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Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:11 am to CapstoneGrad06
He has Michigan at 7. I bet that pissed some people off.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:20 am to TideSaint
quote:
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Nick Saban was irate on the sideline.
In the third quarter of Alabama’s 49-30 win over Arkansas on Saturday, outside linebacker Rashaan Evans sacked quarterback Austin Allen for a loss of 10 yards on a second-down play.
But Evans was flagged for 15 yards after the hit on Allen. The officials flagged Evans for a personal foul and what they viewed as “roughing the passer, hit below the waist.”
Saban wasn’t pleased with the ruling and immediately let the officials know. Saban lit into each official near him as he walked the sidelines after the play.
The coach was a little more calm during his Monday news conference when explaining his frustration.
“I think player safety is really important and I don’t think the guys would want them to do it on our quarterback. We certainly don’t coach our guys to do it to the opposing team’s quarterback — when you just have a free shot at the quarterback and you hit them low, in the knee area,” Saban said of low hits. “But when a guy’s being blocked, pushed in the back or scrambling toward the quarterback, it’s supposed to be a judgment call as to whether the guy went low on the guy intentionally, had an opportunity to stay up, or didn’t have an opportunity to stay up.
“I’m not criticizing the officials. I just thought that the guy beat the guy around the edge and lowered his shoulder and was getting pushed and was off balance and it wasn’t an intentional thing. But that’s a judgment call and we’re certainly going to have to live with that call.”
Evans easily beat Arkansas offensive lineman Dan Skipper around the edge. As he dipped his shoulder to speed by, Evans was shoved as he closed in on Allen. The push from Skipper caused Evans to stumble and go lower than he likely intended.
Evans saw increased playing time in the second half when starter Reuben Foster left the game with a concussion. Evans finished with 7 tackles, a half sack and 2 quarterback hurries.
“It’s just like the manager that goes out in baseball,” Saban said. “Did you ever see a manager come out in baseball and argue the call and the umpire changed the call? No. You’re trying to get it right the next time. You’re just trying to make sure they get it right the next time. That’s kind of how it is.”
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
quote:
There’s a social media trend across college football showcasing a battle for bragging rights among position groups. Fans of schools like Florida and LSU (and even the programs themselves) go back and forth with stats, highlights, recruit rankings and NFL draft picks to strengthen their argument of which school should be crowned “DBU” (Defensive Back University). I’ve seen similar arguments between schools like Tennessee and Clemson for “WRU” (Wide Receiver University).
When it comes to running backs, though, schools like Georgia, Texas or Oklahoma may have some room to gloat, but there is no “RBU” like the one in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The Tide’s lineage of elite backs under Nick Saban is not only royal with awards, All-American honors and Heisman trophies, but also deep in history. Players like Mark Ingram, Trent Richardson, T.J. Yeldon, Eddie Lacy and Derrick Henry all have paved the way for a new crop of players to assume the throne in 2016.
This week we got a glimpse of a three-way crown that is taking shape in Title Town. True sophomores and former 5-star prospects Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough were already on the national radar, but true freshman Joshua Jacobs made sure the party didn’t go on too long without him as he broke through early in the game last week versus Arkansas.
Over the weekend, the three combined for 235 yards and averaged 10.2 yards per carry as a trio. Each player had at least one highlight reel run — a weekly occurrence. Those bursts remind us of how special each player is and how rare it is that they’re all on the same depth chart.
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:21 am to TideSaint
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Joshua Jacobs
The 2016 season wasn’t even supposed to be Jacobs’ time to shine. As just a 3-star true freshman coming in behind two 5-stars, most figured his playing time would come during blowouts. On Saturday, not only was that not the case, he gave us the 56-yard run above in the Tide’s first offensive series.
What was most impressive about that run was how fluid Jacobs was in and out of his jukes. Notice how he turned a change-of-direction move into an acceleration — he never lost speed while trying to make defenders miss. From his first step through the trenches, Jacobs was running at top speed. The only reason he didn’t score is because Razorbacks DB Henre’ Toliver (who weighs nearly 20 fewer pounds than Jacobs) had the angle and was able to get his arms out to push him out of bounds.
