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After a particularly horrific Houston Oilers’ loss, Bum Phillips was purported to have said, "The film looked suspiciously like the game itself". So it was with Friday’s game against Auburn. For the second time in three weeks Alabama lost a game it should have won, and in this case, it shouldn’t have been particularly close. Thanks for bearing down to the miserable chore of grading this effort, Commish.
But at your invitation, I’ll disagree with the grade for the coaching staff. I understand wanting to "shorten" a game against an offense like Auburn’s. I understand not taking unnecessary risks. I do not understand leaving an aggressive, successful game plan in the locker room and reverting to type for the second half of the biggest game of the year. Coach McIlwain is taking the blame for this all over the internet and in newspapers. I expect it was not, at least solely, his decision. The general plan for how the team will play rests at the feet of the boss. To his credit, he took some blame for this loss. Because it is upsetting my digestion, I’ll not dwell too much on what everyone could see on TV and focus on some things you may not have seen if you weren’t at the game.
1. The Alabama student section showered the Auburn players with Monopoly money as they left the locker room.
2. The inmates are running the asylum at Alabama Polytechnic. The head guy may be the one most in need of an orange and blue hug me jacket. After the game he ran and pumped his fists at the Alabama student section. Apparently it is true that you can’t buy class. Can you imagine Coach Saban making gestures at another school’s student section? Coach Stallings? Coach Bryant? Please.
3. Auburn (like Oregon and a couple of others) are exploiting rule loopholes that I expect will be closed soon. They very effectively snapped the football while the official who marked the ball was still running to his position. On at least two occasions he literally ran into Alabama defensive players making shifts. On several other occasions he was in the way of defensive players’ view of the backfield. Alabama was penalized for not being set before a QB sneak. That was the ultimate irony of the game. Auburn tries to never be set before snapping the ball. Even so, the defense reacted well even at the last minute and holding Auburn to 28 points is nothing to brag about, but should have been sufficient to win the ball game.
4. Speaking of rules, they do NOT apply equally. Coach Cochran spends his Saturday afternoons and evenings grabbing coach Smart by the belt loops and pulling him off the field to the sideline. Auburn has two coaches, you can name one, who regularly runs on the field as far as the numbers to cut the fool with the players. Apparently he is permitted to do this by the officials.
5. Speaking of being above the rules, I know nothing about Cam Newton except what I read in the papers. I.e. he is a liar, a thief, a cheat, and a scofflaw. Watching him Saturday none of that is particularly hard to believe. His performance was strictly pedestrian, but you would never know it from the way he handled himself. One example, before the game when the "team" ran out of the locker room, he sprinted to the front, past the team, past the cheerleaders, past Aubie the Tiger mascot, and past the two overweight guys who carry the flags. He skipped and hopped, and danced his way past the point the rest of the "team" heads for the bench and went to wave to the band and visitor’s section. Cam is all about Cam.
6. BDS was as loud as I have ever heard it, or any football stadium. I expect it is rapidly earning a reputation as a very difficult place to play.
7. I’m not sure how Alabama will handle a bowl game. Even against Auburn there was a missing element of excitement. Greg McElroy may play in the next game, but would not if he was my son. I have said it before, there is too much talent on this team to end up with four losses on the season, and three of the last four. Before the next season the coaches need to find a way to instill some desire into the Crimson Tide.
I’ll look forward to your analysis of what needs to change.
The Correspondent From The Tire Store
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Auburn Grades
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Eighteen Points ... or was it twenty two ... or was it only six?
One of those numbers is the answer to the question that has plagued me since Friday night. The question is: How many points did Alabama leave on the field in the 2010 Iron Bowl? It will probably not make the cut for inclusion in a sports trivia contest, but it is the relevant question to ask the day after Alabama blows a 24 point lead and loses to Auburn by a single point in the fourth quarter.
Readers of The Grades can probably tick off the missed opportunities without prompting. (i) First and 10 from the Alabama 40, GMac completes a pass over the middle to Mark Ingram who runs 41 yards to the Auburn 19 and loses a fumble at the end of the run; the ball scoots out of the back of the end zone for a touch back-minimum of 3 points lost. (ii) First and goal from the Auburn 3; Trent Richardson drops a pass on a well blocked duplicate of last year's game-winner; Richardson gains one yard on second down from the Wildcat and we settle for a FG after GMac misses Hanks on 3rd down-4 points left begging. (iii) Second and goal from the Auburn 8, the ninth play of a 67 yard drive late in the second quarter, GMac is sacked by an unblocked Nick Fairley who forces a fumble he then recovers-at least 3, possibly 7 points lost. (iv) Third quarter; Aub punt returner, Quidarius Carr, is deboned by Courtney Upshaw who forces a fumble recovered by Dre Kirkpatrick at the Barn 12 yard line; a false start penalty followed by a sack, cause the Tide to settle for a 32 yard FG-4 points lost.
Two things have been repeatedly written and said about the 2010 Tide: (i) this is a team in search of an identity, and (ii) this team has yet to play a complete game. Well, we are at the end of a 9-3 season and I think it is safe to say: "This is a team whose identity is to not play complete games." One of our Correspondents made the observation that the members of Nick Saban's first No. 1 recruiting class, who are juniors this year, need to forget about the 2011 NFL draft, and focus their senior year on the unfinished work from 2010. For the most part, that's hard to argue against.
Has Marcell Dareus played to his full potential? Has Marquis Maze? Mark Barron? What about Josh Chapman? Courtney Upshaw? William Vlachos? And don't forget Brad Smelley, and while you're at it-what about, yes, Mark Ingram?
In my opinion, there is one member of this junior class who has come to play in every game, who, from my perspective never takes a play off, and is the best football player on the Crimson Tide: Julio Jones. He has more than earned whatever opportunities await players selected in the 2011 NFL draft. The remainder of his classmates have work left to do; much like those points that were left on the field instead of notched on the scoreboard against Auburn.
I will address what I see as work to be done, but first, here's how I grade the game:
Offense: D- What other grade is there to give? Yes, the first quarter was spectacular. The offense didn't have a single negative play in the first 15 minutes of the game and scored three TDs in its first three possessions. Then the wheels fell off. In the second quarter, the offense managed 3 points from a first and goal inside the Auburn 5. For the remainder of the game, Alabama answered Auburn's 4 TDs with a single field goal.
GMac had one of his best statistical games on Senior Day, as he completed 27 of 37 pass attempts for 377 yards and 2 TDs. Julio Jones led all receivers with 10 catches for 199 yards. Darius Hanks caught 5 passes for 39 yards, and Mark Ingram added 91 yards on 4 receptions; Mark's longest reception [41 yards] was marred by a forced fumble at the end of a determined catch and run. Maze had 2 receptions for 13 yards, including one on the left sideline for a first down, that would make the highlights in the NFL. He appeared to be open but as the pressure picked up on GMac, there were fewer balls thrown his way.
The running game was statistically pathetic [69 net yards], but 5 sacks totaling 23 yards of losses, are a drag on a performance that would otherwise have been merely weak [93 gross rushing yards]. Ingram had 36 yards on 10 carries and Trent Richardson had 24 yards on 10 rushing attempts. It is certainly worth noting that the offense attempted to take advantage of what Auburn was giving, and the Auburn secondary is not all that good. After the first quarter, the Tigers' pass rush improved-or the Tide O Line had a harder time protecting.
Julio accounted for 273 all purpose yards [199 receiving; 12 rushing, 62 kick returns].
Alabama had 6 drives for 40 or more yards-all consecutive, all in the first half-[71, 81, 61, 83, 48, 65] that resulted in 3 TDs, 2 fumbles and a FG. In the second half, the Tide's longest drive was 29 yards. It could have been the game winner, however, after reaching the Auburn 34 yard line with a first and 10 the next three plays were a loss of 2 running, an incomplete pass and a loss of 4 on a sack. GMac suffered a concussion on the tackle and was finished for the game.
Defense: C+ Cam Newton came into the game averaging 117 yards rushing per game. He managed only 39. As a team, Auburn averages 291 yards rushing and 41.6 points per game. Against Alabama, the Barners managed only 108 yards rushing and scored only 28.
