Tire Store Report Texas A&M

Gracious me, we seem to have read a lot of whining and moping about Saturday’s victory.  Thanks for this breath of fresh air, Commissioner.  We can occasionally be of the Coffee-Pot-Is-Half-Empty set ourselves, but there are an awful lot of spoiled people out there.

Alabama’s performance on Saturday wasn’t perfect.  It rarely is.  However, we just beat the undefeated sixth-ranked team in the nation by 19 points.  We could have scored more at the end when their defense was gassed, we just chose not to.  We held their high octane offense to just 14 points and 278 total yards.  The only time we really didn’t run at will on them was when we decided to throw it.  This was Alabama’s eighth game in a row and Texas A&M was coming off a bye week.  Alabama will enter November undefeated for the first time since 2013.  It is one of four remaining undefeated teams in the country, is the only undefeated team in the SEC, and has beaten its opponents by an aggregate score of 351-119, and arguably every game could have been worse.  And people are complaining? 

We admit to having been a little agitated with the play calling.  When all was done and totaled up, we ran it two thirds of the time and only passed it one third of the time.  We get that was skewed a little because we just ran it down their throats to squeeze out the fourth quarter.  Still, though, if you like a team that runs the football, Alabama gives you a lot to like.  We share concerns about Hurts’s ability to complete deep passes.  He hooked up on one Saturday but, honestly, if it had been three or four yards further, would have been a TD.  This is a true freshman, who put the team on his back and gained critical yards in crucial situations Saturday.  Sure, he misfired on a few passes.  Would you trade him for the other team’s quarterback, who dropped a beautiful ball in the corner of the end zone, but is done for a career in about four more games or keep the guy we’ve got?  Or do you want Josh Dobbs?  Or Etling?

We acknowledge that the kicking game is not rock solid.  But worrying about what might happen in some future game means you are missing the great stuff that has happened for the last eight weeks.  Enjoy this, my friends.  These are great times.

For the second week in a row, we don’t really have much commentary to add to the Commissioner’s excellent job.  We do, however, have our usual bones to pick.

Broadcasting.  F.  Why in the name of Keith Jackson these two guys can’t just call the ball game that is going on right in front of them is beyond us.  We’ve been hard on Verne and Gary in the past.  Don’t take us wrong, we’d happily have dinner with either of them.  We expect they have some funny stories and are engaging one on one.   And though they are the face of CBS, they do what they do because a variety of producers, directors, marketing experts, and various vice presidents tell them to do it a certain way.  In our estimation, a lot of that instruction is wrong.

With all due respect to the Million Dollar Band, the Cheerleaders, the Color Guard, etc. people tune in to watch the football game.  The announcing crew is supposed to enhance the experience.  The entire CBS system has lost sight of this goal.  I won’t even go into the commercials, except to say that the new scheme where they show an injured player in excruciating close up as he is attended by a trainer and then go to four or five advertisements is bad and not just because it makes the game last longer. We think getting that close to an injured player is exploitative.

I have a right to see the game; that doesn’t include the right to see the face of a player suffering from physical pain as if I was three or four feet away.  I’m not impressed with the multitude of angles, hoverboard cameras, and extreme close-ups of a 19-year-old’s face as the trainers try to comfort and reassure him even though they all know his knee just turned to jelly and is excruciatingly painful.  If a player is injured, call his name and number, say what is being looked at without speculation, and start selling car insurance and chicken sandwiches.  When you come back, say how he left the field and go on with the game.  I can’t imagine how I’d feel if that was my son down there.  If the team chooses to tell the sideline reporter more, they can report that or report what they saw.  Get your cameras out of the faces of injured players.  Please.

Traditionally there is one individual designated as “play-by-play” who describes the events on the field as they unfold.  True that this seems a little superfluous when you can see it at least as well as he or she does.  However, there is value in not having to look up the players’ names, keep track of the precise down and distance, etc.  This is especially so if you are more of a casual observer.  Verne is, frankly, just not great at this, or at least not any more.  His name errors are legendary and did not end on Saturday.  Over the years his commentary has moved from describing the actual action on the field to just barking out the players’ names (right or wrong) and then one of his (way too many) catch phrases.  “Hurts.  Left side. Hole.  OH MY GOODNESS.  UM, UM, UM. My gracious.”  Oh, and chortling at cute remarks from Gary. He’s retiring, I’ll let it lie.

Speaking of, the other individuals are there for “color” or “analysis”.  Gary is supposed to be more of the latter.  When we first recall him doing CBS games, there was a decent amount of this.  Stabler was a master, assuming a decent level of football knowledge of his audience and explaining in some detail why a particular play worked or failed.  Gary has this knowledge, in abundance.  Someone, though, has given him the idea that he needs all these side stories and angles.  They are sort of his preconceived ideas of how the game will go and he sticks with them (fancy pre-made graphics and all) without regard to what happens on the field.

Last week was the perfect example of lack of attention to the game as Gary donned a bathrobe and Verne engaged in a bit of hero worship while Peyton Manning was in the booth.  It was Peyton, for pity’s sake, who actually tried to describe the action on the field.  Verne and Gary couldn’t be bothered.  Given that it happened to be pretty much the high water mark of Tennessee’s efforts, I’d have been ticked off if I was a Tennessee fan.  Worse is that Gary is forever yakking about the rules, when he frequently doesn’t understand them.  Tennessee fans still think they should have gotten another shot at the kick that Mount Cody blocked because he removed his helmet on the field.  Why do they think that?   Because Gary more or less said so, even though he was dead wrong.  That continued Saturday.  It won’t end.

At any rate, we wish these guys would just go back to calling/explaining the action.  And they have recently made passing reference to the fact that they don’t think Alabama fans like them much.  I’d challenge them to go back and look at what they presented just this last Saturday to see why.  How many times have we seen the chart of “Quarterbacks that Beat Alabama”?  How many trivia questions in Alabama home games are about Alabama losses?  How often do they reference moments and people we’d just as soon forget? Is there any positive Alabama history you could mention?  Compare how many times last Saturday you mentioned Johnny Manziel to how many times you referenced Blake Sims leading Alabama to win by 50-something the last time A&M came to Tuscaloosa.  Never mind.  They don’t care.  We’ll watch.  Because we don’t have a choice.  LSU is on CBS.  API will be, too.  *Sigh* or perhaps we should say “OH. MY. GOODNESS.”

Officiating.  F-.  In our opinion, the zebras came very close to losing control of the game.  It was a physical, hard-hitting contest between two teams with lots to play for, including the inside track to the division title, the favorite role in the SEC Championship game, and a potential berth in the playoff series.  The loser would have to hope for a lot of unlikely help to achieve those goals.  We did not even get the SEC’s best officiating crew.  There was a lot of pushing and shoving away from the play.  The one ejection was not arguable and there probably should have been more, or at least more fouls called for extracurricular activity.  We’ve already taken up enough of your boss’s time on a Monday whining about CBS….

So we’ll leave off with a final piece of information for you to chew over during the off week.  Alabama’s defense just completed its eighth game of the season.  It has, let’s conservatively say, four members of its defensive front seven that will be first or second round draft picks this winter -- there is not a spot in that front seven where the player won’t be in the discussion for All Conference honors. Commentators from around the country are praising its pass rush and quick reaction to ball carriers. So, we pose this question.  How many times have opposing offensive teams been called for holding?  The answer is “one.”  Not once a game, mind you, once this season.  Let that sink in for a minute.  Or maybe don’t, it might be enough to take the glow off of Saturday’s victory.

