Debunking the Spin.....Bama vs Texas

And if you would be worried about McElroy, then what about Colt McCoy? He was in NY as long as Ingram, and he DOES control the whole Texas offense. Nick Saban will not allow this team to lose focus.

I’m sure Saban is not counting this game as an automatic win. Not saying we need to be afraid, but we need to be cautious. Hopefully the Utah defeat can serve us well.

The UF game was great and if play that way we will win. But, we also have had slow starts with teams like Auburn, UT, LSU, and SC. Much of Bama’s success has come from wearing our opponet down. We get stronger as they wilt down the stretch. I think Texas has great depth and they are in good shape. Wearing them down may not be possible. We don’t need to play perfect to win, but we need to play at a very high level. This will not be a blow out.

And is it any wonder that Heisman winners in general do poorly in bowl games. I hope we can reverse this, but there is no doubt it is a tough distraction for a college soph.

The reason we actually play the games is that comparative scores and stats don’t determine the outcome of games. There is always a unique dynamic to any pairing that emerges to give us a winner and a loser.

What JMusso identifies as “spin” (correctly, I should add) may turn out to be the truth.

For the first time in a long time, I really like our defense. Our D Coach gets pissed when the other team makes it to the line of scrimmage. I like that attitude. If the Longhorn defense that played Texas Tech or Texas A&M shows up against Alabama, the Texas offense better score a whole lotta points. If the Texas offense that showed up against OU or Nebraska goes to Pasadena, the defense better score some points. Seems to me that Bama just needs to show up and not screw up.

McCoy is a really, really good QB. The problem he had with Nebraska was that Suh and sometimes others were on him at about the same time he got the ball. Bama fans be advised: the primary weakness on the Longhorn team this year is the O line. Can I say “pussies” here? If so, then that’s the only word I can think of to describe them when they’ve had to run block this year. They pass block OK, unless they have to block somebody named Suh. Otherwise, McCoy is very effective…about half of his incompletions were drops, and a few more were throw-aways. McCoy could use somebody besides Shipley to catch something.

You Bama fans should be aware that our Offensive Coordinator is a source of considerable frustration to orange bloods. Maybe he’ll confuse Saban as much as he confuses us.

I’m looking forward to see the matchup of Bama’s run game vs. the Texas run defense. The other critical matchup will be the Texas pass blocking vs. the Bama pass rush. It will be a problem for Bama if they give McCoy any time to throw.

Otherwise, I’m not sure what the Heisman Trophy represents anymore, but I’m sure all the candidates who went to New York were worthy.

5 weeks off—this is like a whole new one game season. We must come ready to play.

Confidence is outstanding but I hate posts like this…isn’t this just about the same thing some people were saying about UT and the barn when Bama had perhaps their worst two showings of the year? Lets don’t start crowning UA the NC quite yet.

This isn’t really how most of the Bama fans I talk to feel. We all know it’s going to be a hard fought game out there. I’d be very suprised if either team blows the other out. I also doubt the players are thinking this way either. I believe the Utah fiasco in the Sugar Bowl and the UT and Auburn games have taught them the errors of “assuming a win”.

No one can take anything away from that game. USC lost? Big deal. It’s not like the Longhorns were Washington State, brotha. Get over it. You guys won, act like your boys earned it already.

Or are you just inherently full of schadenfreude?

Good luck this year. Y’all are gonna need it, and . . . . lemme tell you something: McCoy ain’t VY. No one on Texas can match that athlete of a man on your team right now. Like I said, good luck. (but I really don’t mean it)

that most of us here were pulling for the longhorns to put a beat down on usc in 05, I know I was. They were arrogant and they acted surprised that tejas just didn’t rollover, but that’s the nature of usc, and we ain’t the trojans.
There are some that think because we blew out the gators and tejas struggled with the cornshuckers, that we are going to romp on some bevo’s, but I’ll give you credit. It is hard to go undefeated in a major conference, and you have a great qb and a very good coach. But, we ain’t from the big 12, and IMO, tejas hasn’t faced a relentless defense like Bama’s. It should be a great game, but if both teams bring their A game, Bama wins. It ain’t arrogant when it’s a fact.

