Initial Impressions from the San Jose State Game

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 12:15 PM CDT in Football

Rbrinitialimpressions2_medium

A few thoughts from the early aftermath of the Tide's 48-3 thumping of San Jose State:

From the outset, the most important takeaway from this game is the lack of serious injuries. Never forget that dominant teams have far more to lose in games against cupcakes than they have to gain, and with regard to injuries, 'Bama dodged the proverbial bullet tonight. As of this writing, the only reported injuries were minor ankle sprains to Courtney Upshaw and D.J. Fluker, with both expected to be healthy enough to play against Penn State. Big sigh of relief.
In general, the offense performed as well as could be reasonably expected. We moved the ball at will, we prevented turnovers and negative plays, we were efficient in the passing game, we stretched the field vertically, we consistently moved the chains in the running game, and we generated big plays on the ground as well. Sure it was East Popcorn State, but the underlying point remains that this offense has the potential to be extremely good and they did nothing tonight that would cause anyone to become bearish on their expectations moving forward.
Nick Saban said earlier in the week that Greg McElroy had a better-than-expected fall camp, and it showed tonight. He looked sharp, moved through his progressions with ease, and threw the ball with command and accuracy. And when A.J. McCarron came in, he looked game-ready as well, and truth be told he would be a starter at the majority of BCS programs at this point. Personally, I would feel confident with either in the game moving forward.
If Trent Richardson is not better then Mark Ingram, then Mark Ingram is on some level normally not occupied by mere mortals. It's hard to imagine a more physically-dominant player than Richarson. As good as he looked as a true freshman last year, he looks to be going to another level now.
Last week I wrote that we really do not know what to expect out of Julio Jones because he has never been remotely close to 100% healthy while at Alabama. We do know that Jones is healthy now, however, and if his performance yesterday is any indication, it's going to be a special year in Tuscaloosa. We haven't seen him display the kind of raw athleticism that he showed yesterday since he stepped on campus.

While we knew that the triumvirate of Julio Jones, Marquis Maze, and Darius Hanks would comprise the starting unit at wide receiver, the San Jose State game largely revealed the depth rotation. Brandon Gibson is clearly the #4 receiver, with Earl Alexander and Kevin Norwood rotating in when needed. Kenny Bell looks to get some opportunities as well. No major surprises, but nice to know nevertheless.

Eddie Lacy may have been on the receiving end of a coaching moment at halftime, but I don't think there is any doubt now that he is the #3 tailback. He was better in pass protection than Goode, and as a runner there was really little comparison between the two. Lacy was more productive overall, more of a physical runner between the tackles, and was more of an explosive threat. Goode performed pretty well in his time on the field, and I don't have a doubt that he could play and play often at many BCS conference schools, but he's just the victim of a ridiculous amount of talent in front of him at Alabama.

D.J. Fluker had a solid night, but he is clearly still a work in progress. We gave him some help at times -- probably more than any other lineman -- and he stayed in the game longer than any other starting offensive lineman. From the initial look, it seemed like we were trying to give Fluker all of the snaps we could, and he only came out when he nicked his ankle. I think the right tackle position could still be relatively fluid at the moment, and he may not have that starting job solidified like some may think. At the least, I think the totality of the events surrounding his performance made the late offensive line re-shuffle make a bit more sense.

The defensive front seven was definitely stout, but not necessarily immovable as it typically was a year ago. We generally won the battle in the trenches, but San Jose State was getting some decent surges at times and with better tailbacks they could have had at least some success on the ground. Given the massive size, talent, and depth disparity in play here, with a team like Penn State coming to town, I cannot help but think the game film will entice their offensive coaches to try to run it right at us. With Cody and McClain gone, Dareus suspended, and Jerrell Harris playing inside, those guys have to be particularly intrigued at the thought of doing so, especially with a true freshman quarterback.

The pass rush was quiet tonight, with the sole sack coming on a safety blitz from Robert Lester, but I wouldn't read too much into it. We were relatively vanilla in terms of blitz packages tonight, and truth be told we didn't get very many opportunities. San Jose State only threw 19 passes on the evening, and with nearly all of them being of the short and intermediate varieties, that largely kept the UA pass rush at bay. We ought to be able to rush the passer with the best of them, but we'll see for certain next week.

We all knew of the depth at linebacker, but given the early contributions by true freshmen C.J. Mosley and Jalston Fowler, it may be even better than expected. Mosley looks to be as natural of a linebacker as possible, and it's clear that he will be a key contributor in 2010, and Fowler looked solid in his own right. The fact that both of those players are back-ups says far more about the quality of talent in front of them than it does about their own shortcomings.

