from more of a conventional pro style to one with more college "spread" and RPO concepts. He and Sark have many similarities in fundamental scheme stemming from their days together designing the USC offense, so I think that's why the success has helped to be consistent and scheme hasn't altered greatly. Sark has really started to find his comfort zone in the offense lately and things look great for the future.

 

[BAMAneck]

Coach mac , he was able to control the ball to keep our defense fresh and totally wear out the opposing defense so by the end of the game we would just demoralize the opposing teams defense. And going back to back doesnt hurt .

Imagine what he could have done with these past few years of WR talent . AJ would have been lethal and a Heisman winner .

 

[TerryP]

Kiffin, IMO, did the heavy lifting in taking the offense from more of a conventional pro style to one with more college "spread" and RPO concepts.

You're not far off and we're getting down to some semantics with offensive styles here.

Kiffin was, and to a large degree still is, a pro style offensive guy. One thing he didn't invent, or bring to Bama, but did emphasize was the HUNH approach with Blake. Sims, who had a hard time when he turned his back to the defense in passing situations, led the offense down the zone read options. We saw both of those in the first game against WVU.

When Locks was brought in as OA it was due to his experience with the RPO offense. We still had Kiffin calling the plays, Bama was still in a pro set, but we fans started to see the beginnings of the RPO. By the time we get into '16 (Kiffin with his third QB, Jalen) we saw the RPO as a main part of the offense.

Kiffin with three styles of QB's in Blake, Jake, and then Jalen...he literally ran three different offensive styles with these guys. It's certainly a "feather in his cap" when it comes to ranking OC's under Saban.

 

[NickelDoubleDog]

You're not far off and we're getting down to some semantics with offensive styles here.

Kiffin was, and to a large degree still is, a pro style offensive guy. One thing he didn't invent, or bring to Bama, but did emphasize was the HUNH approach with Blake. Sims, who had a hard time when he turned his back to the defense in passing situations, led the offense down the zone read options. We saw both of those in the first game against WVU.

When Locks was brought in as OA it was due to his experience with the RPO offense. We still had Kiffin calling the plays, Bama was still in a pro set, but we fans started to see the beginnings of the RPO. By the time we get into '16 (Kiffin with his third QB, Jalen) we saw the RPO as a main part of the offense.

Kiffin with three styles of QB's in Blake, Jake, and then Jalen...he literally ran three different offensive styles with these guys. It's certainly a "feather in his cap" when it comes to ranking OC's under Saban.

Those are fantastic points and clarifications. 3 different styles of QB - absolutely. Coker and Henry were a vastly different QB/RB combo. Then to Jalen and a move further to the RPO, but certainly a much greater emphasis on designed QB runs, but also QB zone read game. And the "Swipe" style of zone reads (which is really a split zone concept with the TE going across the grain of the OL blocking, underneath the formation. An astounding ability to adapt from 2 years earlier when he was dialing up shots to Cooper to the tune of 100+ catches for a college WR.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

Kiffin....was fun to watch how he set O to get mismaches in coverages...
Had great talent to work with....
Always helps

I believe...for whats itsworth...not much some wll say....
Kiffin will excel at Ole Ms.....has to overachieve bcause of talent...which he can...

 

[TideatMileHigh]

Kiffin was the greatest strategist we had, but as a QB whisperer I don't think he is as good as Sarkisian.

Kiffin's slight (emphasis on the word "slight") inability to properly develop QBs was somewhat evident in Jalen Hurts' freshman season of 2016; though I do admit that Jalen simply lacked certain passing abilities that not even the great Lincoln Riley could fix.

That cost us in the championship game (and yes I am aware that Kiffin had already left). If Jalen was more than average in that game, that game would've been over by halftime.

 

[TideatMileHigh]

One thing I did love about Kiffin is that he did modernize our offense for today's game. Him and Saban working together was funny as shit to watch on the weekends.

I was so excited when I heard the news about Bama hiring him after that absolutely demoralizing finish to the 2013 season.

 

[50+yeartidefan]

One thing I did love about Kiffin is that he did modernize our offense for today's game. Him and Saban working together was funny as shit to watch on the weekends.

I was so excited when I heard the news about Bama hiring him after that absolutely demoralizing finish to the 2013 season.

The fit with him and Nick was the interesting part...
What 2 different personalities