That didn’t happen in the ‘05 Rose Bowl. USC KNEW that Mack Brown team was one for the ages, and privately- the fans and team knew they’d be in for a ginormous fight. We lost, end of story. You said it already, ‘Maybe the media or blogs will start entitling this Alabama team as the "best team ever." See USC 2005.’ (as the media and blogs did for ‘Bama in last year’s game vs. Utah).

Guess what? This ain’t the Pac-10 your team is going up against- this ‘Bama team paid it’s dues this year and had the perfect gameplan to be a “VY-esque” Tim Tebow. You can be sure Coach Saban does the same for Mack Brown’s boys.

One more thing, if you got problems with ‘arrogance’ – as it applies to DIV-1 athletics, that tell me more than I need to know about you.

Reggie Bush won it in 2005 when Texas beat USC for the MNC.

(Dating back to Barry Sanders in ‘88) have gone 5-1 in their bowl games. The previous 5 running backs (’80-’85) went 0-5.

Interesting stats within that: When the CFB offense began swaying toward a more pass-heavy trend, Heisman RB’s were few and far between; but since the offense doesn’t necessarily live and die by the run (for the most part), the distraction of a RB winning the award now doesn’t nearly affect the team like the QB and field general.

I think you hit it on the head in terms of UF’s approach. I think UT will definitely key on stopping the run, because the passing game is the weakest element of what the Tide brings to the table, but it’s important to remember that McElroy can still take advantage of abandoned coverage. I think we all know that Jones dropped off a bit this year, but can just plain destroy even a good defensive back if he catches him napping.

…fortunately (un fortunately for UF) we adequately drilled the OLine for the UF game where we had not for AU. We were unprepared for the 4-6 look,in the AU matchup, since AU hadn’t ran the Bear front all season, so it was very successful.

As for Texas’ short pass game, I am curious how it works versus bump and run coverage.

And I thought Sheriff Arpaio was the looniest person in Maricopa County.

There’s no doubt Alabama has the potential to destroy the Horns, but you act like it’s a foregone conclusion. The only “slight chance” is that Bama will perform like you imagine.

Cheers, though.

Maybe we can pull from their offensive script and add some Defense which A&M forgot to pack in the suitcase.

To what? A month-long layoff until the National Championship game? I think they just struggled against a very good defense, plain and simple. Not saying you’re wrong, as I was not in UT’s collective head during the game, but I’ve never heard of overlooking an opponent when your next contest is weeks away.

…he had over 100 yards against A&M. I was actually thinking we might be in a similar situation with Tebow regarding corner blitzes. While I don’t think McCoy is as hard to bring down as Tebow physically, I think he’s more of an elusive runner.

A) Homer Simpson blowing his nostrils?
B) A side-view of someone holding up the Crystal Trophy
C) Some Sumerian equation marrying general relativity with quantum mechanics? [still stuck on that Stephen Hawking reference from earlier. . . . .I’m into THAT SHIT!}

I’m Flummoxed! (Hey there! How’re you?)

I might have just flunked an IQ test, but it looks like Santa Claus to me.

Hey, I’ll even jump on the back!

who is a Bama fan feels the way you do about Alabama. It is one of our passions, for some even their greatest passion.

However, the Bama glory years of the 60’s and 70’s will never return. The truth is they can’t return. In those years we could sign many more players than now and the result was that we could stock pile in such a way that in the 70’s we could pretty much count on winning the SEC every year. There were also fewer national powers as a few big boys were stocking up around the country. So you knew before the season that Bama, Notre Dame, Penn St., Oklahoma, Michigan, USC and few others were the only ones who really had a NC shot.

Now we can only have 85 scholarship players. Suddenly teams like TCU, Texas Tech, Cincy, Okie St., Oregon, Va Tech, etc. have a real shot at the NC. They had no chance back in the 70’s.
Even SEC teams like LSU, UT, UGA, have a shot, not to mention Florida.
  
So today it is harder to go undefeated, harder to win the SEC, harder to win the NC. And, even though once again we have the best coach in America we can not assume, as we did in the 70’s, that we can win the SEC every year or play in the BCS Championship every year, or even win 10 games every year.

So, most of us are optimistic but cautious. That is not to say we think we will lose Jan. 7. I think we will win. But I know we can lose if we are not careful.