While it may change moving forward, we did at least get an early look at the personnel used in the defensive backfield when we go to nickel and dime packages. DeMarcus Milliner was the third corner, with DeQuan Menzie moving inside to play the star position in the nickel when Milliner came on the field. In the few times we went to the dime, from what I could tell, Mark Barron played the star and Will Lowery came into the game as a safety. That may change moving forward, but for now it does not seem like John Fulton, Burton Scott, or Phelon Jones are major factors in the defensive backfield.

Robert Lester made a couple of good plays -- specifically the interception and the sack -- but I'm afraid it seemed pretty clear that he was the weak link of the secondary. He missed a couple of tackles and took some bad pursuit angles on others, and in general looked a tad bit shaky. He didn't necessarily look bad, mind you, but if I were an opposing offensive coordinator he would be the one I would be looking to exploit in the defensive backfield. I'd stay away from Barron and Kirkpatrick, pay close attention to Menzie, and set my sights on Lester.

All in all, the defense looked like a work in progress. We're big, physical, and I think quicker than we were a year ago, but even so we looked a bit weaker at the point of attack, and it seemed like almost every throw down the field was a defensive adventure for one reason or another. The overall numbers look good in the post-game aftermath, and clearly this is a deep unit blessed with loads of raw talent, but we've still got plenty of room for improvement.

Special teams looked pretty good, surprisingly enough. Cade Foster had a couple of touchbacks, made his field goals, added a nice tackle, and Cody Mandell boomed two 50+ yard punts. On the downside, Mandell also had an 18-yard shank, Foster had a couple of short kick-offs, there were some adventures fielding punts, and none of the kickers had to do anything under any semblance of pressure. The early returns were encouraging, mind you, but moving forward it is still going to be an adventure every time the special teams unit comes on the field.

Overall it was a very uneventful game that largely went as expected. Alabama dominated, to the surprise of no one, and was vanilla in the operation of doing so. A few red flags surfaced here and there, but games like this are so lopsided that they are ultimately of very little use for evaluation purposes. In this environment, your strengths look unstoppable and the opponent is so inferior that they are generally unable to expose any weaknesses you may have, so very little actual knowledge can be distilled. Truth be told, in the aftermath of this 48-3 thumping, we really know very little, if any, more about our team than we did this time a week ago. In the final analysis, all we can really say is that we disposed of a vastly inferior opponent like we should have and that we avoided any serious injuries in the process of doing so. We'll know much more of what we are made of in six days time. Hope for the best.

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Comments

Excellent review, as usual

Wasn’t Mandell’s “shank” the result of trying to put the ball out of bounds inside the 10, and instead he put it out at the 25 or so?

Not very good, but he should get better at that with experience. That’s probably the sort of situational punting that has Saban most concerned. Mandell clearly has the leg to boom the long ones but may struggle with those shorter kicks.

by toofull on Sep 5, 2010 12:38 PM CDT reply actions

Saban said in the presser

that the pre-snap call should have gone to the opposite side. So it looks like general miscommunication all around there.

by TETRAGRAMMATON on Sep 5, 2010 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions

kick coverage...

Should be no adventure…with Foster’s leg, and the speed on special teams, we looked very sharp on kick coverage for the majority of the evening, and with sure tackling to boot.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

On Richardson and Scott

Obviously Trent is a bad man but I believe “Mark Ingram is on some level normally not occupied by mere mortals.” I think his vision and outside breaks are superior to Richardson’s. They compliment each other well, but I don’t agree with all the “Richardson is better” talk. He measures up better, I’m not doubting he’s faster and stronger, but I still give Ingram the edge.

I’m still surprised at Scott’s lack of playing time. Being one of the highest rated prospects of the Saban tenure (though I don’t put too much stock in those ratings) it seems like this project of putting him on defense is not working out as well as most of us expected. He was amazing to watch in high school; hope he makes the best of any chance he gets this year. Hate to see a guy with that much raw talent not put it together.

By the looks of things, I'm pretty sure God doesn't care how you do in sports.

by zarahoopstra on Sep 5, 2010 1:05 PM CDT reply actions

On Richardson and the QBs

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Truth be told, when Mark leaves the capstone I believe we will all be able to say without dispute that he is the best RB ever at Alabama to that point. Clearly, his vision and outside breaks are unparalleled, but his knowledge and insight into the game in general and the RB position in particular are what sets him apart, I believe.
If Greg’s my boy, McCarron is my only begotten. Comapratively speaking, he is so much farther ahead of McElroy at this point in his career, athletically and mentally, I really can’t wait to see him as a full time starter. His day is definitely coming.
Great job as always OTS!

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 5, 2010 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Comapratively speaking, he is so much farther ahead of McElroy at this point in his career, athletically and mentally, I really can’t wait to see him as a full time starter. His day is definitely coming.

