News Article: Alabama's "Way too Early Depth Chart"

[CrimsonTitles]

Then we’ll go over it a million more times until people understand you don’t let inmates run the asylum and that HCs bear responsibility for their decisions.

I would hold off on that. All signs are pointing to it actually being a good long term decision. The players saw what happens when they try to run things. All reports out of camp are that the attitudes are drastically different than last season. If anyone steps out of line, he can point to last season. All I'm saying is, don't underestimate the long game. It's easy to look now and say it's a bad decision, but give it a few years. I also don't think everyone would have the same tune if we had gone 4-8 because we got decimated by the portal even more than we did.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Beat ONE of the following teams:
OU or Vanderbilt

Very, very much within our control.

I think you misunderstand what I'm saying. Yes, it would have been very much in our control had we won more games. But what I'm saying, we should've made the playoffs with what we did do. The difference between qualifying and not with what we did do, was out of our control. Literally everyone would've been fine with 9-3 if Notre Dame were in a conference. We were #11. We should've been in.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I think you misunderstand what I'm saying. Yes, it would have been very much in our control had we won more games. But what I'm saying, we should've made the playoffs with what we did do. The difference between qualifying and not with what we did do, was out of our control. Literally everyone would've been fine with 9-3 if Notre Dame were in a conference. We were #11. We should've been in.

We absolutely were not a playoff team.

The committee got it right.

We got beat by a 6-5 Mich team consisting of as many 2nd and 3rd team players as 1st string.

Last years coaching was completely unacceptable.

 

[gtgilbert]

Beat ONE of the following teams:
OU or Vanderbilt

Very, very much within our control.

Especially with OU last season. They were not a good team. We totally crapped the bed against both the ones mentioned.

 

[gtgilbert]

I think you misunderstand what I'm saying. Yes, it would have been very much in our control had we won more games. But what I'm saying, we should've made the playoffs with what we did do. The difference between qualifying and not with what we did do, was out of our control. Literally everyone would've been fine with 9-3 if Notre Dame were in a conference. We were #11. We should've been in.

Even had we made the playoffs last year with our record, losing to Vandy and OU are really, really bad looks.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Especially with OU last season. They were not a good team. We totally crapped the bed against both the ones mentioned.

Then our first string players were beaten by Michigan's 2nd and 3rd string players in the bowl game. No, we were not a playoff team. The committee, as it pertains to us, got it right.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

We absolutely were not a playoff team.

The committee got it right.

We got beat by a 6-5 Mich team consisting of as many 2nd and 3rd team players as 1st string.

Last years coaching was completely unacceptable.

According to the top 12, we were a playoff team. Had Notre Dame been in a conference, we would've been in the playoff.
Had the committee not made the ridiculous choice to pick SMU over us, in spite of us having a better resume, we'd have also been. If SMU deserved to be in the playoff, then so did we. We actually did have to play some of the top 4 teams in our conference, unlike them. Our resume was far superior.

The teams we got beat by were either teams with great defenses, which is Milroe's kryptonite, and a triple option team, which is our defense's kryptonite. I was saying before the Michigan game that I didn't really expect to beat them, because it's all about matchups. Michigan did the same thing to him when Saban was here.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Even had we made the playoffs last year with our record, losing to Vandy and OU are really, really bad looks.

Why? Both teams made a bowl game. That is supposed to be the mark of whether or not you're a decent tesm. We more than made up for it by beating UGA

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Then our first string players were beaten by Michigan's 2nd and 3rd string players in the bowl game. No, we were not a playoff team. The committee, as it pertains to us, got it right.

They absolutely did not get it right. We had a better resume than SMU. And again, if Notre Dame were in a conference, we'd have qualified for the playoff. We were in the top 12. Saban would not have made the playoffs with last year's team, either, btw. He would've gone with Milroe too.

 

[gtgilbert]

Why? Both teams made a bowl game. That is supposed to be the mark of whether or not you're a decent tesm. We more than made up for it by beating UGA

We'll just have to disagree on that.

The only reason OU made a bowl game was us crapping the bad against them. If we play anywhere close to how a Bama team should play, they are sitting at home during bowl season. Their only other SEC win was the barn.

Vandy is Vandy. This shouldn't even need discussion.

losing to teams who are just barely bowl caliber isn't the trademark of a good team.

I would have traded the UGA win for playing how we should against Vandy and OU and cleaning their clocks. Then we might deserve the playoffs.

 

[CrimsonTitles]

We'll just have to disagree on that.

The only reason OU made a bowl game was us crapping the bad against them. If we play anywhere close to how a Bama team should play, they are sitting at home during bowl season. Their only other SEC win was the barn.

