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re: Bama Football Tidings

Posted on 8/4/19 at 2:16 am to
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 2:16 am to

Courtesy Alabama Athletics
An offseason of self-examination has Crimson Tide zeroed in at start of camp by Christopher Walsh Alabama's aim of returning to its championship ways has been steadily fueled by 44-16 loss to Clemson
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Anfernee Jennings sees it every day. Whether he’s just walking by or brushing his teeth, it’s always staring back at him.

On his mirror, written with a permanent Sharpie pen so it can’t be wiped off, the senior linebacker has the score of last year’s National Championship Game: 44-16.

The reminder is constant, from when he gets up until he heads to bed.

“It just motivates me, and how to take on my day,” Jennings said Saturday morning.

This from a guy who was already considered a team leader and one of the hardest working players on the Crimson Tide.

It’s been nearly seven months since Alabama got blasted by Clemson at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., and the loss has been gnawing at the Crimson Tide every single day. It’s not just with the returning starters, but everyone in the organization.

This was an unusual offseason in Tuscaloosa, one of self-examination. While the immediate consequence to getting thumped in a title game was predictable, with Nick Saban’s coaching staff overhauled, things otherwise appeared to be quiet.

Like the quiet before a thunderstorm strikes.

“Everyone’s talking about that last game that we played,” junior right tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. said. “Just the chip on our shoulder, to come out and prove who we are. Everyone thinks that we fell off but that’s not the case at all.”

Yes, Alabama still feels that it was fundamentally a better team than Clemson, and one that peaked after the LSU win. Some all calling those excuses, but the latter is especially true. The film doesn’t lie and the Crimson Tide didn’t play especially well from mid-November on, and especially during the final game.

Now Alabama is out to prove that the former was true as well.

The Crimson Tide’s only had two practices in fall camp and the players are still couple of days away from putting the pads on for the first time. So there really isn’t much that can be said about player development, schemes or what the lineup might look like against Duke in Atlanta on Aug. 31.

Consequently, the vast majority of things being said during the team’s media day were similar to what Saban said during the offseason, and a lot like what had been stated by their predecessors during years past.

“We always look to improve, just on little things, big things,” sophomore wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said. “There’s always room for improvement. We’re never satisfied.”

It’s the kind of thing that players are encouraged to say, and great for Alabama if true. However, every player on every team could say that.

What stood out during the interview sessions at Bryant-Denny Stadium was how nearly every player who participated said almost the exact thing about where the team is at, and what was different from the end of last season.

“Leadership,” sophomore cornerback Patrick Surtain II said. “We just have a chip on our shoulder and we’re just ready for the season to start.”

There have been other signs that there’s already more going on with the team below the surface.

Like Saban saying that this is one of the best-conditioned teams he’s had coming out of the summer, and how the leadership is already established. Even though there are barley any senior starters, those roles have already been largely defined: Linebacker Dylan Moses is the Alpha Dog of the defense, while it’s Tua Tagovailoa’s offense.

Did you see the way the quarterback started the first practice?

“Let’s go get what we want.”

The distractions have been few and far between while nearly every preseason publication and poll is picking Clemson as the team to beat.

The louder the doubters got, the quieter the Crimson Tide has been.

“Everybody so far, I feel like we’re locked in,” senior linebacker Terrell Lewis said.

“We use that as fuel. I think a lot of guys every day come in with the mindset that we want to prove it to ourselves that we want to be that Bama defense that people are scared of, people are intimidated by.”

The offense feels the same way.

Sometimes a failure can inspire that kind of reaction. So can the subsequent non-stop reminders, the self-inflicted ones included.

“Your team is only going to go as far as your leadership takes you,” Jennings said. “Guys doing the right things, re-emphasizing it to the younger guys, knowing what to do, how to do it and why it’s important.

“With great leadership the sky is the limit.”
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 6:49 am to
Alabama's offense could be seeing 'red' this season Tony Tsoukalas • BamaInsider @Tony_Tsoukalas
[quote]TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — There will be plenty of red on the field for Alabama this season, and that’s not a reference to the team’s crimson jerseys.