Are you serious? Did you watch the game? McElroy was about as sharp as can be and McCarron, while looking pretty good, threw it behind the receiver like 5 or 6 times. Don’t get me wrong, he’s gonna be good but he’s not better than McElroy at this point.

by Bumpjon on Sep 5, 2010 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions

At this point in his career...

speaking of RS sophmore years! By the way I thought about you last night when I saw the scoreboard…they had SJS rather than SJSU. Did you notice?

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 5, 2010 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Gotcha, I totally agree that at this point in their respective careers that AJ is way better than McElroy was.

And, yes I saw that they had SJS on the scoreboard and I did mention that in the other post. But at the risk of opening up a can of worms, I’d like to make four observations:
1) it looked like they only had room for three letters so, obviously, SJS would be ther three letter acronym.
2) they have SJSU on their stats page.
3) San Jose State says it’s SJSU. Compare sjsu.edu with sjs.edu.
4) even if the fine folks at Bryant Denny Stadium specifically chose SJS over SJSU, it doesn’t change my argument.

With that, I am done with SJS and this stupid argument.

by Bumpjon on Sep 5, 2010 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions

McCarron is a RS freshman.

And how do you know what GMac looked like when he was a RS freshman?? What do you have to compare to (other than him not pushing JPW for playing time)?

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 6:40 PM CDT up reply actions

He looked pretty bad in the Spring game in 08

I remember everyone being very worried about the thought of JPW going down. Its not a diss on GMac to say the McCarron is further along at this point in his career. Ingram said TR is further along than he was at this point. Is that a diss on Ingram?

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 6:57 PM CDT up reply actions

It was just a question.

Because, unlike all of those guys, GM was not playing in games at that point in his career.

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions

my bad...it just seems like everyone is

jumping on the guy for making a simple observation…one that i feel he’s right in making.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions

I totally remember thinking...

that McElroy and Fanuzzi just weren’t talented enough to challenge an uninspiring JPW in the Spring and Fall. JPW had some bad off season reports, but compared to Greg and Nick he (JPW) seemed to be “the guy” by default.
I’m grateful with the coaching in JPW’s last year when they just didn’t ask him to throw aggressively. He did much better.
Then Greg won the starting position and Fanuzzi left. Greg really didn’t have much good press (much like JPW) in the off-season, until he went to the Manning QB camp.
With all that said…I’m glad that Greg is “the guy” and that he has studs like McCarron and Sims as backups.

by crimson37 on Sep 5, 2010 8:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Its a good question...

and the simplest answer is, “Because, unlike all of those guys, GM was not playing in games at that point in his career.”

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 6, 2010 7:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent

"You know, we had a lot of fun tonight. But there's nothing funny about vapor lock! It's the third most common cause of cars stalling. So please, take care of your car and get it checked!" -Joe Namath

by billycthulhu on Sep 6, 2010 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Epic fail my friend...

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions

The comparison or the SJS?

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 5, 2010 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions

The missing the "at this point in his career" bit...

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions

By the way...

where did you learn to write as well as you do?

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 5, 2010 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Lots of practice with plenty of epic fails of my own...

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions

Of course you may have meant him...

we just get cumputerz in lower shelby county and I’s still bein learned to uze’em

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 5, 2010 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Dude, read what he wrote

He stated “at this point in his career”, not comparing the two right now.

I voted for Kleph and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

by BamaReturns07 on Sep 5, 2010 2:14 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Yeah, that’s been thoroughly discussed. It’s not like I’m the first person to have ever misread something.

by Bumpjon on Sep 5, 2010 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

There isn't a big enough facepalm for your posts

I voted for Kleph and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

by BamaReturns07 on Sep 5, 2010 2:38 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions

Truth be told, in the aftermath of this 48-3 thumping, we really know very little, if any, more about our team than we did this time a week ago.

while there certainly is a lot of truth in this statement, it’s worth noting that it has an inverse relationship with its opposite. if we had walked away with a lot of information about our team, most likely it would have all been bad… like quite a few other sec units who played their cupcakes in the opener yesterday. in this respect no news is most certainly the best of news.

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Sep 5, 2010 1:12 PM CDT reply actions

Indeed

This is already shaping up to be a very interesting season.

by billycthulhu on Sep 5, 2010 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't know about ya'll...

but from a cursory glance around the conference it seems we have seperated ourselves from the pack even more. I know it is only one game, but comparing SEC teams against their East Popcorn States, apples to apples, we fared far better than the rest and as Kleph said that kind of news is definitely the best of news

"It's not the size of the cat in the fight, it's size of the fight in the cat"

by thecalicocat on Sep 5, 2010 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions

LOL I'm stupid.