Vandy is Vandy. This shouldn't even need discussion.

losing to teams who are just barely bowl caliber isn't the trademark of a good team.

I would have traded the UGA win for playing how we should against Vandy and OU and cleaning their clocks. Then we might deserve the playoffs.

The Oklahoma game was all.Milroe. It was pretty predictable when you look at the teams he struggles against. I sorta saw that coming from a mile away, though I thought we'd win something like 10-7.

Why does it matter that it's Vandy? Are we saying we wouldn't even be okay with it if Vandy went 12-0? This is not your typical Vandy team, and I feel like if you change the logos, everyone would be more okay with it. I would not trade the UGA win for anything. To me, that is like beating Auburn, and even better because Georgia is actually good.

Would I have loved to make the playoffs? Absolutely. However, considering all the he challenges DeBoer had to deal with, I think it was a pretty solid season. I'd give him a B for last season, which is a very respectable grade.

 

[CrimSonami]

We've been over this a million times. He inherited an impossible situation at QB, and he had no choice but to commit to Milroe, lest he lose basically the entire roster. Not only that, we were one game away from the playoffs despite all the issues of last year's team. Some of y'all act like we went 6-6. We had a pretty solid season, including a great win over Geogia. Sure , we didn't make the playoffs, but there was zero chance we were winning the national championship with Milroe, so its not really that big of a deal. 9-3 is exactly what most of the fans expected, so I don't understand why everyone is so upset

Because of WHO we lost to HOW!

Edit:
And the fact we looked bad even in some of the wins.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

Fortunately, as we look to the future with "this depth Chart (Which is what the article is about) we won't have to worry about the past. It's a clean slate and with Grubb as OC I expect that we will be humming on offense!

 

[CrimsonTitles]

Because of WHO we lost to HOW!

Edit:
And the fact we looked bad even in some of the wins.

But we had big wins too, and every team we lost to was a decent team, at worst . I think people get too caught up in losses, not realizing that the SEC was as strong as its ever been, top to bottom, and maybe the strongest it's ever been, top to bottom. Maybe its just a matter of personal perspective, but I put more weight into good wins, than I do, so-called bad losses. Bad days happem. What's more important to me is that we beat one of the best teams in the country. Our worst loss was still better than the worst losses of the teams that were next to us in the CFP rankings.

 

[TiderJack]

This is the depth chart thread, not the recap of last year thread. I like our depth at every position except for OT. If we stay healthy we are OK but could suffer if Proctor or Formby gets hurt.

 

[gtgilbert]

This is the depth chart thread, not the recap of last year thread. I like our depth at every position except for OT. If we stay healthy we are OK but could suffer if Proctor or Formby gets hurt.

I feel just about the same way about DT. Our two starters should be fine, but behind them we don't have anyone who has played meaningful downs yet. One could be the next Quinnen Williams for all we know, but since we don't really have any idea, it's a concern (at least to me).

 

[PA Tide Fan]

That's quite the trio of receivers. I think when JessN previews our games each week in 2025 it will read Wide Receivers : Advantage Alabama

 

[some_al_fan]

On paper, we might have the best WRs since Waddle / Smith, since Ryan Williams has the potential to be a top 10 pick in 2027 draft,, and Bernard could be a 2nd round pick or higher in 2026.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

That's a little soon to say. He gets a complete pass for year 1, due to who the QB was, and the fact that we didn't even install DeBoer's offense. If we fire him after 2 years, then we are probably heading for a decade plus of mediocrity, because it will mean we have impossible expectations. DeBoer is clearly the guy, but he needs time to build the program in his image. He should have at least 3 years before we start talking about that. If he goes 6-6 then maybe, but we would be nuts to fire him if he went 9-3 again, especially when we will likely have the toughest schedule In football once more

I don't know that he would be fired if he went 9-3 and missed the playoffs but missing the playoffs for a 2nd time would make his seat very hot for year 3.

I also think context would matter. If our defense is near elite or elite again but our offense sputters or more specifically our QB struggles then the seat would be even hotter.

All that said I have a lot of faith that we make the playoffs. I like our DC and defensive personnel and I'm hopeful we'll get much better and consistent QB play.

 

[teamplayer]

For me improvement might not be in the W-L record, although I definitely don't wanna regress, as much as not losing the games we're supposed to win. That REALLY BAD loss to OU still stings, even more than the Vandy loss. Establishing offensive consistency, as we all know, should yield a better overall record and I'm always disappointed with a loss but I'm not expecting an undefeated season in this league either.

I agree. We still have a brutal schedule. We can be a good team and go 8-4 or 9-3 easily with our schedule. I am hopeful when I think we can get to 10-2 and contend for championships, but it will not be easy.