Opposing coaches break down College Football Playoff field: Clemson and Alabama

[deltatider]

Wrong - your run game has not struggled once this year. Look at the stats.

ETA - sorry, that's not true. You struggled to run against LSU - but they put 8 men in the box to do it and paid the price in the passing game. No team has stopped your run game with a normal defensive alignment, and Clemson does not stack the box like LSU did. If they do, Jalen will beat them the same way he beat LSU because LSU has better players in their secondary.

I admittedly have not dug into the stats and I want to agree with you, but I still worry about this aspect of our team and particularly in this game. Now I am not saying, like some seem to indicate, that our line is just a dead fish against the better teams but I just don't see the same results against the better dlines. Now I do agree wholeheartedly with you that with 8 in the box that we shouldn't expect overwhelming results, but that scenario should open up the passing game which in turn should take pressure off the oline as a result. I wish we could take advantage of that more. But either way, against Clemson's dline I do not trust that we will run the ball consistently enough. While I'm not saying I don't trust it, I'm not saying it can't happen; I'm just saying I don't get the warm and fuzzies. And it could be an issue with some other part of the offense that I'm not technical enough to notice but the fact is against some of the more talented defenses our offense has struggled. I personally think it's more of an oline issue but I could be wrong. I will say this though, I think Jalen is a very talented runner, but it's more when the play breaks than with designed runs. I wish we would do more direct runs with the run backs and more plays where Jalen runs once a play breaks down. That to me is when he is truly dangerous running the ball.

 

[deltatider]

And one last thought before I slink off into this winter wonderland of Gulfport, Ms.... I know that the current QB at Clemson is a good player but make no mistake, he is not D. Watson, in fairness not many folks are. But if you watch the last couple of games, he had no room for error on a lot of his passes, but he didn't need any room, he's that good. Seeing what he did before he got hurt in the NFL this year really made me realize what our boys were up against the last couple of years. I may eat these words later but the D. Watson factor is a much bigger deal than I've heard anyone mention.

 

[JDCrimson]

You can get 3-4 yds up the middle per carry on this defense because normally there is a LB there to fill the gap where the DLs eat up blockers. Needless to say I think our defensive philosophy on accentuated our acute LB injury issues. It should be way better now that we are healthier.

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[M2J]

Our defense could look very different in a few weeks. I must say we don't know, because they went down in the first game... But if Miller and Lewis can get into the backfield it could change so much without needing to blitz as much work our strength this year from the secondary. Who will also benefit from our superstars Minkah & Ronnie getting healthier after bet battling injury down the stretch.

Plus Hand gets more time to recover his knee. We were really banged up down the stretch defensively on all levels. With Wilson returning and seeing the evolution of Moses, I worry a lot less. It's true that Clemson tries to wear you down, and we need depth. Plus Wilson along with Evans and our safeties should protect us from mistakes vs all the window dressing Clemson does.

My concern is mostly Clemson's D line. Hopefully they take this time to work with Jalen, but most importantly implement some moving pockets... Roll outs... Slants and a heavy dose of running backs.

 

[RT27]

If this was a true analysis, why stay anonymous? That to me totally debunks story before it is even read. Real coaches break down teams all the time, to stay anonymous tells me something is fishy. I really do not care what some so called coach says. Good knowledgeable fans have seen our weak spots,and our strengths. Do we always know all the nuances as a real good coach? Probably not, at least not me. I see where we are weak and strong. Some times what I think makes us weak in a spot is not spot on. Sometimes you do have have to really know football to see the real underlying issues. But it is no secret, nothing about Bama is secret.Our team is dissected more than any college team out there. ONE cause we win and everyone wants to replicate it. 2 cause good teams want to know how to defeat it.

 

[GeorgiaTider]

You can get 3-4 yds up the middle per carry on this defense because normally there is a LB there to fill the gap where the DLs eat up blockers. Needless to say I think our defensive philosophy on accentuated our acute LB injury issues. It should be way better now that we are healthier.

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My concern is that these guys are rusty and make mistakes they would not if they had a full season under their belt. I do think our chances to win it all are much better with them back.

 

[B1GTide]

My concern is that these guys are rusty and make mistakes they would not full a full season under their belt. I do think our chances to win it all are much better with them back.

They were a lot more rusty against FSU in the season opener and played like their hair was on fire. I expect more of the same.

 

[crimsonaudio]

If this was a true analysis, why stay anonymous?

No coach in his right mind is going to give a potential opponent motivational material.

 

[2003TIDE]

I really don't think they watched the games this season. They probably watched 1 or 2 games and then declared that they aren't good.

