ESPN article - Saban and the Bama QB problem

[davefrat]

Everyone wants to make Nick old because he is in his early 70's which is laughable. I know lots of people in their 70s and there is no cognitive decline. Dude wants to coach and he is doing a heck of a job. Did he make a mistake? Probably. Did we have the #1 recruiting class last year? Yes. I don't really see the problem other than the fact that he is human and prone to make errors like we all are.

It's not like I said the man has dementia.

And it's not like it's out of the realm of humanity to suggest that someone in their 70's isn't as energetic or as razor sharp as they were in their 50's.

Aging is a reality.

It is what it is.

I'm sure everyone knows a 70 year old who is sharp as a tack...just as everyone knows a 70 year old who can't remember what they had for breakfast.

If anything is laughable is your contention that it's laughable for anyone to suggest that a man in his 70's may not be as sharp as he was in his 50's.

It's life...and it catches up to us the older we get.

And the program has been on a steady decline since 2020.

Nothing lasts forever.

 

[glorydays1990]

Need to lay off the sauce. He went 10-2 and lost the Sugar Bowl 21-7 to BayLOL in that vaunted season you keep referencing. I mean, the guy is in the top 25 as far as head coaches are concerned but his team's performances on the field are as inconsistent as his personality.

the Baylor game he lost this QB on the first possession

Again 4th best sec team in the league over the last 3 years. He’s been rather consistent but it’s clear you don’t view him the way I do which is fine

 

[CoolBreeze]

It's not like I said the man has dementia.

And it's not like it's out of the realm of humanity to suggest that someone in their 70's isn't as energetic or as razor sharp as they were in their 50's.

Aging is a reality.

It is what it is.

I'm sure everyone knows a 70 year old who is sharp as a tack...just as everyone knows a 70 year old who can't remember what they had for breakfast.

If anything is laughable is your contention that it's laughable for anyone to suggest that a man in his 70's may not be as sharp as he was in his 50's.

It's life...and it catches up to us the older we get.

And the program has been on a steady decline since 2020.

Nothing lasts forever.

Steady decline? No, I don't see that. And you better hope Nick stays around for a few more years if you are a Bama fan. Because when he is gone is when you are going to see a steady decline.

 

[AWRTR]

Really comparing Alabama football to Ole Miss.

The way to look at is like this:

Lane has used the transfer portal so well, he's taking a perinnall SEC doormat and made them into a consistant top 15 team and a NY6 bowl. He's taken that program to new heights. Thats with what has been rumored as one of the lowest NIL budgets of any team in the sec.

Lane has done more with less. He’s the anti jimbo. That guy is the best at doing less with more. I would be interested to see what Lane could do at a blue blood program.

 

[CoolBreeze]

the Baylor game he lost this QB on the first possession

Again 4th best sec team in the league over the last 3 years. He’s been rather consistent but it’s clear you don’t view him the way I do which is fine

That's cool. We can agree to disagree. Just opinions here. But 5-5, 10-3, 8-5 does not seem consistent to me. He is 3-0 this season after beating that powerhouse GA Tech last week so maybe he will have another 10 win season. I doubt it though.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Lane has done more with less. He’s the anti jimbo. That guy is the best at doing less with more. I would be interested to see what Lane could do at a blue blood program.

Yea, like USC.

 

[glorydays1990]

Since he’s grown up. Fair to say he was not ready for that job when he got it.

the post saban years is what I’d be judging him on moving forward. Much like I’d judge sark the same way

 

[AWRTR]

Yea, like USC.

He was in over his head at that point. I think he has matured some. He will never be the traditional coach, but it doesn’t mean he can’t be successful now. We all learn from our mistakes if we are smart.

 

[CoolBreeze]

Since he’s grown up. Fair to say he was not ready for that job when he got it.

the post saban years is what I’d be judging him on moving forward. Much like I’d judge sark the same way

Oh, ok. We'll see.

 

[CoolBreeze]

He was in over his head at that point. I think he has matured some. He will never be the traditional coach, but it doesn’t mean he can’t be successful now. We all learn from our mistakes if we are smart.

I am not against Lane, at all. Love the guy. But he still is not an elite head coach by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe if he keeps growing up he will mature into what some think he is now.

 

[glorydays1990]

That's cool. We can agree to disagree. Just opinions here. But 5-5, 10-3, 8-5 does not seem consistent to me. He is 3-0 this season after beating that powerhouse GA Tech last week so maybe he will have another 10 win season. I doubt it though.

he went on the road and beat a top 25 Tulane team. So it’s however you want to paint the picture.

having more sec wins than anyone not named Alabama LsU and Georgia over the last 3 seasons is a big feather is one’s hat. Especially when playing in the west.

but not going to beat it into the ground. I’m very impressed with the job he did here and the job he’s done as a HC since leaving here, especially at ole miss

 

[AWRTR]

I am not against Lane, at all. Love the guy. But he still is not an elite head coach by any stretch of the imagination. Maybe if he keeps growing up he will mature into what some think he is now.

I think he’s a lot closer than some realize. He walked into a train wreck at ole miss and has turned them into a competitive team. What could he do with more resources? He seems to be getting away from some of the wild analytic decisions. I understand why he was doing some of that in trying to overcome some of the disadvantages was facing against more talented teams. I admit I’m a fan of Lane. I watch ole miss every week. The only team I follow more is Bama. The job he has done there has been impressive. He’s done more than the right reverend freeze outside of beating Bama a couple of times.

 

[glorydays1990]

If and when saban walks out. My first choice is sark by a long shot. Second depending on the timing would be Dabo. Third would be kiffin.

I don’t think the guy following saban will be successful being a saban clone. And I think it’s important for it to be someone near or in the saban tree though

obviously timinig is everything but if someone told me that this was Sabans last season and we’d have kiffin has the coach for the next 5-10 years I’d take it and feel like we are in good hands

 

[AWRTR]

If and when saban walks out. My first choice is sark by a long shot. Second depending on the timing would be Dabo. Third would be kiffin.

I don’t think the guy following saban will be successful being a saban clone. And I think it’s important for it to be someone near or in the saban tree though

obviously timinig is everything but if someone told me that this was Sabans last season and we’d have kiffin has the coach for the next 5-10 years I’d take it and feel like we are in good hands

I’m with you on sark and kiffin. I’m out on Dabo. I just feel he’s lost his edge. Maybe he can get it back. I don’t think Sark will leave Texas.

 

[RTR2u]

In the end when we look back on this time I believe Alabama and Saban will be the last great college football Dynasty. Possibly the best ever for a time. But this is NOT college football any more and Saban is not well suited for this game. I don't see the enthusiasm in his voice any more. He's not chewing out reporters for stupid questions. He even apologized to one the other week. What world are we living in where Saban worries about reporters feelings. He's not going Nuclear on the sideline any more. It's like the gig is up and he's just sad.

I admit I've had this feeling, too.

 

[TS1926]

Best way I can describe this team is.....a house of cards.

We may come out and blow the doors off Ole Miss.....or them blow the doors off of us. I don't think there is an in between. However, that trip the A&M.....I don't know.

I expect Bama to win tomorrow and against State next week. The week after at A&M will be the moment where we learn if the wheels come off or if this squad can put together a run to the SECCG.

 

[jjv0004]

Young was here two years as our starter, so other teams have seen the cracks in the Alabama armor for several years. Now it appears those cracks now will be craters unless some major adjustments (on the fly) are made and players massively step up and improve.

View attachment 36897

I think anyone watching Alabama football over the last 2 years realized that Bryce Young rescued Bama time after time. If not for him, last year we lose 4-5 games and there is no way we are in the national championship game the year before.

 

[MikeInBama]

I'll just leave this here:

Tiny bit of cherry picking as we just did this before losing to Georgia in the title game:

 

[crimsonaudio]

Ahh, the old "failed to cover the spread" metric, which literally only matters to degenerates (gamblers and sportswriters, though I've known some non-degenerate gamblers...)

 

[MikeInBama]

Ahh, the old "failed to cover the spread" metric, which literally only matters to degenerates (gamblers and sportswriters, though I've known some non-degenerate gamblers...)

I don't care about the spread but the results on the field have been on a downward trend since 2020, especially since Jamo and Metchie went down.