Vanderbilt (0-1) at Alabama (1-0) Open Thread

by Nico2.0 on Sep 9, 2006 9:24 AM CDT in Football Comment 14 comments

at
Saturday, September 9 - 2:30 p.m.
Bryant-Denny Stadium
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
TV: Fox Sports South

Use this space for discussion before, during and after the game.

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Great day

87 degrees w/ low humidity @ gametime. Fatigue should not be an issue.

by Coolhand Mike on Sep 9, 2006 10:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully the clouds...

...will stay out. It's fairly cloudy in T-Town right now. I hope it stays that way.

Roll Tide!

by Nico2.0 on Sep 9, 2006 11:09 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmm, I run a Devil Rays web log and am a huge Vanderbilt fan. Am I not a masochist? Anyways, because VU is not represented here at SBN, I am forced to be a nomadic commenter, going from opponent blog to opponent blog espousing about the Commodores.

In any case, I think you've seen so far that VU was not a one man team with Jay Cutler last year, and indeed has plenty of supplementary talent. I've been very happy with our defense this year, and if CJG can ever get with it and estabish the running game, and Nickson develops some consistency, then VU could have a bowl team.

Anyways, good luck 'Dores!!!!!!!!!!

www.draysbay.com

by Patrick L. Kennedy on Sep 9, 2006 3:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Vandy

I guess Vandy and even Georgia Tech are showing last weekend was no fluke despite no getting the W. As a tampa bay fan we rememeber Shula having the keys to Dungy's offense or lack of one. I just would not want to be Shula if Bama does not win this one as the reaction to losing to Vandy will be harsh.

Go Gators!

by swampy on Sep 9, 2006 4:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

10-3

AAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

by Coolhand Mike on Sep 9, 2006 4:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Chris Capps

I'm going to start the "Bench Chris Capps" fan club. This kid is absolutely horrible. The offensive line is caving on his side every single play because he can't block anybody.

And we're seeing today exactly how much we miss experience on the defensive side of the football. Prince Hall, etc. are too "rip your head off" type of players. They're not disciplined enough yet. They keep overrunning plays.

And for the love of God, somebody hold on to the damn football. :-)

Roll Tide!

- G Money in M-Town

by garymatrixx on Sep 9, 2006 4:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What did he do to take the job...

...from Tatum? Did he just have a great spring, or did I miss something?

by turnover on Sep 9, 2006 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just a few thoughts

I agree with swampy about the lack of an offense. That's the difference between an offensive coach like CMS or Pete Carroll or Charlie Weis(sp?). Until Shula hires a real OC and gives him full control the Bama offense will continue to struggle. Am I the only one that has a problem with the rushing of just three on most every play? It was nice to see JPW able to get out of trouble and gain some yardage when the pocket collapsed.

by BigCountry85 on Sep 9, 2006 5:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Looks like I picked the wrong week...

...to quit drinking.

There may be some red-zone issues. Just a few. Keep the ball off the turf, kids.

On the plus side: Van's kid is kicking the lights out. This is especially good if the offense doesn't figure out how to counter what I've decided to call the "Darby swarm".

I'm tired, now, and I just want to sleep and reflect on the game more tomorrow. I'm looking forward to reading the discussion here.

by turnover on Sep 9, 2006 6:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Playcalling

Does Shula know that you're allowed to throw the ball once you get inside the 25? Before third down? Sheesh. I agree that he needs to hand the playcalling over to someone else, whether it be Rader or someone from outside.

I think that the reason Capps won the job was simply that he's a junior and will be back next year, so he got the benefit of a close decision. He's a better pass blocker than Tatum, and the pass blocking has been pretty good. (Most of the time there's been pressure it's been because of a surprise blitz, and usually up the middle.)

However, Tatum is a far superior run blocker and he doesn't get called for holding every time the running back gets outside him. I don't know, but I'm guessing that with a good week of practice Tatum will have a chance to get his job back, or at least play some against Louisiana-Nowhere or whoever the team is next week.

by Mac T on Sep 9, 2006 9:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Dude...

WTF?

by TNIRISHFAN on Sep 9, 2006 9:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Is what it is

I was actually pleased at how the offense moved the ball. However, I was obviously displeased with the lack of points. That is the object of the game after all. To score points.

With that said, we beat Vandy in an ugly game. And that generally means all is right with Alabama football.

by Steve Dave on Sep 10, 2006 1:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Capps....argh.

Capps won the job from Tatum. There's absolutely no way in my mind that Tatum could be any worse than Capps is. Whether it be pass blocking or run blocking, I don't care. The object of being an offensive lineman is to flatten the sucker across from you. Go back and watch the tape from this week and watch how many times Capps just flat out gets knocked over. His side collapses almost immediately once the ball is snapped.

I really think this is why Darby's having such a hard time this year. He's so used to running to the right (from high school and the last two years at bama), and since they're having to call to the left so many times, he doesn't have the same instincts to make his cuts and find holes on the left side.

Either way, just take Capps out of the damn ballgame. It's giving me a heart attack everytime I watch him get knocked over.

- G Money in M-Town

by garymatrixx on Sep 10, 2006 4:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Why Capps played the whole game

Turns out that Tatum was suspended, as reported in Hurt's story today. I have to think that at least Tatum would have been in there on the final drive.

Anyway, we have two right tackles, one of whom (Capps) isn't a right tackle and the other of whom (Tatum) really should be at guard. We're going to have to run left a lot.

by Mac T on Sep 11, 2006 10:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs