Some love for BAMA?

[RollTideinGA]

Collegefootballnews.com

2. Alabama isn't a loser
Sure, on the scoreboard Alabama lost 20-16, but it's hard to call the Tide a loser after the way it battled back all year from all of the adversity. Not only did the program have to get past the lost of scholarships from all of the issues with the Mike Dubose era and the fiasco with Mike Price, but it had to deal with one of the worst plagues of injuries to hit any team this year. It wasn't just the loss of starting QB Brodie Croyle, it had to deal with injuries on both sides of the ball and still had the ball with a chance at the win late in a bowl game. Can you imagine what this team would've been like had it been healthy all season long? Hopefully we can find out in 2005.

5. So what's next for Alabama?
Alabama might not have the nation's best defense in 2005, but it's not going to be far off. The biggest loss is leading tackler and star linebacker Cornelius Wortham, but Freddie Roach might be able to move from the weakside to the middle allowing Juwan Garth to step into the starting lineup. The secondary will be outstanding if Eric Gray or Simeon Castille can take over for Anthony Madison at corner. It'll be hard to find a better safety pair in the SEC than Charlie Peprah and Roman Harper. On offense, the return of QB Brodie Croyle from a knee injury means everything as he's needed to make the young receiving corps better. Ken Darby will once again be the rushing star, but he might have a harder time finding room to run with the loss of All-America stars on the left side of the line OT Wesley Britt and OG Evan Mathis. The graduation of guard Danny Martz won't help either. The schedule starts off with MTSU and Southern Miss, and then comes the SEC battle against Steve Spurrier in South Carolina. In all, the SEC road trips aren't a problem facing the Gamecocks, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State before dealing with Auburn.

 

[RollTideinGA]

And how good will South Carolina, Ole Miss and Florida be that early within a new program? Hopefully for us it takes them a few more games after us to get the new scheme.

Arkansas- No Matt Jones, No Birmingham!No Huckeba or Dixon!

Auburn- All new backfield! No more Williams, Carlos Rogers, Ronnie Brown,
Junior Rosegreen, Bret Eddins, or Jason Campbell.

Miss State will be better with another year with Sly.

LSU, how will the move of Saban effect their team? They have to replace B Corey Webster, DE Marcus Spears, C Ben Wilkerson, LB Lionel Turner, CB Travis Daniels.

Tennessee will be Tennessee. The game should be another tough one, but hopefully with a healthy Croyle and experienced WR Corps it will help. And UT will have to replace P Dustin Colquitt, T Michael Munoz, LB Kevin Burnett, RB Cedric Houston, C Jason Respert, WR Tony Brown.

Utah State, Southern Miss, and MTSU should be W's (games we should win)!

 

[RollTideinGA]

more '05 analysis, Who's leaving who:

South Carolina- must replace DE George Gause, SS Jermaine Harris, OG Jonathan Alston.

Ole Miss- will lose FS Eric Oliver, OG Doug Buckles, PK Jonathan Nichols, P Cody Ridgeway.

Florida - Not really losing alot, pretty young team. Kicker Leach is gone.

Miss State-OT David Stewart, P Jared Cook, and DT Ronald Fields all graduate.

Utah State-losing QB Travis Cox, LB Robert Watts, DT Ronald Tupea, OG Elliott Tupea, CB Jerome Dennis.

Southern Miss-Must replace LB Michael Boley, WR/PR Marvin Young, OT Jeremy Parquet, LB Antoine Cash, OT Chris White, DT Chad Ruffin. WR Lawrence and TE Graves. All 3 starting LB's, both safeties and 2 CB's on defense are gone.

MTSU- WR Kerry Wright, OT Julius Gant, LB Alvin Fite, FB Nick McAfee are some of their better players leaving.

 

[rtrcam]

The stars are lining up for a very good year next year. There will still be a lot to overcome - how do we replace 3 seniors on the o-line, can we stay healthy (depth isn't going to be great for another year or 2)?

That Florida game could be a classic in Bryant-Denny.

We've got to control home field once again if we're ever going to regain elite status.

 

[RollTideinGA]

The stars are lining up for a very good year next year. There will still be a lot to overcome - how do we replace 3 seniors on the o-line, can we stay healthy (depth isn't going to be great for another year or 2)?

That Florida game could be a classic in Bryant-Denny.

We've got to control home field once again if we're ever going to regain elite status.

5-2 this year at BDS, thats a start!

 

[rtrcam]

Yes it is. I was encouraged by that. Of course, a team has to win on the road as well, but winning the home games is the place to start.

I may be the only one that feels this way, but I think the program took giant steps in the right direction this year.

Are we "back" yet? Of course not. But I don't know if some of our fans have a real appreciation of just how far down this program was.

Major congratulations are owed to the last 2 senior classes for their contributions. I'll forever remember them.

