Shootout: /shewt-awt/ n. 1. An exchange of gunfire between opposing parties; 2. A slang expression used to describe a high-scoring sporting event.
Some pundits anticipated that the Arkansas / Alabama game would be a shootout like the Hogs’ two previous games this season. That’s understandable. After all, the Piggies were averaging nearly 430 yards of total offense per game and had rung up 41 points against Georgia in a losing effort last weekend. Their quarterback, Ryan Mallett, had earned a passer efficiency rating of 193.5 while throwing for 717 yards, 6 TDs and no interceptions. Under Coach Bobby Petrino, Arkansas installed a Big-12 style spread offense that threw 80 passes in its first two games of 2009.
After a quarter of scoreless play, during which the Hogs had twice as many yards of offense [62] than Alabama [31], the game did indeed turn into a shootout; at least by the home team.
The Tide blew the Hogs out of Bryant Denny Stadium as it racked up 557 all-purpose yards and five offensive TDs. When Alabama’s offense got finished, there was still 13:12 to play in the game, but it was obvious that Arkansas was a beaten team. Not even the Devil’s Spit barbecue sauce at Archibald’s could have put any zip into the Porkers.
On a weekend that saw Ole Miss lose, and LSU barely win over Mississippi State, Alabama demonstrated that it is indeed one of the best teams not just in the SEC, but in America.
Here’s how I grade the game:
Offense: A Bama gained 425 yards of total offense [134 rushing], and 394 of those yards were earned after the 1st quarter. Alabama earned 18 first downs [6 rushing], converted 6 of 15 first downs, and controlled the ball for 33:36. GMac completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 291 yards, three TDs and no interceptions. He was sacked once.
Nine different players caught at least one pass, including all four running backs. GMac’s incompletions should come with an asterisk, however, since four were the result of well thrown balls being dropped by the receiver. Marquis Maze had 88 yards and one TD on two catches. Julio had 65 yards and a TD also on two receptions.
Alabama’s ball carriers found the Hog defense to be rather stout. Trent Richardson gained 65 yards on 9 carries but his 7.2 yards per rush average was substantially aided by a 52 yard touchdown run where he broke 4 tackles.
The play of the game according to CBS was the dipsy-doodle tricker-ation pass to Julio Jones for Bama’s second touchdown. The play took a long time to develop, and Julio had time to tie his shoe and eat a ham-sandwich while waiting on the ball. But the play worked to perfection and the stiff-arm he delivered to the DB trying to tackle him, proved why Julio is such a potent offensive weapon. The Commissioner’s play of the game was the hard-count that drew the Pigs offsides on first and 10 with the ball resting 99 yards and 2 feet from the Arkansas endzone. That drive ended 13 plays later with Mark Ingram scoring from the 2 yard line for the final points of the day. That drive was one of 4 that gained over 40 yards, and Alabama demonstrated that it can grind it out [13 plays, 99 yards, 6:28 off the clock] and that it can score from anywhere [1 play, 80 yards, :20 seconds].
Defense: A+ I don’t know. Maybe Georgia has no defense. As I write these words, Georgia’s D is getting shredded by Arizona State late in the game with the score tied. But in losing to UGA, Arkansas had established its cred as an good offensive football team, and their trigger-puller, Ryan Mallett, was hailed as a prolific gunslinger who could zip 60 mph passes. But against the Tide, Mallett was only able to complete 12 of 35 pass attempts with a single TD and a pick. He suffered 3 sacks and was hurried 8 times. DBs broke up 8 passes and Lorenzo Washington blocked a punt.
Bama tacklers recorded 8 tackles for loss and Javier Arenas accounted for 3 of them. Mark Barron was the leading tackler with 7 stops [2 solo]. Arenas and Rolando McClain each recorded 5 stops. At this writing the extent of the injury to Dont’a Hightower is unknown.
Special Teams:
Punting: B+ Fitz punted the ball 7 times for an average of 41.1 yards per kick. His longest was 51 yards and he downed 2 inside the Hogs’ 20. Javier returned 4 punts for 50 yards. The down-grade is the result of the two blocking fouls that erased 80 yards of returns.
Kickoffs: C+ Tiffin averaged a net of only 40 yards per kickoff and the coverage unit allowed one return that was 56 yards.
Placekicking: A Tiffin was 5 for 5 on PATs.
Coaching A- Beating a conference team convincingly merits a high grade for the coaches. I was particularly impressed by the defensive game plan which had the Porkers confused and off their game. Lots of credit is due to the coaches for the previously mentioned hard-count that got the Tide off its own goal line. Bama was penalized 7 times for 60 yards; thus the minus.
A brief word about the officiating is in order.
The Zebras let the Hogs’ O-Linemen hold Bama’s pass rushers, and were spotty, at best, in calling the low blocks. Just ask Dont’a about that. But the worst call was when they announced two blocks in the back on a Bama punt return, one of which was announced to be “number 28”. Now, I know Javier Arenas is one heck of a football player, but I don’t think Javier can block a potential tackler in the back while he is running with the football. Do you think the officials hadn’t noticed that number 28 was the guy carrying the ball.
Alabama is playing excellent football right now. With a quarter of the regular season now in the books, there isn’t another team in the league that is as complete as Bama. Tim Tebow suffered a concussion in the third quarter against Kentucky. LSU continues to look very beatable. The surprise team in the conference tonight is undefeated Auburn, which travels to Knoxville this coming Saturday. Could the SEC West Championship be decided in a game between two undefeated teams on the Friday after Thanksgiving? Maybe. Stranger things have happened. The Tide is ideally positioned sitting in third place in the polls. It controls its own destiny; and Coach Saban is all about control.
The Commissioner
Some pundits anticipated that the Arkansas / Alabama game would be a shootout like the Hogs’ two previous games this season. That’s understandable. After all, the Piggies were averaging nearly 430 yards of total offense per game and had rung up 41 points against Georgia in a losing effort last weekend. Their quarterback, Ryan Mallett, had earned a passer efficiency rating of 193.5 while throwing for 717 yards, 6 TDs and no interceptions. Under Coach Bobby Petrino, Arkansas installed a Big-12 style spread offense that threw 80 passes in its first two games of 2009.
After a quarter of scoreless play, during which the Hogs had twice as many yards of offense [62] than Alabama [31], the game did indeed turn into a shootout; at least by the home team.
The Tide blew the Hogs out of Bryant Denny Stadium as it racked up 557 all-purpose yards and five offensive TDs. When Alabama’s offense got finished, there was still 13:12 to play in the game, but it was obvious that Arkansas was a beaten team. Not even the Devil’s Spit barbecue sauce at Archibald’s could have put any zip into the Porkers.
On a weekend that saw Ole Miss lose, and LSU barely win over Mississippi State, Alabama demonstrated that it is indeed one of the best teams not just in the SEC, but in America.
Here’s how I grade the game:
Offense: A Bama gained 425 yards of total offense [134 rushing], and 394 of those yards were earned after the 1st quarter. Alabama earned 18 first downs [6 rushing], converted 6 of 15 first downs, and controlled the ball for 33:36. GMac completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 291 yards, three TDs and no interceptions. He was sacked once.
Nine different players caught at least one pass, including all four running backs. GMac’s incompletions should come with an asterisk, however, since four were the result of well thrown balls being dropped by the receiver. Marquis Maze had 88 yards and one TD on two catches. Julio had 65 yards and a TD also on two receptions.
Alabama’s ball carriers found the Hog defense to be rather stout. Trent Richardson gained 65 yards on 9 carries but his 7.2 yards per rush average was substantially aided by a 52 yard touchdown run where he broke 4 tackles.
The play of the game according to CBS was the dipsy-doodle tricker-ation pass to Julio Jones for Bama’s second touchdown. The play took a long time to develop, and Julio had time to tie his shoe and eat a ham-sandwich while waiting on the ball. But the play worked to perfection and the stiff-arm he delivered to the DB trying to tackle him, proved why Julio is such a potent offensive weapon. The Commissioner’s play of the game was the hard-count that drew the Pigs offsides on first and 10 with the ball resting 99 yards and 2 feet from the Arkansas endzone. That drive ended 13 plays later with Mark Ingram scoring from the 2 yard line for the final points of the day. That drive was one of 4 that gained over 40 yards, and Alabama demonstrated that it can grind it out [13 plays, 99 yards, 6:28 off the clock] and that it can score from anywhere [1 play, 80 yards, :20 seconds].
Defense: A+ I don’t know. Maybe Georgia has no defense. As I write these words, Georgia’s D is getting shredded by Arizona State late in the game with the score tied. But in losing to UGA, Arkansas had established its cred as an good offensive football team, and their trigger-puller, Ryan Mallett, was hailed as a prolific gunslinger who could zip 60 mph passes. But against the Tide, Mallett was only able to complete 12 of 35 pass attempts with a single TD and a pick. He suffered 3 sacks and was hurried 8 times. DBs broke up 8 passes and Lorenzo Washington blocked a punt.
Bama tacklers recorded 8 tackles for loss and Javier Arenas accounted for 3 of them. Mark Barron was the leading tackler with 7 stops [2 solo]. Arenas and Rolando McClain each recorded 5 stops. At this writing the extent of the injury to Dont’a Hightower is unknown.
Special Teams:
Punting: B+ Fitz punted the ball 7 times for an average of 41.1 yards per kick. His longest was 51 yards and he downed 2 inside the Hogs’ 20. Javier returned 4 punts for 50 yards. The down-grade is the result of the two blocking fouls that erased 80 yards of returns.
Kickoffs: C+ Tiffin averaged a net of only 40 yards per kickoff and the coverage unit allowed one return that was 56 yards.
Placekicking: A Tiffin was 5 for 5 on PATs.
Coaching A- Beating a conference team convincingly merits a high grade for the coaches. I was particularly impressed by the defensive game plan which had the Porkers confused and off their game. Lots of credit is due to the coaches for the previously mentioned hard-count that got the Tide off its own goal line. Bama was penalized 7 times for 60 yards; thus the minus.
A brief word about the officiating is in order.
The Zebras let the Hogs’ O-Linemen hold Bama’s pass rushers, and were spotty, at best, in calling the low blocks. Just ask Dont’a about that. But the worst call was when they announced two blocks in the back on a Bama punt return, one of which was announced to be “number 28”. Now, I know Javier Arenas is one heck of a football player, but I don’t think Javier can block a potential tackler in the back while he is running with the football. Do you think the officials hadn’t noticed that number 28 was the guy carrying the ball.
Alabama is playing excellent football right now. With a quarter of the regular season now in the books, there isn’t another team in the league that is as complete as Bama. Tim Tebow suffered a concussion in the third quarter against Kentucky. LSU continues to look very beatable. The surprise team in the conference tonight is undefeated Auburn, which travels to Knoxville this coming Saturday. Could the SEC West Championship be decided in a game between two undefeated teams on the Friday after Thanksgiving? Maybe. Stranger things have happened. The Tide is ideally positioned sitting in third place in the polls. It controls its own destiny; and Coach Saban is all about control.
The Commissioner
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