Auburn's first 4 possessions of the game consumed all of 15 plays, gained only 35 yards and resulted in four punts. Newton was obviously unaccustomed to being tackled by a single player who was strong and quick enough to bring him down. Consequently, on option plays, Newton consistently dished the ball too early and Alabama had that play well defensed all night. Marcel Dareus made a picture perfect open field tackle of Auburn's soon to be Heisman Trophy winner [and eventually to be determined ineligible player] that set the tone for a solid defensive effort.
There was no way that the defense was going to keep Auburn from scoring, but giving up a 70 yard TD on the second play of the second half, was a bust that allowed the Aubs to close the score to a difference of 10 points and shifted the momentum for the remainder of the game.
Each of Auburn's TDs came on long drives [8 plays 80 yards; 2 plays 69 yards; 8 plays 75 yards; 11 plays 67 yards].
Courtney Upshaw had his best game of the season, recording 10 tackles [7 solo; 8 for loss (-19), 3 sacks] 2 forced fumbles and a QB hurry.
Demarcus Milliner was credited with 9 tackles [8 solo] and C. J. Mosley had 6 [5 solo]. Barron, Luther Davis, Dont'a Hightower, Dequan Menzie and Robert Lester each had 4 tackles, while Will Lowery, Dareus, Damion Square and Dre Kirkpatrick each had 3.
All total, Alabama defenders recorded 9 tackles [4 sacks] for loss of 37 yards.
Special Teams:
Punting: B Forcing a fumble in punt coverage, like blocking an opponent's punt, almost guarantees an A+. However, shanking a punt for only 13 yards, like getting a punt blocked, almost guarantees an F. Alabama punted 4 times, all in the second half, for an average of 33.8 yards per kick. Marquis Maze returned 2 Auburn punts for zero yards.
Place Kicking: A Jeremy Shelley was good from 20 and 32 yards and was perfect on all three PATs. The only problem with place kicking was that the offense didn't provide more PAT opportunities.
Kick Offs: C+ Cade Foster only averaged 60 yards gross per kick. The coverage team allowed an average of 17.8 yards per return, thereby producing a net average per kick of only 42.2 yards. The return game was reasonably effective: 3 returns for 62 yards.
Coaching: C- I may be accused of being charitable with this grade, and I can understand that criticism. Immediately after the game I would have assigned an F to the coaches. There is plenty of justification for a failing grade: (i) 7 penalties, including 2 substitution infractions on defense; (ii) asking Cody Mandell to execute a play-punting to the corner-that he has struggled with all year; (iii) being 12 games into the season and not having an offensive line that can produce a credible inside running game; and (iv) losing to Auburn. After a night's reflection, however, I have to give the coaching staff credit for devising a game plan the held Auburn's offense in check, and allowed the offense the opportunity to put the game out of reach before intermission.
But this was Auburn. And this was a loss, unlike the loss at South Carolina, that was self-inflicted. This one hurts.
Coach Saban told the media after the game: "To succeed you have to finish things." Alabama didn't finish this game, and it didn't finish its season. Nobody knows that more viscerally and intensely than Saban. So what are some of the unfinished items in the business of Alabama football? For what it's worth, here are my five contributions to the suggestion box:
1. The offensive line needs to get stronger, tougher and more dominant. There is no good reason why Alabama cannot score a running touchdown from the 3 yard line with 4 plays to do it. Likewise, there is no good reason why a guy like Nick Fairly should ever get an unblocked shot at our quarterback.
2. The defensive front 7 needs to pick up where it ended this season and improve. The D-Line and linebackers generated good pressure against an outstanding Auburn offensive line. This sort of effort, plus a little more, needs to be the standard.
3. The secondary has to keep working on recognizing what the opposing offense is doing, and adjusting within the framework of the defensive play.
4. Overall conditioning has to be addressed as well. In 2009, Alabama was clearly the better conditioned team in all of its games. That differential was not present this year against LSU and Auburn.
5. Recruiting is the life-blood of every college football program. I'm excited about the existing 2001 commitments. We need to get them in the door, and continue to apply The Process to the players already aboard.
I had convinced myself that writing The Grades would ease the frustration I feel. I was wrong. The fans at BDS were outstanding yesterday; nobody left until the clock was all zeros and the Bama faithful were in it to the bitter end. Coach Saban acknowledged that fact in his post-game remarks and he took responsibility for the fact that the team did not play up to the standards set by the program. As the players headed to their respective locker rooms, and the fans began to leave their seats, the Auburn band played the "Rammer Jammer" their fans mocked Alabama with a twisted version of that iconic cheer. My abiding hope is that twelve months from now, Coach Saba and the players-especially next year's seniors-make them pay for that disrespect.
With no Alabama game to grade next week, my next Blog post will be end of year recognition for MVPs and others.
The Commissioner
Eighteen Points ... or was it twenty two ... or was it only six?
One of those numbers is the answer to the question that has plagued me since Friday night. The question is: How many points did Alabama leave on the field in the 2010 Iron Bowl? It will probably not make the cut for inclusion in a sports trivia contest, but it is the relevant question to ask the day after Alabama blows a 24 point lead and loses to Auburn by a single point in the fourth quarter.
Readers of The Grades can probably tick off the missed opportunities without prompting. (i) First and 10 from the Alabama 40, GMac completes a pass over the middle to Mark Ingram who runs 41 yards to the Auburn 19 and loses a fumble at the end of the run; the ball scoots out of the back of the end zone for a touch back-minimum of 3 points lost. (ii) First and goal from the Auburn 3; Trent Richardson drops a pass on a well blocked duplicate of last year's game-winner; Richardson gains one yard on second down from the Wildcat and we settle for a FG after GMac misses Hanks on 3rd down-4 points left begging. (iii) Second and goal from the Auburn 8, the ninth play of a 67 yard drive late in the second quarter, GMac is sacked by an unblocked Nick Fairley who forces a fumble he then recovers-at least 3, possibly 7 points lost. (iv) Third quarter; Aub punt returner, Quidarius Carr, is deboned by Courtney Upshaw who forces a fumble recovered by Dre Kirkpatrick at the Barn 12 yard line; a false start penalty followed by a sack, cause the Tide to settle for a 32 yard FG-4 points lost.
Two things have been repeatedly written and said about the 2010 Tide: (i) this is a team in search of an identity, and (ii) this team has yet to play a complete game. Well, we are at the end of a 9-3 season and I think it is safe to say: "This is a team whose identity is to not play complete games." One of our Correspondents made the observation that the members of Nick Saban's first No. 1 recruiting class, who are juniors this year, need to forget about the 2011 NFL draft, and focus their senior year on the unfinished work from 2010. For the most part, that's hard to argue against.
Has Marcell Dareus played to his full potential? Has Marquis Maze? Mark Barron? What about Josh Chapman? Courtney Upshaw? William Vlachos? And don't forget Brad Smelley, and while you're at it-what about, yes, Mark Ingram?
In my opinion, there is one member of this junior class who has come to play in every game, who, from my perspective never takes a play off, and is the best football player on the Crimson Tide: Julio Jones. He has more than earned whatever opportunities await players selected in the 2011 NFL draft. The remainder of his classmates have work left to do; much like those points that were left on the field instead of notched on the scoreboard against Auburn.
I will address what I see as work to be done, but first, here's how I grade the game:
Offense: D- What other grade is there to give? Yes, the first quarter was spectacular. The offense didn't have a single negative play in the first 15 minutes of the game and scored three TDs in its first three possessions. Then the wheels fell off. In the second quarter, the offense managed 3 points from a first and goal inside the Auburn 5. For the remainder of the game, Alabama answered Auburn's 4 TDs with a single field goal.
GMac had one of his best statistical games on Senior Day, as he completed 27 of 37 pass attempts for 377 yards and 2 TDs. Julio Jones led all receivers with 10 catches for 199 yards. Darius Hanks caught 5 passes for 39 yards, and Mark Ingram added 91 yards on 4 receptions; Mark's longest reception [41 yards] was marred by a forced fumble at the end of a determined catch and run. Maze had 2 receptions for 13 yards, including one on the left sideline for a first down, that would make the highlights in the NFL. He appeared to be open but as the pressure picked up on GMac, there were fewer balls thrown his way.
The running game was statistically pathetic [69 net yards], but 5 sacks totaling 23 yards of losses, are a drag on a performance that would otherwise have been merely weak [93 gross rushing yards]. Ingram had 36 yards on 10 carries and Trent Richardson had 24 yards on 10 rushing attempts. It is certainly worth noting that the offense attempted to take advantage of what Auburn was giving, and the Auburn secondary is not all that good. After the first quarter, the Tigers' pass rush improved-or the Tide O Line had a harder time protecting.