Nick Saban wanted to make his terminology clear Saturday when asked about different packages his offense could line up in this year. The aforementioned “red” package relates to a four-receiver set with a running back and no tight ends on the field.

In the NFL such a formation is generally referred to as a 10 formation — the one referring to the number of running backs on the field and the zero referring to the number of tight ends. For example, an 11 formation would have one running back and one tight end, while a 12 formation would have a running back and two tight ends and so on. However, at Alabama things are color-coded.

So when Saban was asked about using a 10 formation Saturday, he took exception to the lingo.

“What is 10 personnel? Where did you get that,” Saban answered mockingly. “Does that mean one back, no tight ends, kind of an NFL term? You’re really knowledgable.”

The head coach then went on to explain the terminology in layman's terms while stating Alabama called that formation “red.” Whatever Saban wants to call it, the Crimson Tide is going to find a way to get its four best receivers on the field as much as possible.

Alabama returns the nation’s top receiving corps featuring a fearsome foursome in Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Last season, that quartet combined for 3,597 yards and 38 touchdowns through the air — the most among any four wide receivers from a Power 5 team.

A shift to more four-wide sets makes even more sense when considering Alabama’s tight end unit which has been decimated by the departure of last year's starters as well as minor injuries to key players this year. This offseason, the Crimson Tide lost Irv Smith Jr. and Hale Hentges, the only two tight ends to record a reception last year. Currently, Alabama is without its projected starter at the position as Miller Forristall will miss the next few days with a foot injury.

“You know the red personnel for us, obviously the four wide receivers and a running back, is something we’ll definitely incorporate into what we’re doing,” offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said. “I’d be remiss to keep those four wide receivers not on the field when it presents itself to be an advantageous situation. Too many times, if they’re standing next to us on the sidelines, something’s wrong or we feel good about something else that’s happening.

“But they’re four very dynamic playmakers, they’re competitive, they work hard. They do everything they can that we think is right in the program and ultimately it shows in the way they play on the field. So we’ve got to continue to try and develop that package to make sure when we use it we’re not just throwing four wide receivers on the field, but there’s a rhyme and a reason why we’re doing what we’re doing.”[quote]Continued below...
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 6:52 am
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 6:49 am to
Alabama's offense could be seeing 'red' this season Tony Tsoukalas • BamaInsider @Tony_Tsoukalas Continued from above...
quote:

Saban praised his receiving group Saturday, crediting them for being “great competitors.” The head coach’s M.O. has always been to get his best players on the field in positions to make plays. However, he expressed some caution when talking about the switch to four-wide sets.

“I think when you get in that situation you are very limited to some degree,” Saban said. “When you have a tight end in the game, the multiples of what you can do — you can do two-back runs, you can do four-open, which is the same as having 10 personnel in the game — and you can do a lot more things from a protection standpoint.”

More receivers on the field likely means less players to block for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. The junior spent a good portion of last season on the ground following big hits and suffered the side effects of some of those blows late in the year. Although, while keeping Tagovailoa upright will be one of Alabama’s chief concerns, the Heisman finalist isn’t worried about the lack of protection the “red” formation might present.

“I don’t think it’d be any different than if we were in a blue personnel, silver personnel,” Tagovailoa said, referring to 11 and 12 personnels. “It’s still going to be a six-man protection or even a five-man protection because we might need the back to go out. I mean, it’s a lot different. It’s just how we game plan for whatever team we’re playing.”

In fact, Tagovailoa is intrigued by the possibilities the formation might bring.

“I think it could open up a lot of things," he said. "Sometimes they can’t change their personnel in the game, and if we’re going fast it can open up the run game. If they’re in nickel, I mean it could definitely open up the run game. It all depends on how we game plan for the team.”