Rest up, boys.  There is a lot of football left to be played.  A week from Saturday night Red Stick will be a rowdy place.  Get ready.  Roll Tide.    

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Texas A&M Grades

            There is something quite special about the 2016 Crimson Tide football team. It is reflected in their eight wins so far this season; in the nation-leading twenty game winning streak; in the twelve non-offensive touchdowns scored; in the nation's number one defense against the run, against scoring, and in total defense.

            It was displayed in a record comeback against a good Ole Miss team in Oxford, and in twenty unanswered second-half points sealing a convincing 33-14 win over Texas A&M in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

            So what is IT? It's the intangible component that separates champions from the very good. It's what enabled the 2015 team recover from a home loss to Ole Miss, to play elimination football against the toughest schedule in the country and defeat Clemson in the playoffs. It's what the 2011 team displayed in a re-match against LSU in the BCS Championship Game and the 2012 team showed in demolishing Notre Dame. Without it, the 2009 team could not have used the loss in the previous season's SEC Championship Game as fuel to drive its march to a rendezvous with Texas in Pasadena and put Alabama football back among the national elite.

            What do you call IT? Some call it "heart" or "class". I think "character" says it best.  And where does IT come from? Certainly The Process is critical in forming character in a team, and part of The Process is recruiting elite athletes to be Processed. Coach Saban has certainly excelled in that critical task, but not all elite athletes are the same. Some buy into the culture of a program more than others.

            I think this Alabama team has a high buy-in factor. Here's one example: from a junior class loaded with NFL talent, only two players opted to leave early for the draft. OJ Howard, Dalvin Tomlinson, Tim Williams, Jonathan Allen, Reuben Foster and Eddie Jackson, could all be playing professional football right now. Instead, they returned for their senior season. That's buying into the culture. That is commitment to success as a team. That is character. I will have more to say about Eddie Jackson a bit later.

            For now, let's talk about those 20 unanswered second half points, as well as the rest of Alabama's dominating performance against the Aggies.

            The Tide opened the game with a brilliant, 9 play, 60 yard drive that stalled in the red zone but got on the scoreboard with a 32 yard Adam Griffith FG. TAMU responded with six plays that earned a first down before QB Trevor Knight was sacked in an amazing athletic play by Jonathan Allen.

            Following an Aggie punt, Alabama's offense was back in business. The Tide drove 62 yards in 13 plays only to once again bog down in the red zone. Griff added another three points, this time from 28 yards. The defense again forced an Aggie punt. The offense drove 88 yards in 10 plays [7 rushing] culminating in a five yard pass to OJ Howard for a TD. It looked at this point like the Tide had found its offensive groove and was poised to make short work of the Aggies.

            Then things went sideways.

            An excellent A&M punt gave Bama possession of the football at the Tide 1 yard line. There was little to do but run the ball, earning a first down at the 12. A loss of 2 yards on first down was followed by an incomplete pass, a pre-snap penalty and a running play that merely made up the penalty yards. Both teams traded punts, then exchanged interceptions. It looked for a moment as if Alabama would drive and score after Marlon Humphrey picked off Trevor Knight's pass attempt at the Tide 25. Bama drove 63 yards before once again stalling in the red zone. Griff missed a FG attempt from 28 yards, so instead of adding to its lead, the Tide surrendered the ball to TAMU.

            Then things went from sideways to backwards.

            With only 2:20 to play in the half, the Aggies put together a drive of 8 plays, covering 80 yards and consuming only 1:42. So after dominating statistically, Alabama found itself in a one-score game with TAMU set to receive starting the second half.

            And what a start the Aggies had! They drove 75 yards in 6 plays, scored a touchdown and with a successful PAT try, they held a one point lead over the number one team in the country. Their last two drives accounted for 155 yards of offense, more than double the total offense they had generated in their first five possessions. Meanwhile, in its last four possessions, the Tide offense had produced a punt, a missed field goal and two interceptions.    

            Then the character of this team asserted itself.

            Bama returned the ensuing kickoff to its own 23 yard line. From their, the Tide drove 77 yards in 6:21 and capped the drive with a TD. The play selection to start at the drive was .... well, let's just say even Gary Danielson thought it was odd. A personal foul on what would have been a drive ending incompletion kept the drive alive. So, just as we saw last week in the Tennessee game, Coach Kiffin flipped the Waffle House menu over. Seven of the next nine plays were running plays. Calvin Ridley caught the only two pass attempts, including the 4 yard toss into the right flat that scored the go-ahead TD.

            Following an exchange of punts, Ryan Anderson forced a fumble at the TAMU 30. Jonathan Allen recovered and recorded his second "scoop 'n' score" of the season.

            Eddie Jackson returned an Aggie punt to the TAMU 47 and the offense covered the remaining distance to the end zone in only three plays.....all on the ground. The balance of the game consisted of killing the clock.

              Just like that, the game went from a nail-biter, to a blow out. The sixth ranked Aggies went from giant killers to road kill. The Tide went from being pummeled on the ropes, to knocking the challengers off their feet.

            This team never gives up. It is never out of a game. I believe the 2016 Crimson Tide has that special something previous championship teams possessed. There is a lot of football to be played between now and the Playoff Championship Game. The road ahead is not going to get any easier, but when I look at the college football landscape, I see Alabama at the top, and a big gap between the Tide and everybody else.

A few words about Eddie Jackson in a bit. For now, here is how I grade the game:

Offense:          B+                   The Tide still has not peaked. That's a good thing for Alabama and a very bad thing for future opponents.

            Against the Aggies, Alabama gained 451 net yards of offense [287 rushing] earned 28 first downs, and converted 7 of 14 third downs. Jalen completed 15 of his 25 pass attempts for 164 yards and 2 TDs. He threw 2 interceptions. OJ Howard was the leading receiver with a career high 8 receptions in the game for 69 yards and a score. Ardarius Stewart caught 2 passes for 57 yards, and those receptions were made in spite of really tight coverage. Calvin Ridley added 27 yards on 5 receptions and scored a TD. Josh Jacobs gained 11 yards on his lone reception.

            Jalen also rushed for 93 net yards and scored a rushing TD. Damien Harris gained 125 net yards rushing on 18 carries. Josh Jacobs gained 36 yards on 10 runs and Bo Scarbrough added 33 net yards on 8 running plays. The O Line's run blocking keeps getting better each week. Pass blocking remains inconsistent.

            The offense executed 6 sustained drives [60, 62, 88, 63, 77, 47] producing 3 TDs, 2 FGs and a missed attempt.

Defense:         A                      TAMU managed to gain 278 yards of total offense [114 rushing], earned 17 first downs and converted 5 of 16 third down plays. TAMU's offense was held to only 3 possessions of "three and out" but one of those possessions was a single play that ended in Marlon Humphrey's interception. After the Aggies gained 155 yards in successive possessions to end the first half and start the second, the Tide defense shut them down. Following their go ahead TD, A&M held the ball five more times. Here are the results in net yards: 16, (-4), (-6), 28, 18. Now the results in production: punt, fumble, punt, downs, downs.

            Reuben Foster recorded 12 tackles [8 solo]. Ronnie Harrison and Jonathan Allen each were credited with 6 tackles. Hootie Jones and Ryan Anderson each made 4. Eddie Jackson, Marlon Humphrey, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dalvin Tomlinson and Tim Williams each were credited with 3 tackles.

