The 2014 team

Technically next year we'd be 15-0




But I'm expecting 9-3.

15-0 and winning #16 in Dallas.

I'm going to think positively until proven other wise. To hell with you nega-gumps. If the barn can do it after their shitastic year last year, we can too.

Y'all think it will be rough? Only thing I see holding us back from being great is QB play and defense. I expect the defense will be MUCH better, and will not be torn up once by ANY spread offenses. This will be the first defense that can completely bottle up the spread, I promise it will be.

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QB play

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How much of a drop off has there been from Croyle - JPW - McElroy - AJ ? Serious question.

The 2014 team will only go as far as Saban's philosophy will allow and the QB play. This team will have a bull's eye on it's back next year, not because we are Alabama, but because OK gave every team we play in 2014 hope that they can whip our arse. We have top to bottom the best roster in college football and only FSU and LSU can rival that, so it's time for our play calling on both sides of the ball to reflect that.

Our team has to become more vicious, because of the lost of fear and the philosophy of that Bama is a one trick pony. We seem to kick arse and let up, due to coaching ethics, instead of knocking the opponent down and curb stomping them until they submit physically & mentally. Hopefully Saban allows Nuss to utilize our weapons more, because we have some studs waiting ( Henry, R. Foster, Black, Howard) who are going to turn heads. Also I think if Saban "dumbs" his defensive system down somewhat so the guys won't have as many pre-snap sideline adjustments and just play fast, 2014 will be a championship season.

But in the end, I know this is just wishful thinking. Especially when it comes to philosophy

Losses to LSU and Auburn, wins over FAU, USM and WCU, every other game is a tossup. Leaning toward A&M being a loss and MSU being a win.

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Someone compared Saban's defense to Monte Kiffin's: once unbeatable, but little by little offensive coordinators have figured it out. Now will Saban change what he is doing? I have my doubts.

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I don't think it's so much that as it is not having highly talented high caliber players (clinton dix and mosely are great but there was a time not to long ago where the defense looked like a all star group) like we've had in the past. We don't have a Upshaw, Mark Barron, or a Dre Kirkpatrick, that's not naming them all, and they were all on the same defense.

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We don't have a Upshaw, Mark Barron, or a Dre Kirkpatrick, that's not naming them all, and they were all on the same defense.

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Chapman was the hardest working NG we've ever had, he was on that squad.

The LB corb had Hightower, Upshaw, Mosley, and Nico. Dee/Dre were locking people down, Menzie was covering the slot, and Barron/Lester were shutting down the deep throw.

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LSU will be good

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I don't see it. They will most likely lose majority of their offensive production from this season and will most likely lose key guys on defense again.

I'm much more worried about @Ole Miss next season with Bo Wallace.

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Someone compared Saban's defense to Monte Kiffin's: once unbeatable, but little by little offensive coordinators have figured it out. Now will Saban change what he is doing? I have my doubts.

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Are you kidding? Did you forget Saban ran Urban Meyer out of the SEC? There certainly needs to be a few tweaks (mainly doing what we did in 2009 against UF and find the best 11 and play them not focusing on subbing against HUNH teams). But at the same time we've had three really good Defenses while Nick Saban has been Bama's coach - 2008, 2009, and 2011. 2010, 2012, and 2013 actually played really well despite being young and inexperienced. Our problems this year on D had to stem from young corners not scheme problems. Geno Smith spent most of the first of the season in the dog house. When he came back he showed he was more suited for the Money Safety role. People forget that at various times under Saban's run we have had Corners, young corners that looked really bad at the start but by the time they left were great. Kareem Jackson, Marquis Johnson, Javier Arenas, Dre Kirkpatrick, Dee Milliner, Dequan Menzie, and Deion Belue all looked bad as rookies to later turn into great playmakers/award winners/high draft picks by the time they left. Saban will play young corners and he will let them learn the hard way. He always has. In fact when he wasn't in trouble Eddie Jackson had one of the better rookie seasons a Corner has had under Saban. If he keeps out of trouble the sky is the limit with this kid.

Yes Florida and LSU have had guys play early and look good but Florida plays a much less complicated version of our system and Chavis is legendary for his system being more about just pure ability that strategy.

Saban doesn't take it easy on young corners/try to protect them. This makes it easier on them in the long run. That is a hallmark of Saban's defensive philosophy is there is very little "cheating". He stresses fundamentally sound D over things like jailbreak blitzes or double teams. In fact I would term his D as a fairly conservative one. Saban's zone blitzes come from sets where he has extra DB's precisely because that is one of his biggest philosophies. Most of the time when he blitzes it is simply still a four man (or rarer 5 man rush) he is just disguising where the 4th/5th guy is rushing from. Sometimes its a corner, sometimes its a safety. I think at one point in 2009, Javy had more sacks than our starting "Rush LBs" combined.