Julio accounted for 273 all purpose yards [199 receiving; 12 rushing, 62 kick returns].
Alabama had 6 drives for 40 or more yards-all consecutive, all in the first half-[71, 81, 61, 83, 48, 65] that resulted in 3 TDs, 2 fumbles and a FG. In the second half, the Tide's longest drive was 29 yards. It could have been the game winner, however, after reaching the Auburn 34 yard line with a first and 10 the next three plays were a loss of 2 running, an incomplete pass and a loss of 4 on a sack. GMac suffered a concussion on the tackle and was finished for the game.
Defense: C+ Cam Newton came into the game averaging 117 yards rushing per game. He managed only 39. As a team, Auburn averages 291 yards rushing and 41.6 points per game. Against Alabama, the Barners managed only 108 yards rushing and scored only 28.
Auburn's first 4 possessions of the game consumed all of 15 plays, gained only 35 yards and resulted in four punts. Newton was obviously unaccustomed to being tackled by a single player who was strong and quick enough to bring him down. Consequently, on option plays, Newton consistently dished the ball too early and Alabama had that play well defensed all night. Marcel Dareus made a picture perfect open field tackle of Auburn's soon to be Heisman Trophy winner [and eventually to be determined ineligible player] that set the tone for a solid defensive effort.
There was no way that the defense was going to keep Auburn from scoring, but giving up a 70 yard TD on the second play of the second half, was a bust that allowed the Aubs to close the score to a difference of 10 points and shifted the momentum for the remainder of the game.
Each of Auburn's TDs came on long drives [8 plays 80 yards; 2 plays 69 yards; 8 plays 75 yards; 11 plays 67 yards].
Courtney Upshaw had his best game of the season, recording 10 tackles [7 solo; 8 for loss (-19), 3 sacks] 2 forced fumbles and a QB hurry.
Demarcus Milliner was credited with 9 tackles [8 solo] and C. J. Mosley had 6 [5 solo]. Barron, Luther Davis, Dont'a Hightower, Dequan Menzie and Robert Lester each had 4 tackles, while Will Lowery, Dareus, Damion Square and Dre Kirkpatrick each had 3.
All total, Alabama defenders recorded 9 tackles [4 sacks] for loss of 37 yards.
Special Teams:
Punting: B Forcing a fumble in punt coverage, like blocking an opponent's punt, almost guarantees an A+. However, shanking a punt for only 13 yards, like getting a punt blocked, almost guarantees an F. Alabama punted 4 times, all in the second half, for an average of 33.8 yards per kick. Marquis Maze returned 2 Auburn punts for zero yards.
Place Kicking: A Jeremy Shelley was good from 20 and 32 yards and was perfect on all three PATs. The only problem with place kicking was that the offense didn't provide more PAT opportunities.
Kick Offs: C+ Cade Foster only averaged 60 yards gross per kick. The coverage team allowed an average of 17.8 yards per return, thereby producing a net average per kick of only 42.2 yards. The return game was reasonably effective: 3 returns for 62 yards.
Coaching: C- I may be accused of being charitable with this grade, and I can understand that criticism. Immediately after the game I would have assigned an F to the coaches. There is plenty of justification for a failing grade: (i) 7 penalties, including 2 substitution infractions on defense; (ii) asking Cody Mandell to execute a play-punting to the corner-that he has struggled with all year; (iii) being 12 games into the season and not having an offensive line that can produce a credible inside running game; and (iv) losing to Auburn. After a night's reflection, however, I have to give the coaching staff credit for devising a game plan the held Auburn's offense in check, and allowed the offense the opportunity to put the game out of reach before intermission.
But this was Auburn. And this was a loss, unlike the loss at South Carolina, that was self-inflicted. This one hurts.
Coach Saban told the media after the game: "To succeed you have to finish things." Alabama didn't finish this game, and it didn't finish its season. Nobody knows that more viscerally and intensely than Saban. So what are some of the unfinished items in the business of Alabama football? For what it's worth, here are my five contributions to the suggestion box:
1. The offensive line needs to get stronger, tougher and more dominant. There is no good reason why Alabama cannot score a running touchdown from the 3 yard line with 4 plays to do it. Likewise, there is no good reason why a guy like Nick Fairly should ever get an unblocked shot at our quarterback.
2. The defensive front 7 needs to pick up where it ended this season and improve. The D-Line and linebackers generated good pressure against an outstanding Auburn offensive line. This sort of effort, plus a little more, needs to be the standard.
3. The secondary has to keep working on recognizing what the opposing offense is doing, and adjusting within the framework of the defensive play.
4. Overall conditioning has to be addressed as well. In 2009, Alabama was clearly the better conditioned team in all of its games. That differential was not present this year against LSU and Auburn.
5. Recruiting is the life-blood of every college football program. I'm excited about the existing 2001 commitments. We need to get them in the door, and continue to apply The Process to the players already aboard.
I had convinced myself that writing The Grades would ease the frustration I feel. I was wrong. The fans at BDS were outstanding yesterday; nobody left until the clock was all zeros and the Bama faithful were in it to the bitter end. Coach Saban acknowledged that fact in his post-game remarks and he took responsibility for the fact that the team did not play up to the standards set by the program. As the players headed to their respective locker rooms, and the fans began to leave their seats, the Auburn band played the "Rammer Jammer" their fans mocked Alabama with a twisted version of that iconic cheer. My abiding hope is that twelve months from now, Coach Saba and the players-especially next year's seniors-make them pay for that disrespect.
With no Alabama game to grade next week, my next Blog post will be end of year recognition for MVPs and others.
The Commissioner
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Georgia State Grades
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I always thought that Bill Curry was an odd choice to be Alabama's head football coach.
It wasn't just that he was a Georgia Tech guy, with all the baggage that comes with that particular affiliation. It certainly wasn't his football pedigree; three trips to the Super Bowl, two championship rings, played for Vince Lombardi, etc. It had more to do with his approach to things. With Bill Curry, I always got the feeling that he was impressed with his own superior moral sense-even when he didn't live up to his moral posturing.
Remember when he was the coach at Kentucky, and answered a reporter's question about whether he would start then freshman Tim Couch at quarterback? He said something along the lines of: "Anybody who would do such an unfair thing to such a fine young man has no business coaching college football." Well it turns out Curry was right. He started Couch about two weeks later. By the end of the season, the bosses at Kentucky decided that Curry had no business coaching football any longer for the Wildcats.
I also recall when he was a commentator with ESPN. Somehow, the producers at the Four Letter Network would assign Curry to be the color guy for broadcasts of Alabama games. He always took an uncomplimentary jab or two at Alabama, its fans, or, most often in Curry-speak, the "culture" of Alabama football. Like when he was covering the Mississippi State game when Sylvester Croom made his first journey to Tuscaloosa to coach a game against Alabama under the leadership of Mike Shula. Curry yammered incessantly about how tough it was to grow up black in Tuscaloosa. I'm sure it was; but how would he know? I was a charter member of the Hire Sly Croom Club when Dennis Fran-phony bolted from Tuscaloosa to Texas A&M, but I could not abide Bill Curry's preening self-righteousness at Alabama's expense as he tut-tutted about how shabbily Alabama had treated one of its own.
And, of course, who can forget the infamous "rock-through-the-window" business? I suppose there are folks reading The Grades who were not alive at the time, so maybe a little history is in order. During Curry's tenure as the Tide head coach, Ole Miss came to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming. The Rebs left town that day a winner, and Alabama played so poorly, that the offense failed to complete a single pass. The next day, Curry claimed he discovered that his office had been vandalized by a rock thrown through the window. The police were summoned, and Curry gave several interviews where he lamented the darkness at the heart of Alabama fans. Assuming the rock story was true-a subject that has never been free of debate-Curry could have been a hero with fans if he had only said: "I would like to find the person who threw that rock through my window, because we obviously need to find somebody who can hit what they are throwing at, and it's my job as coach to go recruit them."
There was a time, twenty one years ago, when Bill Curry said that Lexington, Kentucky was a better place to coach college football than Tuscaloosa. For him, I suppose that must have been true. Nothing else can explain why this paragon of virtue would breach his contract with the University, quit his job with a year left to work, and an offer of a two-year extension on the table.
Well, I must have mellowed with time, because as I watched Curry on the Georgia State sidelines Thursday night, I actually found myself sympathetic to him. His pre-game remarks to Erin Andrews were complimentary of the Alabama program, and he had somewhat of the air of an elder statesman about him; like an emeritus professor.
His team played with admirable heart, and got crushed by better athletes, who are better coached, better conditioned, and better prepared. Georgia State has nothing to be ashamed of losing to Alabama 63-7. So, enough about Bill Curry.
Alabama scored 63 points on a team that it ought to have scored 63 points on. The Tide played everybody in a red jersey. GMac became a spectator with one third of the second quarter left to play. It was a good tune-up for Alabama with Auburn coming to town the day after Thanksgiving.
Readers of this space know that I typically apply a one letter grade reduction to take into account the quality of opposition. Considering how deep Alabama went into its roster, I think the playing field was ultimately leveled to the point that no reduction is required. Here's how I grade the game:
Offense: A Alabama gained 478 yards of total offense [262 rushing], earned 24 first downs, and did not punt the ball until the 8:00 mark in the 4th quarter. GMac completed 12 of 13 pass attempts for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns. A.J. completed 7 of 9 for 57 and a TD.
Julio Jones was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 86 yards and two TDs. Marquis Maze, Darius Hanks and Kevin Norwood each had 2 receptions. In all, 10 players caught passes.
Mark Ingram carried the ball 12 times for 86 yards and a TD. Eddie Lacy, Jalston Fowler and Demetrius Goode each scored rushing touchdowns. It was fun to watch these backs run the ball. Lacy gained 81 net yards on 13 rushes. Fowler gained 42 yards on 2 carries, his longest being a 36 yard TD. It was troubling that on Alabama's second possession of the game, we were not able to score by running between the tackles. Mark had to run over left end to score from 1 yard out.
Mark was the leader in all purpose yards with 102 [86 rush; 16 receiving].
Bama had five drives of 40 or more yards [67, 71, 72, 60 and 50] resulting in 4 TDs and a missed FG.
Defense: A Here's a stat for you: the three leading tacklers in Thursday night's game were Neighbors [6], Jerrell Harris [5] and Chris Jordan [5]; you have to drill four deep before you find a familiar name [Demarcus Milliner-4 tackles]. Milliner is followed by Will Lowery, Tana Patrick, Michael DeJohn [not exactly a household name] and Dont'a Hightower all with 3 tackles each.
The Stop-Troops accounted for 6 tackles for 17 lost yards, 4 interceptions returned for a total of 66 yards, 3 broken up pass attempts, and 10 QB hurries. Robert Lester, Chris Jordan, Mark Barron and C. J. Mosley each had an interception. Mosley returned his pick in the second quarter 41 yards for a TD.
Special Teams:
Punting: A+ Chavis Williams blocked a second quarter punt attempt. Brandon Gibson recovered the block and returned it 22 yards for a TD.
Kickoffs: F I'm sorry, but despite the 63.3 gross average per kick on 10 kicks, the coverage team allowed a 97 yard return for a TD. That sort of play earns an automatic F.
Place Kicking: F Again, it doesn't matter that Bama's snap-hold-kick effort was perfect on PATs, Jeremy Shelley missed from 27 yards; banging the ball off the right-side upright. Cade Foster was initially good from 49 yards, but the FG unit was unable to beat the play clock and he had to try again from 54 yards. He missed it the second time.
Coaching: A The special teams play notwithstanding, the coaches did exactly what needed to be done in this game. In addition to the 22 starters, 57 players off the bench participated in the game. And if you have any doubt about the commitment and intensity of this coaching staff, especially at the top, you should consider the fact that, with seconds to play in the game, Coach Saban was still coaching up the number 3 quarterback and the number 7 running back. We played two-deep at every position on the offensive and defensive lines as well as the defensive secondary. At some line and DB positions Bama played 3 deep.
I mentioned earlier, how Bill Curry found Kentucky to be a better place for him than Alabama. In the longer view of things, had he not done so, Bama would not have had Gene Stallings in 1990 and would certainly not have earned a national championship in '92. At his introductory press conference, Coach Stallings was asked by a reporter how badly he wanted to beat Auburn, since his predecessor was winless against the Tigers.
Stallings gave a two word answer: "Real bad."
When Coach Stallings arrived in Tuscaloosa, Auburn was engaged in a pay-for-play scandal that eventually would make Eric Ramsey temporarily famous, and cost Pat Dye his job. I suppose this would be an excellent trivia question: What college football program would fire a coach for paying players and still put his name on their stadium? Fast forward two decades, and scandal once again is swirling around the Auburn program like flies on a carcass. I will have much more to say on the Newton Affair in The Williamson Herald. For readers of The Grades, I will only say this: Alabama can beat Auburn this year. It will be extremely hard to do, but it is possible. More likely than not, Auburn will leave Tuscaloosa with more points on the score board. But when all the shoes have dropped, the official record books will not reflect that Auburn beat Alabama in 2010.
The Commissioner
I always thought that Bill Curry was an odd choice to be Alabama's head football coach.
It wasn't just that he was a Georgia Tech guy, with all the baggage that comes with that particular affiliation. It certainly wasn't his football pedigree; three trips to the Super Bowl, two championship rings, played for Vince Lombardi, etc. It had more to do with his approach to things. With Bill Curry, I always got the feeling that he was impressed with his own superior moral sense-even when he didn't live up to his moral posturing.
Remember when he was the coach at Kentucky, and answered a reporter's question about whether he would start then freshman Tim Couch at quarterback? He said something along the lines of: "Anybody who would do such an unfair thing to such a fine young man has no business coaching college football." Well it turns out Curry was right. He started Couch about two weeks later. By the end of the season, the bosses at Kentucky decided that Curry had no business coaching football any longer for the Wildcats.
I also recall when he was a commentator with ESPN. Somehow, the producers at the Four Letter Network would assign Curry to be the color guy for broadcasts of Alabama games. He always took an uncomplimentary jab or two at Alabama, its fans, or, most often in Curry-speak, the "culture" of Alabama football. Like when he was covering the Mississippi State game when Sylvester Croom made his first journey to Tuscaloosa to coach a game against Alabama under the leadership of Mike Shula. Curry yammered incessantly about how tough it was to grow up black in Tuscaloosa. I'm sure it was; but how would he know? I was a charter member of the Hire Sly Croom Club when Dennis Fran-phony bolted from Tuscaloosa to Texas A&M, but I could not abide Bill Curry's preening self-righteousness at Alabama's expense as he tut-tutted about how shabbily Alabama had treated one of its own.
And, of course, who can forget the infamous "rock-through-the-window" business? I suppose there are folks reading The Grades who were not alive at the time, so maybe a little history is in order. During Curry's tenure as the Tide head coach, Ole Miss came to Tuscaloosa for Homecoming. The Rebs left town that day a winner, and Alabama played so poorly, that the offense failed to complete a single pass. The next day, Curry claimed he discovered that his office had been vandalized by a rock thrown through the window. The police were summoned, and Curry gave several interviews where he lamented the darkness at the heart of Alabama fans. Assuming the rock story was true-a subject that has never been free of debate-Curry could have been a hero with fans if he had only said: "I would like to find the person who threw that rock through my window, because we obviously need to find somebody who can hit what they are throwing at, and it's my job as coach to go recruit them."
There was a time, twenty one years ago, when Bill Curry said that Lexington, Kentucky was a better place to coach college football than Tuscaloosa. For him, I suppose that must have been true. Nothing else can explain why this paragon of virtue would breach his contract with the University, quit his job with a year left to work, and an offer of a two-year extension on the table.
Well, I must have mellowed with time, because as I watched Curry on the Georgia State sidelines Thursday night, I actually found myself sympathetic to him. His pre-game remarks to Erin Andrews were complimentary of the Alabama program, and he had somewhat of the air of an elder statesman about him; like an emeritus professor.
His team played with admirable heart, and got crushed by better athletes, who are better coached, better conditioned, and better prepared. Georgia State has nothing to be ashamed of losing to Alabama 63-7. So, enough about Bill Curry.