            The defense recorded 11 tackles for loss. Ryan Anderson was credited with 3 of those TFLs and 5 of the 11 were sacks of Trevor Knight for 50 lost yards. Knight was hurried 9 times and 4 of his passes were broken up. Anderson and Tomlinson both forced fumbles.

Special Teams

Place Kicking:             B-                    Oh, my! Griff was good from 32 and 28. He missed....badly from 29. He was perfect on PAT tries.

Punting:                       A                      JK Scott punted twice for an average of 53.5 yards. TAMU only returned on punt for an insignificant 2 yards. Eddie Jackson returned two Aggie punts for a total of 21 yards. He was injured on his final, 17 yard return.

Kickoffs:                      A-                    Griff kicked off 7 times for an average of 65 yards. Five of those kicks were returned, for a total of 81 yards. Ardarius Stewart returned on Aggie kick for 23 yards and Dakota Ball fielded a pooch kick at the end of the first half and returned it 13 yards to give the Tide offense an opportunity to get into scoring position.

Coaching:                    A-                    The participation report lists 54 players who saw action in the game, and Alabama was penalized 7 times. The game plan was sound. Alabama moved the ball against a very good A&M defense but left too many points off the board by having to settle for field goals after having the ball with a first down inside the A&M 10 yard line.

Broadcast:                   Oh, for goodness sake! If we can put a man on the moon (I realize that many of our readers have no memory of America actually landing humans on the moon. Trust me. It really did happen.) can't someone please come up with a computer application where you can listen to Eli call a game during the broadcast without a two play delay?

            It's one thing for coaches to try working the officials, it is entirely something else for Gary Danielson to do it. But that is exactly what was going on when Danielson was lobbying the replay officials to call targeting on a hard, blow-up tackle of an Aggie kick returner. It was ridiculous. The next time Gehrig Dieter blocks an opposing player into the seats, I hope he will just take the elevator up to the press box and slap the sass out of Gary Danielson.

            I will leave further critique of Verne and Gary to our Tire Store Correspondent. I will also defer to Andy any extended discussion of the well-deserved ejection of the Aggies' thuggish DB, Donovan Wilson [number 6]. That guy was chippy from the outset.

            In his post-game comments, Coach Saban revealed that Eddie Jackson had sustained a broken leg ending his season. Saban was highly complimentary of Jackson as a player, a person and a leader on this team. He is all of those things.

            I was at BDS in 2013 when Jackson made his second career start against Ole Miss. The Rebel Akbar plan was to challenge the rookie cornerback. What a mistake that proved to be. Jackson made 4 tackles [3 solo] [1 TFL], broke up 2 passes and logged his first career interception. In the spring before his sophomore season, Jackson tore his ACL. He recovered in record time and started 10 of 11 games that season. Last year, he moved to safety and was selected All-SEC First Team at that position by the conference coaches. In the playoff final against Clemson, Jackson made his 6th interception of the season, and was named the defensive MVP for the game.

            His contributions on the field will be missed. But I fully expect that like D'onta Hightower, Will Lowery and Kenyan Drake, he will work the sidelines during every game, encouraging and inspiring his teammates. As I write these Grades, I do not know any details of his anticipated treatment and recovery. He could have tossed his hat into the draft ring last year, but chose instead to return for another championship run. Here's hoping Eddie Jackson is able to make the leap to the NFL that his talent, skill and work-ethic have earned.   

            The Tide has a much needed open date this coming Saturday. Then they travel to Baton Rouge for the most important game of the season so far.... I hope you agree with me that this team is something special. I believe they have what it takes to win it all. And I intend to follow them the whole way. It will be fun to have y'all along.

Roll Tide Roll

The Commissioner           

              

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Tire Store Report -- Tennessee

Like a rented mule, like a 4-year-old in a Wal-Mart, like lumpy cake batter, like Bill Monroe on his mandolin, like a fourth place Derby horse, like Buddy Rich on the pots and pans, like a half-dozen eggs in a Huddle House….  Feel free to submit your own.  However you prefer to think of it, the talented men’s varsity football team from the University of Alabama put a beating/whipping/thumping on the Lowdown Dirty Snitches in Knoxville on Saturday afternoon.

As you so correctly point out, Commissioner, it was the worst defeat for either team in well over 100 years.  And the interesting thing is the game wasn’t really as close as the final scoreboard indicated.  But for (another) missed field goal, a turnover in the red zone, deciding to only run the ball for its last couple of drives, and liberally substituting on both sides of the ball for the majority of the 4^th quarter, Alabama could have made the margin even larger (though the beating in 1906 was probably worse, given that touchdowns only counted for five points until a rule change in 1912 -- so tip of the cap to the 1906 team).  That’s not the way we do things here and yes, I’m directing a disparaging look at Michigan.

Tennessee pulled out the stops this year.  They were the heart-break kids.  Second half miracle workers.  No deficit was too large to be overcome.  Just keep it close till the half.  Peyton was there.  Fat Phil was in the house.  They had a tribute to Pat Summit.  They “whhoooed” their way through Rocky Top like they didn’t know even Felice and Boudleaux hated it.  They bought foul signs to tow behind airplanes about Lane Kiffin.  Heck, they probably got Smokey a flea dip for the occasion.  Didn’t seem to matter.

For the first time in forty-eleven forevers the Volunteers did not have the week off before Alabama.  Some people will tell you the impact of an off week is overstated.  I doubt anyone in the Tennessee locker room would have agreed with that idea on Saturday evening.  Tennessee was unquestionably dealing with key injuries in nearly every unit on the field -- a circumstance that did not get better over the course of the game.  An extra week between Texas A&M and Alabama couldn’t have hurt.  Would it have made 40 points’ worth of difference?  We’ll say probably not.

This was a just plain dominating performance.  Our Commissioner has already recounted a lot of the numbers that demonstrate that.  The one that stood out to me was that Tennessee simply couldn’t run the football.   Josh Dobbs, who gave Alabama fits last year, was sacked three times, hurried a bunch more, threw for just 92 yards, was pick-sixed, and rushed for -31 yards.  Last week on the road in College Station, Tennessee’s offense rolled up 684 yards.  I’ve said it before, this defense is just nasty.

Thing is, the offense is getting nasty, too.  Coming into the season everyone was going on about Alabama’s wide receiving corps and tight ends.  Rightly so.  And Saturday they contributed mightily to the victory, mostly by blocking downfield on running plays.  That sort of selflessness from talents like Stewart, Ridley and Howard can make Alabama an awful lot to handle. Did you see Deiter and Hurts blocking downfield on the reverse?  CBS’s typically bad angles and hour-and-a-half interview with Peyton make it easy to lose track of something -- namely just how fast Jalen Hurts is.  He ran off and left even Tennessee’s defensive backs.  As his passing confidence and accuracy develops he’s going to move to nightmare status for opposing defenses.  He may already be there.

We are not just sure what the Tennessee game plan was.  If it was to eliminate the passing game and make Hurts beat them running, well, mission accomplished, I guess.  It looked like Tennessee was determined to establish an inside running game, with Jalen Hurd coming back from an injury.  Not sure I would’ve done it that way.

