ULM review: An Alabama awakening, good and bad

[JessN]

Alan,

If you're going to suggest the 3-3-5 is a prevent defense, then I'd have to question whether you really understand the analysis.

The alignment doesn't make a defense "prevent." It's what you're assigned to do in the confines of that alignment that make it "prevent" or not. What makes a defense "prevent" largely has to do with where the safeties are and what they're doing, but it goes further than that (what kind of cushion the CBs are told to give, whether the middle linebacker is dropping into a middle zone or coming up to the LOS after the snap, etc.). We've put 10 men on the line of scrimmage this year when running out a 3-3-5. We've run a triple-safety blitz out of a 3-2-6. In fact, the only two times we've been in a true "prevent" defense this year were the last two drives of the the Hawaii and Vanderbilt games -- and got interceptions on both the last two snaps.

Yes, I understand "trading yards for points." That's not the problem; the problem is that this year, the newbie safeties and LBs are still not acting instinctively enough at times to break up plays that they should be seeing ahead of the snap. Our primary defensive asset is speed, and right now speed is covering up shortcomings in other areas. Experience will fix many of those shortcomings, but the "real season" so to speak begins this Saturday and I would have liked to have seen a more accelerated learning curve through the first three games, particularly from Marcus Carter, Jeffrey Dukes and the reserve linebackers. The light may have come on for Terrence Jones this week. We have speed; we need more of the stuff you can't measure with a stopwatch or a yardstick.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Now, am I saying that our defense didn't make mistakes yesterday or in each game? Not a chance! However, I'm also not acting as though there are MAJOR issues, which you seem to believe. From someone who is supposed to be knowledgeable about football, you're becoming a bit overly dramatic this year.

We have major concerns on defense that could turn into some major realities beginning next Saturday if they aren't corrected.

 

[wagardner]

The thing I liked best about the team's performance in the ULM game was how balanced the offense was. Yes, the passing game is slightly, and I use that word loosely, more impressive than the running game, but still we are loaded at running back and it was good to finally expose that. I like what Shula is doing with the team, and I'll support him until he leaves, for better or for worse. I think our defense definitely needs to step up, I don't think I know anyone who doesn't agree with that. I just hope Kines gets them together before we face the "piggies" in Arkansas, and I hope Shula gets his offense clicking before we enter Fayette next week or we might be in trouble.

 

[CrmznApklps]

Although, I'm not blessed to be "in the know" as others, I agree with you Jess on this discipline issue. What's just so funny aout the reaction to this article is that this board is always erupting at how the Viles and the Barn and any other team that's not us about how they handle their players. There are always tons of threads in the off season about other teams and how they handle discipline. Most of you KNOW that had this been Ears, we'd be yelling about how he's too soft and AU has a history of breaking the rules and cheating. Let's open our eyes, we may not like it but we just came off of some serious sanctions. If we can be concerned whether the problem this week was playcalling or execution, we can be concerned about how our Coach chooses to discipline players.

OK, I'm finished, FLAME ON like we always do when a Tide fan disagrees. :BigA:

 

[BamaJeff]

If another coach had handled suspensions the same way, people on this board would have been all over it, ripping the coach and his program. If we fans should ignore how CMS handled these suspensions, then we should also ignore how other coaches run their own programs. We shouldn't be hypocrits!

word

 

[BAMARICH]

We have speed; we need more of the stuff you can't measure with a stopwatch or a yardstick.

Spot on with this quote... if you think the arm tackling was bad yesterday versus a ULM back, watch the likes of McFadden and Jones next week if we don't improve. Instincts, pursuit angles, and consistency have GOT to improve among our entire back seven if we hope to stop the Arky's, Gators, and Tigers of the SEC this year.

