The running game... or lack thereof

[gtgilbert]

Outside of our center, our line plan is below average. We really dont have the personnel that CKD needs. Think about it nearly every player on the depth chart on the OL was recruited by Saban during his go big or go home recruiting movement.

even the center isnt that great. very sound technique so he doesn't get blown up or back that much, but he also doesn't actually move people out of the way often either.

 

[arthurdawg]

I have to believe our OL issues are coaching we have not had a really good OL in several years. And we do need to recruit lean strong OL i stead of overweight guys who can't move fast enough on their feet

OL takes longer to develop, so I think we will see changes going forward. We are still depending on massive Saban OL recruits and have filled in with a few portal guys. Brailsford is the best we have, but is also small for an SEC center. We have some pretty good looking younger guys on team already.

 

[SeventhHeavenRanch7777@gm]

OL takes longer to develop, so I think we will see changes going forward. We are still depending on massive Saban OL recruits and have filled in with a few portal guys. Brailsford is the best we have, but is also small for an SEC center. We have some pretty good looking younger guys on team already.

OL takes longer to develop, so I think we will see changes going forward. We are still depending on massive Saban OL recruits and have filled in with a few portal guys. Brailsford is the best we have, but is also small for an SEC center. We have some pretty good looking younger guys on team already.

I hope your right. Procter is just too slow and We just really need lean muscular strong guys that are quick on their feet. But I hope your right. ROLL TIDE

 

[jashleyren2]

Bama won without running the ball.

Again.

At some point you recognize this isn't 1995 anymore...

Difference back then was, defense still did win championships. Even Spurrier's high flying offenses back then had defenses that would shut down almost everyone else on the schedule, probably because those opponents were also trying to play "3 yards and a cloud of dust". Hard to compare the game in 1995 with today. They resemble one another in almost zero ways.

I actually like the super small ball passing attack, and I wondered why they didn't utilize it as much on Saturday, until we were down. We kept trying long balls, and we were just badly off. Even to open receivers. When we had that drive trailing by 8, we went back to picking the defense apart with less than 10 yard throws, all over the field. SC had no answer for it. No one we've played has been able to beat it.

I think that method is effectively a "running game" now.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

our best rusher the past 2 games has been a receiver.

 

[colbysullivan]

our best rusher the past 2 games has been a receiver.

Whatever works...

 

[Ledsteplin]

Former Bama RB Justice Haynes, at Michigan, is listed 9th in the Heisman race. I do not think it's our running backs with the problems. And maybe not the OL players. Maybe we need a new OL coach. Whatever they are doing is not working.

 

[colbysullivan]

Former Bama RB Justice Haynes, at Michigan, is listed 9th in the Heisman race. I do not think it's our running backs with the problems. And maybe not the OL players. Maybe we need a new OL coach. Whatever they are doing is not working.

Our OL has been declining since 2020. It's frustrating for sure.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I think we all agree that the OL isn't performing to standard in either run blocking or pass protection.

In order to fix the problem, you have to know what the problem is. So my question is, "Why isn't our OL performing to standard?"

Based on recruiting rankings, we have talent. So were they overrated coming out of HS? Or have we not developed them? Or is it an S&C problem? Is it a coaching problem?

I don't know the answer. But I know we haven't had a truly reliable OL for a while.

 

[KrAzY3]

Whatever works...

It hasn't, not really (specifically talking about the running game).

I will reiterate I think they are trying to address the problem, but I'm not sure they can without bringing in new coaches to specifically address it. DeBoer/Grubb have had multiple years with a receiver as their second leading rusher. That's problematic in the SEC.

Some people want to blame things on the players, but it's not. Not for the most part, it's just the system, it's how it looked at Fresno. St, it's how it looked at Washington. Justice Haynes has 857 yards, 10 rushing TDs (more than Alabama as a team) , 7.1 YPC and that's with one missed game. Yet this system under-utilized him while letting Milroe try to take over games.

Now, the counter is this is working, it's fine, don't worry. Does anyone think the offense was fine against FSU? The offense was identical against South Carolina, I've literally never seen two box scores so similar. One yard passing difference, one completion difference, same pass attempts, .1 YPC difference, about 10 yards rushing difference. It was the same performance. So if that's what you want then cool, but I think most people had a problem with it after the FSU game.

