Some Context (regarding coach DeBoer’s start)

[graydogg85]

Kirby Smart was 8-5 in his first season at UGA in 2016, with losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee at home. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous season 10-3.

Steve Sarkisian was 5-7 in his first season at Texas in 2021, and got drilled by the likes of Arkansas and Iowa State. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous (COVID-shortened) season 7-3 and ranked #19.

Seven games in to each of those respective seasons, both coaches were 4-3 and I’m sure the fan bases were about to lose their minds.

I don’t like to lose and we’ve been extraordinarily spoiled over the last 16 years. The discipline issue are bothersome but this is not a dynamic that is unique to Alabama in 2024.

Transitions are really tough. I had this team at 9-3 prior to the season and I still think that’s about right. Honestly that would be a great success considering how the average transition season pans out for most coaches.

Give it time, folks. We can be frustrated with the penalties, the QB play, the discipline issues, etc but DeBoer will be given multiple seasons to see things out and by all accounts he’s still well-equipped to succeed.

 

[crimsonaudio]

Watch the teaser titles.

 

[Cruiser]

O.K; I feel better now

 

[Methylred]

The lack of discipline is, to my mind, far more troubling than the losses.

It didn't bother me when CNS went 7-6 his first year, because it was obvious that, slowly but surely, the issues created by Shula's lackadaisical approach were being remedied.

But I don't see that happening with DeBoer. In fact, we seem to be getting progressively worse. I see less discipline, less composure, and more entitlement.

It's possible that those things have nothing to do with DeBoer. Maybe this is just the new normal in the NIL/portal era. But if that's the case, I'll become less and less enthusiastic about college football as a whole, until I ultimately just stop caring altogether.

 

[lowend]

It's possible that those things have nothing to do with DeBoer. Maybe this is just the new normal in the NIL/portal era. But if that's the case, I'll become less and less enthusiastic about college football as a whole, until I ultimately just stop caring altogether.

This. I believe that DeBoer is a good coach and can right the ship tactically; but, I NEVER thought I would see the day when a player on the Crimson Tide would take a flop. That's embarrassing and lacks class.

 

[Clay]

Kirby Smart was 8-5 in his first season at UGA in 2016, with losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee at home. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous season 10-3.

Steve Sarkisian was 5-7 in his first season at Texas in 2021, and got drilled by the likes of Arkansas and Iowa State. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous (COVID-shortened) season 7-3 and ranked #19.

Seven games in to each of those respective seasons, both coaches were 4-3 and I’m sure the fan bases were about to lose their minds.

I don’t like to lose and we’ve been extraordinarily spoiled over the last 16 years. The discipline issue are bothersome but this is not a dynamic that is unique to Alabama in 2024.

Transitions are really tough. I had this team at 9-3 prior to the season and I still think that’s about right. Honestly that would be a great success considering how the average transition season pans out for most coaches.

Give it time, folks. We can be frustrated with the penalties, the QB play, the discipline issues, etc but DeBoer will be given multiple seasons to see things out and by all accounts he’s still well-equipped to succeed.

THIS is what I needed to hear today. Thank you!

Clay

 

[CrimsonJazz]

I had made a similar post a week or so ago and I agree. CKD didn't just inherit a bunch of talent, he also inherited a cancer in that locker room that is clearly still there. Whatever is going on in there is not something that can be fixed in a season.

Furthermore, like all coaches, he wants to get his own players in there so he can unlock the offense. Trying to pull a guard who weighs 350+ pounds is not ideal. Getting a QB in there whose mind is hyper fast when going through progressions or make a good decision on a zone read is a must. Fact is, yes, there's talent here, but that doesn't mean it's a good fit.

No matter how badly the rest of the season plays out, I'm going to support CKD until he gives me a reason not to. I think he can do some amazing things, but for now, there's work to do. Just my two cents.

 

[theballguy]

Kirby Smart was 8-5 in his first season at UGA in 2016, with losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee at home. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous season 10-3.

Steve Sarkisian was 5-7 in his first season at Texas in 2021, and got drilled by the likes of Arkansas and Iowa State. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous (COVID-shortened) season 7-3 and ranked #19.

Seven games in to each of those respective seasons, both coaches were 4-3 and I’m sure the fan bases were about to lose their minds.

I don’t like to lose and we’ve been extraordinarily spoiled over the last 16 years. The discipline issue are bothersome but this is not a dynamic that is unique to Alabama in 2024.

Transitions are really tough. I had this team at 9-3 prior to the season and I still think that’s about right. Honestly that would be a great success considering how the average transition season pans out for most coaches.