Last night when I read “Barner scores five touchdowns,” I briefly thought they were talking about cam Newton.
/facepalms self

Roll Tide!

by rolltidefromaz on Sep 5, 2010 1:37 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs

dont facepalm

high five. up top, right here buddy.

thats was funny and exactly how i would construct the headline were i a newspaper copy editor…

The beauty of The Process is that you have never arrived, so you get to continue being perpetually awesome... -Espyonage

by tempebamafan on Sep 5, 2010 2:52 PM CDT up reply actions

oh,

and rec’d…

The beauty of The Process is that you have never arrived, so you get to continue being perpetually awesome... -Espyonage

by tempebamafan on Sep 5, 2010 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought exactly the same thing

when I first read it, and then I remembered what I’d actually read about the game. I thought about screen shotting it and posting it here, but just didn’t for some reason. It made me smile, though. You aren’t the only one!

"Let's go be champions, boys!" - Greg McElroy

(Formerly SugarBowl93)

by RememberTheRoseBowl on Sep 5, 2010 7:12 PM CDT up reply actions

Yea, I saw it this morning...

It was on SI, and I thought the same damned thing.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions

CJ Mosley with the tackle...

…CJ Mosley with the tackle, CJ Mosley with the tackle, CJ Mosley with the tackle, CJ Mosley with the tackle…

He must have had 15 tackles last night. He also had 1 PBU and two almost interceptions, need to teach him to catch and he will be a monster.

Auburn and Tennessee fans are a lot like Slinkys...neither are worth much but you do get a sense of satisfaction from pushing them down a flight of stairs

by bamachine on Sep 5, 2010 1:44 PM CDT reply actions

They taught him to be in the right place.

The picks will come later.

Even a clock that doesn't run is right twice a day.

by Michael Pigott on Sep 5, 2010 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions

i haven't read a single word of the post

or comments…BUT DAMMIT! I missed this so much!

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 2:32 PM CDT reply actions

Auburns defense sucks

Lulz

I voted for Kleph and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

by BamaReturns07 on Sep 5, 2010 2:40 PM CDT via mobile reply actions

yeeeaaahhhh

I didn’t see a SEC defense yesterday (other than Bama’s) that really impressed me. Well UGA’s wasn’t bad but UF"s, AU’s, LSU and of course Ole Miss’s all looked really bad.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions

UGA

didn’t look bad at all. but they played a D-AA team right? anyway, more anecdotal evidence to support the notion that richt does well with low expectations. if UGA can beat the barn and the gators, then they’re in the SECCG for sure. i’d be nice to see some variety this december, cause we’re going to destroy fla anyways…

The beauty of The Process is that you have never arrived, so you get to continue being perpetually awesome... -Espyonage

by tempebamafan on Sep 5, 2010 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions

FWIW, if we need a boost to get into the BCS,

it’ll help us more to play UGa in ATL than having a rematch w/ UF.

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions

At this point

if we need a boost to get into the BCS, we don’t belong in the BCS. Our main competition for this year looked TERRIBLE yesterday with the exception of PSU, and even they showed some weaknesses. I’m not saying we have our ticket punched by any means, because we could drop some games if we lose focus, but the SEC looked weak.

That said, I totally get your point that UGA is better – just stating my giddiness over our chances this year.

"Let's go be champions, boys!" - Greg McElroy

(Formerly SugarBowl93)

by RememberTheRoseBowl on Sep 5, 2010 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions

True, but I'm still not counting my undefeated chickens yet.

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 9:21 PM CDT up reply actions

(This is assuming that we beat UF the first time.

And that UGa has a good enough year to reach the SEC CG.)

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 9:22 PM CDT up reply actions

UGA Played

La Lafeyette which is a D-1 team (not 1-AA) and not really a bad team. Last year La Lafeyette beat K. State, Ark. St and ULM (remember them.)

I’d say La Lafeyette would be favored over SJS. SJS is, or should be one of the 10 worst D-1 schools in the country.

UGA’s victory looks pretty good to me.

As much as I hate Auburn I hate Tenn. that much more.

by 5026 on Sep 5, 2010 7:37 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought our defense played well . . .

. . . but I wouldn’t say I was impressed. They are clearly not as good as last year’s defense, yet. As others have pointed out, they are not as stout up front and they missed a few assignments. E.g., I noticed Saban yelling at them after the Trojans made the 4th and 1. He seemed to be saying that either 1) our defense wasn’t ready (lb’s up in the gaps) or 2) they didn’t make the right read since it was 4th and 1.

