At this point I tend to agree. There are a few unknowns with this Alabama team, too many to say we we'll win comfortably. On the flipside, VT won't really know what to expect either so it could work to our advantage being the first game.
Poll: VT - too close to call or Clemson redux?
- Thread starter Nolan
- Start date
At this point I tend to agree. There are a few unknowns with this Alabama team, too many to say we we'll win comfortably. On the flipside, VT won't really know what to expect either so it could work to our advantage being the first game.
It seems a lot of people aren't giving Alabama as much credit as they deserve for being a Real Good Team. I watched the replay of the SECCG yesterday and what I saw in the Alabama team that played Florida last year was in reality probably the 2nd best team in the country and without a couple of critical mistakes could have been playing in the BCS Championship game. That being said, I really believe the 2009 Bama team will be better and on Sept. 5th against VT we will show it. Defensively we will be punishing; and offensively with McElroy spreading the ball around better than JPW did and our running game probably being even better, I just think Alabama is going to be a tough team for anyone to play. I say we beat VT 24-10.
You could even say "Ye of zero faith"O ye of little faith.
I reported earlier Joe Pendry said the OL is much easier to coach now. Last season our run blocking was aggressive and this year will be more aggressive which will set up some combination blocks for better pass protection. McElroy could end up better than JPW and surely he will not be another Spencer Pennington (not dissing Spencer but dang.... that was bad). Our new OL will not look like the OL we scrapped together for the Sugar Bowl either. I doubt we will see another Chris Capps at RT (appreciate you Chris but thank God you graduated)
Last season we were pleasantly surprised and I think we will be pleased with what we put on the field against VT in September. VT isn't returning everyone from last season either, they will have a few holes to fill just like we do. I expect VT to be Clemson with much better coaching and a much closer game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is something I found saved on my computer. I can laugh about it now but at the time it sure wasn't funny. I wish we could vacate this loss. Bama should not look anything close to this in September against VT.
Mike Shula VS MSU 2006
TEAM STATS AND NOTES vs. MSU
- 67 Total Offensive Plays resulted in 30 Positive Plays and 37Negative Plays (Positive Play is netting plus four yards or converting First Downs). A staggering 55% of our plays vs. MSU were negative plays (Less than 4 yards gained or failure to convert on 3rd down/4th down).
* Note: In the second half, the drives on offense lasted 3 plays, 7 plays, 5 plays, 3 Plays, 4 Plays, and 3 Plays. Alabama had the ball only 22 offensive snaps in the second half spread over 6 separate drives.
II. INDIVIDUAL STATS AND NOTES vs. MSU
- In 67 total offensive plays, Tide players had 57 individual breakdowns in assignment. (All 12 Drives included individual breakdowns that led to negative plays).
- Individual Breakdowns by Player:
Chris Capps = 19
Travis McCall = 7
J.P. Wilson = 6
Justin Britt = 4
Andre Smith = 4
Kyle Tatum = 3
Kenneth Darby = 3
Antoine Caldwell = 3
Marlon Davis = 2
B.J. Stabler = 2
Tim Castille = 1
Jimmy Johns = 1
* Note: Chris Capps had individual breakdowns in 10 of the 12 drives. Of Capps 19 breakdowns, he was beaten outside 12 times, beaten inside 3 times, bullrushed and ran over 3 times, and once simply blocked nobody and allowed two defenders free to the quarterback. [quote Bob Connelly: no one bullrushes in the SEC) Thanks Bob.
* Note: Britt, McCall, Caldwell, and Stabler all received 1 individual breakdown as a result of offensive penalties in the game.
- Individual Breakdowns by Position:
Left Tackle = 4
Left Guard = 4
Center = 3
Right Guard = 4
Right Tackle = 22
Quarterback = 6
Running Back = 5
Wide Receiver = 2
Tight End = 7
* Note: The Right Tackle position had 7 more individual breakdowns than the other four offensive line positions combined.
* Note: Right Tackle had a breakdown that disrupted the offensive play on almost 33% of the plays from scrimmage.
