Air Bama....or Power running game?

[Crimson Hawk]

There's a strong debate going on in another thread that has touched on this subject, but I thought I'd start a new one in order to more thoroughly explore it.

Traditionally, we've been a power running team through the years, and, have been undeniably successful with it. Although there have been attempts to "convert" us to more of an air attack, they have largely been unsuccessful.

What do most of you favor? Air Bama....bust 'em Bama....or something more balanced? I think if you get too far from your roots, you run the risk of losing your identity, and that can be disastrous. So which is it? Traditional.....Progressive....or what?

 

[davefrat]

shula clearly wants a balanced attack...and that's great...most of the time. the balanced attack is very much a necessity in the pros, where you will rarely find a team that can run essentially the same plays all day long and beat a professional defense. it's all about keeping the defense guessing and on their heels...a necessity in the pros.

a balanced attack can be totally uncontrollable in college, confusing and ravaging the very best defenses. but at the same time, there are times in the college game where it's best to continue running the same thing over and over against an opposing defense. think of the great nebraska teams of the nineties. they could (and basically did) walk up to the line of scrimmage and tell the other team, "okay boys, we're running the triple option to the right...now see if you can stop it!" as most remember, they ran that offense at will against almost everyone almost all the time.

my point is, i'm all for the balanced attack. but when you're running or throwing the ball at will in a college game, keep going to the well until they stop you.

i think one of the many areas in which shula is getting an education is that the college game can often be played at a much less chess-like intellectual level than pro ball. that's no slight against him, it's just a different game in that respect.

but i think usc shows you just how awesomely unstoppable a truly balanced offense can be in the college game. if shula can match that, then it'll be katie bar the door for our O in years to come.

 

[jdpas29]

i am a proponent of the option offense for college teams. being able to pass is all fine and good, but a dependable rushing attack that wears opposing defenses down is, in my opinion, far more valuable. Recruiting QBs that can do both is the name of the game.

what Urban meyer has done with his QBs i guess would be a good example of what i think the future of college football is. having a team that is confident in several different styles of play and confident that they have a QB who can command the offense.

how does it makes sense to limit the diversity in your playbook? especially when your level of talent is not completely dominant... which is the case now at BAMA.

 

[bamahuey1]

For the sake of argument it would have been interesting to see how Bama would have looked if Mike Price hadn't taken that trip down to Florida. Given the personnel we've had the past couple of years I don't think he would have been very successful so it would have been interesting to see if he would have changed his offensive philosophy or not. I think a high-powered passing attack and a grind-em-out running can both be successful. IMO a passing, high-octane offense is more fun for the fans to watch and if given the proper personnel can be extremely successful. Remember back to '89 under Homer Smith and Gary Hollingsworth. I believe we led the SEC in scoring that year. How many times has Bama done that since then? However, one can't argue with the results put up under Coach Stallings even if we did complain about winning ugly (what I wouldn't give to be debating that right now). Personally, from a selfish standpoint I wish we would open the offense up more. The national media love the high scoring offenses. Look at all the love Texas Tech is getting right now. Not to mention Louisville and Boise State. Of course it all comes down to wins, and if we were to win championships by scoring 37 points a game or 7 points that would be fine with me. Just my $0.02.

 

[Reddog]

I for one

believe Bama could attract the players necessary to run a wide open, score quick offense. I would love to see us beat teams by 45 points. The way the meadia does love that, eventually it will go that way. Why wait ? I also loved it under Stallings, but do wish we were lining up in a 4 wide set with no backs and throwing on the third step. Just for the excitement of it all.

RTR

 

[BigTex]

Dont care as long as we win !

 

[Tide&True]

I do agree...

that you need a good running game but I think defenses can stop the run if that's all you've got. In this day and age you need both running and passing to some degree. I prefer the run to set up the pass. Running takes time off the clock and keeps your defense from getting so tired late in the game. Also, the high octane offenses can score quickly but it means their defense is on the field longer.

Best case scenario is a primary running attack balanced with strategic air strikes. You just can't go wrong with that....say 60/40 run to pass.

 

[rtrcam]

USC was "student body right" for several years. Tailback U.

Yet, today they throw and run the ball with a great deal of success. It's possible at BAMA too.

 

[runtheoption22]

to keep it short and simple, if we are winning football games, we'll have at least a 4:3 run to pass ratio.

 

[trenda]

Balance is a very good thing. Being good at both helps in time of need -- ie, it's raining and the passing game isn't clicking or if you fall behind and need to pass to catch up.

I think it's also important to be flexible enough to play to your strengths, whatever they may be.

 

[THE BAMA IRISHMAN]

Pass to set up the run?

In my last year at coaching in the Navy (Fleet Competition) I came across some wonderful players. The previous years I had used the run to set up the pass. At the end of the season the yards were about 50/50 running and passing. Before I left we had won the Fleet Title four out of six years using the old run and pass offense (nothing wrong with that).

But I had two young men show up for try-outs and I was blown away with their ability to play. DJ and LJ as they were called. LJ could fly and pass while DJ was the best receiver I have ever coached. So that year (my last) I changed the offense to where the pass set up the run. We scored 1.5 times more TD's than any other year I had coached. The defenses were so tired in the forth quarter that our offense was running at will. That year I look at the final stats and was amazed to find we had rushed for more yards than passing. 1693 yards passing 17 TD's and 1957 rushing 16 TD's. It was in the forth quarter half of our rushing yards were logged (161 yd average in the 4th). Our defense was the three and out champs that season. The Passing game will kill a defense especially if that team has a great rushing attack to keep defenses honest. The key to any passing game is to use the TE as much as possible. That season the TE's were responsible for 1/3 of all our first downs in third down situations.

Yes we won the Captain's Cup that year 11 - 0. That was the first year we had beat the Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard teams plus six fleet teams. Our Championship game was over the Marine Corps. Their only loss was to us during the season. That game LJ passed for 202 yards and rushed for 249 yards (himself). The final score was 38 - 7 and the only time we were scored on all season. So forget offense, because if you have the best defense and no one scores? The Defense was so upset after the game some did not even celebrate. Yes that was the pride and dedication of a wonderful Defense. Do not sale the Marines short they earned that TD the hard way. They (The Marine Corps) fought tooth and nail as not to be shut out by the Navy twice in the same year. 66 Navy 7 Marine Corps in two games. After I transferred (PCS) to a new duty station that group, that year, are still talked about today in the Military. For me that was a once in a life time dream come true. I was so proud with the reaction of the defense I can not put it in words. After the Marines scored in the second quarter - it was lights out the rest of that game. The Marines mustered 5 plus yards the rest of the way. Great Offenses do not win Championships, DEFENSES do. Look at Texas Tech, Purdue, and others who pass the lights out but their defense is so so. Either way you approach the game on Offense you had better have a great defense. Lets hear it for the Navy SeaWolves - 1987 Fleet Champions - God how I miss those guys. The Plaque and Trophy went to different teams but for a while it belong to the Navy SeaWolves. In 1990 the Military cancelled contact football completely. Saddest day of my life sports wise. They now play flag football. Yeah? Special thanks to Admiral D. Katz for his support in those years. Vice Admiral Douglas Katz was a receiver in the 60's for Navy and was Back up QB to Roger Starbach (Navy's last Heisman Trophy Winner).

 

[jthomas666]

I'd prefer a balanced attack, with a slight lean towards the run. The main thing is that regardless of what kind of plays we run, we show a little variety. Last year injuries dramatically shrank the playbook. Hell, I'd love to see a few option plays. When Tyler Watts and Andrew Watts were splitting time against MSU, Zow walked into the endzone on an option because it was an article of faith that Zow would not, ever, EVER, keep the ball on an option. The entire MSU D, including the waterboy, collapsed on the pitch man, and Zow just shrugged and wandered in from about 20 yards out.

With the OL situation, early on I'd expect something along the lines of a west coast attack, with quick short passes opening up the running game and the long ball. That might make it a little easier for the OL to establish themselves.

