Bye weeks on SEC schedules

[thunderz7]

Coach mentioned it in at least one press conference.
Mal brought it to the AD meeting.
Slive said a few things about it.

When should we know if anything gets done, that helps for 2010?

T7

 

[p'colabamaman]

Since the schedules have already been made, I've got my doubts about anything being done for 2010. Hopefully something will be done for the ensuing seasons.

 

[RT3413]

Fairly sure Mal used 2010 as an example (where 6 of our 8 SEC opponents have bye weeks before playing us) of why it needed to be looked into for "future scheduling." Since schedules are made multiple years in advance I wouldn't look for this to change before 2012 or later.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Slive is not Kramer. If Kramer were still there, I wouldn't lift an eyebrow. However, I consider this very disturbing, since there's no way the SEC office didn't know it was happening...

 

[bamafaninbham]

Are you concerned that this very biased and unfair scheduling will continue for years to come? It's already been going on for the past decade. Are you insinuating that it will continue until there is a change at the top of the SEC?

On a side note: Saban seems to stay with the first team guys, especially on the OL, unless the game is well in hand in the second half. Do you think he will change substitution patterns at all next year to try to keep the starters fresh against all these well rested teams. Personally, I don't think he will change much. Just wanted your thoughts.

 

[formersoldier71]

Bama's 2010 SEC schedule. Opponents that have bye week before playing Bama are in bold...

Arkansas
Florida
S Carolina
Ole Miss
Tennessee
LSU, our bye is before this game also.
Miss St
Auburn, the barn waits until the end of the season for their bye because they have a one game season.

 

[bayoutider]

I think Mal pointed out that there were maybe 4 (not sure of the number but this is close) SEC teams that have open dates and play each other the same dates that could switch open date for their game with each other. I dont know if this is impossible for this season but Slive was made aware.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

What?!? The Office of the SEC Commissioner didn't know Alabama was getting jobbed by about half the schedule having the preceding week off? I'm shocked! SHOCKED!!!

Truth is, these guys (SEC office and other schools' administrators) have hated us since the '60s. This is just the latest, following decades of having a target on our backs and Kramer selling us out to the NCAA.

Nothing new here. Move along. If you don't, I'll tell Johannigmeier's daddy on you.

Sarcasm intended. It'd be funnier if it weren't 75% true.

 

[bamabryan]

Our two toughest games last year were Tennessee and Auburn. Both had an off week before playing Alabama. I don't think there is any coincidence as two why these were our two toughest games along with being rivalry games.

It's hard enough to win in the SEC without having to play six conference teams in one season that have an off week prior to playing Alabama. I have a difficult time believing this was a freak accident.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

Are you concerned that this very biased and unfair scheduling will continue for years to come? It's already been going on for the past decade. Are you insinuating that it will continue until there is a change at the top of the SEC?

On a side note: Saban seems to stay with the first team guys, especially on the OL, unless the game is well in hand in the second half. Do you think he will change substitution patterns at all next year to try to keep the starters fresh against all these well rested teams. Personally, I don't think he will change much. Just wanted your thoughts.

We've subbed freely on the DL, where we have depth and even a good bit at LB. Less at DB, but some. We've subbed freely at WR, not that it helped any, and we've obviously subbed freely at RB. We obviously haven't subbed a great deal at OL, because, first, we don't have the depth, and, second because it's so difficult for five guys to play with one heartbeat. Subbing almost always messes it up. Most teams really don't sub that much at OL, unless they're forced to or it's a blowout. I don't think things will change...

 

[bamabryan]

We've subbed freely on the DL, where we have depth and even a good bit at LB. Less at DB, but some. We've subbed freely at WR, not that it helped any, and we've obviously subbed freely at RB. We obviously haven't subbed a great deal at OL, because, first, we don't have the depth, and, second because it's so difficult for five guys to play with one heartbeat. Subbing almost always messes it up. Most teams really don't sub that much at OL, unless they're forced to or it's a blowout. I don't think things will change...

Exactly.

The fact that we don't sub as much in the o-line does not concern me. A lot of teams don't sub a lot here. The offensive linemen have to know what the lineman next to him is going to do and how he thinks. The communication is so important in the offensive line.

 

[PCBamafan]

Aren't we accustomed to this by now? It's gone on for years. We've put all that to bed the last 2 years though and won them all. For the obvious reasons, I hope we go undefeated again next year, once again proving that even when you get 2 weeks to prepare, we can still beat you!! If you can't beat us on 2 weeks notice, just forget the Bye week and take your whipping and get it over with!!