A number of times during the game the crowd booed loudly over calls and non-calls on the field.  There was plenty of conversation from the orange-clad about how the officials were “cheating” for Alabama.   Once again, the facts don’t support the proposition.  Alabama was penalized 5 times for 38 yards.  Tennessee was penalized once, for 10 yards.  The streak of teams playing amazingly clean football against Alabama, despite their prior performances, continues.  For example, against Texas A&M the Volunteers were penalized 12 times for 84 yards.  My, what a lot of improvement in just a week.  Sgt. Carter and Company definitely deserve credit for straightening up that part of the Tennessee program.   Combining that with whining about Alabama getting all the breaks is wearing a little thin with us.  Somebody is getting the shaft from the zebras, but it isn’t Alabama’s opponents.

The thing is, Tennessee probably has the easiest route to the SEC Championship from here (South Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri and Vanderbilt) -- easier than Alabama, for certain.   At 3-1 in the conference, Florida controls its own destiny, but with remaining games at LSU and Arkansas, as well as the Cocktail Party and with Tennessee holding the tiebreaker by virtue of its victory over the Gators, Tennessee would have to be the favorite to represent the East in Atlanta.  You have to be thinking they’ll be pulling for Texas A&M and LSU over the next few weeks.  They probably would have anyway.

As sweet as the victory was and as good as it feels to dominate a long-time rival in historic fashion, there is no rest for the near-consensus #1 team in the country.  The Aggies of Texas A&M are coming to town, fresh from a weekend off to rest and recover from their overtime defeat of Tennessee.  Stop me if you have heard that one before.  They also score over 40 points a game and have a Top 10 rushing attack.  We hope to see you on the Quad on Saturday.

Roll Tide, everyone.

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Tennessee Grades

            Alabama's 49-10 drubbing of the Tennessee Vols, raises many important questions:

*  When was the first couch set afire in Knoxville? I'm guessing right after Eddie Jackson's 79 yard punt return to open the 4th quarter with Alabama's sixth touchdown of the game.

*  Which discredited former Tennessee coach will Butch Jones be most compared to by the fans who get air time on Vol Calls? Derrick Dooley will edge Johnny Majors, simply because the average talk show caller is too young to remember the late '80s and early '90s.

*  Has Mark May disavowed his pre-season prediction of a Tennessee national championship? I  suspect Gary Danielson is now the only commentator imagining scenarios with the Volunteers in the CFB Playoffs.

*  When was the last time Alabama beat Tennessee by such a margin? It was 1906. That's right. The last time either team defeated the other by 39 or more points was the same year the White Sox played the Cubs in an All-Chicago world series, Tommy Burns was the heavyweight champion of the world, and Navy beat Maryland 12-0 in the second annual Crab Bowl Classic.

            As impressive as the score is, the scary thing for Bama's future opponents is the Tide did not play a perfect game. Two turnovers and three offensive possessions marred by an inability to execute the passing game, kept the score from being even more lopsided. Alabama accumulated 594 yards of total offense, including 438 yards rushing, while holding Josh Dobbs, a sometimes Heisman candidate, and the explosive Tennessee offense to 163 total yards of which a mere 32 were produced by the run.

            When the halftime score was only 21-7, I fully expected Tennessee to mount one of the second-half comebacks that have been the Vols' trademark this season. But the Tide were having none of it. Alabama punted on its first possession of the second half. After that, Bama ruthlessly bludgeoned the Tennessee defense with an unstoppable running game, crushed the Vol offense with a ferocious defense, and emptied the over-priced seats at Neyland Stadium. With 9:36 to play in the game, The Giant Erector Set was so empty you could clearly hear Bama fans chanting "Ed-dy....Ed-dy.....Ed-dy" hoping Eddie Jackson would take another Tennessee punt into the endzone.

            It was not perfect, but it was perfectly wonderful.  So here is how I grade the game:

Offense:          A          Two turnovers keep the offense from earning the +. Jalen Hurts completed 16 of 26 pass attempts for 143 yards. He was intercepted on a broken play that started out as a toss-sweep; he stumbled before making the pitch and tried to make something out of it. The result was a batted pass caught by a defensive lineman. Hurts made the tackle, but the turnover kept the Tide from adding to its lead in the waning minutes of the first half. Cooper Bateman completed his lone pass attempt for 13 yards.

            Ardarius Stewart was the leading receiver with 8 catches for 54 yards. Calvin Ridley gained 65 yards on 5 receptions, but had a crucial and uncharacteristic drop of a third down pass that would have been a huge play. O.J. Howard only caught 1 pass, but he gained 23 yards and came thiiiiis close to scoring a touchdown. True freshman RB, Josh Jacobs, caught 1 pass for 8 yards.

            The only thing that stopped the Tide running game was Lane Kiffin's play calling. Alabama gained 14 yards on 5 plays in its first offensive possession. This was followed by an 8 play, 91 yard touchdown march that featured 7 rushing plays and 1 incomplete pass. From that point, until the middle of the second quarter, the offense ran only 10 plays in three possessions that resulted in two punts and a lost fumble (at the Bama 11 yard line). In each of these possessions, Coach Kiffin called for pass plays but Jalen and his receivers were simply not on the same page. Passes were thrown to receivers who had no idea the ball was coming, to open areas of the field where no receivers were to be found, and thrown away to avoid sacks. It was pretty dreadful stuff. But then, Coach Kiffin flipped his Waffle House menu over to the side where all the running plays are listed.

            Jalen netted 132 yards and 3 TDs on 12 rushing attempts. Bo Scarbrough rushed for 109 yards and a TD. His longest covered 85 yards and he showed power and speed like Derrick Henry. He also discovered Vol fans lack a certain appreciation for the accomplishments of opposing players when his proffered "high five" was not reciprocated. Bo was probably surprised that a Tennessee fan was actually present that late in the game.          

            Damien Harris rushed for 94 yards on 14 plays. Josh Jacobs added 38 yards on 6 carries, while B. J. Emmons [Fr., RB; 6-0, 220; Morganton NC] earned 38 yards on 9 runs. Ardarius Stewart scored a rushing TD on his single 29 yard run.

            The Tide offense produced 8 sustained drives [91, 65, 66, 64, 51, 75, 86, 61] that produced 5 TDs, 1 interception, a missed FG and a turnover on downs at the UT 8 yard line with :54 to play in the game. Bama earned 28 first downs [20 by rushing], converted 6 of 12 third down opportunities and controlled the ball for 31:33 of the game.   

Defense:         A+      Defensively, the Tide picked up on the Third Saturday in October, 2016, right where it left off twelve months ago. You will recall the final play of last year's Tennessee game saw Dobbs sacked and losing a fumble. The 2016 defense made 10 tackles for lost yardage [3 sacks], broke up 6 passes, hurried Dobbs twice and returned an interception for a touchdown. The most impressive thing however, was the vast improvement in the play of the defensive secondary over the error filled performance turned in against Arkansas a week ago.

            Last week, despite an excellent pass rush, the Tide surrendered 400 yards through the air to the Hogs. Tennessee could only manage 131 passing yards. The Vols earned only 11 first downs, converted only 3 of its 16 possession downs, and averaged only 1 yard per rushing attempt.

            Ronnie Harrison led all defenders with 7 tackles [6 solo]. He scored a TD on a 58 yard interception return and broke up 2 passes. Shaun Dion Hamilton was credited with 6 tackles [5 solo] and Minkah Fitzpatrick also made 6 stops [4 solo].

