The Frustration Continues

by Nico2.0 on Oct 22, 2006 9:44 PM CDT in Football Comment 24 comments

It's time to ramble a bit...

Another game against a major team and another close loss. Our three losses in '06 have been by a combined 19 points. One in overtime and one towards the end of the game. Florida is really the only one that had a win against us sewn up early. Five of the eight games we've played have been decided by less than 10 points. We could very easily be an overachieving 7-1, but are a dismal 5-3 instead. I imagine we'll finish the season 7-5 and go to Shreveport, Nashville or Memphis for a bowl game. Darby averaged 1.9 yards per carry and it was brutal to watch. I hate 18 yard field goals. DJ Hall's Prothro-esque catch was awesome...congrats to him on another 100 yard receiving game. I'm tired of seeing our QBs get sacked 437 times per game (JPW has been sacked 18 times this year.) I'm tired of us never getting sacks (we've sacked opposing QBs three times.)

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I am tired of it all...

I wish I wansn't at work cause I need to get drunk! This one still has me pretty depressed

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 8:54 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Shula-ball

I read a comment on the al.com blog about Shula ball and I thought it was pretty funny. In all honesty, I was hoping for another 10-2 year, but I thought 7-5 was realistic. If we can knock off LSU or AU and go 8-4 then I would be pretty happy. I think we need a little less show and a little more play makers. Especially in our secondary. Stop running your mouth and jumping around, step up and make another play. We lack the confidence this year that made us over achieve last year. Last year, Brodie would have had those boys in the huddle believing we would march down the field and score on our last possession. I think that will come with time for JPW and I think next year we can really be something special. Roll Tide Roll!

I wouldn't piss off the boys from Alabama . . .

by I hate UT on Oct 23, 2006 8:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What we need...

...is a new coach. When your head coach is theonly one on the team who doesn't believe you can get a yard on fourth and goal, why should your QB or the rest of the offense believe that they can march the field and get a FG to win?

We're now in Bill Curry territory. The team is rapidly losing respect for Shula. Look at the reaction of some players Sat...not shown on TV. When Shula decides not to go for it, McClain gets in his face. Tim Castille throws down his helmet and storms to the other end of the bench. And although their commenst in the press were more guarded, you can tell that they blame Shula for this one.

Some of our assistants are doing a horrible job and should be fired. Start with Ungerer. Look at the stupid mistakes our special teams make. The Arkansas game...enough said. Ole Miss...two second half KOs our of bounds, and a fake punt that led to the tying TD...at a point when everyone in the stadium except Ungerer was looking for a fake punt. Special teams almost lost the Ole Miss game. And against UT...two long punt returns, a block in the back, interference with the UT receiver, and a 29 yd punt to set up their final drive.

Also fire Connelly. Except for the addition of Andre Smith, and maybe Caldwell at C, our OL is no better than against Auburn. Can anyone honestly look at Chris Capps and say that he has been coached one bit?

Even Bill Curry won a share of an SEC championship. I was willing to be patient with Shula, but my patience has run out. It's not a question of winning or losing. Except on defense, this team just looks very poorly coached.

by AirHarper on Oct 23, 2006 11:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Qualities in a HC

A head coach needs to be able to do three things well on game day:

Keep his players motivated. The fact that Bama went to the wire with Arkansas, Florida, and Tenn shows that we have talent. The fact that we went to the wire with Duke, Vandy, and Ole Miss shows that we are motivated to play.
Know the players. As Tommy Bowden said earlier this year when his kicker was on the outs, "there's no way I was going to try for an XP". I have a great deal of respect for K.D., but he cannot run up the middle. Either let him run counters and off-tackles, or give the ball to Johns.
Make gutsy calls. Remember the fake punt by Bob Stoops in the Oklahoma game Shula's first year? How many times has Shula made the gutsy call in a tight game against a good team? Conservative, conservative, conservative. That'll get you 7-8 wins a year with the occasional 10 win season, but nothing more.

What makes me even more upset about Shula, is that he continues to believe that NOTHING IS WRONG. No changes will be made, no major adjustments, just keep on with the status quo. We need a coach with a pair on him...

by theSnark on Oct 23, 2006 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The fact that they had to go to the wire...

...against Duke, Arkansas, and Ole Miss is a product of poor coaching. Again, the respect issue. Newspaper reports talked about the a$$-chewing Shula gave them at halftime of the Duke game. Must have done Britta lot of good...on a key second half drive with the game in doubt, when they had picked up a first down, Britt went and got a 15 yd unsportsmanlike penalty. That's respect for your head coach, for sure.

by AirHarper on Oct 23, 2006 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's be realistic...

Shula isn't going to be fired this year, and honestly, I don't think we (Mal Moore) would be able to get a coach of that much better quality. We are not a very desirable job and our program isn't exactly what it used to be.

I sure as hell don't want to fire Shula just to bring in another mediocre coach and take 4 more years to get to back to where we already are. I mean who are we going to get... Sylvester Croom? We might as well stick with Shula and hope a new OC (maybe the Don) or something can get us over the hump.

Either way... I need a Xanex

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lots of choices

As the other post mentioned, there are several candidates for HC positions from lesser schools, such as Navy, TCU, Texas Tech, Washington, etc.

The problem with our having hired Shula is that he had never been a HC, and had only been an OC for a very short time (With the TB Bucs). These other coaches have an established record that we can look at.

For example, I think N.D. gave Willingham the boot too early. He would be a good choice. Bobby Johnson has been doing a fine job at Vandy, especially considering they gave up their A.D. position a few years back.

I don't think it's likely for Petrino to leave Louisville, but he might for a chance at a big program like Miami, Michigan State...or Alabama. Maybe.

