Saban-Kiffin in the Iron Bowl

quote:

---

This looks worse than it is. If an OC is in the booth (Nuss, McElwain, etc) he still chews him over various things, but it's done over the headset and you don't see it.

The camera is going to grab every possible conversation between Kiffin & Saban. Just how it is.

---

Yeah, I get that, but they just went up 14-3 and were rolling. And for the record, most of the other lashings he has delivered Lane I have been cool with, but when he was laying into him Lane just had a look like what do you want me to do? Lane had to be thinking "I have had the ball twice, went over 100 yards total, and scored both times?".

quote:

---

I would really, really hope he wasn't upset at the O scoring too quickly

---

That's what I am thinking, but why else would he be so mad? The man is going to stroke out one day. The next series after the 2nd touchdown, Bama went run, 5 yd pass, and run on 3rd and 2 with the option to Henry. The next drive started with a pick on I believe the quick slant to Coop that Auburn jumped. But the deep passes stopped until they fell behind by 12 and opened it back up.

FWIW, the first drive went for 35 yards and the score after the turnover, the second went 80 yds on 5 plays and took under two minutes. Auburn had a 5 minute drive that resulted in a field goal in between the 2. Bama under Saban has always been a control the clock, wear you down, and step on you in the 4th quarter, which is why I kind of feel like Saban was pissed cause we scored so quickly.

I think Saban initially wanted to avoid getting into a shootout with them and wanted to play more ball control. I think he expected the defense to play better, as evidenced by the decision he made on the initial kickoff.

Last season during the A&M it clicked for Saban that he wouldn't be able to stop Manziel and that they would have to outscore them. Saban is still extremely uncomfortable in those situations, but the meltdowns by Blake and Eddie put us into a position to really have to scrap the ball control gameplan and take it to the air.

The good news is this team is built to win either type of game... ball control or shootout.

quote:

---

Yeah, I get that, but they just went up 14-3 and were rolling. And for the record, most of the other lashings he has delivered Lane I have been cool with, but when he was laying into him Lane just had a look like what do you want me to do? Lane had to be thinking "I have had the ball twice, went over 100 yards total, and scored both times?".

---

Man that is just Saban. He has always been most intense when we are up big, or when we are playing a no body. Saban 101 right there.


As far as Lane, I'm sure he didn't love it, but that kind of thing is EXACTLY what Lane needed. I think he knows exactly what he was getting into when he signed onto the coaching staff, so while he probably is a little ego-hurt at the time, I am sure that he is okay with it in the reflection process.

quote:

---

Sorry if it has been brought up, but I am sure everyone noticed when Saban chewed Lane's arse after we went up 14-3. I feel like Saban wanted to manage the clock and keep his defense rested and was not happy with scoring so quickly.

---

So you didn't hear Saban tell the media that he told Kiffin to take more shots downfield.

quote:

---

Saban was losing his shite cause he wanted him to take more shots downfield?

---

I don't recall Saban ever being asked why he was losing his shite. It could have been for a variety of reasons...but very unlikely that it was for scoring too quickly.

quote:

---

but very unlikely that it was for scoring too quickly.

---

Deep down, this is how I feel, but it just bothered me for some reason, especially watching the offense go to shite after that outburst.

I know Saban is a stickler, and will let players know if they missed the slightest thing, but he was going off on Lane, and Lane alone. And Lane kind of had that "What did I do?" look. Just a weird situation.

quote:

---

Saban is known to be conservative when he can. It doesn't make for good football and the players probably don't enjoy it. Not many people have lost games like 2010 Auburn and been considered a good coach.

---

We really didn't go conservative in the 2010 IB though. With the playcalling, we should have been up 35-0 in that first half, but our players fumbled, dropped TD passes, etc. In the second half, we simply couldnt run or pass because their Dline was dominating our Oline.

Saban is ALWAYS yelling at someone when we're up big. He's never satisfied after most TDs. It is who he is. It is why the fanbase has adopted that attitude, and it is why he cleverly tried to pretend like we had it and he didn't when he needed to create an "us against the world" mentality for the team. But he is never satisfied with anything.