Alabama scored 63 points on a team that it ought to have scored 63 points on. The Tide played everybody in a red jersey. GMac became a spectator with one third of the second quarter left to play. It was a good tune-up for Alabama with Auburn coming to town the day after Thanksgiving.
Readers of this space know that I typically apply a one letter grade reduction to take into account the quality of opposition. Considering how deep Alabama went into its roster, I think the playing field was ultimately leveled to the point that no reduction is required. Here's how I grade the game:
Offense: A Alabama gained 478 yards of total offense [262 rushing], earned 24 first downs, and did not punt the ball until the 8:00 mark in the 4th quarter. GMac completed 12 of 13 pass attempts for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns. A.J. completed 7 of 9 for 57 and a TD.
Julio Jones was the leading receiver with 7 catches for 86 yards and two TDs. Marquis Maze, Darius Hanks and Kevin Norwood each had 2 receptions. In all, 10 players caught passes.
Mark Ingram carried the ball 12 times for 86 yards and a TD. Eddie Lacy, Jalston Fowler and Demetrius Goode each scored rushing touchdowns. It was fun to watch these backs run the ball. Lacy gained 81 net yards on 13 rushes. Fowler gained 42 yards on 2 carries, his longest being a 36 yard TD. It was troubling that on Alabama's second possession of the game, we were not able to score by running between the tackles. Mark had to run over left end to score from 1 yard out.
Mark was the leader in all purpose yards with 102 [86 rush; 16 receiving].
Bama had five drives of 40 or more yards [67, 71, 72, 60 and 50] resulting in 4 TDs and a missed FG.
Defense: A Here's a stat for you: the three leading tacklers in Thursday night's game were Neighbors [6], Jerrell Harris [5] and Chris Jordan [5]; you have to drill four deep before you find a familiar name [Demarcus Milliner-4 tackles]. Milliner is followed by Will Lowery, Tana Patrick, Michael DeJohn [not exactly a household name] and Dont'a Hightower all with 3 tackles each.
The Stop-Troops accounted for 6 tackles for 17 lost yards, 4 interceptions returned for a total of 66 yards, 3 broken up pass attempts, and 10 QB hurries. Robert Lester, Chris Jordan, Mark Barron and C. J. Mosley each had an interception. Mosley returned his pick in the second quarter 41 yards for a TD.
Special Teams:
Punting: A+ Chavis Williams blocked a second quarter punt attempt. Brandon Gibson recovered the block and returned it 22 yards for a TD.
Kickoffs: F I'm sorry, but despite the 63.3 gross average per kick on 10 kicks, the coverage team allowed a 97 yard return for a TD. That sort of play earns an automatic F.
Place Kicking: F Again, it doesn't matter that Bama's snap-hold-kick effort was perfect on PATs, Jeremy Shelley missed from 27 yards; banging the ball off the right-side upright. Cade Foster was initially good from 49 yards, but the FG unit was unable to beat the play clock and he had to try again from 54 yards. He missed it the second time.
Coaching: A The special teams play notwithstanding, the coaches did exactly what needed to be done in this game. In addition to the 22 starters, 57 players off the bench participated in the game. And if you have any doubt about the commitment and intensity of this coaching staff, especially at the top, you should consider the fact that, with seconds to play in the game, Coach Saban was still coaching up the number 3 quarterback and the number 7 running back. We played two-deep at every position on the offensive and defensive lines as well as the defensive secondary. At some line and DB positions Bama played 3 deep.
I mentioned earlier, how Bill Curry found Kentucky to be a better place for him than Alabama. In the longer view of things, had he not done so, Bama would not have had Gene Stallings in 1990 and would certainly not have earned a national championship in '92. At his introductory press conference, Coach Stallings was asked by a reporter how badly he wanted to beat Auburn, since his predecessor was winless against the Tigers.
Stallings gave a two word answer: "Real bad."
When Coach Stallings arrived in Tuscaloosa, Auburn was engaged in a pay-for-play scandal that eventually would make Eric Ramsey temporarily famous, and cost Pat Dye his job. I suppose this would be an excellent trivia question: What college football program would fire a coach for paying players and still put his name on their stadium? Fast forward two decades, and scandal once again is swirling around the Auburn program like flies on a carcass. I will have much more to say on the Newton Affair in The Williamson Herald. For readers of The Grades, I will only say this: Alabama can beat Auburn this year. It will be extremely hard to do, but it is possible. More likely than not, Auburn will leave Tuscaloosa with more points on the score board. But when all the shoes have dropped, the official record books will not reflect that Auburn beat Alabama in 2010.
The Commissioner
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Mississippi State Grades
Amid all the Cam Newton speculation and rumor; amid all the anonymous sources, and unconfirmed reports, there was only one question, the answer to which really mattered: How would Alabama react to the loss at LSU?
Would Alabama bounce back? With Trent Richardson likely unavailable, could Alabama bounce back? With only pride to play for, was there enough at stake for this young team to find a motivation, and an identity, that nine games into the season is still missing?
The sports staff at The Tuscaloosa News all predicted theTide to win, but only Cecil Hurt had the margin of victory greater than a field goal, and he predicted only a five point win. Some commentators were saying that this team was teetering on the brink of a late season melt down on the order of 2007. Which way would the 2010 Tide go, with no championship even as a hypothetical destination?
Well, the players answered all of those questions Saturday night in Bryant Denny Stadium by beating Alabama's oldest rival by twenty points, in a game that was over before the end of the third quarter.
Doubts about the players' effort and intensity were put to rest early. The offense took the opening kick off and crisply moved 59 yards for a field goal on 9 plays in a no-huddle drive that featured a variety of formations. The defense played the whole game with an intensity that was AWOL in the second half of the LSU game. The pass rush generated good pressure on the MSU quarterbacks and produced a season-high 5 sacks. In three consecutive possessions, spanning less than three minutes of game time, Alabama ran seven plays, and scored 21 points. After the first play of the final stanza, GMac trotted to the sidelines and took a well deserved bow for what might have been his best performance of the season.
There remains much room for improvement with this team. Its greatest challenge is waiting on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Explosive plays aside, the offense still lacks the sort of line play that produces success in the inside run game, and gives the quarterback time to throw. The defense must build on a good effort against a Mississippi State team that runs Auburn's offense without Auburn's hired-hand quarterback. For now, though, we know the choices this team and these players have made. They chose pride over sell-pity. They chose effort over ease. They chose intensity over indifference. Hardware and titles may be out of reach, but those choices, and many more, are what can make the 2010 Crimson Tide, a team of winners.
Here's how I grade the game:
Offense: A The Tide gained 452 yards of total offense [175 rushing] on merely 59 plays for an average of 7.7 yards per play. Julio Jones was the leading rusher with 56 yards and a touchdown on one carry. Mark Ingram found precious little running room inside but was able to gain 53 net yards on 18 carries. Eddie Lacy added 35 yards on 8 plays and GMac ran the ball 3 times for 20 yards. Freshman Jalston Fowler [6-1, 236, Mobile, Vigor HS] added 15 yards on 3 carries and would have scored his first collegiate touchdown, but his fumble into the end zone was recovered by MSU for a touchback. The fumble aside, Fowler is an impressive player who runs hard and is going to be hard for opposing defenses to stop. The running game was hampered by 7 tackles for loss of which only 2 were sacks.
GMac completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for 227 yards and 2 TDs. He threw an interception in the third quarter, the first second-half pick of his college career. AJ took most of the snaps in the fourth quarter and completed 2 of 5 pass attempts for 50 yards. His longest, a 39 yard thing of beauty to Darius Hanks, nearly scored. A bad choice that fortunately went incomplete earned him a swat on the backside from Coach Saban.
Marquis Maze had a great night. He led all receivers with 5 receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown. Hanks had 3 receptions for 55 yards, and Julio added 41 yards on 3 catches. Mark Ingram caught 2 passes for 77 yards. Mark's longest reception was a 78 yard swing pass that he took the distance for a score. Julio threw a key block to spring Mark into the secondary and Ingram took it from there.
Maze was the leader in all-purpose yardage with 166 [88 receiving, 41 in kick returns and 36 in punt returns].
Bama had 6 drives that gained 40 or more yards [59, 45, 75, 78, 56 and 84] each resulting in points.