Continued below...
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 6:55 am
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 6:49 am to
Alabama's offense could be seeing 'red' this season Tony Tsoukalas • BamaInsider @Tony_Tsoukalas
quote:

Sarkisian’s style has shifted from when he first started orchestrating offenses as an offensive coordinator for Southern California in 2007. He went from strict West Coast attacks with two running backs to transitioning to three- and four-receiver spread sets as a head coach at Washington. Later, he began to integrate run-pass option principles into his attack during his time as a head coach at USC and as an offensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons.

While his approach will be forever evolving, Sarkisian said the core elements of football — “being physical up front, being able to run the football, taking care of the football, and scoring when you have opportunities to score” — will never change.

“I think what it is is you come in and you try to evaluate the whole thing,” Sarkisian said. “We say, ‘Okay, how can I help this team continue to get better? How can I help these players improve and put them in the best position to have success, not only short term but long term?’ That’s our job as coaches. And then buying into the entire organization, and the program, and the values of the organization. That’s kind of my mindset – what I can do to help, do my part to put us in the best position to be successful?”

Perhaps that’s putting more receivers on the field. If it is, expect Sarkisian and Alabama to be seeing “red” often this season.

This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 6:54 am
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 8:11 am to
Steve Sarkisian explains his offensive philosophy By Michael Casagrande | mcasagrande@al.com
More from Sark from yesterday's media coverage.
quote:

For years, it’s been the rallying cry of practically all 101,821 fans who pack Bryant-Denny Stadium a few Saturdays a fall. They just wanted Alabama to run the damn ball.

Then came the Tua Tagovailoa Revolution of 2018 and it was suddenly fashionable to throw the dang thing too.

Well, there’s a relatively new offensive coordinator in town for a third straight year and Steve Sarkisian was asked about his philosophy Saturday morning.

“Well I think it starts in running the football,” Sarkisian said. “In my opinion, every year I’ve called plays in college football I’ve always had a 1,000-yard rusher.
much more continued in the AL.COM article
Posted by JJ27
Member since Sep 2004
60392 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 8:25 am to
quote:

6] Redshirt freshman Slade Bolden was working on the second-team at wide receiver, behind Henry Ruggs III.



Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 10:53 am to
He looked pretty good in the Spring Game. And had a pass completion, kind of reminds me of A.Stewart. (ath that played QB in HS). gives lots of options and when he is on the field the other team has to be aware of the possible "flanker pass"
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 10:54 am
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 11:13 am to
Alabama Football: Sarkisian could become Saban’s best OC by Ronald Evans Alabama football, Offensive Coordinator, Steve Sarkisian spoke to the media before Fan Day. Based on his attitude and comments, the Tide offense can be better than last season.

Press conferences don’t win football games. But Alabama football fans have a good reason to believe in Steve Sarkisian. Watching and listening to Sark, it is easy to be enthusiastic.

Our excitement leads to two bold suppositions. The 2019 Crimson Tide offense can be better than the record-setting offense of 2018. Steve Sarkisian can become the best OC of the Alabama football, Saban-era.

Why such optimistic speculation? It is not all about Sark. The Alabama football roster is loaded with talent. Tua is arguably the most gifted quarterback in college football. The Tide is loaded at running back. It has the best wide receiving group in Crimson Tide history and the best nationally this season.

The offensive line must prove itself and the tight end roster is not deep. Those two units don’t have to be great. Very good should be enough, given the abundance of talent elsewhere – and there is little reason to doubt very good is achievable.

So Sark has the weapons. He also has a track record of being a skilled tactician. Jim McElwain is underrated for his Tide offenses. Lane Kiffin used wizard-like skills to befuddle defenses. Sark is like neither and he could become better than both.

Based on Sarkisian’s comments on Saturday, the new Crimson Tide offense will be so multi-faceted, it will be difficult to label. It will blend Sark’s West Coast roots with RPO, power running and play-action passing.

As Sark said in the video below, it all starts with the running game. From that, he wants efficiency in the passing game. The Tide’s ‘Red’ formation will be featured. That formation is four wides, one running back and no tight ends. Sarkisian explained his potential use of the formation,

We’ve got to continue to try and develop that package to make sure when we use it we’re not just throwing four wide receivers on the field, but there’s a rhyme and a reason why we’re doing what we’re doing.