Nevertheless, Saban has us on a good run. Furthermore recruiting is better than ever. We should continue this run for several years. We should be and could be at the beginning of a truly 3rd Golded Age of Bama Football. (Golden Age 1: 1923-46, Golden Age 2: 1958-1982)

Be optimistic but realize that college football is different in 2009 that it was in 1971. There is no going back to the 60’s and 70’s.

I was there through the glory years and the worst of times. I lost my virginity on the 50 yard line of Bryant-Denny stadium to a drunk coed in 1976, and I know the person who threw that brick through Bill Curry’s window.

fuckin a dude, fuckin a…

This is Alabama’s year, and I’m not about to let caution and doubt spoil it for me.

Trust me, no one is trying to spoil your fun. The great thing about RBR is everyone is entitled to ones opinion. There are those of us who are more negative, some are uber positive and some are level headed…the one thing you can’t do (at times its very hard) is get offended when someone disagrees with you…The one thing that i have learned after being apart of RBR for 4 years, yes there was a RBR before SBnation…is that if you say something stupid…someone will call you out. I’m not implying you said anything stupid, but we will let you know if we don’t agree.

That said, you make a ton of great points but the post itself just comes across like Texas doesn’t even have a chance. I don’t think thats how you feel, but thats how it came across…

The ‘Bama-world NEEEEEEEEEEDS people like you Moose! I’m right there with ya buddy! Coach Saban and the boys takes all-comers! He don’t discriminate, b’sides- the Bama-world (as I know it) has plenty o’ room for all perspectives. (we CAN use a little less Rainy-Richards, though.- that’s just my take. could be different for others?)

Roll Tide Roll, Moose! (don’t mind if I call you that, do you?)

AU wasn’t the first team to “shadow” Ingram. They were just the first team, outside of UT, to do it effectively.

I don’t think anyone on this blog is actually expecting a blow out. If Texas is able to shut down ingram and lock down our receivers, it will be interesting to see what McElwain does. I’d expect to see more TR/ Upchurch and a heavy dose of our short passing game.

there wasn’t a hint of sarcasm at all in your post..

You just joined us here on SB Nation, eh? I really love your handle. Man, hanging your hat on that one is quite big of you. Listen, you big hat, no cattle cowboy- why don’t you go wrassle yourself up some money and go buy yourself a perspective. If you don’t like replies to your ass-enine comments, take you long horn and. . . . .you know what? Forget it!

We like originality here, so stay with us a while. But, while you’re at it- try coming up with something we truly haven’t heard before with you Longhorn fans, a way to beat the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. We know it’ll be a bitches-brew of a game. We seriously don’t know who’ll win the game, but we’re honestly trying to have some friendly debates here without pedantic prose and self-flagellation from you types. We’re just not into enabling. Thank you kind sir.

…there’s no way Texas gets 3 in this game….

I am glad you finally get it.

We love it! (well, I do)

ALRIGHT!

Why I outta?!?!?!

Them’s fightin’ words, son! I’ma gonna have to Drunken Master your ass tonight (it’s pool night, and. . . .I’ll have a cue! but. . . .obviously not a clue) and then tomorrah- be ready for Superfoot Johnson to Billy Jack you to ‘that’ part o’ yer head, and . . . .well. . . .you won’t be able to do a damn thing about it! (now that’s Bama football. tomorrow, that is. tonight, it’ll just be Bix)

Please forgive me. If you truly run livestock, woe be to me- truly. Sincerely, I offer my apologies. (dang! we’re not all this presumptuous. just me, today for sure)

Wow! That’s a total cold-cock! Who’da thunk?

As I see it, y’all are boosting your team. Given the way Bama ended the season against Florida, there’s no reason why y’all shouldn’t be pumped up about your chances. Texas can win if they bring it on both sides of the ball. If they play crappy, they won’t. I’ll be rooting for the Horns with no inferiority in mind.

The aggies do a lot of trash talking…more than they have a right to do. If you Bamamians are talkin an unreasonable amount of trash, then our BON site reeks of raw sewage the week before we play OU (sucks)(crimson ‘n’ cream)(sucks).

now that you are riding pine and wearing phones but coming here still talking smack after the horrific loss you suffered at the hands of the mighty Vince Young is a little beneath you. Grow up, man. Time to move on.

I never miss a Bix comment…he’s been epic around here for years!

it’s a long story but we’re not supposed to go to other blogs and stir up shit, so the more of y’all over here the merrier as far as i’m concerned…