Defense: A The stop troops really got after MSU from the start of the game. Bama defenders recorded 6 tackles for loss of which 5 were sacks. C.J. Mosley was the leading tackler with 12 [1 solo] followed by Mark Barron who recorded 11 [4 solo]. Demarcus Millinor, Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower each recorded 8 tackles and Josh Chapman and Dequan Minzie were each credited with 6.
Robert Lester continued his intercepting ways, picking off 2 pass, one of which he returned for 12 yards.
Special Teams:
Punting: C- Cody Mandell only averaged 38.2 yards on 4 punts. Coverage was excellent, however, because MSU only returned 1 punt for 3 yards. Marquis Maze returned 3 of MSU's punts for 36 yards. Marquis would have returned a punt for an 86 yard touchdown but the score was nullified by a blocking penalty on the return.
Kickoffs: A Cade Foster averaged 68.7 yards gross per kickoff. Two kicks found the end zone and one was a touchback. Coverage was excellent, resulting in an average of 51.6 yards per kick. Alabama's return game averaged 20 yards per kick.
Place Kicking: A+ Jeremy Shelley was good from 36 and 28 while Cade Foster was good from 45 yards. All three PATs were good.
Coaching: A The team was ready to play and came closer to playing a complete game than at any time this season. Phelon Jones started at corner in place of Dre Kirkpatrick. According to published reports, this was a disciplinary matter. Coach Saban told reporters after the game that if players do not do the right thing they will not play. [Yes, there is a message in that statement for the folks at the Barn.] There is speculation that the coaching staff is reading The Grades, because the participation report reflects that 33 players from the bench participated in the game along with the 22 starters.
After a short week, the Tide will welcome Bill Curry back to Tuscaloosa on Thursday night. If all goes according to plan, many players will see action.
I will have more thoughts about Auburn at the appropriate time. The appropriate time is after the Tide has dispatched Georgia State. Coach Saban made it clear in his post game remarks that Alabama respects all of its opponents.
So for now, make sure to read the sports section of your local daily fish wrapper. The Newton story is evolving every day.
Our players should pay no attention to it, however. Their tasks will be focused on preparation and improvement. If the preparation and improvement that took place between the LSU and MSU games can be replicated, then we will all have a very joyous start to the Advent Season.
Stay tuned.
The Commissioner
Would Alabama bounce back? With Trent Richardson likely unavailable, could Alabama bounce back? With only pride to play for, was there enough at stake for this young team to find a motivation, and an identity, that nine games into the season is still missing?
The sports staff at The Tuscaloosa News all predicted theTide to win, but only Cecil Hurt had the margin of victory greater than a field goal, and he predicted only a five point win. Some commentators were saying that this team was teetering on the brink of a late season melt down on the order of 2007. Which way would the 2010 Tide go, with no championship even as a hypothetical destination?
Well, the players answered all of those questions Saturday night in Bryant Denny Stadium by beating Alabama's oldest rival by twenty points, in a game that was over before the end of the third quarter.
Doubts about the players' effort and intensity were put to rest early. The offense took the opening kick off and crisply moved 59 yards for a field goal on 9 plays in a no-huddle drive that featured a variety of formations. The defense played the whole game with an intensity that was AWOL in the second half of the LSU game. The pass rush generated good pressure on the MSU quarterbacks and produced a season-high 5 sacks. In three consecutive possessions, spanning less than three minutes of game time, Alabama ran seven plays, and scored 21 points. After the first play of the final stanza, GMac trotted to the sidelines and took a well deserved bow for what might have been his best performance of the season.
There remains much room for improvement with this team. Its greatest challenge is waiting on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Explosive plays aside, the offense still lacks the sort of line play that produces success in the inside run game, and gives the quarterback time to throw. The defense must build on a good effort against a Mississippi State team that runs Auburn's offense without Auburn's hired-hand quarterback. For now, though, we know the choices this team and these players have made. They chose pride over sell-pity. They chose effort over ease. They chose intensity over indifference. Hardware and titles may be out of reach, but those choices, and many more, are what can make the 2010 Crimson Tide, a team of winners.
Here's how I grade the game:
Offense: A The Tide gained 452 yards of total offense [175 rushing] on merely 59 plays for an average of 7.7 yards per play. Julio Jones was the leading rusher with 56 yards and a touchdown on one carry. Mark Ingram found precious little running room inside but was able to gain 53 net yards on 18 carries. Eddie Lacy added 35 yards on 8 plays and GMac ran the ball 3 times for 20 yards. Freshman Jalston Fowler [6-1, 236, Mobile, Vigor HS] added 15 yards on 3 carries and would have scored his first collegiate touchdown, but his fumble into the end zone was recovered by MSU for a touchback. The fumble aside, Fowler is an impressive player who runs hard and is going to be hard for opposing defenses to stop. The running game was hampered by 7 tackles for loss of which only 2 were sacks.
GMac completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for 227 yards and 2 TDs. He threw an interception in the third quarter, the first second-half pick of his college career. AJ took most of the snaps in the fourth quarter and completed 2 of 5 pass attempts for 50 yards. His longest, a 39 yard thing of beauty to Darius Hanks, nearly scored. A bad choice that fortunately went incomplete earned him a swat on the backside from Coach Saban.
Marquis Maze had a great night. He led all receivers with 5 receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown. Hanks had 3 receptions for 55 yards, and Julio added 41 yards on 3 catches. Mark Ingram caught 2 passes for 77 yards. Mark's longest reception was a 78 yard swing pass that he took the distance for a score. Julio threw a key block to spring Mark into the secondary and Ingram took it from there.
Maze was the leader in all-purpose yardage with 166 [88 receiving, 41 in kick returns and 36 in punt returns].
Bama had 6 drives that gained 40 or more yards [59, 45, 75, 78, 56 and 84] each resulting in points.
Defense: A The stop troops really got after MSU from the start of the game. Bama defenders recorded 6 tackles for loss of which 5 were sacks. C.J. Mosley was the leading tackler with 12 [1 solo] followed by Mark Barron who recorded 11 [4 solo]. Demarcus Millinor, Courtney Upshaw and Dont'a Hightower each recorded 8 tackles and Josh Chapman and Dequan Minzie were each credited with 6.
Robert Lester continued his intercepting ways, picking off 2 pass, one of which he returned for 12 yards.
Special Teams:
Punting: C- Cody Mandell only averaged 38.2 yards on 4 punts. Coverage was excellent, however, because MSU only returned 1 punt for 3 yards. Marquis Maze returned 3 of MSU's punts for 36 yards. Marquis would have returned a punt for an 86 yard touchdown but the score was nullified by a blocking penalty on the return.
Kickoffs: A Cade Foster averaged 68.7 yards gross per kickoff. Two kicks found the end zone and one was a touchback. Coverage was excellent, resulting in an average of 51.6 yards per kick. Alabama's return game averaged 20 yards per kick.
Place Kicking: A+ Jeremy Shelley was good from 36 and 28 while Cade Foster was good from 45 yards. All three PATs were good.
Coaching: A The team was ready to play and came closer to playing a complete game than at any time this season. Phelon Jones started at corner in place of Dre Kirkpatrick. According to published reports, this was a disciplinary matter. Coach Saban told reporters after the game that if players do not do the right thing they will not play. [Yes, there is a message in that statement for the folks at the Barn.] There is speculation that the coaching staff is reading The Grades, because the participation report reflects that 33 players from the bench participated in the game along with the 22 starters.
After a short week, the Tide will welcome Bill Curry back to Tuscaloosa on Thursday night. If all goes according to plan, many players will see action.
I will have more thoughts about Auburn at the appropriate time. The appropriate time is after the Tide has dispatched Georgia State. Coach Saban made it clear in his post game remarks that Alabama respects all of its opponents.
So for now, make sure to read the sports section of your local daily fish wrapper. The Newton story is evolving every day.
Our players should pay no attention to it, however. Their tasks will be focused on preparation and improvement. If the preparation and improvement that took place between the LSU and MSU games can be replicated, then we will all have a very joyous start to the Advent Season.
Stay tuned.
The Commissioner
Sunday, November 7, 2010
LSU Grades
Les Miles out coached Nick Saban.
That is the inescapable conclusion from the 24-21 loss the Tide suffered at the hands of LSU. One team made good use of the open week. One team played with more intensity. One team made effective adjustments at the half. One team made better use of its personnel. That one team was LSU.