Special Teams:

Punting:           A          JK Scott punted 4 times for an average of 50 yards. His longest punt covered 62 yards. The return team scored a TD [Eddie Jackson] but the coverage team gave up a long return of 32 yards and 60 total return yards.

Kickoffs:          B          Griff was evidently told to kick short enough to give the Vols excellent return duo of Kamara & Berry the opportunity to run one back. They nearly did.....several times. UT earned 116 kick return yards.

                       

Place Kicking:   B+       Griff missed a 38 yard FG attempt but was perfect on 7 PATs.

Coaching:        B+                   The play calling early in the game was hard to figure out. Alabama was penalized 5 times and the participation report lists 59 players who saw action in the game. Lots of freshmen have played this year, which of course bodes well for success in future seasons.

            This was an epic defeat of a worthy opponent. And it is one that Alabama fans can savor long after the season ends. But for now, Coach Saban's "24 Hour Rule" is in effect. Come Sunday afternoon, the players, coaches and fans should think about no game but the next; and what a game it promises to be! Texas A&M is a very good football team. The Aggies are blessed with abundant talent on both sides of the ball, and are very sound on special teams. The Tide's lofty ranking means only one thing: there is no room for error. If the 2016 Crimson Tide are to be national champions, every game is an elimination game.

            Bring it on!

Roll Tide, Y'all

The Commissioner

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Tennessee Week

True Story

My junior year in college I took a history course that I'm sure had some prosaic official name like "U.S. Southern History 1607-1860" but which all students referred to as "History of the Old South".  On Friday morning of Tennessee week the professor showed up at ten Hoor and said something relatively similar to the following:

"Good morning.  For today's lecture it is necessary that you understand something of a key Southern geological feature.  The New Madrid Fault is a fracture in the Earth's crust that manifests beneath the Mississippi River, roughly centered near where Tennessee meets Arkansas and Missouri and radiating through the surrounding area.  This fault line has been active for thousands of years, of course, and also has affected the region in relatively modern times.  In 1812, a massive earthquake shook the region, altering the course of the Mississippi River such that it completely submerged the town of New Madrid, Missouri.  The river itself even flowed backwards for a time. The river channel was permanently changed.

The fault is still active.  A similar earthquake today would devastate Memphis and have serious affects as far away as St. Louis, Nashville, and Jackson, Mississippi.  It might be as destructive as an earthquake along its more famous cousin, the San Andreas Fault in southern California. As many of you know, people who live in that region have concerns that the San Andreas Fault might one day rupture and allow a portion of California to "slide off" into the Pacific Ocean.  Scientists discount this for various reasons.  

Despite the size and location of the New Madrid Fault, however, scientists are sure that Alabama will never be in danger of sliding off into the Gulf of Mexico, because . . . Tennessee sucks.  Roll Tide.  Beat Tennessee. Class dismissed." 

And he gathered up his things and walked out of the room.  I hope that you all have a pleasant weekend.  Roll Tide.  Beat Tennessee.  If you haven't purchased a cigar yet, we recommend you leave work early today.

The Correspondent from the Tire Store

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Arkansas Tire Store Report

Thanks for doing such a great job this week, Commissioner.   We can’t really think of much to add, except that it is clearly a great problem to have when what was unquestionably the weakest unit on your team features the national defensive player of the week.  In fact, if Fitzpatrick played wide receiver his receptions and yards would have landed him just outside the top 25 performances on the weekend.

So we’ll not gild the lily of your analysis of the offense, defense, and special teams.  So, what is left?  Plenty.

Coaching:  OK, let’s start with “this was less than an outstanding effort by the coaching staff”.  It looked suspiciously like the team decided the game was over at half time (which, to be fair, it was).  That attitude is exactly the opposite of The Process and will lead to a loss or maybe two or three if we keep it up.  That’s on the coaches.  I don’t know what Pruitt said to the head coach when he made that funny face, but it had to be pretty cheeky.  As you so eloquently point out, Saban was furious on the game’s last play.  I don’t know what scheme we have that lets the All-Conference player on the other team run across the middle uncovered, but somebody needs to fix it pronto.  Harrison, Humphrey, and Jackson all made very questionable decisions in coverage on Saturday night.  Our clock management before the half is, to use technical coaching parlance, a big stinky pile of it.  Earning a dollar for every time we’ve screamed “Call Time Out” in the half time drill would let us quit the Tire Bidness and be live in a beach house in Gulf Shores.  This is not new.  In the SEC Championship game against Georgia Coach Saban admitted this part of his system left a lot to be desired.  Given the degree of management of other phases of the game, down to practicing what to do if someone fails to get on the field on a special teams play, I do not understand how this continues to be left behind.

Having said all that, I need to say that I’m thankful we have the coaches we do.  Specifically, Saturday night this team was generally prepared for the game.  Often, the scheme had players in place to make plays -- sometimes they didn’t, but sometimes they did to devastating effect.  The players did not appear to be looking ahead to Tennessee next week.  The week-to-week improvement by the offense is reassuring.  The very noisy crowd did not seem to affect our performance.  Our lines on both sides of the football were dominant, which will win a LOT of football games.  We continue to have players leave because they cannot crack our two-deep chart and they end up starting for our competitors.

Also, looking generally around college football, I want to go on record as saying that I am proud of the professionalism generally shown by the coaching staff.  Sure, the coaches get overly-excited some times.  They lose their temper with players and each other.  But they don’t run out to the middle of the field, yelling at (incompetent) officials until flags are thrown.  They don’t fall to their knees at mid-field and cry over winning a football game.  They don’t “flop” on the field to try to get penalties called on the other team’s players.  They teach the players not to “talk smack” or stomp on an opponent’s privates or try to wring the neck of the opposing quarterback lying defenseless on the ground.  Our players don’t do choreographed crawls or dances before taking the field.  Our coaches don’t put the starting quarterback into the face of a murderous pass rush with the game out of reach to try to make the score look palatable or mollify fans with how they were “coming back” or to pad statistics.  They don’t over-water the field in hopes the other team slips down a lot.  The don’t do cutesy formations like the “centipede” or having the offensive linemen spin around to the line of scrimmage like a bunch of Broadway showgirls to absolutely no effect.  They don’t “sleep over” at recruits’ houses.  And they don’t go into games with laughingly over-matched opponents and then run the score into the 70s so that, well, I don’t understand exactly why you would ever do that.  Sure, we have criticisms of our coaches and they get paid well enough take some decidedly amateur belly-aching from down here in the grease pit.  But, yeah, we don’t lose sight of the fact that we are far better off than what some of our friends and fans at other schools have to tolerate.

Officiating:  Words fail me.  Regular readers know, this is not usually a problem.  Calling them incompetent is like referring to the rains from Hurricane Matthew as a “mist”.  Calling them “clowns” is an insult to every entertainer who ever put on makeup for Barnum & Bailey.  It’s bad enough for the officiating crew to miss calls.  And as often as we complain about the quality of SEC officiating, we genuinely, truly, do understand the problem with officials needing to see all 22 players plus some of the sidelines at once.  That’s why we don’t call for the reprimand of the blind mice who did not see Arkansas’ defensive team captain JaMichael Winston trying to dislocate Jalen Hurt’s neck while he was lying on the ground.  One would hope the Conference would intervene, though given their gross incompetence this week on a much bigger issue, those hopes would be in vain.  One might also hope such a player’s head coach would intervene, as USC’s did earlier this season.  Given the other, um, stuff we’ve seen out of Coach Bielema, that’s a vain hope, too.

