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re: Maybe Alabama needs to adjust their recruiting philosophy
Posted on 1/3/26 at 3:17 pm to NWLA_Bama
Posted on 1/3/26 at 3:17 pm to NWLA_Bama
Bama's problems are S&C related. We are weaker physically and that affects our mental toughness. I thought all the Rah Rah with Cochran was over the top, but you can chart a downward trajectory since he left. By year 3 with Ballou we had players having anxiety issues before games. That happens when you know the guy you will be facing is tougher than you.
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Posted on 1/3/26 at 3:30 pm to bamabonners
quote:
Now you move the goal posts.
I didn't move anything, dude.
The topic was players that showed improvement from their playing time at 'Bama to their role at their new school. Nearly everyone on your list didn't fit the bill.
Posted on 1/3/26 at 4:04 pm to bamabonners
quote:
QB Julian Sayin to Ohio State, Downs at Ohio State, RB Justice Haynes to Michigan, CB Trey Amos to Ole Miss, WR Malik Benson to Florida State, and DL Damon Payne to Michigan
That’s 6 out of roughly 45 people that have transferred out. Downs was gone before CKD was hired. Sayin wasn’t much of a loss. He’s not any better than Ty and we have Russell that has a good chance to be better than both of them.
Benson didn’t do much at FSU and we aren’t hurting at WR. Bernard, Horton, and Brooks were all recruited by CKD and they’re all better than Benson. Who would Payne have started over? I’m not sure we’ve missed out anyone except Amos and Haynes. You could add Hunter Osborne and Devonta Smith to your list though.
Posted on 1/3/26 at 4:14 pm to NWLA_Bama
quote:
That's part of the problem. I've never heard any of the coaches say they weren't pleased with the effort and execution in practice. If you go by their interviews, they haven't had a bad practice in two years. I think the HC and the rest of the staff have low standards when it comes to practice and game performance. I don't see any signs of demanding excellence.
This. I made a thread about the coaches together press conference before the game and it was so abundantly clear which coach was better preparing his team. The eternal optimism of DeBoer is his own worst enemy when it comes to championship level football.
Posted on 1/3/26 at 4:16 pm to Marktastic86
What about the 2 olinemen that transferred out and did better when they left?
One to osu and one to Miami.
If its not the players and its not the coaches what is it?
I see a post about coaches not being hard asses anymore but then see Dj at au, Cig at Cincinnati. It's still possible to be a tough hard nose coach. It's the same as its always been, we used to say it all the time....if a player can't handle the competition, can't handle being toughened up then do you really want him? I think our coaches believe that same line of thinking, that you have to be soft on players.
One to osu and one to Miami.
If its not the players and its not the coaches what is it?
I see a post about coaches not being hard asses anymore but then see Dj at au, Cig at Cincinnati. It's still possible to be a tough hard nose coach. It's the same as its always been, we used to say it all the time....if a player can't handle the competition, can't handle being toughened up then do you really want him? I think our coaches believe that same line of thinking, that you have to be soft on players.
Posted on 1/3/26 at 4:17 pm to Marktastic86
quote:
The topic was players that showed improvement from their playing time at 'Bama to their role at their new school. Nearly everyone on your list didn't fit the bill.
No. The topic was about should we stop recruiting highly rated players and look for high IQ players instead. OP talked about players that have been coached up above their initial ranking. I made the argument that we have great players, but poor coaching. Then I provided examples of players you deem unfit that have had success at other schools.
So...I ask you: what seems more plausible? That we have a whole team full of idiots or maybe our coaches can't seem to coach them up?
This post was edited on 1/3/26 at 4:20 pm
Posted on 1/3/26 at 4:20 pm to InkStainedWretch
quote:
Saban and Bryant could not have existed in today’s landscape where players are basically co-equal partners to coaches and can walk and go play for someone else if you piss them off and coaches have zero recourse. Have some of you people literally been in a cave the last couple of years since the Supreme Court decision and missed how much this s**t has changed? I said in another thread that our fan base lives in a bubble, I think it’s a damn time warp.
Nah, Cignetti and Smart demand excellence and coach the players hard. Think Cristobal does too. There’s still guys that want to be coached hard and not be coddled. Ones that love contact and want to dominate their opponents. We just don’t have the staff that brings that and Saban had even slipped (mostly due to not being able to hire good assistants) on those items in his latter years. He’s the GOAT, but even he mellowed a bit in his old age.
This post was edited on 1/3/26 at 4:21 pm
Posted on 1/3/26 at 4:51 pm to bamabonners
quote:
No. The topic was about should we stop recruiting highly rated players and look for high IQ players instead.
I mean, here's your comment:
quote:
Our players transfer out and perform well at other schools.
Here's the response:
quote:
Like who? Other than Downs who was already a freshman all-american and Sayin who spent less than a week on campus once DeBoer was hired.
Then you started with your list of guys who left and got better when they went to their new schools.
quote:
Then I provided examples of players you deem unfit that have had success at other schools.
Your first example was Sayin, who was literally at 'Bama for two weeks and never put on a 'Bama uniform.
Yeah, your list was terrible. quote:
So...I ask you: what seems more plausible? That we have a whole team full of idiots or maybe our coaches can't seem to coach them up?