That is the tactician in Steve Sarkisian talking. For those Tide fans unsure of Sark’s tactical skills, a little history should help. Sarkisian was an outstanding quarterback at BYU. He was coached by Norm Chow who is considered one of the best offensive minds ever, at any level of football. Sark does not get much credit for it, but he helped Lane Kiffin learn from Chow at USC. Bottom line, Tide fans would have to go back to Homer Smith for an Alabama football OC who understood offensive football more than Steve Sarkisian.
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 11:21 am to
Alabama Football: 10 player nuggets after two practice sessions by Ronald Evans
quote:

Saturday’s Alabama football Fan Day was the second practice session of fall camp. Check out these 10 nuggets about Crimson Tide players.

After two practice sessions, it is far too early to come to any conclusions about Alabama football players. That does not mean there are no items of note about players in the early sessions.

Until there is full contact action in pads and at least a scrimmage, we will not offer any predictions. In the interim, all observations are hints about what may transpire.

Before diving into the nuggets, there is a bit more information on injured players. As expected LaBryan Ray and Miller Forristall did not work Saturday. Joining them on the missing list was defensive back, Nigel Knott. Knott’s ailment is not known. Nick Saban said Knott is out for medical reasons. Five other players were in black, no-contact jerseys Saturday. They were Najee Harris, Darrian Dalcourt, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Xavier Williams and Scooby Carter. None are believed to have any serious problem.
Ten Alabama football player nuggets

Multiple reports state Terrell Lewis is in great shape following his injury recovery. Terrell has stated he believes he is at 100 percent. On Saturday, Nick Saban said, "We’ll probably try to manage his reps to some degree, but he practiced all day yesterday. He’s worked hard all summer. He is back to a level higher than he was before he got hurt two years ago."

Those are the most welcome words heard by Alabama football fans since early January. A healthy Terrell Lewis, perhaps a better player than ever before, could redefine the Crimson Tide defense.

-Jared Mayden is in the mix to start at safety in the nickel defense. He will have to beat out Shyheim Carter to do it.
-Early indications are the Tide defensive staff prefers Patrick Surtain II at Star. In that case, the corner opposite Trevon Diggs could be Josh Jobe or Shy Carter can play the third corner.
-Justin Eboigbe will not be the starter at defensive end once LaBryan Ray returns, but the freshman will be a big part of the rotation this fall.
-Ale Kaho is still working for playing time. He has reportedly added 10-15 pounds. He got some work Saturday with the outside linebackers.
-Ben Davis appears to have a shot at the two-deep at outside linebacker.
-Evan Neal worked some at left guard with the first unit. When Neal came in, Emil Ekiyor moved to center.
-As of Saturday, the second unit cornerbacks appear to be freshman, Brandon Turnage and redshirt freshman, Jalyn Armour-Davis.
-Freshman running back Keilan Robinson had surgery for a meniscus repair in April. There was doubt about him being full speed until mid-season. He may not be at full speed yet but two practices show he may not be far off.
-There will be a punter battle between Skyler DeLong and freshman, Will Reichard.
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 11:23 am
Posted by JJ27
Member since Sep 2004
60392 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 11:26 am to
I made a side by side pic of him when he got there vs now. It’s crazy the transformation after only 1 year under Cochran considering he was in a great S&C program for 7 years prior to arriving at Bama. He doesn’t want me to post it though. He’s bigger and more ripped while losing 14 pounds or so.
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 11:27 am
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 11:32 am to

Crimson Tide Photo Galleries - 8-3-19 MFB FAN DAY
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 12:05 pm
Posted by TidalSurge1
Ft Walton Beach
Member since Sep 2016
36467 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 11:39 am to

Slade Bolden #SwissArmyKnife
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 12:25 pm
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 11:50 am to
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 12:07 pm to

Thank you Nick
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 12:25 pm to
Alabama 2019 FPI Breakdown - SEC Favorites
SG1 Sports - SEC Football
Published on Aug 4, 2019
Complete breakdown of the 2019 ESPN FPI ranking for the Alabama Crimson Tide
5:00
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 12:28 pm
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 12:59 pm to
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 3:18 pm to
Recent grad Shyheim Carter one of UA's most knowledgable players By Charlie Potter
quote:

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Before speaking to reporters as part of Media Day and taking part in his second practice of preseason camp, Shyheim Carter crossed a major milestone off his college checklist.