I think the solution is just to tweak the system, bring in someone that has more expertise in establishing a strong running game and run blocking and then you have the potential for a truly explosive offense, not one that has to hand off to a WR to try to stay in a game. I do expect something to be done though, this offseason they brought in Grubb, which I think was an improvement over Sheridan, but the next point of emphasis is likely trying to make an SEC caliber run game.

 

[colbysullivan]

It hasn't, not really (specifically talking about the running game).

I will reiterate I think they are trying to address the problem, but I'm not sure they can without bringing in new coaches to specifically address it. DeBoer/Grubb have had multiple years with a receiver as their second leading rusher. That's problematic in the SEC.

Some people want to blame things on the players, but it's not. Not for the most part, it's just the system, it's how it looked at Fresno. St, it's how it looked at Washington. Justice Haynes has 857 yards, 10 rushing TDs (more than Alabama as a team) , 7.1 YPC and that's with one missed game. Yet this system under-utilized him while letting Milroe try to take over games.

Now, the counter is this is working, it's fine, don't worry. Does anyone think the offense was fine against FSU? Does anyone think that was winning football? The offense was identical against South Carolina, I've literally never seen two box scores so similar. One yard passing difference, one completion difference, same pass attempts, .1 YPC difference, about 10 yards rushing difference. It was the same performance. So if that's what you want then cool, but I think most people had a problem with it after the FSU game.

I think the solution is just to tweak the system, bring in someone that has more expertise in establishing a strong running game and run blocking and then you have the potential for a truly explosive offense, not one that has to hand off to a WR to try to stay in a game.

I just meant that we keep winning...

 

[STONECOLDSABAN]

It hasn't, not really (specifically talking about the running game).

I will reiterate I think they are trying to address the problem, but I'm not sure they can without bringing in new coaches to specifically address it. DeBoer/Grubb have had multiple years with a receiver as their second leading rusher. That's problematic in the SEC.

Some people want to blame things on the players, but it's not. Not for the most part, it's just the system, it's how it looked at Fresno. St, it's how it looked at Washington. Justice Haynes has 857 yards, 10 rushing TDs (more than Alabama as a team) , 7.1 YPC and that's with one missed game. Yet this system under-utilized him while letting Milroe try to take over games.

Now, the counter is this is working, it's fine, don't worry. Does anyone think the offense was fine against FSU? The offense was identical against South Carolina, I've literally never seen two box scores so similar. One yard passing difference, one completion difference, same pass attempts, .1 YPC difference, about 10 yards rushing difference. It was the same performance. So if that's what you want then cool, but I think most people had a problem with it after the FSU game.

I think the solution is just to tweak the system, bring in someone that has more expertise in establishing a strong running game and run blocking and then you have the potential for a truly explosive offense, not one that has to hand off to a WR to try to stay in a game. I do expect something to be done though, this offseason they brought in Grubb, which I think was an improvement over Sheridan, but the next point of emphasis is likely trying to make an SEC caliber run game.

I don’t disagree.
We are a really weird team this year. It’s like we have these flaws but we are also insanely good at critical moments in a game. I don’t even really know how to describe it.

 

[BamaMoon]

Our offense, to me, needs to rely on our biggest talents, our starting four wide receivers, Brooks, Horton, Germie, and Ryan, plus our tight end Cuevas and QBTY Simpson. Our running game looks honestly to me to be our short passing game, by design. Simple truth we don't have a Derrick Henry or the like and our O-Line is better at pass protection rather than run blocking, that simple. So you adjust accordingly. Brooks was out Saturday and that made a huge difference. He's a Waddle type. Horton was also injured in the first Half and never returned. Those two injuries truly hurt us. But we overcame and found a way to win. I like this team a lot.They just keep on plugging and at the end of the season I think we'll all be happy. RTR!

Wait, are you back disguised as "2?"

FWIW, I agree 100%. Dance with who brought you. We are a passing team. Good QB and WRs. RBs aren't bad on screens and in the open field. Use them that way instead of up the middle.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

our best rusher the past 2 games has been a receiver.

