Bama Game Thread: Official Postgame Thread - Reliaquest Bowl, Bama vs. Michigan, Dec. 31, 11:00 AM, ESPN...

[TIDE-HSV]

The last play my dad ever saw was 2nd and 26. I’m so thankful he didn’t have to see the last few years. I’m not sure he could have survived the Milroe era.

That's interesting. Back in February, 1958, the last thing my dad said to my mom before passing was that Coach Bryant was coming home and Alabama was going to be all right...

 

[editder]

The thing that will stick with me, and not in a good way, was CKD unwillingness to sit Milroe when it was clear he was struggling. Not even to sit for a couple of series in an attempt to settle him down. Early in the year, Quinn Ewers was clearly struggling (against Oklahoma maybe?). Sark pulled him for the next two series and sent in Arch Manning. Not that Manning did much better, but when Ewers went back in, the offense started clicking.

So was Milroe so fragile mentally that CKD couldn’t pull for fear of “losing” him or the team? If Sark was willing to sit Ewers to “wake him up” in the second quarter of a game, then why not DeBoer? To me it shows weakness and indecision on the part of CKD.

There was every reason versus Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan to do just that. Send a message.

And he sat on his hands.

Absolutely right.

If nothing else, the game plan that Michigan and Oklahoma used was designed to exploit the weaknesses of Milroe. Putting a completely different type of player in the game would have presented a situation they would not have been prepared for and would have forced them into a different game plan from the one they practiced for weeks. It’s not like either of those teams was elite enough to adjust to anything on the fly.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

Absolutely right.

If nothing else, the game plan that Michigan and Oklahoma used was designed to exploit the weaknesses of Milroe. Putting a completely different type of player in the game would have presented a situation they would not have been prepared for and would have forced them into a different game plan from the one they practiced for weeks. It’s not like either of those teams was elite enough to adjust to anything on the fly.

We haven't introduced uncertainty and the unknown into a game in a long time

 

[tusks_n_raider]

To listen to the staff, Jalen played amazing all year and other people just let him down. I don’t think they actually believe that, because then I would have to accept that our coaching staff are wildly incompetent and not just a bunch of liars.

It's just coach speak and not throwing a player under the bus publicly.

You'd learn more about our team by asking questions to CNS's fabled Coke Bottle.

 

[TIDE-HSV]

You are probably right, but even the owner of Tidefans was asking (rhetorically) in his wrap-up what it takes to get benched, even for a series or two.
The story of Jalen Millrose has been one of the most head scratching stories in Alabama football in the last couple of decades. At times, he has been brilliant (grave digger, Georgia 2024 first half, SECCG 2023), and the times his play has been quite poor.

I don't think "quite poor" even comes close to describing it. Calling for the (wet) ball and losing attention while it's on the way is in a classification of its own. If it had been high, it would have hit him between the eyes. Talking to folk who were at the game, we TV watchers were spared watching all of the receivers running free or standing and calling for the ball...

 

[crimsonaudio]

The thing that will stick with me, and not in a good way, was CKD unwillingness to sit Milroe when it was clear he was struggling. Not even to sit for a couple of series in an attempt to settle him down. Early in the year, Quinn Ewers was clearly struggling (against Oklahoma maybe?). Sark pulled him for the next two series and sent in Arch Manning. Not that Manning did much better, but when Ewers went back in, the offense started clicking.

So was Milroe so fragile mentally that CKD couldn’t pull for fear of “losing” him or the team? If Sark was willing to sit Ewers to “wake him up” in the second quarter of a game, then why not DeBoer? To me it shows weakness and indecision on the part of CKD.

There was every reason versus Tennessee, Oklahoma and Michigan to do just that. Send a message.

And he sat on his hands.

I get it, I really do.

But there are plenty on here that have spoken directly about the grip the LANK crew had on the coaching staff. If even a hint of that is truth, benching JM wasn't an option. Think the OL looks bad when they're trying? Wait and see how bad they look with 2-3 of them start playing turnstile football.

It sucks, but this is what this team had to be if CKD was going to keep the basic team together. If it wasn't this, then we would have had even more emotional outbursts about losing 5+ games.

Give the man a couple of seasons, let him climb out form under he was left with and build his own thing.

 

[RammerJammer14]

Yeah, I guess, but if you stubbornly stay with a player with a low ceiling who frequently underperforms, you also risk alienating players (by setting low standards).
Plus by the Oklahoma game, the transfer portal had closed in the stampede for the doors with the departure of Coach Saban had been stopped. At that point, staying with an underperforming player just sends a different message to the players: you can play very poorly for a very long time and keep your starting job.

None of it makes sense. But he was also named the starter by DeBoer like 1 week after taking the job, before any spring ball was played. Spring after a coaching change was the perfect time to get rid of him. But here we are.

 

[B1GTide]

I get it, I really do.

But there are plenty on here that have spoken directly about the grip the LANK crew had on the coaching staff. If even a hint of that is truth, benching JM wasn't an option. Think the OL looks bad when they're trying? Wait and see how bad they look with 2-3 of them start playing turnstile football.

It sucks, but this is what this team had to be if CKD was going to keep the basic team together. If it wasn't this, then we would have had even more emotional outbursts about losing 5+ games.

Give the man a couple of seasons, let him climb out form under he was left with and build his own thing.

I would be okay with it if he handled the press better. He gaslights fans. Hard to listen to him and keep the faith.

 

[colbysullivan]

It's just coach speak and not throwing a player under the bus publicly.

