re: Bama Football Tidings

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Campbell had a monster game. Big play after big play. Dude is for real.

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We need him to continue to build on this game. Marshall is a reliable player and a great MILB option against teams that use heavier personnel. Jihaad Campbell being able to stay on the field is something that could take the defense to another level.

Roydell tries hard but he's clearly lost a step and has zero quickness and shiftiness. I feel bad for him because it's really not his fault after tearing up that knee and I know he's worked really hard to rehab but he's a shell of what he once was, sort of like Kerry Goode was, another guy who tried to come back but was never the same.

I hope Miller gets more looks. However, he's gotta clean up his pass protection, which has been bad. He could be a real boost to the offense if he can do that.

The PR situation has gotten absurd. I get it, teams are intentionally punting away from Kool Aid and/or opposing punters are literally holding on to the ball for about an extra second to give the coverage time more time to get downfield and thus eliminate any chance of a return.

However, it seems to me if opposing teams punters are going to hold on to the ball that extra second (often taking a step or two left or right), Bama should go for the all out block if it's 4th and 10 or more yards. Kool Aid isn't returning anything. Why not?

Instead, the PR unit just kind of goes through the motions most of the time. They don't get a good rush at the punter, don't do a very good job slowing up the opposing teams gunners, and Kool Aid just watches the ball bounce and waves everyone away. Rinse, repeat.

To me, that's coaching, specifically the ST coaching. I watch a lot of games on Saturdays and it kills me to see lesser teams much better coached on special teams that are more effective in punt returns than Bama. No reason or excuse for this.

And no, I'm not saying Bama should have a PR for a TD every game but they've been WEAK at PRs. My God, at least FAIR CATCH the ball!!!

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However, it seems to me if opposing teams punters are going to hold on to the ball that extra second (often taking a step or two left or right)

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Bingo. What the frick is the special team's coach (and I guess Saban) doing? You cannot let the other team's punter just sit back there and hold the ball forever. Even if you aren't actually going for the block you have to force them to get the punt off timely so the PR has a chance to fair catch without 4 opposing players already standing in a circle around him because the punter had 5 seconds to kick the ball with another 4 seconds of hang time.

And yes there were a couple of punts that Koolaide absolutely needed to catch. That one near the end of the game that he let roll to the 3 yard line was basically right to him and should have been caught around the 20 (again he's gun shy about catching partly I'm sure because of all the traffic around him because of the aforementioned lack of any pressure on the punter). I don't even care about having a punt return at this point, but if he's not going to catch them then he absolutely has to be replaced.

I guess if we're back to the point of bitching about things like catching punts then we're close to being "back."

Campbell, Reichard Earn SEC Weekly Football Honors

Campbell was named on defense while Reichard earned the recognition on special teams

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama's Jihaad Campbell and Will Reichard each earned weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference, the league office announced on Monday morning. Campbell was selected as the Co-Defensive Player of the Week while Reichard was named the Special Teams Player of the Week.

The weekly conference honor is the first for Campbell and second for Reichard this year. They are also the Tide's eighth and ninth overall this season.

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#Vols coach Josh Heupel said the letter of the law made the fair catch call on Tennessee in Tuscaloosa the correct call.

He didn't happily endorse the call — maybe it didn't *have* to be made, and it usually isn't — but he specifically said it was letter-of-the-law correct.

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Reportedly from his Monday press conference

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PFF College@PFF_College·6h
Highest graded Offensive Lineman from Week 8:

Tyler Booker: 86.5
JC Latham: 85.6

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