Getting Ready for Spring Battles!

[tusks_n_raider]

To set up next year? As in this coming season or after? This is year 3 in NIL/portal year it should be a prove it year not set up for the next year again. Even pre NIL and portal year 3 is the prove it/show it year. He has his players, he has his QB that has been in the system what 4 years?

If the defense is as good or better than last year then the offense just needs to take a little step forward which should be easy since they are going from a historically bad o line.

Grubb isn’t helping himself saying o line guys won spots and now guys are moving again. Several starter types out on both lines so they wouldn’t know until fall anyway so confidence in Grubb isn’t growing.

Defense seems like they should be improved though, by how much idk.

I understand but this is almost like a full reset on Offense going into year 3

A completely new OL, a completely new QB, a most likely completely new RB1a and RB1b, and a most likely new WR1 and WR2

Everything would have to fall in line perfectly to be a legitimate NC contender.

I’d feel more optimistic after building some continuity for a year.

 

[BamaMoon]

I don’t think it’s a slam dunk either way.

We have no idea who is better until we see them with the 1’s vs real competitive SEC competition and the game is on the line.

Mack still has 2 years to play and Russell probably has 3-4 years.

The winner will most likely be our guy next year too.

This is my take building off of what Gary Harris said in the video about Mack probably being near his ceiling and Keelon having a lot of growth left. If they are even, by many accounts already this spring, I think Keelon is the "star to come."

 

[tusks_n_raider]

This is my take building off of what Gary Harris said in the video about Mack probably being near his ceiling and Keelon having a lot of growth left. If they are even, by many accounts already this spring, I think Keelon is the "star to come."

I understand but just me I want to see more from both with them really running the Offense vs real competition.

No offense to Gary Harris but I don’t even know who that is wrt being an SEC FB analyst or whoever he is.

If Gary Danielson for example had been at practices and scrimmages and had glowing praise and was comparing KR to Tua or Bryce or Jayden Daniels etc then I’d put more stock into that view.

Gary is a horses behind but he played QB and knows the position and knows SEC caliber play and what an SEC DC is going to throw at a Freshman.

 

[arthurdawg]

I don’t think it would be a death blow to the season to get both guys prepared.

Hurts and Barnett went into 2016 vs USCw

Barnett wet the bed and Hurts was unflappable and the rest is history.

If we had just given the job to Barnett and gave him all the reps that year could have been a disaster.

I’d rather keep both Mack and Russell locked in and competing.

The last thing I want to see is one guy check out then the other gets injured and then Jett Thomalla is your starter as a TF.

Then we’d be toast.

I was a bit surprised about how badly Barnett flopped. Didn't he get mad and transfer after four games?

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I was a bit surprised about how badly Barnett flopped. Didn't he get mad and transfer after four games?

That sounds right. He is only credited with 3 games in 2016.

He transferred to ASU for 2017 and then left there too and finished at USF.

His best year at USF I saw him play a few times and he was just average tbh.

 

[gtgilbert]

I see your point but I guess imo we are to a point playing to set up next year this season.

Either guy would literally have to be the next coming of Heisman seasons Cam Newton or Jayden Daniels for us to be a NC contender this year.

We have basically rebuilt the entire Offense and made position Coaching changes.

We again jmo need to get QB right this year to set up next year.

In the old world, I'd agree with a lot of this thought, but we have teams now going from last to first in a single year, and it's not like they're in another world on NIL. Lots of teams are 'rebuilding' every season and make a run.

CKD and Grubb better make a VERY serious run deep into the playoffs or the seats will be hotter than a tin roof at the beach in July.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

In the old world, I'd agree with a lot of this thought, but we have teams now going from last to first in a single year, and it's not like they're in another world on NIL. Lots of teams are 'rebuilding' every season and make a run.

CKD and Grubb better make a VERY serious run deep into the playoffs or the seats will be hotter than a tin roof at the beach in July.

I’d be a bit more ‘bull-ish’ about a deep run if it weren’t for the OL.

On one hand you would think there is no direction to go but to improve.

I think there will be an improvement and hopefully they will get better OL coaching.

I’m just not sure how much better they will be and if it will be enough to go far this season.

RB is a pretty big question mark too because we especially need the Running game to improve a LOT.

After a few games I might be more optimistic but with what we know now I think 10-2 and making the field would be a pretty good season.

We just can’t miss the Playoffs.

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I was a bit surprised about how badly Barnett flopped. Didn't he get mad and transfer after four games?

If I remember correctly we had 4 or 5 guys competing that year for the starting job. Hurts, Barnett, Bateman, Cornwell?, and I think there was a 5th I am forgetting.

 

[gtgilbert]

I’d be a bit more ‘bull-ish’ about a deep run if it weren’t for the OL.

On one hand you would think there is no direction to go but to improve.

I think there will be an improvement and hopefully they will get better OL coaching.

I’m just not sure how much better they will be and if it will be enough to go far this season.

RB is a pretty big question mark too because we especially need the Running game to improve a LOT.

After a few games I might be more optimistic but with what we know now I think 10-2 and making the field would be a pretty good season.

We just can’t miss the Playoffs.

We are having to rebuild quite a bit, so I get it, but other teams are rebuilding from a lower starting point and being very successful with that degree of roster turnover.

I don't like it, but it's the new world we are in and we have to adapt to it.

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Space balls! Movie is so stupid it's funny

The Princess Lei head-buns/headphones were hilarious!

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

I feel better that neither QB has clearly won the job at this point as it indicates that we solid talent at both the starter and backup positions!

No doubt the one that "sees" the open receivers the best will be the starter...

 

[arthurdawg]

If I remember correctly we had 4 or 5 guys competing that year for the starting job. Hurts, Barnett, Bateman, Cornwell?, and I think there was a 5th I am forgetting.

I think Alec Morris was around for spring but transferred for the year.

 

[AlexanderFan]

I guess he’s making up for all those press conferences where he didn’t say anything

 

[arthurdawg]

We seemed to have generally been righting the ship talent wise as much as we can. I do think we need to be more prepared to bring in a solid 15-20 journeyman a year and perhaps focus a bit less on high school, but we will see how it ends up.

Ultimately... I'm afraid we just got outbid on some guys last year that we did want. And it kinda looked bad with guys like Russaw and Smith left... Although, those two may be some of the ones that DeBoer is talkin' 'bout.

 

[PA Tide Fan]

Sounds like the 2nd scrimmage today was rather uneventful. Nobody really stood out. Neither QB had a good day.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Sounds like the 2nd scrimmage today was rather uneventful. Nobody really stood out. Neither QB had a good day.

Probably loosened the reins on the defense to see how the guys would react.

This year, more than most years, there has to be a running game. I don’t even think it has to be dynamic, just not going backwards. We’ve seen this staff put together an outstanding half against a great defense. With an efficient running game this staff can keep the defense off balance with the passing game.

 

[JDCrimson]

If you read the transcript of CKDs post practice press conference, he spews some high word salad. If you didnt know him you would think he didnt know anything about football. You can literally discern nothing from his interviews...

 

[AlexanderFan]

If you read the transcript of CKDs post practice press conference, he spews some high word salad. If you didnt know him you would think he didnt know anything about football. You can literally discern nothing from his interviews...

It’s infuriating, but he’s got the lid on spring practice it seems.

 

[BamaMoon]

If you read the transcript of CKDs post practice press conference, he spews some high word salad. If you didnt know him you would think he didnt know anything about football. You can literally discern nothing from his interviews...

This response is not directly responding to you JD, but this reputation is mostly due to the raw statements/communication CNS was noted to have in interviews. What we sometimes fail to remember is CNS was a unicorn in how he used the media to communicate to the players and fan base. NOBODY has ever been able to do what he did. Many have tried to mimic his style, but they always fall way short.

So CKD is rightly being true to himself. But I also think CKD has started to give us more. For instance, after Grubb surprisingly announced Jackson Loyd as already winning the starting role after about 3 practices, CKD pushed back to cautiously warn that no job is secure without continual improvement.

The complaining and comparison to CNS has reached unbelievable highs. For instance, on another site, someone yesterday complained about CKD not looking at Josh Pate directly in the eyes when he gave some of his answers to Pate's questions.

I think it was just as bad when Ray Perkins replaced Coach Bryant, but we didn't have 24 hour football boards and social media to make it so obvious.

IMO, what would have been the very worse thing Alabama could have done is hire a guy who tries to be like CNS, because there is no one like him.

 

[BamaMoon]

I love that the "vibe" coming out of practice yesterday was that the QBs didn't have a great day.

It obviously means the defense had a good day.

But we've continually heard how well both Mack and Russell are doing. Sounds like the staff said "Let's give them some difficulty to see how they deal with it!"

We know that's how you teach! You've got a fail before you really learn.