Give it time, folks. We can be frustrated with the penalties, the QB play, the discipline issues, etc but DeBoer will be given multiple seasons to see things out and by all accounts he’s still well-equipped to succeed.

Good perspective and to be fair they did lose to a lesser Vanderbilt team by a point 🍻

 

[theballguy]

O.K; I feel better now

Yeah still in this boat though 🤣

 

[KrAzY3]

Here's some more context. Here are the teams with the highest blue chip ratings this year:
Ohio State: 90%
Alabama: 88%
Georgia: 80%
Texas A&M: 79%
Oregon: 76%

DeBoer didn't have to rebuild anything like coaches usually need to in their first year. This was a playoff team last year and they are loaded with talent this year. This doesn't mean it is an easy job, but it's not too much to expect a win over Vanderbilt.

 

[FloridanBlogger]

Here's some more context. Here are the teams with the highest blue chip ratings this year:
Ohio State: 90%
Alabama: 88%
Georgia: 80%
Texas A&M: 79%
Oregon: 76%

DeBoer didn't have to rebuild anything like coaches usually need to in their first year. This was a playoff team last year and they are loaded with talent this year. This doesn't mean it is an easy job, but it's not too much to expect a win over Vanderbilt.

Neither did Kirby or Sark. Sark inherited four top ten recruiting classes (three of which were ranked top 3 and featured many players Saban recruited). Kirby also inherited a top 10 roster.

The secondary was already a serious concern coming into the season and truth be told, Milroe was as well. He's feast or famine and now he's playing like the Milroe we saw in the Texas game last year.

The issues plaguing this team aren't new. They've been persistent issues for the past three seasons.

Yeah, it's not hard to expect a win over Vanderbilt but it's also foolish to think Deboer inherited the 72 Dolphins and would win every game 56-0. He inherited a team that struggled with South Florida last year, blew a 24-6 lead against Arkansas and was a miracle play away from being embarrassed by an Auburn team that this year's Vanderbilt team would have beaten by four scores.

So let's pump the brakes and give the man a chance to get the players in that fits his system. Milroe had multiple receivers and tight ends wide open all game long yesterday. With a Bryce, Tua or even a Coker, we win that game by 21+ easily. There isn't a coach in the country right now that could dominate with Milroe and that's a fact.

 

[KrAzY3]

There isn't a coach in the country right now that could dominate with Milroe and that's a fact.

Doesn't the coach choose which quarterback to use? Didn't that same quarterback lose only two games last year? The unforgivable loss was to Vanderbilt, and the offense did everything they needed to win that game (35 against Vandy should be enough). In fact the loss was squarely on coaches, who sent two players with the same number out there, prolonging a Vanderbilt drive that lead to a touchdown.

Having said that, why not talk about an example that actually fits? We know another coach that took over for a loaded Nick Saban team in the SEC and he went 11-2. Les Miles ate grass, but he sure didn't have trouble managing Saban's players and in fact he won a title before he had a 3+ loss season.

So, sure as long as DeBoer doesn't lose anymore I won't point fingers, but if he does worse than Les Miles did with similar talent I won't be overly impressed.

 

[81usaf92]

Here's some more context. Here are the teams with the highest blue chip ratings this year:
Ohio State: 90%
Alabama: 88%
Georgia: 80%
Texas A&M: 79%
Oregon: 76%

DeBoer didn't have to rebuild anything like coaches usually need to in their first year. This was a playoff team last year and they are loaded with talent this year. This doesn't mean it is an easy job, but it's not too much to expect a win over Vanderbilt.

Okay but we have seen loads of talent go in and out of Texas and FSU that resulted in disastrous and disappointing seasons year in and year out. Talent only gets you so far, especially if that talent doesn’t suit the coach’s philosophy and the team culture.

I still think until we cut out the cancer that has infected our locker room then it won’t matter how much talent we have we aren’t going to get anywhere we want to be. Last year’s Alabama was one of the most talented teams ever assembled in history yet it needed a .001% play to win over a very bad Auburn team. The coach was Nick Saban.

 

[81usaf92]

Doesn't the coach choose which quarterback to use? Didn't that same quarterback lose only two games last year? The unforgivable loss was to Vanderbilt, and the offense did everything they needed to win that game (35 against Vandy should be enough). In fact the loss was squarely on coaches, who sent two players with the same number out there, prolonging a Vanderbilt drive that lead to a touchdown.

Having said that, why not talk about an example that actually fits? We know another coach that took over for a loaded Nick Saban team in the SEC and he went 11-2. Les Miles ate grass, but he sure didn't have trouble managing Saban's players and in fact he won a title before he had a 3+ loss season.