Consider this: according to the participation report, Alabama played only 15 players in addition to its 22 starters, LSU played 37. Alabama is supposed to be the better conditioned team, the team that can bring guys off the bench with no discernible drop off in talent. Not yesterday. LSU had three starters leave the game with injuries who were replaced by freshmen who played like seniors.
What's up with all these top-ranked recruiting classes? We can't find more than 37 guys who are worthy of playing time? LSU had 59!
There will be no SEC Western Division championship this season. There will be no third-straight appearance in a BCS bowl game. If we continue to play like we did today, we won't win another SEC game this season.
Those are the hard realities.
Alabama is a team with a young defense that after nine games still has not matured to the point that it can consistently execute the complex schemes devised by the coaching staff. Prior to the San Jose State game, Coach Saban told a room full of Bama supporters that he was not concerned about the three defensive players who make the "calls" on defense; he was worried about the 8 players who didn't know how to answer the phone when the call was made. From what we saw on display Saturday afternoon in Tiger Stadium, he still has reason to be worried.
Can you explain this: LSU shredded the Alabama defense for 433 yards of total offense, and more than 300 of those yards were gained in the second half! This is LSU for Goodness sake, the only SEC team that couldn't outscore Tennessee over 60 minutes of football this season!
In the second half, the Alabama defense made Jordan Jefferson look like Joe Montana. The Tigers gained 208 yards through the air. Either we have plays in the play book where opposing receivers are allowed to run free uncovered, or else there is a disconnection between the plays being called and at the plays being executed. With 2:30 to play, needing to get the ball back in good field position, Bama had LSU in a 3rd down and 13 to go from their own 20 yard line. So Jarrett Lee completes a 47 yard pass to Rueben Randle. He caught the ball in space and weaved his way through the Alabama secondary who played like they wanted to see whether Randle had the same number on the back of his jersey as he did on the front.
What about the run defense? LSU gained 225 yards on the ground and the Tide defense allowed runs of 49, 21, 23, 19, and 11 yards.
These are hard things to write. No doubt they are also hard to read. The fact of the matter is that Alabama in 2010 is not nearly as good as it was in 2009. I don't doubt that the talent level is better than the 7-2 record would suggest, but this team is not playing to its potential.
Is it injuries? Three of our marque defensive players are nicked up and the biggest road-grader on the offensive line has missed the last three games. Immaturity? Our best defensive players from 2009 are playing on Sunday this fall. A combination of both? Whatever the reason, the coaching staff's job is to identify it and take action to fix it. My guess is that there is nothing that pundits and fans observe that has escaped the coaches, and this staff, from the head coach to the GAs, is not going to spare any effort. Coach Saban has described the state of Crimson Tide football: "we have not played a complete game."
Yesterday, LSU sure played one. And the Tigers beat Alabama the way that Alabama is supposed to beat its opponents; with physical dominance, higher intensity and better execution. Yes, Les Miles out-coached Nick Saban. Maybe now the LSU fans will find closure to their irrational bitterness over Saban choosing Alabama for his return to college football.
More later about the road ahead, for now, here's how I grade the game:
Offense: D- GMac completed 21 of 34 pass attempts, he threw 2 TDs and was intercepted once-a ball that could have been caught-for 223 yards. Alabama earned 19 first downs and converted 7 of 14 third downs.
Julio Jones was GMac's favorite target and no. 8 did not disappoint. He caught 10 passes for 89 yards including a 19 yard TD strike. Julio waged a day-long battle against LSU's star corner, Patrick Peterson, who was credited with 3 pass breakups. Julio won the fight; a fifteen round split-decision.
Marquis Maze caught 4 passes for 35 yards, Darius Hanks caught 2 for 40 and Preston Dial caught 2 passes for 35 yards. GMac completed passes to 7 different receivers.
Mark Ingram gained 97 yards on 21 carries and scored 1 TD rushing. His longest run from scrimmage was 13 yards. Trent Richardson gained 28 yards on 6 carries, and caught a 1 yard pass for Alabama's first score. GMac suffered 3 sacks for a loss of 28 yards.
Ball security was a big issue for Alabama. In addition to the first quarter interception, GMac lost a fumble when he was sacked in the fourth quarter. LSU converted this turnover into a field goal that proved to be the margin of victory. Bama fumbled the ball a total of 3 times, losing one.
The offensive line was inconsistent. Bama's three touchdowns came on drives of 81, 73 and 74 yards that combined for 14 minutes of game time. These three drives, however, were the only bright spots in a day that otherwise consisted of 6 drives with three or fewer plays, 6 punts and two turnovers. On Bama's first scoring drive, with the ball inside the one yard line, LSU stuffed two attempts to run between the tackles. The TD came on a play action pass to Trent Richardson, who managed to score only on individual effort.
Defense: F I have no explanation for the disappearance of the Alabama defense in the second half.
In the first 30 minutes, LSU had great field position due to a shamelessly poor punt and GMac's interception, but only netted 3 points. The rest of the Tigers' first half consisted of 4 punts, and a drive the ended when time expired. That last drive of the first half, however, was a harbinger of things to come.
After intermission, LSU had 6 possessions. The results, in this order, were: missed FG, TD, FG, TD, FG, punt. The length of LSU's scoring drives were: 94, 53, 77 and 6. The missed FG came on a drive of 52 yards that featured a first down conversion on a fake punt. See the grade for coaching.
Dont'a was the leading tackler with10 [2 solo], including 1 for loss yardage and a QB hurry. C.J. Mosley was credited with 9 tackles [2 solo, 1 TFL] and Josh Chapman made 8 [3 solo, 1 TFL]. Mark Barron and Demarcus Milliner each had 7 tackles, and Robert Lester and Courtney Upshaw each had 6.
LSU converted 6 of 17 third downs, and both of 2 fourth down attempts.
Special Teams:
Punting: D Cody Mandell averaged 41 yards, had one punt in excess of 50 yards and downed 2 inside the LSU 20. These respectable stats are marred, however, by the fact that his first punt, from poor field position, was only 23 yards. Marquis Maze was only able to return one punt for 3 yards. The Alabama coverage team limited LSU's Peterson to 22 yards on 2 returns.
Place Kicking: A Jeremy Shelly was 3 for 3 on PATs.
Kick offs: B+ Cade Foster had a gross average of 64 yards per kick off, with one touchback. The coverage unit achieved a net average of 47.8 yards per kick. Bama's return effort resulted in LSU having a net kickoff average of only 41.5 yards per kick.
Coaching: F OK. You know that Les Miles has never faced a fourth down that he wouldn't consider going for. You know that he has faked more punts than any other coach in the SEC. In the first half, we played it safe. But the first punting situation in the second half, we give LSU the look that invites a fake, which the Tigers execute to perfection. In the fourth quarter, facing 4th and 1 we get burned on a reverse that nearly scores. There is no question about it, Les Miles won the play calling chess-match. Moreover, LSU was more reach to play than Alabama. This manifested itself particularly at the beginning of the game in poor ball security by the Tide.
Alabama fans are unfairly described as having unreasonable expectations. We are accused of being fickle and quick to call for changes in coaches, starters, and the guys who paint the field whenever Alabama fails to cover the betting line. I think those characterizations are wrong.
Tide fans are very passionate, knowledgeable and dedicated. They don't take losing very well and they expect the same attitude from the people who are entrusted with the Program.
So with all of that as prologue, let me say this: If Alabama plays the rest of its games the way it played LSU we will not win another SEC game this season. Mississippi State will beat Alabama next weekend if the Tide does not correct its mistakes and play better than it did in Baton Rouge. Forget about the rent-a-team from Lee County Industrial and Mechanical. Dan Mullen, who deserves to win Coach of the Year honors for the job he has done in Starkville, will have his team ready to play this coming Saturday night. Nobody associated with the Alabama program should be looking any further ahead.
The championship goals with which Alabama began this season are now unattainable. That we have come to this pass on the first weekend of November, is unacceptable. But there are goals, both individual and collective, that remain very much within the grasp of this team: Improve, Finish, Dominate, Execute. And these goals, if achieve, provide the foundation for everything else.
My thoughts about the Cam Newton situation will be in this week's column in the Williamson Herald.
The Commissioner
That is the inescapable conclusion from the 24-21 loss the Tide suffered at the hands of LSU. One team made good use of the open week. One team played with more intensity. One team made effective adjustments at the half. One team made better use of its personnel. That one team was LSU.
