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Alternate portal strategy
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:20 am
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:20 am
One of the coolest things Shula did when he was here was recruit a return specialist. The dude was an undersized 2 star nobody...and he became a weapon at returner and eventually an essential defensive contributor who played in the NFL.
Obviously im talking about Javier Arenas.
My point...maybe save a scholarship roster spot...OR get a preferred walk on(with NIL to cover all school, etc) for specialist that has excelled in a lower division. Bama desperately needs some special teams weapons. Kicker being an obvious one but also...kick/punt returner. For years(even with Saban), Bama, it seems, has just tried to get by with special teams. Would love to see Bama go out and get some weapons and try to make special teams a weapon. Maybe one of these "specialists" is good enough to contribute on Off/Def as well
Hell maybe look for some kid out there that has a knack for blocking punts. When was last time Bama blocked a punt?
Obviously im talking about Javier Arenas.
My point...maybe save a scholarship roster spot...OR get a preferred walk on(with NIL to cover all school, etc) for specialist that has excelled in a lower division. Bama desperately needs some special teams weapons. Kicker being an obvious one but also...kick/punt returner. For years(even with Saban), Bama, it seems, has just tried to get by with special teams. Would love to see Bama go out and get some weapons and try to make special teams a weapon. Maybe one of these "specialists" is good enough to contribute on Off/Def as well
Hell maybe look for some kid out there that has a knack for blocking punts. When was last time Bama blocked a punt?
5
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:25 am to scottydoesntknow
quote:
When was last time Bama blocked a punt?
Just a few weeks ago.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:39 am to CapstoneGrad06
I mentioned during the AU game that Cole Adams is a fair catch machine.
Then he dropped one this week.
Then he dropped one this week.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 8:52 am to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
quote:
When was last time Bama blocked a punt?
Just a few weeks ago.
TBH I dont even remember it
Posted on 12/8/25 at 9:57 am to bamaphan13
quote:
I mentioned during the AU game that Cole Adams is a fair catch machine.
Then he dropped one this week.
While I've been happy to pile on Ty Simpson as a problem, the special teams are a 5 alarm dumpster fire going back to OU.
What the hell is going on back there? Cant punt protect, cant fair catch... right now somehow I feel better about Connor Talty than I do anything else we're doing with that group which speaks volumes given where we were at pre-Iron Bowl.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:23 am to bamaphan13
quote:
I mentioned during the AU game that Cole Adams is a fair catch machine.
Then he dropped one this week.
In his defense (as a fair catch machine) it's almost always the right call. He's not signaling for them when the punt coverage is still 20 yards away. Our blocking on kick and punt returns is just absolutely goddamn atrocious. The only opportunities to return one are when it's a poorly aimed line drive kick.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 10:57 am to tide06
Kalen should tell anybody that attempts to return a kickoff will have to walk home. Take the 25 and spare us the return to the 18 and a block in the back flag.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:09 am to JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
quote:
Kalen should tell anybody that attempts to return a kickoff will have to walk home. Take the 25 and spare us the return to the 18 and a block in the back flag.
I was just doing something else and noticed SP+ has our S/T unit at 113 in the country currently. I think there are only like 130 teams in the entire country.
Thats "this is going to end your season when you least expect it" bad.
Its also "someone is probably getting fired" bad.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:11 am to bamaphan13
To be fair, the blocking has been terrible. Rarely do our guys blocking their gunners get a good block. By the time ball gets to Adam’s, the gunners are almost always on top of him.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:18 am to scottydoesntknow
Since you can have unlimited assistant coaches now, I’d love to see a full time special teams coach. Maybe one from the Frank Beamer coaching tree. Virginia Tech pretty much always had good/innovative special teams with Beamer.
I also agree we need to vastly improve special teams. Need a GOOD long snapper and a solid kicker/punter. Hell, you could probably find them at the FCS level in the portal.
I also agree we need to vastly improve special teams. Need a GOOD long snapper and a solid kicker/punter. Hell, you could probably find them at the FCS level in the portal.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:22 am to scottydoesntknow
This is a coaching issue.
Or does Bama not have good players on special teams either?
Or does Bama not have good players on special teams either?
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:25 am to Amarillo Tide
Correct me if I am wrong but the NCAA relaxed the rules where the analyst can be on the practice field to actually coach but can't recruit. If that is actually correct, then there is no excuse for the special team performance.
My eyes tell the problem is PURE lack of effort by the players! They really don't even want to be just a special team's player.
My eyes tell the problem is PURE lack of effort by the players! They really don't even want to be just a special team's player.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:47 am to JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
You can literally have unlimited assistants; it's just beyond the previous limit (10? 11?), they can't recruit off campus.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 11:52 am to Robot Santa
Yes - better a fair-catch-machine than a turnover-machine
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:19 pm to scottydoesntknow
That block punt was due to our punter reading a book, taking a nap, and having tea and crumpets before kicking the ball.
I said something after the first punt. Kirby and Co. had to have noticed it too.
I said something after the first punt. Kirby and Co. had to have noticed it too.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 1:32 pm to scottydoesntknow
Shula had a walk-on RB that never played, his name was Rashad Johnson.
Saban moved him to DB and he spent many years in the NFL.
Saban moved him to DB and he spent many years in the NFL.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 2:32 pm to Section 80
quote:
This is a coaching issue. Or does Bama not have good players on special teams either?
I think so too. The ST guy we have just doesnt seem to be very good
Posted on 12/8/25 at 3:37 pm to Amarillo Tide
Facts. I was wondering how do they blow past our guys every punt?
Posted on 12/8/25 at 3:45 pm to Tide or Die87
There has to be a shifty kid somehwere in south florida that wants to be a return man.
Posted on 12/8/25 at 4:29 pm to Tide or Die87
so exactly what punt returner in america can return a punt when hes surrounded by guys wanting to take his head off, as soon as he catches the ball, on nearly every punt. i'll hang up and listen for your answer.
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