 

[deliveryman35]

Like Jim Donnan said, other programs don't drop football while we are on probation. We have alot of catching up to do......

 

[jdpas29]

BAMA will be lucky to go 6-5 again next season.

i say this because of the coaching style that CMS has. He seems unwilling to play to the strengths of the team and insists on his system being executed by whatever players he happens to have. i don't know that this is a bad thing. long term, it could be a great thing!

But, looking at next year, BAMA will be trying to pass block 35 times per game with noobie offensive linemen while BAMA fans bite their nails on every pass play waiting on the seemingly inevitable QB injury.

The rushing game will continue to make little sense... i must have seen the subject of getting Aaron Johns to the corner at least 20 times during the week before the bowl game. And how many times did the coaches try that??? ONCE!!! if i'm not mistaken. If the running game looks good next year, it will be similar to the tenn game where Darby continually makes something out of nothing.

 

[RollTideinGA]

BAMA will be lucky to go 6-5 again next season.

i say this because of the coaching style that CMS has. He seems unwilling to play to the strengths of the team and insists on his system being executed by whatever players he happens to have. i don't know that this is a bad thing. long term, it could be a great thing!

Hmmm


Alot better next year. The true freshmen WR's will have game experience. The team has 2 full years in the system. Strength of the team went down in 3 games this year (Croyle, Hudson, and then Castille). Sorry Im making an excuse! Most of the defense returns! Im sure a O-Lineman or two will step up. You never know. This year everyone knew we would run left when we needed a yard or two. Now they have to guess!

 

[Bama-94-00]

2005 Team forecast

Alabama might not have the nation's best defense in 2005, but it's not going to be far off. The biggest loss is leading tackler and star linebacker Cornelius Wortham, but Freddie Roach might be able to move from the weakside to the middle allowing Juwan Garth to step into the starting lineup.

There's no "might" to it. Roach has played significant time at MLB the last 3 years. He played more at OLB this season due to the injury to Garth and Wortham holding down the middle.

The secondary will be outstanding if Eric Gray or Simeon Castille can take over for Anthony Madison at corner. It'll be hard to find a better safety pair in the SEC than Charlie Peprah and Roman Harper.

On offense, the return of QB Brodie Croyle from a knee injury means everything as he's needed to make the young receiving corps better. Ken Darby will once again be the rushing star, but he might have a harder time finding room to run with the loss of All-America stars on the left side of the line OT Wesley Britt and OG Evan Mathis. The graduation of guard Danny Martz won't help either. The schedule starts off with MTSU and Southern Miss, and then comes the SEC battle against Steve Spurrier in South Carolina. In all, the SEC road trips aren't a problem facing the Gamecocks, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State before dealing with Auburn.

 

[Crimson Surfer]

So what's next for Alabama?

Athony Madison is on track to graduate and be eligible for next year. He will be back for his last year.

Five Thoughts on the Music City Bowl

5. So what's next for Alabama?
Alabama might not have the nation's best defense in 2005, but it's not going to be far off. The biggest loss is leading tackler and star linebacker Cornelius Wortham, but Freddie Roach might be able to move from the weakside to the middle allowing Juwan Garth to step into the starting lineup. The secondary will be outstanding if Eric Gray or Simeon Castille can take over for Anthony Madison at corner.

 

[bamatex82]

... that CMS has. He seems unwilling to play to the strengths of the team and insists on his system being executed by whatever players he happens to have.

:conf3:

Your statement doesn't fit the facts. When CMS had a healthy Brodie we had a strong potent balanced attack. When injuries hit the QB's he emphasized the running game. And finally, when the entire backfield was down to a freshman tailback he emphasizes the passing game against Minnesota. The running game just was nowhere to be found on Friday! Minnesota had at least 8 in the box on almost every play. In short, CMS has changed his play calling to emphasis strengths and minimize weaknesses all season long!

 

[Selma-Bama-Fan]

There's no "might" to it. Roach has played significant time at MLB the last 3 years. He played more at OLB this season due to the injury to Garth and Wortham holding down the middle.

I'm hoping Prince can come in and be smart and mature enough to start at MLB. I really like Roach where he is at... he was really, really starting to blossom towards the end of the year. I personally thing he works better on the outside, where he has less gap responsibilities and more 'contain and control' chores. This enables him to use his speed and strength to his advantage. It's less thinking and more reacting, to put it in simple terms.


No matter who is in the middle, he will have his work cut out for himself until our overall young DL gets their reps in (mainly the 2nd string, remember we rotate on the DL).

Also, we have to consider this new scheme that Kines is coming up with. I really have a guy feelin that Roach will be the key to it all. He is really starting to pack on the muscle and still seems just as explosive off the ball. I just cant help but to think this 'new scheme' will have Freddie Roach's name all over it.