Holding calls are so inconsistent that offensive/defensive linemen have no chance knowing what will be allowed in a particular game or even on any particular play.  It’s as if the state troopers could decide the speed limit after you go by their speed trap.  "Yes, the speed limit was 60 yesterday and will be 70 tomorrow but today it's 35 and here's your ticket for reckless driving."  On at least two occasions there was no call when the Hog offensive linemen held onto the face masks of our rushers to keep them from getting to the quarterback (who is a tough customer, by the way).  The play that called back the Arkansas touchdown was, at best, ticky tack. 

We have purposely engaged in some hyperbole in the past to gain attention on this issue.  That’s no longer necessary.  A few years ago, we saw a casino manager interviewed about the large crowds making reservations to come gamble on the supposedly auspicious date of 7/7/11.  The reporter asked (sort of jokingly), “Do you think that date will be especially lucky for players at your casino?”  The casino owner gave a small smile and said, “I don’t believe in luck.  I believe in math.”  Good point. 

So here is some math for you.  Prior to Saturday night, on average, Alabama’s opponents had had 2.5 accepted penalties assessed against them during their games against Alabama.  In their other games, they were assessed yardage on average over 6.5 times a game.  Arkansas got 5 first downs through penalties Saturday night. Alabama got 0.  Among all FBS teams, Alabama ranks 128^th in opponent penalties against.  Out of 128 teams.  So what conclusion do those numbers lead you to?  Teams that play Alabama decide their best chance is to make sure they adhere more strictly to the rules during that game than any other?  Sure they do.  And Texas would have won three straight championships if Colt McCoy hadn't gotten hurt.

Moving replay responsibility to Birmingham has only added to the time it takes to make a decision not any improvement in the quality of the decisions made.  We thought Jacobs did fumble before crossing the goal line (and we are inclined to give him a one-time pass on that because the hit he took apparently deadened the nerve in his arm, which is probably going to make you drop what you are carrying no matter how careful you are being).  However, how anyone saw definitively and conclusively who recovered the ball is beyond us, based on the replays we saw.  Even when the video is clear as a Crimsonette’s complexion, such as whether Harris stepped out of bounds on his touchdown run, reviews just drag on, killing the momentum of the game as irritatingly as CBS commercial breaks.

Even accepting all of that, what cannot and should not and must not be tolerated is officials who do not understand the rules of college football.  Seriously.   The call for roughing the passer was not within the letter or spirit of the rule.  It's intended to stop defensive players from diving at the knees, shins and ankles of opposing quarterbacks with the intent to injure them while they are standing in the pocket.  The rule is not to keep a player who has been blocked to the ground from reaching up to try to tackle the quarterback by the legs.  This simply cannot continue.  Usually, we feel as lonely as the place kicker trying the 49-field goal to win or lose the game when we are whining about the officiating.  The last couple of weeks, we have noticed a lot of real journalists are joining in.  And I’m sure that is in the face of the Conference leaning on them not to discuss the issue.

The SEC is in better fiscal shape than probably half the state governments represented in the Conference.  It’s time to spend some of that television and bowl largesse to make sure that the best players, on the best teams, with the best coaches, and supported by the most loyal fans in college football, at least have officials who understand the freaking rules.  It doesn’t sound like much to ask.  If the current leadership can't get it done, then let's change that, too.

Roll Tide.  Beat the Low Down Dirty Snitches.

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Arkansas Grades

The first step in making pulled pork barbecue is slaughtering a hog.

In other words, a delicious finished product that delights party guests and feeds family gatherings, can have a messy aspect that borders on disgusting. That describes Alabama's 49-30 victory over the Razorbacks. A three-score win over an SEC West rival that has played Bama very close the last two years, is delightful. Adding two more defensive touchdowns to a nation-leading season total is delicious. Watching true freshman, Jalen Hurts, confidently guide the Tide offense to four touchdowns, 214 net rushing yards, and nearly 400 yards of total offense all in the first half is like adding a big bowl of banana pudding to that BBQ pork combination plate. 

And then?

Indigestion.

That is the most polite way I can describe the feeling induced by surrendering 473 yards of total offense, giving up 25 first down, losing two fumbles, throwing an interception and allowing Arkansas 48 offensive plays in the second half (only three snaps short of Alabama's total number of offensive plays in the game). Arkansas had this trick play called "Throw The Ball To The Open Receiver" that Alabama's defensive backs just could not seem to figure out. The Hogs must have run that play a dozen times, including on the game's final play, a 29 yard completion to Jared Cornelius.  And this was no "garbage time" gain, folks, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Harrison were in coverage. Coach Saban ripped his head phones off and threw them to the turf. I hope the athletics department has better "repair or replace" coverage than I do on my family's cell phone plan. Otherwise, paying the deductible might delay salary increases for the defensive staff. 

Coach Saban could not conceal his dyspeptic expression as the ESPN on-field reporter asked about the Tide's inconsistent defensive performance. The Tide's inability to get the defense off the field in the second half had to be hard on Saban's digestion. 

If all you saw was the highly edited ESPN replay, you might think that Alabama played a flawless game and Arkansas just happened to start each of its scoring drives on the Tide side of the 50.  The game book, however, tells a different story. So having taken one of those over the counter indigestion pills, here is how I grade the game:

Offense: B Alabama gained 517 total offensive yards (264 rushing) on only 51 plays from scrimmage (an average of 10.1 yards per play).  Jalen Hurts accounted for each of Bama's 17 pass attempts and completed 13. He threw one interception. Ardarius Stewart returned to action after missing two games due to a knee injury and he led all receivers with 120 yards on 5 receptions. His longest catch and run gained 67 yards, but he lost a fumble on the play at the Hog 3 yard line. Calvin Ridley caught 3 passes for 14 tough yards and a TD. Damien Harris caught 2 passes for 60 yards and a score. Six Tide players caught passes, including Miller Forristall [Fr. TE; 6-5, 220; Cartersville, Ga.]. Make a note of that name, I think you will hear or read it again.

Damien Harris was Bama's leading rusher with 122 net yards on 13 carries. His 60 receiving yards made him the game's all-purpose yardage leader. Josh Jacobs gained 57 yards on 3 carries, but he lost a fumble at the Pigs' goal line on Bama's first possession of the game. Bo Scarbrough, gained 56 yards on 7 carries and scored a rushing touchdown. Jalen rushed for 2 TDs and gained 20 net yards on the ground. 

The Tide offense mounted five sustained drives [80, 73, 81, 66, 67] that produced 3 TDs and 2 lost fumbles. Three turnovers are enough to justify a grade that does not otherwise reflect the statistics.

Defense: C+ What?  Really? Has the Commissioner lost his mind? C+ for a defensive performance that achieved 9 tackles for lost yardage (6 sacks), only 75 yards rushing, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 interceptions, 5 breakups, 12 hurries and 2 touchdowns? 

It may be harsh, but giving up 473 yards, 25 first downs [5 by penalty], 8 conversions on 16 third downs, and 37:07 of possession time, would merit a failing grade if not for the stellar play elsewhere on defense. 

Ryan Anderson had a career high of 9 tackles [4 solo] including 2 for 15 yards of lost yardage, and hurried the Hog QB. He was also penalized for a personal foul and gave up a touchdown on busted coverage. Shaun Dion Hamilton also recorded 9 tackles [1.5 for lost yards] and forced a fumble. Ronnie Harrison was credited with 8 tackles, and Rahsaan Evans recorded 7 [3 solo]. 