I won’t disagree that we looked better than several other of our SEC brethren on the defensive side of the ball (Auburn has some serious problems in several positions, which warms the heart), but we clearly have room for significant improvement.

by toofull on Sep 5, 2010 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions

but rest assured

our struggles have little if nothing to do with talent or ability. Its totally about experience. Give em a few games. they’ll be ok.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions

And, what you did see, hopefully included

the fact that this defense, though not as physically imposing, is much quicker than last year’s group. And, they tackle very well. Give ’em time…

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions

I hope we just need to simmer for a bit

and we can be both fast and unmovable. Did anyone notice if Kerry Murphy did good when spelling Chapman? I tried to watch for that but never noticed.

by chinesedentist on Sep 5, 2010 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions

He played well from what I noticed...

… and played as much as Chapman.

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions

The overall numbers look good in the post-game aftermath, and clearly this is a deep unit blessed with loads of raw talent, but we’ve still got plenty of room for improvement.

After watching damn near 13 hours of football yesterday and seeing team after team struggle with cupcakes I for one and very happy where Alabama stands right now defensively.. And im not just talking about scoring. Big names schools, OU, Auburn, Ole Miss just to name a few, couldn’t stop the other offense. Our guys might have little game experience but thats something time will heal. For other teams, when your coaching and players suck (auburn and Ole Miss) time is your biggest enemy.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 2:55 PM CDT reply actions

Oh and BTW

Im watching the 4th quarter and OT of the Ole Miss game right now. (JSU is about to win the game). Im telling you…Nutt should be fired or at least the defensive Coordinator.UM had them 4th and long at least 4 times and they couldn’t stop them. Not to mention the 4th and game that went for a TD. UM fans should storm the football complex and demand someones head roll. Embarrassing isn’t even good enough of a word to describe how terrible that loss is..

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 3:00 PM CDT reply actions

Not trying to pick a fight, Bammer . . .

. . . but don’t you think Miles’ incompetence against UNC was even more embarrassing than the Rebs’ loss? Consider the talent difference between LSU and Ole Miss right now.

by toofull on Sep 5, 2010 3:09 PM CDT up reply actions

since ole miss has TWO offensive coordinators

including one with a decidedly “meh” history at alabama… i’d go for the rebs if this were final jeopardy. there’s nothing particularly new about miles’ atlanta meltdown.

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Sep 5, 2010 3:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Fair point about Miles . . .

. . . but does repeated epic fails make the last one any less embarrassing? Props to JAX St. for a seriously excellent win for their program but Ole Miss is not a good football team. LSU has one of the top 3 or 4 most talented teams in the country, and the coach can’t teach his team how to play with composure in the 4th quarter. That is ALL on the coach, and the latest was an epic embarrassment.

by toofull on Sep 5, 2010 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I guess

we won’t have to hear the Louisiana Monroe jokes from Ole Miss fans anymore. lol haha

A picture says a thousand words unless it is a picture of the Alabama football team then it only says one word.........CHAMPION!

by AlabamaTitans2009 on Sep 5, 2010 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, just from that one pesky Louisiana Monroe fan.

"Let's go be champions, boys!" - Greg McElroy

(Formerly SugarBowl93)

by RememberTheRoseBowl on Sep 5, 2010 7:19 PM CDT up reply actions

if you live in monroe, louisiana

the joke is on you

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Sep 5, 2010 8:21 PM CDT up reply actions

So sayeth the kid from Ruston...

One of my best buddies in Grad School was from Ruston, and he mercilessly ragged on Monroe…any reason why? Is this a cultural thing? An inter-city schism?

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 8:28 PM CDT up reply actions

I've stopped in Ruston twice...

Once to take a piss, and the other for an old man’s birthday. We went to the Ryan’s. I had the nachos and cheese. Also, drove directly through the LaTech campus. Literally, through and over the sidewalks and walking paths. Not like anyone was there to care.

And I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all there is to see in Ruston. Not much to brag about.

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 8:59 PM CDT up reply actions

No Independence Bowls for you, then

I take it…

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 9:01 PM CDT up reply actions

I wish...

I’ve sat through two of them.

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 9:08 PM CDT up reply actions

one and only was in 2001.

And, I was damned happy to be there after the 3-8 debacle the year before (and, Seneca Wallace was pretty entertaining to watch).

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions

Yep, me too.

I hope never to go back.

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I had the nachos and cheese. Also, drove directly through the LaTech campus. Literally, through and over the sidewalks and walking paths.

Wow, they must serve some strong nachos and cheese there to make your driving that bad!

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I was in the backseat...

It was a LaTech alum in the driver’s seat. No shit.

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Ahhh,

well I’m not saying I’ve never seen that happen on UA’s campus. LOL

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 9:29 PM CDT up reply actions

OTS kind of nails it

ruston is nada, monroe is a pit.