Coaching on the OLine definitely needs a change. No one had an issue with the defense's toughness over the second half of the season, and I don't know anyone who would have called them "soft."
Other than that, trying to get a roster full of high IQ 24 year old 3-stars out of the portal every year doesn't sound like a sustainable formula. It won't be for Cignetti either.
I guess we'll have to settle for our back to back #2 and #3 ranked recruiting classes.
Posted on 1/3/26 at 5:19 pm to BamaBravesPackers
See I think Kirby has actually adapted to the new environment as well as anyone. He’s not the driver he used to be even though you’ve still got to love contact to play for him.
I’ve said good things about Cignetti but it remains to be seen if he can maintain what he’s doing now in the long term.
I’ve said good things about Cignetti but it remains to be seen if he can maintain what he’s doing now in the long term.
Posted on 1/3/26 at 5:23 pm to InkStainedWretch
To date, we have not necessarily seen that highest payroll or transfer percentage equate to a title. This year will certainly go towards “high transfer percentage” but really only Oregon winning would be a possible validation of both.
This post was edited on 1/3/26 at 5:24 pm
Posted on 1/3/26 at 6:03 pm to Marktastic86
quote:
Marktastic86
And I think that's a good list. I believe they all startedorv received playing time at the next school
quote:
trying to get a roster full of high IQ 24 year old 3-stars out of the portal every year doesn't sound like a sustainable formula. It won't be for Cignetti either.
So you basically agree with me. Coaches have to coach them up.
You seem to want to argue for the sake of arguing. You can have the last word. I'm done with the discussion. I've given my opinion on it.
This post was edited on 1/3/26 at 6:06 pm
Posted on 1/3/26 at 6:11 pm to Ten Bears
I also focus a lot more on the COVID eligibility and all of the granted NCAA waivers more than most. A huge portion of the teams in the playoffs have 23+ year old QB’s and old rosters. Being 25 and playing against 18-21 year old kids should lead to success. I don’t see how anyone is surprised by this. NCAA has zero teeth so sadly this will continue to be a wart on the game. I’ll guess we will have to deal with the Diego Pavia’s of the world running over 18 year olds and then talking trash like they have accomplished something after doing so.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 2:30 pm to InkStainedWretch
quote:I believe BamaBravesPackers' post adequately replied to your post regarding being afraid to display toughness from the coaches.
Saban and Bryant could not have existed in today’s landscape where players are basically co-equal partners to coaches and can walk and go play for someone else if you piss them off and coaches have zero recourse.
Have some of you people literally been in a cave the last couple of years since the Supreme Court decision and missed how much this s**t has changed?
I said in another thread that our fan base lives in a bubble, I think it’s a damn time warp.
Looking even closer to home, Coach Oats should be an excellent example of what BamaBravesPackers and I are talking about.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 2:49 pm to coachcrisp
I’m actually not really in disagreement with you guys. I just understand the reality that players can walk without any penalties if coaches go too far with that stuff and there’s not a damn thing coaches can do about it anymore, they have lost their total control.
I would hope coaches wouldn’t let that deter them from doing what needs to be done. I think fans don’t care and would say let them walk and are still hoping that someone is going to come along and make things like they were before and end this foolishness. And Cignetti’s success has brought the traditionalists out of the woodwork although I still remain to be convinced that he can sustain this.
Bottom line, I think it’s possible to have a standard of excellence even if you need to adjust how you do what needs to be done a little bit. It’s not a zero-sum game.
I would hope coaches wouldn’t let that deter them from doing what needs to be done. I think fans don’t care and would say let them walk and are still hoping that someone is going to come along and make things like they were before and end this foolishness. And Cignetti’s success has brought the traditionalists out of the woodwork although I still remain to be convinced that he can sustain this.
Bottom line, I think it’s possible to have a standard of excellence even if you need to adjust how you do what needs to be done a little bit. It’s not a zero-sum game.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 3:13 pm to InkStainedWretch
Cignetti isn't afraid to get in their face.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 3:13 pm to InkStainedWretch
Cignetti isn't afraid to get in their face.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 3:31 pm to JoseyWalesTheOutlaw
The key is finding people who will buy in and not walk.
That’s going to require teams to do a whole lot more research on recruits to find out what kind of people they are, not just how well they can play.
That’s going to require teams to do a whole lot more research on recruits to find out what kind of people they are, not just how well they can play.
Posted on 1/4/26 at 4:10 pm to NWLA_Bama
Cignetti is an excellent evaluator of talent. Much better than the Alabama staff based on who we are paying millions to.
This post was edited on 1/4/26 at 4:11 pm
Posted on 1/4/26 at 4:42 pm to TizzyT4theUofA
Sometimes ya'll agrue so much, reading the thread, I forget whatya'll are agruing about.
That'll all I got Roll Tide!
That'll all I got Roll Tide!
Posted on 1/4/26 at 4:45 pm to JackieTreehorn
The fact Formby can get 1.75 million tells you things are really F up. His play is what you expect of the 3rd team OL gets in the 4th Qtr vs Mercer only he starts now. Beat from the snap.
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