* Note: The Quarterback breakdowns included 4 poor passes and 2 throws into coverage.
* Note: The Runningback breakdowns included 2 poor blocks on blitz-pickup, 2 missed running lanes, and 1 dropped pass.
I'll agree that VT will be Clemson with much better coaching and a much closer game but i don't see us losing unless we have numerous breakdowns on special teams.
Our defensive front seven are down right nasty. VT has two new starters on the OL a guard and a 277 lb center that Cody should have a field day with. The only weakness i see are a couple of DB's that have gotten burned from time to time and that doesn't concern me to much with VT's one-dimensional wild turkey offense.
VT's defense is very good and i expect them blitz a lot early to try to shake up Gmac but as the game wears on the balanced offense will spread out VT's defense and be the difference of the game. Joe Pendry is loaded with talent and our OL will be better than most expect!
Our defensive front seven are down right nasty. VT has two new starters on the OL a guard and a 277 lb center that Cody should have a field day with. The only weakness i see are a couple of DB's that have gotten burned from time to time and that doesn't concern me to much with VT's one-dimensional wild turkey offense.
VT's defense is very good and i expect them blitz a lot early to try to shake up Gmac but as the game wears on the balanced offense will spread out VT's defense and be the difference of the game. Joe Pendry is loaded with talent and our OL will be better than most expect!
Everyone has to remember we're the biggest question mark going into the game. Breaking in a new QB AND offensive line (that was atrocious during Smith's two absences in 2008) may not be a good thing.
A lot of people are a little too optimistic about this season, but needless to say I'm concerned and worried for the most part, therefore I'm going to hold my breath until it starts.
A lot of people are a little too optimistic about this season, but needless to say I'm concerned and worried for the most part, therefore I'm going to hold my breath until it starts.
I agree completely about the importance, and not just because it's the next game. If we put extreme focus and planning in for this game, and come out with a victory, it will pay dividends as the season goes along. There will only be 2 other tests before we get a shot at the SEC title again, LSU & Ole Miss, and both are very winnable. I firmly believe that as long as we have a determined & never satisfied coach like Saban around, we're done with worrying about the Tennessees & Auburns of the world. Those two are such dysfunctional families, more concerned with tearing down others instead of building up themselves, that they shouldn't be any factor in the SEC race for a long time to come.
On a less serious note, just observational - A part of your quote cracks me up, and it's not just you because all of the talking heads at the major media outlets say it all the time too. When you say, "The coaching staff has had a long time to gameplan for this game...", it's as if to say that the opposing coaching staff hasn't had as much time to prepare for us. Otherwise, if both staffs have had the same time to prepare (which they do), there's no advantage to preparation time. People like the ESPN guys, and the Finebaum's of the world always say things like "When you give Steve Spurrier that much time to prepare a gameplan.....", as if to say the other coach doesn't get tha same amount of time, which is simply not true. That just kills me. It's just saying more words to fill time on the air. The only time a phrase like that holds any meaning is if one team has an off week before a game with a team that doesn't have the same off week. Again, not personal, it's just a pet peeve of mine and this is simply the most recent time I've seen that rationale used.
it will be closer than the clemson game. with the defense playing up to expectations and an improved punting game,hopefully. there will be no doubt who will control the game,bamas defense. this will imo be a game won stallings style. and we owe those rascals some heavy duty payback.
Too close to call, IMO.
I can't imagine another opener against a quality oponent to like the Clemson game of '08.
I can't imagine another opener against a quality oponent to like the Clemson game of '08.
hahaha ... naw, I've got plenty of faith in this coaching staff. Last year struck me as one of the best-coached Bama teams I've seen in almost 20 years of watching them.You could even say "Ye of zero faith"
I think Bama will be as ready as they can be, and I think they're actually better than Tech, but a Game 1 with new QB and rebuilt OL against one of the consistently best defenses in the country makes me think we take a close loss here.
