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Long-term readers will recall that at the end of every season, The Commissioner proposes special player recognition for Most Valuable Players on offense, defense and special teams, as well as Freshman Player of the Year.
This is a particularly enjoyable exercise for me. It's an opportunity to think back over the season and offer some words of encouragement to players who have been difference makers; "Game Changers" to borrow a phrase.
I think the consensus opinion of Subscribers and Correspondents to this blog is that the results of 2010 were less than the talent pool promised at the beginning of the season. Coach Saban was telling anyone who would listen, that this was going to be a challenging year, that as hard as it is to climb to the top, it is even harder to stay there. We heard Coach Saban say that if each player would play to a standard, then results would take care of themselves. Many fans and pundits wrote those comments off as so-much "coach speak" but if you reverse engineer the results of the season, you can see the standards of performance that were unmet. The players on my MVP list, however, not only met, but exceeded the those expected standards.
So here are The Commissioner's MVPs for 2010:
Offense: There are several candidates for the Offensive MVP recognition. Due to a pre-season injury that required surgery, Mark Ingram was only available for 10 games, yet he compiled 1087 yards of total offense [816 rushing, 252 receiving and 19 on kick returns]. Trent Richardson, also limited to only 10 games due to a mid-season injury led all players in total offense with 1528 yards [658 rushing, 254 receiving and 616 returning kicks]. Julio Jones, in my mind the best all-around football player on the team, accounted for 1356 yards of total offense [99 rushing, 1024 receiving, 129 returning kicks and 44 returning punts]. He is a fericious blocker, and in all 12 games in which he played, he never took a play off.
Between these top three all-purpose offensive contributors, I would name Number 8, Julio Jones as the MVP. But there award is for "Most Valuable Player." The key adjective is "valuable." Is there an offensive player that the 2010 Crimson Tide could not have done without?
The answer is "yes" and in my opinion that player is: Greg McElroy. This young man epitomizes the finest qualities of character, skill, leadership and performance that Alabama fans expect in their players. He is a great ambassadore for not only the Univeristy of Alabama, but for the game of college football. His off-the-field accomplishments are well documented; while playing varsity football he earned his under graduate degree and started graduate school. His academic accomplishments have made him a Rhodes Scholarhsip finalist. GMac's play on the field, is just as stellar as his performance off of it.
He completed 70.6% of his pass attempts [209-296] for 2767 yards and 19 TDs against only 5 interceptions for an efficiency rating of 166.9
The Commissioner's Offensive MVP for 2010 is Greg McElroy.
Defense: The 2010 defense was very young and the challenge of replacing the many great contributors lost to graduation and the NFL was daunting. Perhaps the greatest hole to fill-literally and figuratively-was the space in the middle of the 3-4 vacated by the human heavy cruiser, Terrence Cody. Was the pass rush not as effective this year? Cody always occupied the attention of two offensive linemen. Since you only get to play 11 men on each side of the ball, having one defender account for two blockers creates opportunities for others to cause mischief in the offensive backfield. Cody's absence was also noticed on offense. Can you imagine Alabama not scoring a TD on Auburn with first and goal at the 3, and big Terrence leading the charge into the end zone? I would have paid extra to see Cody at full speed take on Nick Fairly.
The defense in 2010 was not as dominant as last year's group. Cecil Hurt wrote that the team as a whole was not as "tough" as the 2009 national champions. That does not mean, however, that the defense was without its Game Changers. I think there were three worthy of consideration.
Mark Barron led the team in tackles with 75 [54 solo] including 3 for 19 yards of loss and he snagged 3 interceptions. He probably would have made it 4 picks in the third quarter of the Iron Bowl but for the fact that he was unable to raise his right arm in the second half due to an injury sustained before intermission.
Robert Lester also had an outstanding year with 47 tackles [25 solo] a team-high 7 interceptions, 3 break ups and 10 pass deflections. But my pick for defensive MVP is:
Courtney Upshaw. Although limited all year with nagging injuries, Upshaw recorded 47 tackles [27 solo], 11.5 tackles for loss including 5 sacks, 2 breakups, 2 deflections 2 hurries and 2 forced fumbles. He seemed to have his best games in the biggest games. Who can forget him coming around the defensive right end to chase down the Florida quarterback for a loss at the far side line? Or his excellent play in the Auburn game that directly contributed to hold Cam Newton to only 39 yards rushing? Here's wishing Upshaw a speedy recovery from his injuries, and a stellar senior year in 2011.
Special Teams: At the inaugural "Nick at Noon" luncheon prior to the San Jose State game, Coach Saban told the assembled crowd that Alabama's best special teams player was Trent Richardson. It should surpirse no one that Coach Saban was proved right. A big question going into this season was how the Tide would replace Javier Arenas in the return game. Richardson was the answer. Trent is not Arenas. But he was incredibly reliable and productive returning kicks. In 10 games, Richardson accounted for 616 return yards. And this includes several games where the opposing team didn't have many opportunities to kick off. More importantly, Richardson never fumbled a kick return; 616 yards and no fumbles-that's a standard worthy of recognition.
Freshman of the Year: My selection for the most valuable true freshman is: C. J. Mosley. This 6-2, 225 lb freshman from Theodore made 66 tackles [30 solo], intercepted 2 passes, broke up 8, defelcted 10 and hurried opposing quarterbacks twice. He also scored 2 TDs on take-aways. That is an impressive performance by a new-comer and sets a standard for his teammates, and for himself as he takes his place in 2011 as a returning letterman.
A special shout-out is also due for rock-steady defensive back, Will Lowery. Number 29 is Alabama's nominee for the "Rudy Award," a recognition that takes into account character, work ethic, and leadership in addition to contributions on the field. Fan voting is a component of the award, and voting is going on now, so go to www.collegerudyawards.com and let your vote count.
Roll Tide
The Commissioner
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Auburn Grades - From Our Correspondent at The Tire Store
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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
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
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