Roll 'Bama Roll: The Champagne of 'Bama Blogs.

by kleph on Sep 6, 2010 8:40 AM CDT up reply actions

Neal McCready is on suicide watch

Even a clock that doesn't run is right twice a day.

by Michael Pigott on Sep 5, 2010 9:07 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

+1

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Off topic...

And I’m sure there will be a whole thread for this later, but I’m actually looking forward to a few games this weekend I wouldn’t normally care about.
Barn vs Miss St
Ga vs SCAR
SJS vs Wisconsin
Miami vs tOSU
Oregon vs Tenn

Roll Tide!

by rolltidefromaz on Sep 5, 2010 5:40 PM CDT reply actions

No doubts, lots of great games...

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions

MSU might beat AU this year...

cause damn sure Auburn won’t stop em…

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions

The

Florida State vs Oklahoma game should be fun to watch also.

A picture says a thousand words unless it is a picture of the Alabama football team then it only says one word.........CHAMPION!

by AlabamaTitans2009 on Sep 5, 2010 6:10 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Fla. St. throttles the Sooners.

I understand hate. I'm a Alabama fan.

by Destindune on Sep 5, 2010 6:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Nope.

Ponder is a stud, no doubt. And Reid is a demon. But OU can exploit the Noles’ defense.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 6:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Did you watch the OU game?

Cause id like to know if you saw something I didnt…cause the final score said OU sucks.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 6:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Have you seen Utah State play?

I have; they have some exceptional skills players (not joking). And, don’t you think that are likely preparing for a certain Jimbo?

FSU can win. FSU ain’t throttling them though….I see a shootout for a while, followed by OUs D stiffening up and OU pulling it out. It will be a good game.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 7:10 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't know about "exceptional"

but Borel is a good QB, and Gary Andersen is developing into a good FBS head coach. They might be able to qualify for a bowl game this year.

For a program with no discernible success in 15 years, and no sustained success since Merlin Olsen, they’re on the right track.

by BoylenOver on Sep 5, 2010 7:14 PM CDT up reply actions

The running game

And especially the return game is damned dangerous. You saw a solid return game yesterday; the running game not so much. And, yes, Borel can do some damage through the air.

I like Utah State…A LOT…This year’s Idaho (although, it may come a year from now).

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 7:19 PM CDT up reply actions

And, speaking of Idaho...

Dear God 45-0? ND is a good program (or at least a powerhouse at D2, and had a winning record last year in 1-AA).

The only problem I see is that the run defense still really, really sucks. If the Fightin’ Sioux are gashing you for 8-9 yards a pop, what will Fresno or Boise do?

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions

took me a second to realize you weren't referring to Notre Dame

I was a little confused at first

by billycthulhu on Sep 5, 2010 8:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Sorry....lived in SD for too long

So ND refers to Canada’s taint….and, of course, SD’s rival, the Fightin’ Sioux.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions

And they don't even have the RB Turbin

their best offensive player last year.

That schedule is tough, though. Idaho St this week, then Fresno, SDSU, and BYU. If they can be 2-3 at the end of that stretch, they should have 6 wins when they finish the season at Boise.

by BoylenOver on Sep 5, 2010 7:28 PM CDT up reply actions

did he graduate?

Kid was a monster…

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Tore his ACL in camp, IIRC.

by BoylenOver on Sep 5, 2010 9:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Some are likely not so great, though...

Notably UT v. Oregon. The Ducks were about the most impressive team over the weekend, along with Alabama and OSU. I think OU blows the freakin’ doors off of the Vols

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 6:14 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not so sure...

It wouldn’t surprise me however if Oregon comes in thinking it will be as easy as New Mexico that would be a mistake. I do think you are going to see some serious ball control out of the Vols. Week 2 usually totally reverses what some week 1 teams look like.

I understand hate. I'm a Alabama fan.

by Destindune on Sep 5, 2010 6:29 PM CDT up reply actions

UT still has questions at QB...

a patchwork Oline, and signficant losses from the D. Oregon has no such questions, and I see a two TD duck win.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions

I see a 5 TD Duck win

As much as I hate Auburn I hate Tenn. that much more.

by 5026 on Sep 5, 2010 7:39 PM CDT up reply actions

I'd stick with 2

UT looked a lot better than I thought they would. All caveats apply of course, and in spite of the shutout you could still see plenty of weak spots. But given that they weren’t the only SEC team playing a cupcake and did better against them than UF, Ole Miss, and LSU (granted, not all cupcakes are at the same level, but anyway), maybe they won’t be quite as bad as I thought…

Not saying they’ll sniff a win. Just saying I don’t think they get completely demolished.

by billycthulhu on Sep 5, 2010 8:46 PM CDT up reply actions

Such is the beauty of football!! :)

If I'm wearing a turban, it means Auburn is playing Iraq.

by CarrotTop4 on Sep 5, 2010 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions

You know re-watching the game Julio just looks awkward to me returning punts.