I'll gladly eat my words if it ends up 34-10 again for the good guys, though. :wink:
I think Alabama will win , but dont think Techs offense will be as one dimensional and horrific in the passing game as it was last season. With all freshman WRs our playbook was dumbed down incredibly. Timing in our routes were horrible and will be much imporved this year. 2004 we started all freshman WRs. They showed better results then our 4 freshman last season, however, had their break out years the following. A year under the ropes may be all our passing game needed for our WRs to catch on and they seem to be doing it from what ive heard. Our running game has a little bit of everything this year: ware you down with Darren Evens, our 280 lbs TE Greg Boone who will get a touch or 2, and quick misdirection with Taylor and newcomer Ryan Williams. Our running game will be the best since the Kevin Johnson and Lee Suggs tandom. Match that up with maybe one of our best Olines (if healthy) and this could be a huge battle in the trenches September 5th.
Dont really need to say much about Defense and Special Teams
Dont really need to say much about Defense and Special Teams
quality???? hahhahahahahahahahaha
i truly do hae clemson with a passion that will burn for all eternity. i am sure that vt will at least show up for the game, something that cant be said for clemson. i do think vt will be a very tough, hard hitting game that the entire country will enjoy.
No disrespect to VT at all, but I cannot imagine our offense going against a better defense than the one they will face in practice and scrimmages.
This is just my opinion, but I don't think VT's talent is really any better than the talent Alabama faced last year against Clemson. The difference between VT and Clemson is the coaching staffs. I just think VT's coaching staff is much, much better than Clemson's.
CNS and his coaches have a long time to prepare for VT and I think we saw the results of that against Clemson last year. Then again VT has a long time to prepare for Alabama and I know they will have their team ready. I think it will be an interesting game, but I think Alabama will win this one.
I've heard this a lot and agree to an extent, but things are just different when the lights and the cameras fire up come Saturday. Practice experience counts, but practice experience is different from game experience.
Tech may or may not have a better D than us, but they'll be close. They also have a Greg Hardy-type pass rusher in DE Jason Worilds, and guys like that have given us fits.
On offense, Tech may not be super talented, but they have experience at QB and the OL -- something we lack. They have a strong running game, but I don't expect them to do much against our front seven.
The Hokies are more like an SEC team than an ACC team. Those expecting "SEC Alabama" to manhandle "ACC Virginia Tech" like we did Clemson are going to be disappointed. I think this one may come down to a turnover or a special teams play.
Last season Worilds played with a separated shoulder for almost the entire season and great numbers. We are excited to see what he can do with 2 healthy shoulders.Tech may or may not have a better D than us said:
JMHO, but I don't see either offense scoring many points in the game. As I said in an earlier post I can see the final score being 3-2.
I think turnovers will play a huge role in the game as is the case in most games. I think if one the defenses scores or sets up the offense for a score, that will be the difference in the game. VT has a history of excellent special teams play, particularly blocking kicks, and this is something we have to be very careful of.
We're looking forward to the game. Best of luck to VT after September 5th.
None of the above. Bama is going to throttle VT. Ingram will have 100+ yards and 2 TDs. Julio will have 100 yards receiving, and McElroy will have 250 yards passing and at least 1 TD.
last year i thought was one of our worst special teams outings. We gave up 3-4 TDs on specials teams and gave up a game winning blocked kick to ECU..Im hoping our coverage teams were fixed with the practice and it was just the matter of new faces getting in there. However we blocked a handful of field goals and extra points which could be a major factor like u pointed outJMHO, but I don't see either offense scoring many points in the game. As I said in an earlier post I can see the final score being 3-2.
I think turnovers will play a huge role in the game as is the case in most games. I think if one the defenses scores or sets up the offense for a score, that will be the difference in the game. VT has a history of excellent special teams play, particularly blocking kicks, and this is something we have to be very careful of.
We're looking forward to the game. Best of luck to VT after September 5th.
Aw, come on, Hokie! Don't be coming on here and getting your own guy's name wrong! Didn't you mean Kevin Jones? :wink:
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