You'd learn more about our team by asking questions to CNS's fabled Coke Bottle.

These are professional players now. I’d be lighting their butts up in the post game.

 

[B1GTide]

These are professional players now. I’d be lighting their butts up in the post game.

That doesn't even work in the NFL, but he doesn't have to gaslight us, either.

 

[Evil Crimson Dragon]

I don't think "quite poor" even comes close to describing it. Calling for the (wet) ball and losing attention while it's on the way is in a classification of its own. If it had been high, it would have hit him between the eyes. Talking to folk who were at the game, we TV watchers were spared watching all of the receivers running free or standing and calling for the ball...

And that in and of itself is the real shame.................wide open receivers should be hit in the numbers. I'd love to see all of them ask him why he didnt throw to them and hear his explanation

 

[colbysullivan]

That doesn't even work in the NFL, but he doesn't have to gaslight us, either.

NFL has player unions…college coaches need to grow a pair

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I get it, I really do.

But there are plenty on here that have spoken directly about the grip the LANK crew had on the coaching staff. If even a hint of that is truth, benching JM wasn't an option. Think the OL looks bad when they're trying? Wait and see how bad they look with 2-3 of them start playing turnstile football.

It sucks, but this is what this team had to be if CKD was going to keep the basic team together. If it wasn't this, then we would have had even more emotional outbursts about losing 5+ games.

Give the man a couple of seasons, let him climb out form under he was left with and build his own thing.

You are probably right about that wrt to places other than Tidefans.

I can only speak for me...

If I knew he was benching him for the betterment of the team and cutting loose any other cancers with that move for the same reasons then I would have accepted any W/L record.

It is extremely offensive to me that players are calling the shots....entitled players at that who don't want to earn their spot but extort it through manipulation.

Then you have kids on the bench doing the right things and can't even sniff the field.

It's offensive.

 

[JDCrimson]

As much as I can appreciate all the success we had under CNS, I can't honestly see how he came to signing Milroe and hiring Doug Marrone. There had to be a massive amount of hubris or massive amount of neglect in these 2 program wrecking decisions.

 

[colbysullivan]

You are probably right about that wrt to places other than Tidefans.

I can only speak for me...

If I knew he was benching him for the betterment on the team and cutting loose any other cancers with that move for the same reasons then I would have accepted any W/L record.

It is extremely offensive to me that players are calling the shots....entitled players at that who don't want to earn there spot but extort it through manipulation.

Then you have kids on the bench doing the right things and can't even sniff the field.

It's offensive.

We need more Bray Hubbards. And frankly, all of college football could use more Ty Simpsons.

 

[colbysullivan]

As much as I can appreciate all the success we had under CNS, I can't honestly see how he came to signing Milroe and hiring Doug Marrone. There had to be a massive amount of hubris or massive amount of neglect in these 2 program wrecking decisions.

BOB brought Moron with him. As for signing Milroe, it was the cool thing to do at the time. Athletic QBs who can’t throw were all the rage then.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

We need more Bray Hubbards. And frankly, all of college football could use more Ty Simpsons.

Everything is backwards now and the wrong things are being rewarded and the right things are being punished.

I'm sure that most of us have had to fight and claw for everything we've earned in life and most of us have probably been in a situation or close to a situation where you saw co-workers fail upwards and/or manipulate others and bypass you or some other co-worker who were doing things the right way.

It's why it's mind blowing to me that there isn't more pushback to what's been going on with the team behind the scenes and on the field.

 

[81usaf92]

You are probably right about that wrt to places other than Tidefans.

I can only speak for me...

If I knew he was benching him for the betterment of the team and cutting loose any other cancers with that move for the same reasons then I would have accepted any W/L record.

It is extremely offensive to me that players are calling the shots....entitled players at that who don't want to earn there spot but extort it through manipulation.

Then you have kids on the bench doing the right things and can't even sniff the field.

It's offensive.

I think our best case after Saban retired was for Milroe to declare for the draft or transfer. Him coming back put CKD in a no win situation that pretty much forced him to ride Milroe.

 

[russtang]

To listen to the staff, Jalen played amazing all year and other people just let him down. I don’t think they actually believe that, because then I would have to accept that our coaching staff are wildly incompetent and not just a bunch of liars.

Exactly. All his comments and interviews are crap talk, or he's clueless.
If he would own either one I would respect him more.

I don't think a change in QB is going to solve all the other issues mentioned in this thread.

Something else while I'm still dogging CKD, with what we saw today with the staff not being prepared with the right cleats, I wonder what else in the program we don't see is in decline? Things like players eating the right diet, going to sleep on time, not attending workouts or rehab properly, attending class etc.
Makes me wonder.

 

[crimsonaudio]

You are probably right about that wrt to places other than Tidefans.

I can only speak for me...

If I knew he was benching him for the betterment of the team and cutting loose any other cancers with that move for the same reasons then I would have accepted any W/L record.

It is extremely offensive to me that players are calling the shots....entitled players at that who don't want to earn there spot but extort it through manipulation.

Then you have kids on the bench doing the right things and can't even sniff the field.

It's offensive.

I get that you don't like it. I don't either. I'd literally get fired for going 0-12 before I let my subordinates drive the bus, but that's one reason (among many, primarily ability) that I'm not a football coach.

Managing people is a truly underappreciated skill. And good managers are pretty rare. Modern coaches aren't the steel-fisted guys many of us grew up with - those guys can't remain employed - but rather the guys that figure out how to herd the giant group of cats we call a football team...