Texas A&M Grades

Six yards.

That's eighteen feet. Less than half the distance between one side of University Boulevard and the other. Roughly the length of the elevator lobby of Tuscaloosa's Hilton Garden Inn-I know this because I stepped it off just for a frame of reference.

With three minutes to play in the game, six yards was also the distance that separated Alabama from staying undefeated at 10-0, winning the SEC West Division Championship, and keeping its BCS Championship prospects alive. Trailing by five points and two time outs still in hand, Alabama had the ball first-and-goal just six yards from the Texas A&M goal line.

The 2012 Crimson Tide is supposed to have the best starting offensive line in college football. Even with injuries to Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart, Alabama still has a stable of dynamic running backs. In short yardage situations, nose tackle Jesse Williams has heard his number called to line up at fullback, thereby presenting opposing linebackers with the Hobson's choice of being blocked by Williams or one of three players on this year's Outland Trophy watch list. So what play do you think the Alabama offensive staff called needing to travel no further than half way across University Boulevard? A straight-ahead power play with Eddie Lacy running behind Chance Warmack, Barrett jones and Jesse Williams out of the Jumbo Package? Or maybe a trap play with Lacy running behind a pulling Anthony Steen? A quarterback draw like the one AJ scored on against LSU last week?

Not yesterday. No sir. With everything on the line, and four plays to complete a second memorable comeback in as many weeks, AJ was told to pass on first down. Nobody was open and AJ was fortunate enough to get back to the line of scrimmage. On second down, Eddie Lacy ran left for two yards. Third down was another pass call where no receivers were open and AJ scramble away from pressure to the two. On fourth down, Alabama ran yet another pass play, a roll out pick route, that was intercepted at the goal line and returned to the four.

After the game, Coach Saban told reporters that he accepted full responsibility for these offensive decisions. I suppose that is all well and good. The head coach is the head guy, and when the time comes to explain the incomprehensible, the head guy has to take it all on himself.

But I can't sugar-coat this. The best O-Line in the country should be able get Eddie Lacy, TJ Yeldon, Kenyon Drake or Ben Howell into the end zone in four tries from six yards out. The decision to try throwing the ball instead was nothing short of coaching malpractice.

Here's how I grade the game:

Offense: F In the first quarter, Alabama only managed to gain 34 yards of total offense and in the critical third quarter, while the defense stopped the Aggies on successive possessions of three-and-out, the offense generated only 46 total yards. The second and fourth quarters accounted for 361 of Alabama's 431 total yards, but Alabama committed two turnovers in the final stanza. Alabama managed only 17 first downs and was pitiful on third down, converting only 7 of 15.

The Tide had six drives that gained at least 40 yards [75, 67, 41, 46, 94, 58] but while those long marches produced three TDs and a FG, they also yielded a lost fumble and an interception.

AJ had a career high night in passing yards, and with his fourth quarter 54 yard pass to Amari Cooper he matched GMac's school record of 20 TD passes in a season. But his streak of pass attempts without an interception ended in the first quarter when his 293d consecutive attempt was initially caught by Kenny Bell across the middle of the field, but was jarred loose by an outstanding hit by an Aggie DB. The ball practically landed in the hands of the A&M safety who was trailing the play. AJ was also intercepted on Alabama's final offensive play of the game. On the night, AJ completed 21 of 34 pass attempts for 309 yards and a TD.

Amari Cooper was a bright spot on offense. The true freshman caught 6 passes for 136 yards and a TD. Eddie Lacy caught 4 passes for 35 yards. Kenny Bell added 73 yards on 3 receptions While Christion Jones gained 21 yards also on three catches. Eight different players caught passes.

Eddie Lacy ran for 92 yards on 16 carries and scored a rushing TD. TJ Yeldon added 29 yards on 10 runs and also found the end zone, but lost a crucial fumble in the fourth quarter. AJ scrambled on a couple of plays, but no other running back carried the ball.

Defense F TAMU earned 23 first downs [5 rushing], converted a staggering 11 of 18 third downs, and gained 418 yards of total offense. By the end of the first period, the Aggies had scored more touchdowns [3] as the Tide defense had allowed in average first quarter points over nine previous games. Not surprisingly, the first quarter defensive stats look like the federal budget deficit: 172 total yards allowed [96 rushing], 10 of 11 pass completions, 10:29 TOP, and 20 points surrendered. It is certainly true that the offense did nothing to give the defense any relief, but for the first period of the game, Alabama had no answer for Johnny Manziel and the A&M attack.

A&M had seven sustained drives against the Alabama defense [73, 41, 73, 62, 63, 51, 66] which produced 4 TDs and a FG. The Aggies were held on downs by about a foot in the second quarter and missed a field goal in the fourth. Otherwise, the defense did not force a punt until the second half and A&M punted only 3 times the entire game.

Perhaps because A&M ran so many plays and gained so many yards, the game created opportunities for some significant personal defensive statistics. CJ Mosley recorded 14 tackles [9 solo], Dee Milliner had 10 stops, Damion Square recorded 8 and Vinnie Sunseri and Jesse Williams each were credited with 7. The defense recorded 7 tackles for lost yardage including 4 sacks.

Special Teams:

Place Kicking: A Jeremy Shelley was good from 28 yards and perfect on PATs.

Kickoffs: A Cade Foster averaged 64.2 yards per kick and Cyrus Jones returned 2 A&M kicks for 35 yards.

Punting: A- Cody Mandel averaged a career high 56.5 yards per punt but the coverage unit allowed a total of 30 yards in returns.

Coaching: F Alabama was not ready to play on either side of the football. Poor play in the first quarter dug a hole from which better play in the rest of the game was inadequate to overcome. Ball security was the worst of the season, and the Tide was penalized 6 times for 56 yards; the last 5 penalty yards gave A&M a first down that allowed the Aggies to run out the clock rather than punt the ball back to Alabama from the goal line with 0:40 to play. Whether the Tide would have been able to make something happen in the passing game with excellent field position is unknowable, but the offsides miscue made the issue moot. The participation report lists 51 players who saw action in the game.

Coach Saban naturally took responsibility for the loss. He told the media, "Everybody on our team had something to contribute to us not having success today, starting with me."

The atmosphere in Tuscaloosa could not have been better. The weather was perfect, the crowd was excited and the stadium was full to the end. The A&M fans are really great. They love their team, they appreciate the historic ties between our two programs and they are excited and appreciative to be in the SEC. And one more thing: that Aggie marching band is a sight to behold!

The 2012 Crimson Tide is an excellent football team and it controls its own destiny in the quest for another SEC Championship. Only Auburn-which was crushed by Georgia 38-0, stands between the Tide and a rendezvous with the Daws in Atlanta three weeks from now. Whether Alabama can catch a break from upsets of higher ranked teams and still play for the Big Crystal Football remains to be seen, but looks like a long shot at the moment. A return trip to New Orleans to play a Sugar Bowl game against Notre Dame is certainly not a shabby way to end the season.

Where Alabama sits today might have been best summed up by a fellow last night on the hotel elevator. The car was packed with Alabama people. The doors slid shut and for two heartbeats no one said a word. Then this guy in the back corner broke the silence: "Losing sucks, but at least we aren't used to it."

Roll Tide, y'all.

The Commissioner