I know he has done fine in the past but it just doesn’t look fluid.

I understand hate. I'm a Alabama fan.

by Destindune on Sep 5, 2010 6:46 PM CDT reply actions

You've seen Javy . . .

. . . return too many punts and kicks.

by toofull on Sep 5, 2010 7:46 PM CDT up reply actions

That's our only true weakness so far.

The secondary will mature. However, the guys they had fielding punts looked skiddish at best.

Even a clock that doesn't run is right twice a day.

by Michael Pigott on Sep 5, 2010 7:48 PM CDT up reply actions

I think that . . .

. . . issue number one for Saban and the return game is protection of the football. Julio is not the most fluid guy on the team but I think the coaching staff has a very high degree of confidence in his ability to field punts and hold on to the ball. Maze and Hanks were given opportunities as backups.

The problem is that Javier Arenas was a superhuman punt returner. He has ruined our ability to assess punt returning skills. There just won’t be another one like him for a long time.

by toofull on Sep 5, 2010 8:00 PM CDT up reply actions

And the one good return we had

(although might have been on a kickoff, can’t remember) got called back for a stupid penalty. I got really tired of seeing those last year…

by billycthulhu on Sep 5, 2010 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions

That was Trent's KO return

by UAinPHOENIX on Sep 5, 2010 8:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Ah, c'mon Billy

Don’t you know that drive-killing, momentum-sapping penalties are the life blood of a good, Elephant Package goal line offense?

/SHULA’d

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 5, 2010 8:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Well yeah ... he played for 10 years.

I understand hate. I'm a Alabama fan.

by Destindune on Sep 5, 2010 8:02 PM CDT up reply actions

So back to the write up....

What do you think about Fluker? Is he developing too slow or are we just in a cram course time? I really want to see him do well.

Bama's Pluck and Grit have Writ Her Name in Crimson Flame

by TideFanAtlanta on Sep 5, 2010 6:46 PM CDT reply actions

I think he's developing fine...

… but it’s hard to play on the offensive line, and he’s only spent about 18 months there. Most of the kids we have on the offensive line have played there 5+ years, and hell some of them having been playing it since Pee Wee. It’s a technical position to master, and it’s going to take some time.

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 5, 2010 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions

playin oline

is all about that first step…you screw that up..you’re toast.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 5, 2010 8:55 PM CDT up reply actions

Well hell I guess if he can't learn it from Pendry, he won't make it. Something about him

interests me. He is so huge and scary but then when he opens his mouth he seems like a like a sweet huge-little kid. Baby Huey, and I mean that in a nice way! He had to work to drop a lot of weight after he enrolled and I was disappointed for him he rolled is ankle last night.

Bama's Pluck and Grit have Writ Her Name in Crimson Flame

by TideFanAtlanta on Sep 5, 2010 11:05 PM CDT up reply actions

I'm not worried...

He’s a smart kid, a hard worker, is getting good coaching, and has unlimited potential. The only variable is time, and when it finally all comes together he’ll absolutely dominate.

If you want to worry, worry about Burton Scott and Tyler Love. Fluker will be fine.

"Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself." -- Milton Friedman

by outsidethesidelines on Sep 6, 2010 12:31 AM CDT up reply actions

exactly.

I saw nothing in Flukers game that made me worried. Does he have trouble with speed rushers? Sure…but the kid is young. By mid season he’ll be a bruiser. I will say this…His run blocking ability is amazing. Its going to be nice to have the ablity to smash the Running game from both sides of the line.

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 6, 2010 8:19 AM CDT up reply actions

Tyler Love

4 star bench warmer. Burton Scott, 5 star square-peg no matter the position. Is it between their ears? Bad fit? Talent in front of them?

Who knows.

"Orators are most vehement when their cause is weak" Marcus Tullius Cicero

by Stuck in the Plains on Sep 6, 2010 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions

I love it when my semi-interested wife has a football epiphany.

When I had to explain the absence of Ingram and Darius, she replied;

“Don’t worry how long they’re out. Alabama is like a great white shark. They may lose a tooth but there are rows of others waiting to sink into something. A great white missing a few teeth would still scare all of us the hell out of the water.”

Damn, I love that woman.

Even a clock that doesn't run is right twice a day.

by Michael Pigott on Sep 5, 2010 7:28 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs

does she have a younger sister that's single?

by BoylenOver on Sep 5, 2010 7:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Unfortunately no

Even a clock that doesn't run is right twice a day.

by Michael Pigott on Sep 5, 2010 7:46 PM CDT up reply actions

advice

Hang on to that woman and never let go!