Minkah Fitzpatrick tied two Alabama records with his 3 interceptions in the game, one of which he returned for a TD, giving him a record-tying 3 pick-six plays in his career. His 100 yard interception return set the record in that category, eclipsing Mark McMillian's 98 yard interception return against Chattanooga on Oct. 5, 1991.

Special Teams:

Punting: A+ JK Scott punted only 4 times for an average of 51.5. His longest punt carried 63 yards. He dropped 20 inside the 20 and his other 2 were touchbacks. Alabama allowed zero punt return yards.

Kick Offs: A Griff averaged 61.1 yards on 8 kickoffs [4 touch backs]. The return team allowed 87 yards in kick returns, but forced and recovered a fumble that set the offense in business at the Hog 29 yard line.

Place Kicking: A+ Griff was perfect on 7 PATs.

Coaching: B+ The participation report lists 64 players who saw action in the game. Bama was penalized 7 times for 86 yards. In my opinion, the play calling of offense was excellent. It is hard to know exactly what specific defensive plays were called, but the Tide pass rush was ruthlessly effective all night. Coverage in the secondary was the glaring deficiency. It certainly did not escape Coach Saban's notice. I fully expect corrective actions is already underway.

If you have any left over pulled pork today, make sure it's all eaten, frozen for storage, or donated to a worthy cause. The first of Bama's three daunting October games is over. Tennessee Week starts today.

In College Station, the Vols ran out of rabbits feet and all the other lucky charms they have employed this season. Nevertheless, they have proven themselves to be the best second half team in the country. Alabama cannot play another second half like they did against Arkansas and expect to leave Knoxville unbeaten. 

The most important game of the season so far awaits the Tide in that brick and exposed-steel eye-sore on the banks of the Tennessee River. The Vols and their fans want nothing more this season than to break their two most galling losing streaks. They achieved their first goal in September, coming from behind to beat Florida. They will leave nothing in the locker room this coming Saturday. 

Buckle your chin straps extra tight, y'all.      

The Commissioner

Tire Store Report -- Kentucky

Great Grades, Commissioner.  Glad you and loved ones got to be on campus for the homecoming festivities.

And thanks for reminding folks that stopping the vehicle by for a quick once-over before you head out of town is always a good idea.  We can’t guarantee you won’t have any trouble, but we might find a worn fan belt, a roofing nail in the left rear, or just a battery that may not have the cranking amps you’ll need if you run into a chilly night someplace out of town.  Let us run it down the highway see if we hear or feel anything odd.  So what did we see on Saturday night that leads us to believe Coaches Saban, Kiffin and Pruitt might be making some adjustments this week before taking things out on the road?

Offense:  I don’t know about you, but a couple of times on Saturday evening it looked like the play-calling was less about what it was going to take to win the game and more about testing to see what plays would work, what might have some kinks in them, and which ones should be pulled out of the playbook and shredded.

The rumors are that Kentucky’s defensive schemes have been taken over by the head coach, noted defensive whiz Mark Stoops.  We saw some evidence of that on Saturday night.  Truth was, however, that if Alabama had decided to score 50, it probably could have.  The one series the Commissioner so ably documented where the offense decided to just line up and ram it down the throat of the Kentucky defense was a thing of beauty (at least to us, PAC and BIG XII fans need not apply) and there didn’t seem to be a darn thing the Wildcats could do about it.  At a little different level of competition, I expect we’d have run it about 40 more times.

It’s no secret that the head coach likes to have two running backs to rotate, less a first and second string than a 1 and 1a.  It looks to us as if the system going forward may hold true to that form, with Harris and Jacobs.  Word is Harris was cleared to play on Saturday night but the staff chose to run Jacobs and let Harris continue to recover.  I think the staff is still tuning this up.

Jalen Hurts continues to impress.  He is not perfect.  However, the record is perfect through five games and he brings a dimension that Alabama’s offense has not really featured since, maybe, Tyler Watts.  Or maybe never.  On top of that, he is continuing to improve.  He missed seeing some open receivers on Saturday night.  Uh, the coach seemed to be pointing it out to him.  He still has a little tendency to lock onto a receiver.  On the other hand, he did have a lot of completions.  If teams are going to single cover Calvin Ridley, I think locking on to him is a fine idea.  There has been much hand-wringing about whether he had the ability to throw longer distance passes.  He should have put that to rest by dropping a beautiful pass over Calvin Ridley’s shoulder.  We think a little adjustment is in order here and it may take some time.  We are going to have to patient -- adjust, road test, adjust, road test.  That said, it is well to remember that this time last year he was leading his high school team.

Overall, however, it’s important not to let a rattle in the trunk distract you from the fact that the offense was very successful on Saturday evening.  Ridley had more yardage on his own than the Kentucky offense managed.  Jacobs almost hit that number.

Defense:  One reason the offensive coaches had the luxury of testing out some things is that it just became clear at some point in the first half that the Kentucky offense was not that much of a threat.  That is not meant to be a disrespectful comment about the Wildcats.  Their quarterback, in particular, continued to play hard even when it must have seemed that Alabama had about fifteen players on the field at a time.  They have very good running backs who just could not get much going against the Alabama stop troops.

Let’s not mince words, this is a nasty defense.  It continues to improve.  There is a lot of very experienced leadership out there.  Enjoy this folks.  The pass rush is as good as we can remember, and we go pretty far back.  Reuben Foster slices through formations like a hawk slicing through a flock of pigeons.  Overall, this might be the most talented defense of the Saban era.  Sure, there are a few coverages that could be a little tighter, some blitzes aren’t quite getting home, once or twice a game there will be a missed gap assignment that allows a decent run, but doing much with this defense would be fine-tuning.  Of course, it's not actually critical to have your windshield washer reservoir full, but let it run low and you'll drive through the biggest swarm of gooey yellow bugs in insect history.

By our count, in three games this year our defense and special teams have outscored the opponent.  In fact, our special teams and defense have scored more touchdowns than our defense has given up.  Let them play.

Special Teams:  We continue to have miscues in the kicking game.  They weren’t fatal on Saturday evening, but they could be as we go along.  Midrange field goals continue to be a less-than-sure thing.  We weren’t sure if the issue on the miss was the hold or the kick itself, but that could be critical between now and January.  Let’s fine tune that. When was the last time you saw a football roll between the legs of a player who was facing it and trying to stop it?  Let’s hope that is out of the way.

I cannot imagine how exciting it must be to be in an environment like Bryant Denny stadium on homecoming and have the job of fielding a kick off from the opposing team.  I can see where I would get so excited that I would let the ball hit me in the chest, panic, pick it up, and make the really poor decision to bring it out of the end zone.  However, if I had practiced that a few hundred times and risked getting killed first by the players on the other team and then by the head coach, I like to think I’d remember to just down a ball like that and take the free 25 yards.  Regular readers know that we are big fans of kicking off the football into the dadgum end zone.  We test drove a different setting on that on Saturday.  Let’s hope before next weekend we calibrate that back to where it was and get those wiper blades replaced.

Broadcast:  Despite the fact that ESPN is apparently trying to catch the Commercials Before Sports network in total number of advertisements, we much prefer the ESPN broadcasts.  McElroy did a good job, we thought, with interesting insights into how the Alabama system works.  We’ll not comment about the recent quarterback departure, because this blog is about the current team, not former players.  We did think the commentary on the point was much more insightful than the usual Verne and Gary blather about where they went out to dinner.  Oh, and they seemed to know our players’ names.