 

[bayoutider]

Vandy found ways to contain McFadden last week. Simpson and Mitchell should return for the Arkansas game. I believe Joe Kines will have a little something cooked up for the Hogs. If we don't see any home cooking from the refs in this game I think we are the better overall team. Bama's defense is ranked 34, Arkansauce is ranked 84. Bama offense ranked 40 and Arkansas offense ranked 44. Varibles like turnovers, Bama has +9 and Arkanslaw is dead last with 0. Time of Possesion, Bama 34:24 and Arkansas almost dead last with 25:45.

 

[Alanbama27]

Jess:

Now that was a good analysis and I wish you had used those words to describe your feelings toward the defensive shortcomings originally.

Oh, one other minor issue, I do realize that the 3-3-5 is not technically a "prevent" defense, but against those three teams where they are bound to get their yards through the air if you're not careful, it is treated as a way to maximize our potential of stopping them (in the air) while allowing some yardage on the ground until your opponent is forced into having to do things they don't want to (meaning down and distance options).

Nevertheless Jess, thanks!

 

[GulfCoastTider]

I think the biggest problem people seem to have with the "discipline issue" is that, so far, it has been the least predictable aspect of the team. Most of us are guys and all of us are football fans. We like things ordered, disciplined and predictable. 4th and 5 inside our 45? Punt. 2nd and 1 on the opponents' 25? Chunk it in the 'zone. 3rd and goal from the 1? Jumbo.

With Shula's 100% in-house approach to discipline, we have no idea what's transpired or what to expect. It appears chaotic and that's unsettling. It leaves people wondering what's next. I'm not suggesting that the team is in a state of chaos or that Shula doesn't have a handle on his program. I am saying that the way he handles discipline matters leaves all of us clueless. We get bad surprises and not only do we learn about them after the fact, we don't even hear all of the details.

Knowing that it's not likely to change anytime soon, we'd best get used to being out of the loop.

 

[Boclive]

...If we don't see any home cooking from the refs in this game...

Any math majors out there capable of doing a statistical probability study on the likelihood of getting home cooked by the referees on the road in the SEC?

The only way to win on the road in the SEC is to dominate in all three phases and play mistake free football. Otherwise, we're sitting here on Monday morning talking about how we got robbed instead of talking about how we almost got robbed. Take for example Florida 21-Tennessee 20 in a game where Tennessee totaled -1 yard rushing. Ainge had to choke on the final possession in order to lose.

Arkansas is a problem because it is at Arkansas.

 

[bamaslammer]

I suppose you as admin can post what you want, and I agree with your game review, but unless you know all the details of who did what and how their punishments compared to the punishments of previous players in previous years anything your saying about the suspensions is just crap.

If I saw a team out of control I'd be concerned. The desired result is control and diciplin, HOW Shula gets that is meaningless as long as he gets to it.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Vandy found ways to contain McFadden last week. Simpson and Mitchell should return for the Arkansas game. I believe Joe Kines will have a little something cooked up for the Hogs. If we don't see any home cooking from the refs in this game I think we are the better overall team. Bama's defense is ranked 34, Arkansauce is ranked 84. Bama offense ranked 40 and Arkansas offense ranked 44. Varibles like turnovers, Bama has +9 and Arkanslaw is dead last with 0. Time of Possesion, Bama 34:24 and Arkansas almost dead last with 25:45.

Let's hope those differentials show up Saturday. Playing on the road in the SEC (no matter where or who) isn't a cake walk. The best team THAT DAY will win. Our level of play and intensity MUST be elevated or we'll be handed our first loss. Our defense hasn't shown the aggressiveness nor the fundamental play that I know CJK's would prefer. We're going to have to be very careful Saturday because we are dealing with a lot of new players on defense that through three games have shown they have a lot to learn and a ways to go to be considered a "good/solid" defense.

Let's hope we can keep the mental mistakes to a minimum and the turnovers at ZERO.