Roll Tide!

by mobilematt12 on Sep 6, 2010 8:58 AM CDT up reply actions

I watched the game for the 1st time last night and agree mostly on what OTS said.

Cade Foster, Mandell and Mosely were the three new players that stood out to me the most. I feel really good about our punting and Kick offs. Foster needs to get a tad more consistent on his distance with KO’s but dayum Mandell has a leg! I can’t remember the last punter Bama had that damn near averaged 50 yards per punt. FG’s looked good but like OTS said, they weren’t exactly in pressure situations. But im confident the FG kickers will be consistent.

Mosely will be a freakin beast. Great instincts and obviously is a smart kid.

I agree 100% with OTS. Our DB’s weren’t stretched at all this game. They caught us napping on one crossing route that went for like 30 yrds. Besides that, the DB’s either 1) were lock down or 2) untested cause SJSU is a running team. Either way, we probably won’t know much about their true ability till Arky.

The Oline will be fine..just fine. Coming from an ex- RT, Fluckers feet are a tad slow but not really that bad. His first step seems to be right and he has good hand work. You can tell the coaches are going to give him help as the RB routinely stayed on the Right side to chip block any speed rusher.

I was most impressed with our passing game. The Qb’s looked crisp. Gmac was as sharp as I’ve ever seen him and both QB’s look very comfortable with the playbook. I will say GMac still pulls it down and runs too quick. In the 2 min drill, there were guys open but he chose to pull it down and get 3 yards. Saban looked frustrated at this as well. McCarron showed his youth on a few passes by rushing the pass and throwing behind the WR. This will go away with time. Im sure his motor was going about 100000 miles an hour. After watching the craptasitc LSU/ NC game, i was very impressed with our ability to get to the line, have a a play call and snap with ball with little to no time lost during the 2 min drill. Its in the little things that you can tell a well coached team and one that is lost. i.e. Ole miss, LSU, NC etc.

All in all it was a fantastic warm up for PSU. The young guys got real game experience and coaches got a lot of film on what needs to be worked on. I think the CSS announcer said it best, “The young guys need to grow up real fast”. And once they do, this team will be amazing…Probably even better than last years NC’s…

Alabama football....The only addiction God wholeheartedly approves of..

by bammer on Sep 6, 2010 8:17 AM CDT reply actions

Alabama

Looked almost like a team in mid season form really, whereas so many other teams it looked like their first game. Especially impressed with the defense but, like any good team, lots of guys on your D get playing time a plenty before they start so it’s not like the replacements at starter were all neophytes.

Biggest concern is this: did either the D or O line get work against anyone who could push them? Because all the skill folks on O and Linebackers and safeties on D, will look fairly brilliant on an average team if the lines utterly dominate their opponent. While I expect the lines to be extremely good, I also do not expect Penn State’s lines to be the pushover that San Jose was and that will be where I what I want to watch most closely.

Julio’s grab was what I’ve expected to see out of him routinely. I tihnk that he makes some thiings look easy so people say “what’s special about him” but that grab showed how he can stretch the parameters of what one can physically accomplish in this game if it’s needed.

Extremely glad to see Richardson run that much and not get hurt in a freak or cheap shot way since that means RB issues are solid for next week regardless of Ingram’s status in my mind.

by Aardvark on Sep 6, 2010 8:47 AM CDT reply actions

Two things for me

Keeping in mind that we’re talking about Cupcake U here…

1.) I haven’t seen another team with the pure strength of AL. Every other game I saw, I noticed players running out of bounds to avoid being tackled – I did not see that with our players – in every situation with offensively or defensively we look to deal the punishment. It takes half of the opponents team to tackle one of our guys.

2.) Looking at how many points Aub & FL let their Cupcake U’s score on them – it might be that Ark presents our biggest challenge this year & the East is wide open.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Mark Ingram.

by birthgoat on Sep 6, 2010 9:19 AM CDT reply actions

To me the secondary is really still the only looming question.

All the other stuff I noticed is relatively minor and will work itself out with increased game time (the somewhat halting kick returns, a few timing issues, etc.). Our DBs weren’t exactly tested against SJSU and, having watched a bit of the Penn State game, their QB, while green, has a pretty strong arm and looks reasonably accurate. He will make the DBs earn their lunch for sure.

All around, I agree that the strength and depth of Alabama’s team is unreal. At this point they far surpass anyone else I watched. One game I am quite interested in is the USC/GA competition. USC looked pretty sharp and GA looked like they’d regained some strength. Other than Arkansas, those are the 2 teams I take seriously right now. Florida? I’ll wait and see what happens, but they definitely have some fundamentals work that needs addressing. The Barn? Meh. I discount them out of hand until forced to do otherwise.

Great post as usual, OTS.

by Peyton on Sep 6, 2010 10:14 AM CDT reply actions