So, sure as long as DeBoer doesn't lose anymore I won't point fingers, but if he does worse than Les Miles did with similar talent I won't be overly impressed.

Les Miles also didn’t have to worry about Jamarcus Russell transferring out because Nick Saban left or holding the team hostage. Comparing Les Miles to Kalen DeBoer’s situation really stops after you say they replaced Nick Saban.

 

[Con]

Okay but we have seen loads of talent go in and out of Texas and FSU that resulted in disastrous and disappointing seasons year in and year out. Talent only gets you so far, especially if that talent doesn’t suit the coach’s philosophy and the team culture.

I still think until we cut out the cancer that has infected our locker room then it won’t matter how much talent we have we aren’t going to get anywhere we want to be. Last year’s Alabama was one of the most talented teams ever assembled in history yet it needed a .001% play to win over a very bad Auburn team. The coach was Nick Saban.

Unfortunately, I think if he does cut out the cancer(s) on the team, fans still won't understand that it will mean struggles/losses this year, even though it may benefit us next year. Some fans think we should be playing 2011 defense with the Tua offenses each and every year.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Here's some more context. Here are the teams with the highest blue chip ratings this year:
Ohio State: 90%
Alabama: 88%
Georgia: 80%
Texas A&M: 79%
Oregon: 76%

DeBoer didn't have to rebuild anything like coaches usually need to in their first year. This was a playoff team last year and they are loaded with talent this year. This doesn't mean it is an easy job, but it's not too much to expect a win over Vanderbilt.

Those sorts of ratings are great, but it really says more about how good Saban was at recruiting than it does about the talent of this team. You can recruit all the 4* and 5* players you want, but you still have to develop them, and olayer development has been lacking for several years now at many positions. Sorry, but Bama is not the 2nd most talented team in the country right now.

 

[cbi1972]

"You know, these players get the best out of me. And I'm so proud of these guys. Because nobody believed, nobody gave us a chance.
Your whole network doubted us. Nobody believed us. And then they tried to rob us with calls in this place.
And these guys are so resilient. You know what I mean? We talked about intent. What was our intent when we walked on the field? Our intent was not to take pictures.
Not to do all the superstar stuff. Our intent was to eat. Our intent was to come eat and be hungry.
I'm not interested in all the bells and whistles. What I want is a team that fights their [butt] off like they did tonight." - Kirby Smart

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

"You know, these players get the best out of me. And I'm so proud of these guys. Because nobody believed, nobody gave us a chance.
Your whole network doubted us. Nobody believed us. And then they tried to rob us with calls in this place.
And these guys are so resilient. You know what I mean? We talked about intent. What was our intent when we walked on the field? Our intent was not to take pictures.
Not to do all the superstar stuff. Our intent was to eat. Our intent was to come eat and be hungry.
I'm not interested in all the bells and whistles. What I want is a team that fights their [butt] off like they did tonight." - Kirby Smart

They certainly didn't come eat when we beat'em!

 

[B1GTide]

They certainly didn't come eat when we beat'em!

Alabama woke them up.

 

[BamaMoon]

Kirby Smart was 8-5 in his first season at UGA in 2016, with losses to Vanderbilt and Tennessee at home. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous season 10-3.

Steve Sarkisian was 5-7 in his first season at Texas in 2021, and got drilled by the likes of Arkansas and Iowa State. The team he inherited had loads of talent and finished the previous (COVID-shortened) season 7-3 and ranked #19.

Seven games in to each of those respective seasons, both coaches were 4-3 and I’m sure the fan bases were about to lose their minds.

I don’t like to lose and we’ve been extraordinarily spoiled over the last 16 years. The discipline issue are bothersome but this is not a dynamic that is unique to Alabama in 2024.

Transitions are really tough. I had this team at 9-3 prior to the season and I still think that’s about right. Honestly that would be a great success considering how the average transition season pans out for most coaches.

Give it time, folks. We can be frustrated with the penalties, the QB play, the discipline issues, etc but DeBoer will be given multiple seasons to see things out and by all accounts he’s still well-equipped to succeed.

I believe in him. I believe he'll make the right adjustments and he'll get the right QB in time.

And a couple more things:

1. The issues with penalties and lack of discipline started UNDER CNS. He's great, the GOAT, but even he couldn't figure out the new, NIL world of college football. He said it. It's why he hung it up.

2. The SEC CKD is starting out in is not in any way like CNS's first year. Sure we have loads more talent, unlike CNS's first year, but our league is stacked with talented teams from top to bottom. It's so difficult right now Auburn and new entry OU are bottom feeders.