Carter walked across the stage at Coleman Coliseum and earned his degree from the University of Alabama on Saturday morning, an event that had him smiling hours after the commencement ceremony.

“It sounds amazing. It feels even better,” Carter told senior analyst Travis Reier on the Built by BamaOnLine podcast. “Walking across that stage today, it made my day, it made my parents’ day.

“It was just a great day all around.”

Not only has Carter excelled in the classroom, but the senior defensive back is also a student of the game of football. Entering his final season in a crimson uniform, the Kentwood, La., native has played every position in the Crimson Tide’s secondary, thus making him one of Alabama’s most experienced players. That experience at cornerback, Star, Money and now safety makes him a valuable member of UA’s 2019 defense, and according to Nick Saban, one of its most knowledgable.

“I think Shyheim Carter would fit in probably one of the top two or three players on the team from a knowledge standpoint,” Saban said Saturday. “He can answer every question in a meeting about every position. He would be a great, great coach. I think that’s what creates a lot of diversity for him as a player, to be able to play multiple positions because he’s very smart and it means something to him. He’s spent a lot of time trying to learn this stuff. He prepares well for the games.

“I can’t say that one position is more natural for him than the other because he’s always done a pretty good job wherever we’ve decided to put him in.”

In the spring, safety Xavier McKinney said, “Shy is a smart dude. You could put Shy anywhere, and he’ll get it like that. Since I’ve got here, he’s known the defense all the way around like the back of his hand. For him, he picks up on stuff pretty fast. You don’t really have to tell him a whole bunch of stuff. He’s pretty much a fast learner. He knows the defense like the back of his hand.”

Just like graduating on Saturday, Carter said he always wanted to master the secondary positions.

“That was one of my goals coming into college, learning what everybody does,” Carter said. “Once I got my position down to where I know what to do and know how to do it and why to do it, I started moving around to different positions, trying to master those positions, and that really helped me a lot.”

Carter stepped in as Alabama’s full-time Star, or nickel defensive back, last season after Minkah Fitzpatrick left for the NFL. As a junior in 2018, Carter finished 10th on the team with 44 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss, and registered three quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. He also intercepted two passes, returning them both for touchdowns, and recorded 10 pass breakups.

Carter was limited by a sports hernia injury in the spring but said he is now full-go from a health standpoint. Entering his senior year, Carter can play both Star and safety, where he has practiced all of 2019, as well as will take on more of a leadership role with Deionte Thompson turning pro.

During Alabama’s open practice on Saturday, he played safety with the first-team defense in nickel and dime and then lined up at Star with the second-team defense. Where he sees himself lining up Aug. 31 against Duke in Atlanta remains to be seen, although he will certainly be on the field. But Carter said he can transition “pretty seamlessly” to any given spot in the defensive backfield.

“There’s no focus on one spot,” Carter said. “I may have to be everywhere. But Coach Saban makes those decisions, and whatever decision he makes, I’m good everywhere.”
Posted by prevatt33
Member since Dec 2011
2837 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 3:27 pm to
Yes, a new drinking game: "Captain Obviously"

Watch Golding talk and take a shot every time he says "obviously."

I believe an average man would succumb to alcohol poisoning in about a minute and a half.

Posted by TidalSurge1
Ft Walton Beach
Member since Sep 2016
36467 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 3:34 pm to
Compete with one taking a shot on every "obviously" versus the other taking a shot on every "I think" -- both will faceplant real quick.
This post was edited on 8/4/19 at 3:48 pm
Posted by RollTide66
Atlanta
Member since Nov 2015
3005 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 3:59 pm to
well, Obviously...
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