 

[MississippiTider]

Thanks for the story Irish, I enjoyed reading it!!

 

[TIDEFAN17]

Listen. I dont care if the offense is balance, running attack, or passing. You when championships with defense hands down! Offense fills the stands but the defense wins the games. Seriously though, my idea of a successful offense is one that can maintain good field position, control the clock, and identify the defenses weakness. If you do those three things, I don't care what style of offense you have. You will win!

 

[SaintDeuce]

Bama's offense is balanced. Our coaches WANT balance very badly, but the thing about our offense is, there is absolutely NOTHING innovative about it.

Maybe this is a good thing to minimize the on-field thinking that must take place for the players, but our passing game is by no means revolutionary, with mostly 2 WRs and a TE with a FB and a RB in the I-Formation. This our BASE Set. The I-Formation. We saw this set last year and the previous year more than any other set. You can do a lot out of this set, but it's also been predictable. We run the ball straight up the gut or run the counter play for running plays. On passing plays we play action pass and dump it off to Castille or throw to one of the two WRs on slants, outs, basic passing routes.

Bama never, ever, ever, EVER goes to the shotgun unless it's 3rd Down, yet another predictable part of this basic I-Offense we are running. We have 3 WRs on the field some of the time, and RARELY ever have 4.

In order for an offense to be successful you have to run the ball, but for an offense to be in that top 15-20 area you have to be able to pass.

This seems like a very basic formula that could be easily perfected with the type of players we have. However, this "balanced" approach is something Bama fans have been calling for for years. Every year we wonder if Bama will "open it up" and throw a little more. Every year Bama averages 175-195 ypg passing, 185-215 ypg rushing, and 25-27 points offensively.

Auburn had a *perfect* offense last year. They hired an offensive coordinator with an innovative, progressive mind about offense. Every week they showed something different. Every week they put up a ton of points. They were successful running the majority of the time and coming up with efficient 8-15 yard passing routes as well as deep balls in the 40-60 range. Obviously, they had a TON of talent on that team, and that was a large part of their success. However, it's a fact that they came up with something new EVERY week. If you watched them they would have something tricky that would take the defense a-back.

Will Alabama show this same progressive approach with the offense this year? I think it will be very interesting, with a senior qb capable of throwing the ball and fairly talented WRs, to see if Alabama's offensive staff can actually conjure up a successful passing season and offensive season overall. However, I like many Bama fans, am very skeptical about our offense and it's ability to show something unique and different that we haven't seen before. Sure, we might have the "have a few plays, but run those few plays great" method, but will that get you more than 27 points per game in a season? Probably not. I hope Rader and co. come up with something this year, because let's face it, even with a young offensive line, much IS expected of this offense this year, like it or not.

 

[mlh]

If I was coaching...now that's a scary thought :eek2: ...I'd put in a base offense that was balanced and could do either as needed. However, I'd lean toward passing or running depending on the talent I had in the huddle. This year, with Brodie and our very dangerous WRs, I'd be leaning toward using the pass to set up the run. A few years ago with Watts at QB I would've done just what fRan did and use the run to set up the pass, with most of the passes being play-action off a run fake. Next year, with an inexperience QB in the huddle I'd probably go back to more emphasis on running the ball. But it all depends on the talent. You've got to be able to make adjustments in your schemes to match your talent.

 

[bama mike 21560]

football

we need a strong running game that can bloody the noses of the other team,so at the end of the season they can say bama was the toughest team they played. it keeps the defence off the field. throw in some timely passes and a deep ball after youve drawn them in to stop the run. you got to bury them with the run in the 4qtr .demoralize and totaly defeat the opponent physically and mentally. the fight song dosent say "bamas punkin grin" for nuthin!rtr

 

[runtheoption22]

the fight song dosent say "bamas punkin grin" for nuthin!rtr

ok, that's wrong on so many different levels!

 

[LP-HSV]

ok, that's wrong on so many different levels!

Joke gone awry? hopefully...

 

[jdpas29]

how could a name be "writ in Crimson Flame" by a punkin' grin?

tee hee!!!