In short, the 2016 Crimson Tide seems to be running pretty smoothly.  It could use a little fine-tuning, topping off a few fluids, and maybe a slight bit of alignment.  On the whole, though, we’d take it on a trip over any other vehicle on the SEC lot.

On to Fayetteville for some barbequed Hog.  Roll Tide, everyone.

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UK Grades

It was one of those perfect early fall days in west Alabama. A deep blue sky provided abundant sunshine.  A high temperature in the low 80s made parade watching and tailgating pleasurable. Homecoming activities, alumni events and class reunions combined to make it a splendid day to be in Tuscaloosa.

Yes. It was great to be back home for a football game on campus. And after a less than awesome first quarter, the team delivered a perfectly satisfying 34-6 victory over the Kentucky Wildcats, who drained two scores from three-point range ..... no wait a minute .... wrong sport. 

The Tide defense held the Cats to two field goals and less than 200 yards of total offense. Alabama's offense spent the first quarter sputtering around and squandering opportunities. Jalen Hurts was failing to spot wide open receivers, and the offensive line seemed at times to be confused by what Kentucky was doing defensively with its front seven. 

Things started to settle down in the second quarter. The offense put together a 61-yard drive, all on the ground, that ended in a Josh Jacobs touchdown. Safety, Ronnie Harrison, recovered a fumble by the Cats QB and returned it 55 yards for the Tide's second TD of the first half. The scoop-'n-score was the seventh non-offensive touchdown recoded by the Tide so far this season.

Alabama's first possession of the second half ended all doubt about the game's outcome and set up one lucky fan with pizza to last through graduation. There is a Domino's franchise in Tuscaloosa that sponsors a "Drive For Dough" promotion. Here's how it works: if the Tide scores a touchdown on its first possession of the second half, a Domino's customer drawn at random, gets as many pizza's as the yardage gained in the scoring drive. Bama's first drive of the third quarter covered 78 yards and ended with Calvin Ridley catching a 10 yard pass for the first of his two touchdowns. Hence, 78 pizzas. From the stat sheet, I do not know the break-down between deep dish and thin-crust.

At times the game failed to measure up to the heightened expectations that accompany Alabama football. But it was a convincing win over a conference opponent, so here's how I grade the game:

Offense:   B-     Alabama gained 488 yards of total offense [173 rushing], earned 25 first downs and converted 9 of its 3rd down opportunities. Jalen Hurts started at QB and completed 20 of his 33 passing attempts for 262 yards and 2 TDs [Calvin Ridley]. Jalen started off very much out of synch, but finished strong completing 9 of his last 11 passes. Cooper Bateman, was a perfect 5 of 5 for 53 yards, a performance that adds yet another reason why Blake Barnett decided to finish his college education elsewhere. 

Calvin Ridley had a career-high 11 receptions for 174 yards and 2 TDs, both in the third quarter. Josh Jacobs caught 3 passes for 44 yards. Robert Foster returned to action after recovering from an injury and caught 2 passes for 42 yards. Trayvon Diggs and OJ Howard both caught two passes. The Alabama air attack gained 315 yards and 10 different receivers caught passes.

Jacobs made the most of his first career start by gaining 100 yards on 16 carries; making him the leading Tide rusher for the game. Jalen ran the ball 9 times for a net gain of 25 yards. Bo Scarbrough ran the ball 5 times for 21 yards, but really impressed me with his blocking. Several times during the game, he picked up a blitz, and his blocking on run plays looks very effective.

Alabama engineered 6 drives that gained 40 or more yards [61, 62, 78, 76, 43, 69] and that produced 3 TDs, 1 FG, a missed FG and the end of the game. In the second half, the offense converted on 4 of 5 third down opportunities. 

Neither Tide QB threw an interception, but the line surrendered 4 tackles for lost yardage and Hurts lost a fumble on one of his two sacks.

Defense: A- Kentucky was held to 161 total yards [72 rushing] and limited to only 12 first downs. The Cats converted only 6 of 17 third-down plays. Alabama recorded 9 tackles for lost yardage including 4 sacks and recovered 2 of 3 forced fumbles. 

Jonathan Allen led all defenders with 8 tackles [6 solo]. Sean Dion Hamilton recorded 8 tackles as well [4 solo].  Ronnie Harrison made 7 stops [3 solo], and scored a touchdown on the second quarter fumble recover. Reuben Foster was credited with 5 tackles [4 solo]. Tim Williams, playing only in the second half, recorded 4 solo stops, each for lost yardage. Coach Saban, answering a reporter's question, said the first half suspension was all the corrective action Williams would receive as a consequence of being detained by police at 2:00 o'clock one morning in the week leading up to the Kentucky game.

Tide defenders recorded 9 tackles for 41 lost yards, forced 3 fumbles and hurries the Cats' QB 6 times. Kentucky was only able to mount one sustained drive. That 16 play, 63 yard drive came in the 4th quarter on the Cats' final possession of the game, and produced a field goal.

Special Teams:

Place Kicking: B Griff missed a 35 yard FG attempt, but converted from 44 and 24, and on all 4 PATs.

Punting: A- JK Scott punted only once for 58 yards. Tony Brown was in position, but was unable to make a play to down Scott's punt on the UK 1. Eddie Jackson returned 1 punt 17 yards under circumstances where a mere mortal would have been denied any yards. Xavian Marks returned one punt 15 yards.

Kickoffs: B Griff seemed to be trying to place his kicks right at the goal line in order to force the opposition to attempt a return in the expectation the coverage team would make a tackle short of the 25. I'm not so sure that was such a great idea. UK returned one kick 25 yards and another 35.  The Tide return game was marred by an unwise decision by Xavian Marks to return a kick from the endzone. He was tackled inside the 15.  Coach Saban was.....how to say it......not pleased.

Coaching: B Alabama was penalized 4 times for 20 yards. Two of those were false start infractions called on talented true freshman RT, Jonah Williams [6-5, 288; Folsom, Cal.] The participation report lists 58 players who saw action against Kentucky.

Some notable Tide players came home to Tuscaloosa for the UK game. The 1966 team was honored on the field before the game. Reggie Ragland, Marcel Dareus, Kenyan Drake and Kevin Norwood were among recent graduates to cheer the Tide from the sidelines. Siran Stacy and Ray Perkins were the game's honorary captains.

Yes. It really is great to come home to the Capstone. The Commissioner and his Long-Suffering Wife had a splendid weekend in Tuscaloosa, but the time has now come to turn the page on Homecoming 2016. The rest of October is dominated by daunting road trips, first to Arkansas, then Tennessee before hosting a very good Texas A&M. 

Before any road trip, it's a good idea to take your car to The Tire Store for a good bumper-to-bumper inspection. In a way, that is what the Kentucky game seems like. The results? Well, we've still got some things to fix. Alabama needs more consistency. Jalen needs to continue to improve. The defense can't wait a play or two to turn up the intensity. But, this team is loaded with talent. Here's hoping the lessons learned in the first five games will carry forward over the remainder of the season. Alabama will need to apply those lessons, and then some, if it is to head to Baton Rouge the first weekend in November still undefeated. 

It all starts this coming Saturday in Fayetteville........as always, the next game is the most important one of the season.....so far.....

Roll Tide, Y'all

The Commissioner