Alabama Stats through Week 2 (non-garbage time)

Weren't we over 1 PPP at some point yesterday? Just absurd.

LINK ]Stat Pack: Where Alabama stands statistically after Game 2 (BOL)

Mizzou has a good veteran defensive front and A&M has a very good defensive front. A&M's OL is also very good. So is their TE that gave us trouble.

Regardless of who we're playing, we've got to clean up our costly mental errors (especially on defense) and our poor tackling technique.

bamameister, you and I went back and forth a bit last year on Golding -- I kept saying injuries and youth were causing most of our defensive issues, and you maintained Golding's scheme / approach was the bulk of the problem.

After a small sample size this year, I'm on the verge of admitting you were right, and I was wrong. Maybe there's a logical reason we're playing bend-but-don't-break defense, but I don't know what that could be.

The only glimmer of hope I have for our defensive approach thus far is a dangerous concept, but it might be true: We believed in these first two games we didn't need to show a lot of our hand defensively. Maybe we're just playing vanilla stuff for the most part to disguise our packages until we need them against the higher-powered offenses, like (Lord help me) Ole Miss or Georgia.

Even with that possibility, though, I don't like what I've seen from an effort standpoint. Our DL just isn't creating disruption, and our linebackers -- with notable exceptions at various times -- just aren't flashing to the ball, filling the hole properly, or punishing the ball carrier when they're tackling him.

This week will tell the tale for me, I think; if we don't pressure / affect / sack Corral on a regular basis, and if we give up a lot of third down conversions, I'm officially off the Golding train. I'm clinging by a fingernail, hoping against hope, but I haven't seen the defense respond this year the way I'd expected.

The offensive line / run game ... man, that's another kettle of (stinky) fish.

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bamameister, you and I went back and forth a bit last year on Golding -- I kept saying injuries and youth were causing most of our defensive issues, and you maintained Golding's scheme / approach was the bulk of the problem.

After a small sample size this year, I'm on the verge of admitting you were right, and I was wrong. Maybe there's a logical reason we're playing bend-but-don't-break defense, but I don't know what that could be.

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To be fair to you, we were hurt, terribly. Any defense would feel that many key injuries. Too many freshmen on the field for sure. It was a big part of last season's problem. It was just the intangibles and fundamentals that I think we're driving me crazy.

I don't honestly know why we are playing so conservatively against the likes of Missouri and even TAMU. There are far more dynamic offensive teams in the future.

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Even with that possibility, though, I don't like what I've seen from an effort standpoint. Our DL just isn't creating disruption, and our linebackers -- with notable exceptions at various times -- just aren't flashing to the ball, filling the hole properly, or punishing the ball carrier when they're tackling him.

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We look like a counterpuncher on D. Best way I can put it. We aren't filling running lanes with our D-line and backers. And we aren't putting enough pressure on the QB to speed him up and get him out of his comfort zone. Mond couldn't execute vs Vandy. He wasn't struggling near as much with our style.

Every Bama doesn't want to see this style. It's downright painful for a lot of folks. But I love defense, back to coach Bryant and I'm sure there are many more who feel the same way. And those days are gone with the wind.

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This week will tell the tale for me, I think; if we don't pressure / affect / sack Corral on a regular basis, and if we give up a lot of third down conversions, I'm officially off the Golding train. I'm clinging by a fingernail, hoping against hope, but I haven't seen the defense respond this year the way I'd expected.

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I'm hoping for the best. It would be glorious to see our defense put a good whipping on the rebels Saturday.

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Our DL just isn't creating disruption, and our linebackers -- with notable exceptions at various times -- just aren't flashing to the ball,

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If I may gentlemen offer my opinion?

I think what we saw against Missouri and very much so again AM was the infamous mush rush. Our DL as seen by me at the game was keeping arms straight and peaking around the OL. Moses and sometimes Harris sat behind them watching for Mond to move a spy obviously. On the second time AM ran the option play we blew it up doing this.

Mond in the past had success running against us, he didn’t at all Saturday nor did the athletic Missouri QB. Saban is a fan of the mush rush. Now the decision comes against Ole Miss who seems to have a QB who can run and throw well, what will we do? Attack him and risk getting run on or mush rush and get thrown on.

UGA for example with Bennett is another scenario. We will likely go after him as he isn’t a running QB by nature.

My opinion. Good discussions btw.

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Agree Boz - that is what I saw as well. And we did a pretty good job of "affecting" Mond, and Saban likes to say. We didn't sack him much, but we were around him a whole lot. And, like you said, he didn't beat us with his legs at all - especially when compared to the last 3 years.

I think we'll play it straight up against Ole Miss. Corral has good legs, but he isn't much more than a scramble for a first down threat, whereas Mond was a scramble for 25 or 30 threat. And, I'm guessing we won't want to sacrifice the pocket time or a man to spy.

This weekend will be a very good test for the defense. I think we'll learn a lot about where we are mentally and about our pass rush. Kiffin will challenge our back 7 constantly - if they are lost it will be very apparent very quickly.

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I agree on Ole Miss. I think if we can get to Corall (sp) one good time it may shake him up.

I actually think our secondary on a coverage basis is not bad, I think ball hawking they are quite good. Killer instinct is what I want to sharpen some. Battle came out of his shell Saturday.

As for Georgia I think Bennett can’t be left in the pocket, we need to move him. Clog the running lane and we will be fine. I think our offense is light years better than UGA while their D might be slightly better than ours. I like our chances honestly.

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UGA while their D might be slightly better than ours. I like our chances honestly.

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That Georgia defense is more than just a little better than ours. I really worry that with Moses playing poorly they may blister us in the running the ball down our throat and keeping our offense on the sideline. I am really worried about that game. A loss shouldn't derail our season but a win puts us in an even better position