 

[bayoutider]

Let's hope those differentials show up Saturday. Playing on the road in the SEC (no matter where or who) isn't a cake walk. The best team THAT DAY will win. Our level of play and intensity MUST be elevated or we'll be handed our first loss. Our defense hasn't shown the aggressiveness nor the fundamental play that I know CJK's would prefer. We're going to have to be very careful Saturday because we are dealing with a lot of new players on defense that through three games have shown they have a lot to learn and a ways to go to be considered a "good/solid" defense.

Let's hope we can keep the mental mistakes to a minimum and the turnovers at ZERO.

I would like to see harder hitting on defense. I think we are rushing to the ball fast enough but I would like to see that snot knocking lick put on the person with the ball. Let him get up off the ground looking out of his ear hole. I saw a lot of that in the LSU vs Auburn game. I'm not talking about the late hits out of bounds but there was some real intensity in that game. CJK can get that out of the players, he has before, I hope this week we see more of it.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I would like to see harder hitting on defense. I think we are rushing to the ball fast enough but I would like to see that snot knocking lick put on the person with the ball. Let him get up off the ground looking out of his ear hole. I saw a lot of that in the LSU vs Auburn game. I'm not talking about the late hits out of bounds but there was some real intensity in that game. CJK can get that out of the players, he has before, I hope this week we see more of it.

I agree on both statements. We've got a lot of young'uns on the field doing a lot of learning in these first three games. But we desperately need for them to begin putting some of that learning to work this Saturday and begin laying the wood.

 

[tidefan23]

Suprised (and glad) that the article addressed the discipline problem. I agreed with everything that was said.

 

[bamaslammer]

Suprised (and glad) that the article addressed the discipline problem. I agreed with everything that was said.

What dicipline problem is that, Last year facing a potent bowl apponent in Texas Tech that we desperately needed to win after losing our last 2, and the first game of this year facing a potent Hawaii team Shula sat his best reciever. We won both games by a single field goal, does that sound like he's weak on punishment?

Is there a GAS LEAK in here??

You want dicipline problems, go to Tennessee, they will school you on the subject.

 

[crimsonbleeder]

I would like to see harder hitting on defense. I think we are rushing to the ball fast enough but I would like to see that snot knocking lick put on the person with the ball. Let him get up off the ground looking out of his ear hole. I saw a lot of that in the LSU vs Auburn game. I'm not talking about the late hits out of bounds but there was some real intensity in that game. CJK can get that out of the players, he has before, I hope this week we see more of it.

I think a HUGE amount of the hard hitting is determined by what the other team is bringing; i.e., if they're laying wood to our players and whacking people around, then we get mad/intense, and step it up...that has been the m.o. of our defenses for years, and part of the reason why we're perceived as "playing up" or "playing down" to competition, IMHO...

There will be some snot relievin' goin' on Saturday...

 

[nivekstan]

What dicipline problem is that, Last year facing a potent bowl apponent in Texas Tech that we desperately needed to win after losing our last 2, and the first game of this year facing a potent Hawaii team Shula sat his best reciever. We won both games by a single field goal, does that sound like he's weak on punishment?

i do believe our #3 cb, s. castille, was also suspended for the bowl game.

a question, if cs addressed the suspension plan before the opener would it have made a difference in all the "discipline"-gate talk that is going around now?

 

[NYBamaFan]

i do believe our #3 cb, s. castille, was also suspended for the bowl game.

a question, if cs addressed the suspension plan before the opener would it have made a difference in all the "discipline"-gate talk that is going around now?

No - he would have been killed for not suspending them all against HI...

 

[HammerJammer]

Now, to put a cap on the discipline issue: The two most Alabama-friendly writers in state media right now are probably me and Cecil Hurt. I read Cecil's game take this morning after I filed my own and guess what, Cecil's not happy about the discipline, either. I'd describe myself as a die-hard fan and Cecil the same, and when the reaction coming from the home folks is what it's been, you ought to know what you're going to get from the people who live to take potshots at the school.