That’s true…lol

Daniel Hill looks encouraging but also some of his best runs have been receptions so you’re still right.

 

[colbysullivan]

That’s true…lol

Daniel Hill looks encouraging but also some of his best runs have been receptions so you’re still right.

Just adds to the weirdness of this team lol

 

[BamaMoon]

That’s true…lol

Daniel Hill looks encouraging but also some of his best runs have been receptions so you’re still right.

I think we are underusing our screen game, especially in non-obvious times. We wait and use it on 2nd and 3rd and long. It's been very close to clicking even in those cases, but I wish we'd sprinkle it in on 1st down more often. I think it could really soften the pass rush if we did that more often.

Get D Hill in the open with it. And this is when our smaller back would be best used.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I think we are underusing our screen game, especially in non-obvious times. We wait and use it on 2nd and 3rd and long. It's been very close to clicking even in those cases, but I wish we'd sprinkle it in on 1st down more often. I think it could really soften the pass rush if we did that more often.

Get D Hill in the open with it. And this is when our smaller back would be best used.

1st down would probably be a good call.

I wish we’d mix up the type of screens too.

Defenses are now all over the Conventional Screen and they are getting hands up and batting Ty’s passes away on it.

We might be tipping off the play now because they are blowing it up routinely now.

We have better success with Bubble screens and usually get 5-10 yards on those.

I wish we’d get some Jailbreak Screens to Brooks or Horton or Crack Screens to Hill or Dear at RB. We must be redshirting Dear but that kid can fly too.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

OL takes longer to develop, so I think we will see changes going forward. We are still depending on massive Saban OL recruits and have filled in with a few portal guys. Brailsford is the best we have, but is also small for an SEC center. We have some pretty good looking younger guys on team already.

Carroll is going to be a good one. Though he's making freshman mistakes he is also making upper level play as well. You can see the potential written all over him. He actually held up pretty well against all those speed rushes USCe did. He got burnt a few times but again, he's a freshman. He shouldn't even be out there but he's done so well he's forced his way onto the field.

 

[arthurdawg]

Carroll is going to be a good one. Though he's making freshman mistakes he is also making upper level play as well. You can see the potential written all over him. He actually held up pretty well against all those speed rushes USCe did. He got burnt a few times but again, he's a freshman. He shouldn't even be out there but he's done so well he's forced his way onto the field.

Exactly... I've heard very good things about Lloyd as well. And we have a number of interior players, since we lose a bevy of them.

I can't figure out the running game. Coaching, system, OL, RBs, TEs, all the different pieces are seemingly not atrocious even if not great, but we look awful. I mean, I can see not looking like a 2009 Nick Saban squad, but we are limiting ourselves with such low productivity. I do think we flat our need more talent at RB. And the system has way too many power runs in the interior that go no where.

 

[KrAzY3]

I don’t disagree.
We are a really weird team this year. It’s like we have these flaws but we are also insanely good at critical moments in a game. I don’t even really know how to describe it.

I've said some critical things about DeBoer in his time here, but I have to make this part crystal clear. That is DeBoer, and it's the good and bad. That's just what his teams do, at least when they have elite QB play like Penix or Ty.

Following Washington in 2023 was infuriating as an Alabama fan that wanted them to lose. I don't even feel like the final scores do it justice (8 one score games), because there was a stretch there of literally 10 games where it felt like Washington could lose them all!

It's not hyperbole though, they actually won 10 games in a row by 10 points or less, 5 in a row by a single score. That is nuts, but they kept on winning those games somehow. It was a mixture of under-performing (though not in all cases, that included two games against Oregon and one against Texas for example) and just coming through in big moments.

It's also the reason I really hope for the development of a running game. I think that would solve the problem that occurs when the passing game is a little off, and then those really close games can become 14 point wins instead. But, there's no doubt that DeBoer knows how to win close games and how to beat tough opponents.

I saw a stat that said Saban was 30-20 in one score games at Alabama. I honestly find that hard to believe (his winning percentages in most stats are usually so good), but it demonstrates that Saban didn't let many teams get close (and almost all his losses were by a single score). When they did, they had a fighting chance. At the FBS level, DeBoer is 21-7. With Penix and Ty that goes up to 15-2.