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So apparently we lost the big game

Posted on 1/19/17 at 4:31 pm
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
64883 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 4:31 pm
Hey guys. I'm back from a somewhat long hiatus due to my commitments to the U.S. Navy. While I was gone I got the occasional update about Alabama football, including the heartbreaking loss to Clemson last week.

Sad day. Anyways...looking at the stats for our final three games, the offense wasn't nearly as productive as they were throughout the rest of the season. We put up less than 400 yards against Florida and Washington. What happened? And was the UT-Chattanooga game (the last game I watched) really the blue print game some of us feared that it would be?
Posted by TomRollTideRitter
Member since Aug 2016
12613 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 5:05 pm to
Seemed like Kiffin checked out at the end of the season. The play calling in the Washington game was particularly awful, so Sark took over for the national title and his gamelan was just to feed Bo. Once Bo got injured in the national title game, he had no backup plan and mysteriously completely abandoned the run.

Against Clemson we went three and out some ridiculous number of times but continued to go up tempo. That made our defense face 99 plays which cost us the game.
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 6:35 pm to
The defenses started mostly containing the qb and forced him to pass. He couldn't connect often enough. The Clemson game was especially ugly. The qbs favorite play was roll out of the pocket to the right and throw the ball to the sidelines. I think we had only 2 series more than 5 plays.
This post was edited on 1/19/17 at 6:37 pm
Posted by chattabama
12essee
Member since Jun 2012
19315 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 6:38 pm to
Our freshman QB was a freshman that night. It happens. I do expect him to improve.
Posted by CrimsonBoz
Member since Sep 2014
16967 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 6:50 pm to
And the 5 dropped passes two which would convert a 3rd down. Our fresh qb drove us down the field with and scored the go ahead. I was pretty impressed with that personally. Hopefully in the off season they work on timing and field vision.
Posted by chattabama
12essee
Member since Jun 2012
19315 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 6:57 pm to
quote:

Our fresh qb drove us down the field with and scored the go ahead. I was pretty impressed with that personall


That was no doubt impressive, but there were so many passes that were off target, times where he should have tucked. Compared to Jake and even Blake, there was a definite dropoff.
Posted by CrimsonBoz
Member since Sep 2014
16967 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 7:02 pm to
I agree, he needs to get better but at least his issue isn't arm strength, it's timing and field vision. If he can fix one of those solid he will be twice as good.
Posted by Gustave
Member since Nov 2015
3389 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 7:36 pm to
Jake was so underrated. His last 4 game stretch was all you can ask for.
Posted by chattabama
12essee
Member since Jun 2012
19315 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 7:47 pm to
Jake was money. I wish we could have seen him over a two-year stretch.
Posted by phil4bama
Emerald Coast of PCB
Member since Jul 2011
11454 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 8:09 pm to
Offensive staff completely lost their mind. Jalen forgot how to pass. When he did pass and throw on target which was rare, our receivers forgot how to catch. Bo was a beast that couldn't be stopped until he broke his leg. Then Sark forgot we have another 5 star and 2 other 4 star backs. They may not be Bo, but they ain't chopped liver.
The defense gave a heroic effort. They held Clemson in check until drives 14-17. That's right, they had 17 drives and 99 plays. We had 16 drives. And 14 of them were 4 plays or less and I think we never held the ball longer than 1:45 if memory serves. Time of possession was roughly 35 to 25 in their favor. They wore our arse out and made us quit. Dabo built Clemson to beat Bama by building another Bama.

You 'member all those pundits that said only Bama could beat Bama. Well, Bama did. Dabo's Bama. I 'member.
This post was edited on 1/19/17 at 8:11 pm
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 9:07 pm to
Since the game I keep reading about receivers dropping passes, but I don't remember a lot of that so I'm watching the game again.

I just every watched every one of our offensive plays of the first half, and Stewart missed one pass that was in his hands, on the sideline, but even that pass he was turned around. #9 slipped in the backfield and missed a screen pass, but he never got his hands on the ball. No other receiver missed a pass that he could get a hand on, so Stewarts drop is the only one.

The last 2 possessions of the half were 5 plays and a punt and 3 plays and a punt. 7 of 15 passing, for 43 yards, in the first half. Defense getting tired and Clemson starting to move the ball.

I'll watch the rest tomorrow, or maybe not. I already know the ending.

entire game

edit: Ridley dropped a screen pass on the left sideline, next to last possession, but it was well covered anyway. Would probably have lost yards with a completion.



This post was edited on 1/20/17 at 7:36 am
Posted by YellowhammerLA
Los Angeles
Member since Feb 2013
45 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 9:51 pm to
Dieter also had a bad drop on 3rd down in the 3rd quarter. Would've been a first down easy.

And before we lay it all at the offense's feet, keep in mind that all season long we won by creating non-offensive touchdowns. No such luck in this game.

We caught a team (and unbelievably talented quarterback) peaking at the right time. It happens.
Posted by FairhopeTider
Fairhope, Alabama
Member since May 2012
20750 posts
Posted on 1/19/17 at 10:24 pm to
quote:

Jake was money. I wish we could have seen him over a two-year stretch.


No doubt. It was clear that all he needed was reps. He had spent his entire career as a backup or fighting for the job. Once he finally got all the snaps in practice, you could tell. Jake would've been a huge asset this past year. No doubt we beat Clemson with him.

I'd also would've liked to have seen Blake with another off-season under his belt.
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 1/20/17 at 7:12 am to
quote:

Dieter also had a bad drop on 3rd down in the 3rd quarter. Would've been a first down easy.


I remember that one, which is in the 2nd half
Posted by nc14
La Jolla
Member since Jan 2012
28193 posts
Posted on 1/20/17 at 7:29 pm to
Best player on offense is Ridley. Essentially benched him with the QB selection. It's not rocket science.
Posted by nc14
La Jolla
Member since Jan 2012
28193 posts
Posted on 1/20/17 at 7:31 pm to
6 minutes left in third quarter and Bo still healthy. Biggest play in the game in my opinion, outcome wise. Catch the fricking ball.
Posted by PowHound
The Peoples Moderator
Member since Jul 2014
6837 posts
Posted on 1/20/17 at 11:41 pm to
No there were several more drops.

OJ, Dieter, Ridley, Stewart all had drops. Even worse was the timing of the drops.

Once again Huddie, you seem to live in your own fabricated reality.

Just like when you told us all how amazing Kiffin was right before CNS fired him.
This post was edited on 1/20/17 at 11:42 pm
Posted by Huddie Leadbetter
Member since May 2016
3822 posts
Posted on 1/21/17 at 7:49 am to
quote:

No there were several more drops.


As noted, I watched every single offensive play of the first half and the only drops when the receiver got his hand on the ball was Stewart on the sideline, which he had to turn around, and Ridley on the sideline on the screen pass, which was very well covered and he'd surely lost yards had he caught it.

Now, though, just for you, I am going to review all the 2nd half. Tell me now, though, what dropped passes to look for. I know about Dieter's, but what are the others?

I linked the game, in case you're interested in the fact of the matter rather than emotionally defending what was a really bad game for the qb. As noted in another thread: Coker would have won that game, Sims probably would have won that game, McCarron would have pounded them. Hurts lack of a passing game lost a national title. I think he's scared, too, which is why he's so quick to bail and throw out of bounds (more of those than dropped passes). I hope he improves by next year but it's entirely possible we have a Jeremy Johnson on our hands.

edit: Kiffin's offense has set records at Alabama and when he was coaching, we won 3 straight SEC titles, and a national title. Even with Hurts' ineptness, we might have won the game had Kiffin been there to scheme around his lack of passing game, as he had all year long.

Saban is an awesome college football coach. Probably the best ever, but he isn't infallible. He probably made a couple mistakes this year in putting all the eggs in the Jalen Hurts' basket, and letting Kiffin go a few days before the title game.

edit II: Can you not debate a point without personal attacks? You do that a lot. It's about a game, anyway. It's not like people are dissing your family.
This post was edited on 1/21/17 at 8:41 am
Posted by CrimsonBoz
Member since Sep 2014
16967 posts
Posted on 1/21/17 at 11:51 am to
So now hurts is inept? Lol

Again we don't have Coker, sims, or AJ on the team. So that doesn't matter at all.
This post was edited on 1/21/17 at 11:52 am
Posted by nc14
La Jolla
Member since Jan 2012
28193 posts
Posted on 1/21/17 at 12:01 pm to
Far from inept, but far from duel threat against top competition.
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