Well if they watched the Auburn game we weren't very good. When a lineman goes out and you have to sub someone in who couldn't start because of a high ankle sprain, you're gonna look bad.

 

[B1GTide]

Well if they watched the Auburn game we weren't very good. When a lineman goes out and you have to sub someone in who couldn't start because of a high ankle sprain, you're gonna look bad.

Actually, he graded out very good in that game. The problems were elsewhere.

 

[colbysullivan]

Actually, he graded out very good in that game. The problems were elsewhere.

Yep, the players made very few mistakes against the Barn. That loss was squarely on the coaches.

 

[MOAN]

Anyone who watched the first UGA vs Auburn game and the Iron Bowl knows that Auburns offense played like a well oiled machine in those games unlike their games earlier in the season against Clemson and others. They made 2 of the top defenses in the nation look pedestrian in those games!! Both defenses could not get off the field on 3rd downs and that is what sunk Bama against Clemson last year in my opinion! So what is the answer? Depth?

Personally I think time of possession will be the key for Bama against Clemson and that will be on the offensive coaches and players to control that with better play calling and execution. If Jalen Hurts has more carries in the game than all the running backs combined like he did against Auburn forget it!!

Bama was in control of the game against Clemson last year until the offense went to sputtering with 3 and outs in the late 3rd and 4th quarters. A repeat of that and it won't matter if we have last years defense on the field playing this time. Going to have to shorten the game as teams started doing to us this year and to do that we are going to have to run the ball!!

I have been looking for both Jalen and Tua to be in the game together all year on certain plays given their talents both running and throwing too!! Got to do something different than what we seen towards the end of the season. Put them both in the game at the same time and let Clemson figure out what is going to happen.

 

[USCBAMA]

Wrong - your run game has not struggled once this year. Look at the stats.

ETA - sorry, that's not true. You struggled to run against LSU - but they put 8 men in the box to do it and paid the price in the passing game. No team has stopped your run game with a normal defensive alignment, and Clemson does not stack the box like LSU did. If they do, Jalen will beat them the same way he beat LSU because LSU has better players in their secondary.

Our Offensive Coordinator has done the best job of anyone of stopping our running backs this season.

 

[ChattTide]

Yep, the players made very few mistakes against the Barn. That loss was squarely on the coaches.

Sorry, brother. Gotta disagree with you there. That game was a total team loss from coaches down to the nutritionist. Hate that we lost the game, but gotta let it go.

Easier said than done though, right?

Roll Tide!!
ChattTide

 

[92tide]

Well if they watched the Auburn game we weren't very good. When a lineman goes out and you have to sub someone in who couldn't start because of a high ankle sprain, you're gonna look bad.

thing is, everyone's analysis of bama (even some of our fans) seems to be pretty much based on the miss state and barn games and not much else.

 

[Tider6972]

I would be willing to bet an actual coach did not say any of that.

I'm not a coach, and I didn't say that - but that's my EXACT take on this BAMA team relative to our recent teams !! : weak Oline, weak Dline, kinda unknown at LB.
I am a HUGE Jalen fan, but whomever in this article 'nailed' 2's weakness: decision making (processing info).

Bo has a history with injuries going back to middle school.I don't know if he has had nagging stuff this year, or it the staff has been grooming him to peak in the playoffs (OK, maybe I' dream a little re saving him ;-) )

 

[Blindside13]

3rd down is key Bama has to make them and stop them. They did neither against Auburn or against Clemson last year and obviously lost them both.

 

[RT27]

No coach in his right mind is going to give a potential opponent motivational material.

Well lets see then, if it is only teams we will be facing still, That means it is one or more of the 3 left, that seems pretty clear. SO again I think this is not them but some others, and what BB material can they give us? If it is one or more of the last 3 then sorry, but the cat is out of the bag.

 

[RT27]

thing is, everyone's analysis of bama (even some of our fans) seems to be pretty much based on the miss state and barn games and not much else.

Well those are the games where we got exposed, all the others were romps so what was there to say? To dissect a team you usually focus on weak spots, and those were shown big in those 2 games, so I see why they refer to them most.

 

[BamaMan09]

Two games affected this team: Florida State and LSU. Both teams were incredibly physical and had great defenses. Alabama suffered numerous injuries in both games and it affected performances at the end of the year against MSU and Auburn. The time off between the Auburn game and Sugar Bowl has to be used to get injured players healthy, evaluate performance and make changes in personnel if need be. Alabama has the talented players to win the playoff. They just need to be utilized in the right way. FWIW, I think this article is bogus. It's made up by the media and needs to be plastered all over the facility leading up to this game. Because I guarantee you that most talking heads will be picking Clemson to win this game (despite Alabama being a slight favorite in Vegas).