I knew my take on the discipline issue wasn't going to be popular with a lot of people, but what made me speak up more than anything is that as a fan base, Alabama fans have become very hesitant to remove the plank from their own eye before they want to rip the sliver out of someone else's. We give Phil Fulmer a lot of grief -- and rightly so; Tennessee's transgressions in recent years dwarf the breadth and depth of anything that's happened at Alabama -- but tend to want to sweep away our own issues at the same time.

Tommy Tuberville at AU, who in the past has been very convenient in the way he's handled off-field issues, held LBs Trey Blackmon and Kevin Sears out of the first three games, including LSU. No, we don't know what they did, exactly. But he made his decision without regard to "what's fair to the rest of the team" and instead focused on the rule being broken. And I can't believe I just had to write that about an Auburn coach, given that school's track record.

Shula, in his post-game radio address, said he'd staggered the suspensions "in the order in which they occurred." Since Simpson's issue occurred back in the summer and not this week, the transgressions of all seven players occurred prior to the first game of the year -- so they all should have been suspended for game one. You don't suspend a guy at week three unless the transgression occurred between games two and three, period.

It was a mistake by Shula. I'm not going to continue to harp on it for the rest of the year as other media types are sure to do, unless the overall team discipline goes to hell in a handbasket from here out. But as I've said many times in the past, I'm not going to pump sunshine just because it would make people feel better.

Now, it's Arkansas week.

Respectfully, I think most of your arguments regarding the suspension situation are poor. I'll first try to critique your arguments, then make my own.
(1)You and Cecil are not happy about the discipline issue and we know we are going to take pot shots over the issue
Sure people are going to take their shots, but, that in no way means they are legitimate. The coach has to consider how unjustified bad PR will hurt the program, but, you don't make a case that it will sufficiently damage the program such that he should bow to the pressure.
(2)The Alabama fan base is hypocritical regarding disciplining players
Lets assume that is true (I believe it is). Should the fan base being hypocritical dicate discipline policy? The proposition of that is ludicrous to me.
(3)Tubbs took a bold move with his suspensions. Tubbs made his decision without regard "to what is fair for the team" and applied the discipline without regard to schedule
You show how Tubberville made a decision in a similar situation, a decision that is very different from Shula's. To me you are either implying that there is only one method of applying discipline (Tubby's method), or, gasp, you are attempting to add credibility to your argument by associating it with Auburn's coach. Either way, I see no substantive argument there.
(4)"You don't suspend a guy at week three unless the transgression occurred between games two and three, period."
Unless this was handed down on a stone tablet at Mount Sinai this is a complete non-argument.
(5)from the original post: "But if Shula wants to build real accountability amongst his players, he’s not going to encourage it by scattering suspensions over multiple games. ...the perception is that he suspended Juwan Simpson, Jimmy Johns and Lionel Mitchell for a game in which their absences mattered the least – whether or not that’s what he actually did."
I agree, Shula won't encourage accountability by scattering the suspensions. But, as you somewhat agree, in an effort to not penalize the team, I believe Shula may be able to make up for that elsewhere. Again, the coach has to consider perception, but, you or someone else needs to make the case of just how important that perception is.

I'm really not trying to be combative or anything like that. From what I'm reading in paper's and hearing on the radio I think there is a lot of poor reasoning in the attacks, and I think that poor reasoning is evident in your post, and I want expose it's flaws, not pick a fight or pick on anyone. I think the main argument being used against Shula is that there is a traditional way of doing things, and Shula is wrong to not follow that tradition. There's no real argument, just, that's the way it is... That kind of absence of logic reminds me of this passage:

Commonsense has trampled down many a gentle genius whose eyes had delighted in a too early moonbeam of some too early truth; commonsense has back-kicked dirt at the loveliest of ***** paintings because a blue tree seemed madness to its well-meaning hoof; commonsense has prompted ugly but strong nations to crush their fair but frail neighbors the moment a gap in history offered a chance that it would have been ridiculous not to exploit. —Vladimir Nabokov, "How to Read, How to Write," 1980