re: CKD has lost just 2 games at Alabama when the offense produced 21 points

Does someone know someone on here (moderator?) or some other way to delete this thread? This is the only one I started, and I would like to delete before I delete the account. Thanks in advance

I hope you don’t leave. I have no doubt others feel the same way.

I’ve agreed completely with most of what you’ve posted and learned a lot.

I especially agree with your evaluation of Russell. The 2 TD throws vs ULM were thrilling. The first, I think to Horton, to his right, was reminiscent of Tua’s “whirling” TD throw to Smith vs Vandy his true Fr year. It was a totally different kind of play, but required skill (surely not luck) rarely seen. It was breathtaking.

IMO, the lack of acquiring a big time RB was Alabama’s greatest failure this year in talent acquisition - by far. Smithers was a BIG loss. They must not put much value on the position. Everyone else besides Crowell is mediocre at best, with the possible exception of Dear.

I appreciate the kind words.

I wish it were possible for discussions here to not (inevitably) devolve into pettiness and personal criticisms of others due to contrasting viewpoints.

I’ve coached football for a living at upper levels for my entire life, but I would never think to disparage an individual simply bc their opinions concerning aspects of Alabama football were different than that of my own. It’s just a bad environment for me mentally, and not how I like to enjoy talking ball.

I believe they are going to close this thread (I appreciate it very much) and I can go back to strictly being a lurker again.

However, I did want put this out there as my final thoughts on CKD and direction of the program through my eyes…

In hindsight, I do not think fans ever fully appreciated just how poor the 2024 Bama roster was that CKD inherited his first season at Alabama.

Looking back on it, CKD was entering into a major rebuild when he took this job, which was far from the perspective the media and fans had of the situation imo.

The 2023 team was absolutely loaded with 1st rounders all over the defense (5 total (and also future 1st rounders in Downs and Trey Amos).

Recruiting had been declining drastically in multiple position groups, especially along both LOS, skill players and at LB.

Take a look at what CKD truly inherited, despite the media and rival fans claiming he “inherited a “Ferrari”….

QB: Milroe:
- worst starting QB of the CNS era imo. He cost the 2023 team a berth in the National Championship, and in 2024, he cost Bama a trip to Atlanta in CKD’s first season as well as the Playoffs).
Far cry from the Tua/Mac/BY days to say the least.

RB:
Jam Miller/Haynes…easily the weakest RB duo in almost two decades (only to be surpassed a year later by the 2025 duo).
Far cry from the “Saban RB Rooms” that made finding guys like Josh Jacobs playing time difficult.

WR:
Washington’s #4 leading WR from the year prior that transferred in, and a 17 year old RW were the top targets ….
Far cry from the Ruggs/Waddle/Jeudy/Devonte Smith, Jamo/Metchie WR rooms


OLine:
Proctor and Booker were their only two NFL talents in that entire group, and Proctor was still a baby at that stage.

DL:
Keenan and Overton were the only two with a shot at being drafted by
Day 2 (highly unlikely) in the NFL Draft in the entire position group.

Beaman and Faga were the only signees here in CNS’s final class (as another example of the how far the talent had collapsed compared to what has been the standard and norm since CNS arrived at Alabama.



LB:
- Lawson and Cambell were a solid duo but with zero depth behind either. Obviously losing Lawson to a major knee injury during the season was crippling.
Again, the lack of recruiting and failure to no longer bring in the caliber of LB’s they did from 2008-2021 was vey apparent.

DB:
Freshman Z Brown and transfer D Jackson were both 1st year players having to try and replace two 1st rounders in McKinstry and Arnold from the year prior. With Caleb Downs’ departure, as well as another future 1st rounder Trey Amos, the Safety position was just as bleak

It’s both remarkable and depressing to look up the Bama rosters from 2018-2022, and compare them to the 2024 edition.


The fact that if Milroe had not done everything humanly possible to give away the UT game in Knoxville (should’ve had the game put away at halftime), and as a result, Bama would’ve been in Atlanta for the SECCG in BOTH of CKD’s first two seasons as well as the Playoffs.

For the defense to finish top-10 nationally with that roster (especially after where they were at the conclusion of the Vandy game) is nothing short of a minor miracle…..that entire defense was brand new in every facet (players/coachess/scheme), yet surrendered just (17.8 ppg), which was the fewest points Bama allowed since the 2017 defense, while also forcing the 5th most turnovers on the country.

I believe that when you inspect the 2024 roster in hindsight (and even this year to a slightly lesser extent), I think it becomes apparent that CKD was actually entering into a rebuild as opposed to the perception the media had of Bama’s roster talent heading into 2024.

I believe the talent level is just now starting to get back to where it needs to be to compete for championships. If the defense and Russell are what I suspect them to be then many fans here (apparently) will be in for a pleasant surprise.

Either way, by the end of next season, the roster will be at its highest level since the 2021 season, which is right around the time NIL began eating away at the roster. CKD and especially Courtney Morgan deserve a lot of credit for building it back.

well, BYE........

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I think the marked improvement in penalties between 2024 and 2025

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Seems like Saban's teams get a bunch of credit for discipline while Deboer's don't when it appears to keep, and maybe I'm just dreaming, but far fewer penalties are being called now than vs Saban's super-disciplined teams.

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Too many in our fan base only see discipline as coaches having cows on the sideline and grabbing players by the face mask and cussing them out or making them run gassers until they puke at practice when they screw up

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That's an age thing. It's usually the older ones who think that's the only way to communicate; get overly abusive because that's all they know and experienced.

I have respect for both sides of this coin because sometimes carrot won't work.. you need stick.

However that is exactly what these types of fans never realized about Saban. He wasn’t always hard arse on the players. When he first started he was but he knew he had to adapt and he did so very well.

I remember when people were saying Milroe was blackmailing him and saying Saban went soft because he did attack and he coddled the players. Saban responded by telling us all he knew what they need when they need it.. meaning there is a time to be scolded, ran till you puke and there is also a time where you make them your best friend and coddle them when they make a mistake.

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Alabama didn’t make many self inflicted errors this past season.

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At least not in terms of penalties, which is a really good sign.

Plenty of missed blocks, dropped passes, throwing out of our end zone with 15 seconds left in the 1st half, type of self inflicted wounds for about 3 seasons worth. We’ll see how a young OL and inexperienced QB works out next year.