In any event, I don't want to keep a mediocre coach around just because we think it might be hard to find someone better. The longer we hang on to him, the harder it will get.

by theSnark on Oct 23, 2006 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Vandy coach... the guy at Navy...

Is this a joke? What makes you think either one of those guys could handle the Bama job? Vandy has been good for Vandy... but they've still been Vandy, and Navy hasn't quite been playing SEC claiber teams week in and week out.

If we can find a good reputable coach (say a Butch Davis) who says he wants the job, then we can fire Shula. But if we fire him and do another retarded Mal Moore coaching search and end up with another low caliber guy... all the xanex in the world won't save me

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And where did Urban Meyer start?

...or Steve Spurrier? These folks didn't appear out of thin air, but rather showed that they could coach by taking crappy programs and putting together good talent and a better than expected record.

by theSnark on Oct 23, 2006 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's just what they said about Fran too

I can't take it if we just roll the dice on another young coach and crap out

This whole situation has me so depressed

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe they will crap out...

...but do you want to keep the crap you already have rather than take a chance at getting someone better? I'd rather keep trying till we get a good 'un, than just sit back and do nothing and keep vying for 2nd or 3rd in our division.

by theSnark on Oct 23, 2006 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just keep hoping Shula can get it together

Maybe a new OC... maybe a new anything... I just don't want to have to start all over with a new coaching staff again... unless I know for a fact that there is a good top caliber coach that wants to come here

If we crap out, it's for years from today and we are in the exact same situation. Maybe we should play our hand a little longer and see if we can turn this thing around

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You said:

"The problem with our having hired Shula is that he had never been a HC..."

Precisely. And thhe University of Alabama ain't necessarily the best place to learn how to be a head coach.

I think we've (the fans) have all been incredibly forgiving given what the program has been through [the deceit of Fran, the behavior of Price, and of course the (deserved) punishment from the NCAA]. I am willing, I think, to continue this leeway for another season. But if things don't turn around...

Personally, I want to go on record as having felt as though Mal Moore should have been canned after the Price debacle. He failed entirely to do the necessary due dilligence prior to having hired Price, and no one is going to tell me that the sort of behavior he engaged in is just going to strike a 50+ year old man as fun out of the blue. Spaokane ain't the big of a town, and it wouldn't have taken long to send a few folks up there to ask appropriate questions.

So, then, we go out and hire an altar boy. Literally. And I agreed with that hire. But he's going to have to learn how to motivate those kids.

by turnover on Oct 23, 2006 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree... Mal Moore is terrible at hiring coaches

That's why I a so hesitant to get rid of Shula... Mal Moore has shown me nothing to prove he can bring in anyone any better. He has done some great things with the Football Stadium and the Basketball Coliseum but he can't fill a coaching vacancy.

He needs to be the first one to go. And when we have a person at AD who can find us a real coach to replace Shula, then we can think about firing him.

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

As far as I'm concerned...

...a great deal of what got us in trouble with the NCAA in the first place should be placed squarely at Mal Moore's feet. All of the things I mentioned above, as well, happened on Moore's watch. Who the fuck is taking accountability? The buck must stop somewhere, and as far as I'm concerned, it should stop with Mal Moore.

It's long past time for him to go.

by turnover on Oct 23, 2006 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't disagree with the last two posts...

...Mal Moore is certainly part of the problem. I hope they get a search committee to do the work (and that Lee Roy Jordan isn't on it).

by theSnark on Oct 23, 2006 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I hope they don't listen to us too much either...

... We all wanted DuBose, (not me personaly but the Bama Nation) and look how that turned out.

We usually don't know nearly as much as we think we do

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 3:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Point well taken. n/t

by turnover on Oct 23, 2006 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't be fooled...

...by the scenario the last time they did a search. Everyone knew we were headed to the NCAA jail. This time around, we've got plenty of talent, a terrific young QB, a future All American tackle, great talent at WR and on defense. The pay would be great, it would be a high profile job in a high profile conference, and the schedule sets up very nicely for success next year. Rodriguez and Petrino both know that even if they run the table this year, they will be shut out of the championship game. Sure, they could stay at WVA and LVL forever, but they'll never win a chamionship, and they know it. They would jump at the chance to come to Bama. Seriously...of all the openings out there potentially...FSU, Miami, A&M, UNC...Bama is far more attractive.

by AirHarper on Oct 23, 2006 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

I think you're dead on. The Fanblog.com article on Butch Davis even mentioned that he backed out because of the looming NCAA sanctions.

by theSnark on Oct 23, 2006 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Try the last 4 or 5....

When was the last time we got the guy at the top of our list and didn't have to settle for our 3rd or 4th choice?

Was it for this my life I sought?

by Chalkdust Bama on Oct 23, 2006 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Curry

Curry has the best winning percentage since Coach Bryant. Go figure?!

I wouldn't piss off the boys from Alabama . . .

by I hate UT on Oct 23, 2006 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

While I am still hesitant....

...to call for the head of Mike Shula, I feel the same way as several other posters.

The call on fourth and goal was inexcusable. Period. When you're a 12-14 point underdog, what have you really got to lose? Turning the ball over on downs at the 1 with a buck forty-six to go is not the worst thing that ever happened. And what's more - I think Johns pushes that ball through.

The team's frustration is wholly understandable. Indeed, I'm glad I'm not in on any of this week's team meetings.

by turnover on Oct 23, 2006 12:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

We're Stuck

We need to realize that this year's pretty well shot and we're stuck. I agree with the postings of giving Shula one more year. I also agree it's WAY past time for Moore to go. It's hard to believe that at one time this was one of the most desired coaching positions.

by mwjones12000 on Oct 24, 2006 4:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs