Bama Game Thread: Official Postgame Thread - Bama @ Vandy...

[TexasBama]

I dont think its necessarily the 4-2-5 alignment that is the problem but there is something wrong with its operation against the run right now. I do know that in that alignment if your 2 LBs fill the wrong gap you easily have a 6-8yd run.

We really didnt have much trouble stopping UGAs run they had to abandon it because they were behind. I think our plan is to make teams abandon their run offense with our own offense. If we cant do that we are in trouble. 3rd and 4th down defense is a definite problem now that needs diagnosing which probably means we are giving up too many yards on the ground on 1st and 2nd down.

I think schematically some base alignments are better against the option than others. I remeber Ga Southern gashing Saban with the wishbone several years ago, but we finally adjusted (iirc we started mirroring).

 

[DanoCanuck]

To go from the highest of highs (last week) to the lowest of lows is not something we've had to deal with often. Especially when the lowest is a team like Vanderbilt. I know Saban lost to some low ranked teams early but that team was in disarray. CKD had a championship caliber team handed to him and we get this putrid performance, inexcusably putrid. One of the worst looking Bama games I’ve witnessed, a complete failure of the eye test. I don’t know the game enough to point out our failures but overall the team looks completely undisciplined and that was carried over from last week. CKD has a different style but it appears we have some inflated ego’s among the players AND coaches. I listened to all the media last week, the interviews and accolades being poured over everyone and they all gladly accepted it. Maybe it’s an easy trap but it’s obvious now they were reading their own headlines instead of working because there is ZERO EXCUSE for what was witnessed yesterday. This is an early gut check for CKD but its one he must overcome or his tenure here will be very short.

 

[bamaga]

by personnel, yes it was a 3-3-5 under saban, but by alignment it was a 4-2-5 as a vast, vast majority of the time the OLB (Jack or Sam, didn't really matter) was up on the LOS - sometimes in a 3 point, but very, very often in a 2 point.

The same is true now, honestly. The WOLF is an OLB so it's technically a 3-3-5 personnel set, but it's aligned most often as a 4-2-5 with the OLB up in the line just like he used to. Nothing there has really changed. The grouping and the alignment are essentially the same as they used to be.

You are 100% correct in that it's very different from an assignment and gap control standpoint. That philosophy is independent of the alignment or grouping though and that's kinda the point. It's not the alignment being a 4-2 that is causing the issues, it's the philosophy of gap control and assignments. Womack is a 1 gap, attack the LOS guy. In theory it can create more pressure and disruption, but the downside is if any given dude gets beat in his gap and the play goes there, it's a problem. Saban was a 2 gap guy - less pressure maybe, but also has more redundancy and LBs able to run free a bit more.

Yes good explanation, and I totally agree, they both played with a true 2 DL set a lot with JACK basically playing DE. My last statement was more on CKW‘s 4-2-5. I don’t understand some of the concepts, assignments. Realistically, with todays lighter, stronger , faster edge guys , most 3-4 base teams now line up in a 2-4-5 personnel grouping. We did that for years, same with the 4-2-5.

 

[Bama Lee]

Yes good explanation, and I totally agree, they both played with a true 2 DL set a lot with JACK basically playing DE. My last statement was more on CKW‘s 4-2-5. I don’t understand some of the concepts, assignments. Realistically, with todays lighter, stronger , faster edge guys , most 3-4 base teams now line up in a 2-4-5 personnel grouping. We did that for years, same with the 4-2-5.

I don’t think the edge guys were the issue. It was the safties and MLBs not upholding their areas of responsibilities

 

[bamaga]

I don’t think the edge guys were the issue. It was the safties and MLBs not upholding their areas of responsibilities

I don‘t think they are either. One of the few bright spots was QRob.

 

[RammerJammer14]

I think schematically some base alignments are better against the option than others. I remeber Ga Southern gashing Saban with the wishbone several years ago, but we finally adjusted (iirc we started mirroring).

We were also never in danger of losing that game. We were just surprised how many points GaSouthern was able to score. We led the entire game by 2 scores.

 

[Tideflyer]

Then threw a temper tantrum.

I get that he’s mad but accepting a loss gracefully is not a bad character trait.

Are those little “ C” emblems that stand for “ Captain “ on the jerseys removable?

 

[Superdad]

Are those little “ C” emblems that stand for “ Captain “ on the jerseys removable?

Yes! Please take off those C's. Next thing you know they'll be putting little elephant stickers on the helmets for a big play.

 

[statgrad96]

Just an observation on the past 6 quarters of defense.

What is strange about the shortcomings of the defense is how things have played out. What tells me that there is a schematic issue is that we seem to be just fine on 1st and 2nd down. The fact that Vanderbilt had 18 3rd downs and that UGA converted 7 4th downs means that we got them to that point. The concerning thing is why we can't seem to make the play on a drive-stopping situation.

I know that the line of thinking yesterday was that due to the option offense Vandy was using that they were in a bunch of 3rd and shorts, but that really wasn't the case. I seem to remember them converting like a 3rd and 8, followed by another 3rd and 8, followed by a 3rd and 9. For some reason, we seem to play more reactive on 3/4 downs than proactive. I'm not sure why that is, but we really made some good plays on 1/2 downs, just to throw them away with poor play on 3rd. Better football minds than mine can figure out why that is, but it is a pattern.

Also, I can't remember a game since playing Aaron Hernandez where the shovel pass hurt us so badly.

 

[TideEngineer08]

0, 11 don’t have that Alpha in them.

I’m way behind on this thread and I will try to catch up. But this program has not had what I would define as an alpha since 2020.