 

[jps1983]

Aren't we accustomed to this by now? It's gone on for years. We've put all that to bed the last 2 years though and won them all. For the obvious reasons, I hope we go undefeated again next year, once again proving that even when you get 2 weeks to prepare, we can still beat you!! If you can't beat us on 2 weeks notice, just forget the Bye week and take your whipping and get it over with!!

The problem is that its usually been 2-3 teams with bye weeks; this season will have 5. Mal did right by pointing it out publicly to the SEC office to try to put some heat on them to do something about it. We are accustomed to api pulling this trash, but the rest of the sec seems to be following their lead.

 

[PacadermaTideUs]

It's not a freak coincidence when it happens year after year after year. And I don't think that in the past its been only 2 or 3 teams as has been suggested - more like 3-5. This year's a little worse than usual maybe, but nothing new here: it happens every year and has for nearly the last decade. I'd actually like to see the no-crap numbers on it: how many teams each year for the last decade.

Anyway, it's so frequent that it's become comical.

The problem is: I'm not so sure that this is really an SEC matter, is it? The member institutions write their schedules don't they? Can they not take the bye when they feel they most need it? Am I wrong on that - does the SEC have some say in when each institution gets a bye week?

If so many teams opt to have a week off before playing us, part of me just says that we should take that as a sign of respect, a point of motivation, give them our best game (hopefully a butt-whipping) and move on.

 

[bayoutider]

It's not a freak coincidence when it happens year after year after year. And I don't think that in the past its been only 2 or 3 teams as has been suggested - more like 3-5. This year's a little worse than usual maybe, but nothing new here: it happens every year and has for nearly the last decade. I'd actually like to see the no-crap numbers on it: how many teams each year for the last decade.

Anyway, it's so frequent that it's become comical.

The problem is: I'm not so sure that this is really an SEC matter, is it? The member institutions write their schedules don't they? Can they not take the bye when they feel they most need it? Am I wrong on that - does the SEC have some say in when each institution gets a bye week?

If so many teams opt to have a week off before playing us, part of me just says that we should take that as a sign of respect, a point of motivation, give them our best game (hopefully a butt-whipping) and move on.

The SEC office makes up the conference schedule it's up to each school to fill in the off weeks or take the bye.

 

[kfo9494]

The SEC office makes up the conference schedule it's up to each school to fill in the off weeks or take the bye.

The schedule can be changed with agreement from the two schools involved and the SEC office.
The only schedule the SEC mandates is that a game is played the last week of the regular season and the teams each will play.
>
The SEC does schedule the teams with many factors in mind such as, no more than two SEC away games in a row and certain rivial games played on a cetain date of the season-- but that all can be changed by agreement.

 

[GulfCoastTider]

Exactly.

The fact that we don't sub as much in the o-line does not concern me. A lot of teams don't sub a lot here. The offensive linemen have to know what the lineman next to him is going to do and how he thinks. The communication is so important in the offensive line.

Yeppers. The OL needs to perform as a unit from fall camp through the last game of the season. Unless you have such outstanding talent and depth on that unit that you can bolt in any new player and not miss a lick, you leave that squad in there all day.

 

[Capstone46]

The SEC office schedules the SEC games and allows each member to fill in the rest of the schedule as they choose. The problem is the SEC has scheduled 5 consecutive SEC games for us for the last two years (with of course UT the last of those 5 games enjoying their annual bye week before playing us). That gives us no chance to create our own bye week for any of those SEC opponents during that difficult stretch -a stretch where several of our opponents were given a bye week.

 

[bayoutider]

The schedule can be changed with agreement from the two schools involved and the SEC office.
The only schedule the SEC mandates is that a game is played the last week of the regular season and the teams each will play.
>
The SEC does schedule the teams with many factors in mind such as, no more than two SEC away games in a row and certain rivial games played on a cetain date of the season-- but that all can be changed by agreement.

True but the teams that can do that this season seem reluctant to do it.

 

[ALA2262]

I think Mal pointed out that there were maybe 4 (not sure of the number but this is close) SEC teams that have open dates and play each other the same dates that could switch open date for their game with each other. I dont know if this is impossible for this season but Slive was made aware.

There are 3 games involving 6 teams that could VERY easily be moved, which would eliminate 3 of the 6 bye weeks. Arkansas and SC are both off on 10/2 (the week before SC-Bama) so their 11/6 game could be moved to 10/2. Kentucky and MSU are both off on 11/6 (the week before MSU-Bama) so their 10/30 game could be moved to 11/6. Auburn and UGA are both off on 11/20 (the week before Auburn-Bama) so their 11/13 game could be moved to 11/20. I don't look for the SEC to do any of this, but because of the ease in which it could be done they are going to get hammered by the media if they don't do it. Just as they were because of the officiating this past season.

2010 SEC Football Schedule Grid