Consider this: according to the participation report, Alabama played only 15 players in addition to its 22 starters, LSU played 37. Alabama is supposed to be the better conditioned team, the team that can bring guys off the bench with no discernible drop off in talent. Not yesterday. LSU had three starters leave the game with injuries who were replaced by freshmen who played like seniors.
What's up with all these top-ranked recruiting classes? We can't find more than 37 guys who are worthy of playing time? LSU had 59!
There will be no SEC Western Division championship this season. There will be no third-straight appearance in a BCS bowl game. If we continue to play like we did today, we won't win another SEC game this season.
Those are the hard realities.
Alabama is a team with a young defense that after nine games still has not matured to the point that it can consistently execute the complex schemes devised by the coaching staff. Prior to the San Jose State game, Coach Saban told a room full of Bama supporters that he was not concerned about the three defensive players who make the "calls" on defense; he was worried about the 8 players who didn't know how to answer the phone when the call was made. From what we saw on display Saturday afternoon in Tiger Stadium, he still has reason to be worried.
Can you explain this: LSU shredded the Alabama defense for 433 yards of total offense, and more than 300 of those yards were gained in the second half! This is LSU for Goodness sake, the only SEC team that couldn't outscore Tennessee over 60 minutes of football this season!
In the second half, the Alabama defense made Jordan Jefferson look like Joe Montana. The Tigers gained 208 yards through the air. Either we have plays in the play book where opposing receivers are allowed to run free uncovered, or else there is a disconnection between the plays being called and at the plays being executed. With 2:30 to play, needing to get the ball back in good field position, Bama had LSU in a 3rd down and 13 to go from their own 20 yard line. So Jarrett Lee completes a 47 yard pass to Rueben Randle. He caught the ball in space and weaved his way through the Alabama secondary who played like they wanted to see whether Randle had the same number on the back of his jersey as he did on the front.
What about the run defense? LSU gained 225 yards on the ground and the Tide defense allowed runs of 49, 21, 23, 19, and 11 yards.
These are hard things to write. No doubt they are also hard to read. The fact of the matter is that Alabama in 2010 is not nearly as good as it was in 2009. I don't doubt that the talent level is better than the 7-2 record would suggest, but this team is not playing to its potential.
Is it injuries? Three of our marque defensive players are nicked up and the biggest road-grader on the offensive line has missed the last three games. Immaturity? Our best defensive players from 2009 are playing on Sunday this fall. A combination of both? Whatever the reason, the coaching staff's job is to identify it and take action to fix it. My guess is that there is nothing that pundits and fans observe that has escaped the coaches, and this staff, from the head coach to the GAs, is not going to spare any effort. Coach Saban has described the state of Crimson Tide football: "we have not played a complete game."
Yesterday, LSU sure played one. And the Tigers beat Alabama the way that Alabama is supposed to beat its opponents; with physical dominance, higher intensity and better execution. Yes, Les Miles out-coached Nick Saban. Maybe now the LSU fans will find closure to their irrational bitterness over Saban choosing Alabama for his return to college football.
More later about the road ahead, for now, here's how I grade the game:
Offense: D- GMac completed 21 of 34 pass attempts, he threw 2 TDs and was intercepted once-a ball that could have been caught-for 223 yards. Alabama earned 19 first downs and converted 7 of 14 third downs.
Julio Jones was GMac's favorite target and no. 8 did not disappoint. He caught 10 passes for 89 yards including a 19 yard TD strike. Julio waged a day-long battle against LSU's star corner, Patrick Peterson, who was credited with 3 pass breakups. Julio won the fight; a fifteen round split-decision.
Marquis Maze caught 4 passes for 35 yards, Darius Hanks caught 2 for 40 and Preston Dial caught 2 passes for 35 yards. GMac completed passes to 7 different receivers.
Mark Ingram gained 97 yards on 21 carries and scored 1 TD rushing. His longest run from scrimmage was 13 yards. Trent Richardson gained 28 yards on 6 carries, and caught a 1 yard pass for Alabama's first score. GMac suffered 3 sacks for a loss of 28 yards.
Ball security was a big issue for Alabama. In addition to the first quarter interception, GMac lost a fumble when he was sacked in the fourth quarter. LSU converted this turnover into a field goal that proved to be the margin of victory. Bama fumbled the ball a total of 3 times, losing one.
The offensive line was inconsistent. Bama's three touchdowns came on drives of 81, 73 and 74 yards that combined for 14 minutes of game time. These three drives, however, were the only bright spots in a day that otherwise consisted of 6 drives with three or fewer plays, 6 punts and two turnovers. On Bama's first scoring drive, with the ball inside the one yard line, LSU stuffed two attempts to run between the tackles. The TD came on a play action pass to Trent Richardson, who managed to score only on individual effort.
Defense: F I have no explanation for the disappearance of the Alabama defense in the second half.
In the first 30 minutes, LSU had great field position due to a shamelessly poor punt and GMac's interception, but only netted 3 points. The rest of the Tigers' first half consisted of 4 punts, and a drive the ended when time expired. That last drive of the first half, however, was a harbinger of things to come.
After intermission, LSU had 6 possessions. The results, in this order, were: missed FG, TD, FG, TD, FG, punt. The length of LSU's scoring drives were: 94, 53, 77 and 6. The missed FG came on a drive of 52 yards that featured a first down conversion on a fake punt. See the grade for coaching.
Dont'a was the leading tackler with10 [2 solo], including 1 for loss yardage and a QB hurry. C.J. Mosley was credited with 9 tackles [2 solo, 1 TFL] and Josh Chapman made 8 [3 solo, 1 TFL]. Mark Barron and Demarcus Milliner each had 7 tackles, and Robert Lester and Courtney Upshaw each had 6.
LSU converted 6 of 17 third downs, and both of 2 fourth down attempts.
Special Teams:
Punting: D Cody Mandell averaged 41 yards, had one punt in excess of 50 yards and downed 2 inside the LSU 20. These respectable stats are marred, however, by the fact that his first punt, from poor field position, was only 23 yards. Marquis Maze was only able to return one punt for 3 yards. The Alabama coverage team limited LSU's Peterson to 22 yards on 2 returns.
Place Kicking: A Jeremy Shelly was 3 for 3 on PATs.
Kick offs: B+ Cade Foster had a gross average of 64 yards per kick off, with one touchback. The coverage unit achieved a net average of 47.8 yards per kick. Bama's return effort resulted in LSU having a net kickoff average of only 41.5 yards per kick.
Coaching: F OK. You know that Les Miles has never faced a fourth down that he wouldn't consider going for. You know that he has faked more punts than any other coach in the SEC. In the first half, we played it safe. But the first punting situation in the second half, we give LSU the look that invites a fake, which the Tigers execute to perfection. In the fourth quarter, facing 4th and 1 we get burned on a reverse that nearly scores. There is no question about it, Les Miles won the play calling chess-match. Moreover, LSU was more reach to play than Alabama. This manifested itself particularly at the beginning of the game in poor ball security by the Tide.
Alabama fans are unfairly described as having unreasonable expectations. We are accused of being fickle and quick to call for changes in coaches, starters, and the guys who paint the field whenever Alabama fails to cover the betting line. I think those characterizations are wrong.
Tide fans are very passionate, knowledgeable and dedicated. They don't take losing very well and they expect the same attitude from the people who are entrusted with the Program.
So with all of that as prologue, let me say this: If Alabama plays the rest of its games the way it played LSU we will not win another SEC game this season. Mississippi State will beat Alabama next weekend if the Tide does not correct its mistakes and play better than it did in Baton Rouge. Forget about the rent-a-team from Lee County Industrial and Mechanical. Dan Mullen, who deserves to win Coach of the Year honors for the job he has done in Starkville, will have his team ready to play this coming Saturday night. Nobody associated with the Alabama program should be looking any further ahead.
The championship goals with which Alabama began this season are now unattainable. That we have come to this pass on the first weekend of November, is unacceptable. But there are goals, both individual and collective, that remain very much within the grasp of this team: Improve, Finish, Dominate, Execute. And these goals, if achieve, provide the foundation for everything else.
My thoughts about the Cam Newton situation will be in this week's column in the Williamson Herald.
The Commissioner
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