Fans knew the 228-pound Scarbrough was going to be the “smash” of this running back unit. It looks like Jacobs has solidified himself as the dash to complement.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:22 am to TideSaint
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Damien Harris
Despite the amount talent on the depth chart, Harris is the team’s feature back — and for good reason. Regardless of how well the other two do, Harris will get the majority of the carries because of plays like the one above.
Harris is the type of player who can put all of the skills a running back could have together in one run at any time. However, what justifies him getting the majority of carries is the vision he has to see open space before it’s even there. Harris does everything right in the run above. He was patient within the original plan of the blocking scheme, but once he noticed a greater potential for yards, he was quick to cut the other way and up the field.
Having a deep talent pool at one position is a blessing, but if an offensive coordinator mixes it up too much, it actually can be a hindrance to the offense as a whole (see Florida and its rotation of four running backs). Alabama is handling its talent pool correctly by making sure Harris is the go-to guy.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:22 am to TideSaint
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Bo Scarbrough
Most fans know Scarbrough from his Herculean photos that made their way around the Internet this offseason. Because of those pictures, people assumed he would be the lead back for the Tide, but once the season started and Damien Harris was getting the majority of the carries, people wondered if there was something wrong with Scarbrough.
Answer: there isn’t.
Scarbrough isn’t getting as many carries as Harris because he’s not as dynamic as a runner or receiver. The Tide are using Scarbrough in short-yardage situations (3 of his 4 TDs have come from 2 yards or 1 yard out). They are making sure they allow him to grow in his identity as a runner before they throw him out there without the patience or chemistry with the offensive line.
The play above reassures to you that Scarbrough is just fine. With the power back in the game, Arkansas stacked the middle of the trenches assuming the play would be between the tackles. Instead, Scarbrough bounced to the outside and even gave a cornerback a little stutter step to create separation. He then turned on the jets and walked in for an easy score.
Each of these three backs are incredibly talented. A case could be made for each to get the lion’s share of the carries, but part of what has made each so effective is that Alabama has a greater plan for the running game as a whole. It’s working, and it won’t be stopping any time soon.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:25 am to TideSaint
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Nick Saban has had a ton of success against the SEC.
But against Tennessee specifically, the Alabama coach has owned the Volunteers, going a perfect 9-0 since becoming Tide coach in 2007.
You have to go back to his time at LSU to find a Saban loss to Alabama. Specifically, Sept. 29, 2001. The very next day, Tom Brady made his first career start for the New England Patriots.
Some other facts since Saban last fell to the Volunteers:
-Barry Bonds had not yet set the single season home run record. He had 69 home runs on Sept. 29, 2001. He finished the season with 73.
-Jay Z had the No. 1 album in America, with The Blueprint.
-Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin was in his first season at USC. He was a tight ends coach.
-Tennessee coach Butch Jones was in his first season as Central Michigan’s offensive coordinator.
-Former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning had 0 MVP awards. He would finish his NFL career with five.
Saban will look to extend his winning streak against Tennessee on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:31 am to TideSaint
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Marcus Spears said on The Paul Finebaum Show that Tennessee should be confident against Alabama this weekend.
“I don’t think their mentality is going to be that Alabama is across the field,” Spears said on Monday’s show. “I think they feel like they can legitimately beat this football team. Everybody can say that, but to have that feeling be real, I think Tennessee has a real feeling.”
Tennessee is looking to bounce back from its loss at Texas A&M last weekend. The Vols kickoff against the Crimson Tide at 3:30 ET on Saturday.
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:40 am to TideSaint
quote:
They are making sure they allow him to grow in his identity as a runner before they throw him out there without the patience or chemistry with the offensive line.
The play above reassures to you that Scarbrough is just fine. Scarbrough bounced to the outside and even gave a cornerback a little stutter step to create separation. He then turned on the jets and walked in for an easy score.It’s working, and it won’t be stopping any time soon.
Thanks for posting this.!
We could have let our back's run down hill all day against Arky.
lane actually did more to slow it down than the opponent.
We will have that situation in the up coming stretch were we will need him to be the cow bell and
He is going to be fresh along with 21 and it's nice to be able to counter with power. After 34 & 25 have slashed for a while.
TENN,A&M,LSU with 4 good rb will be just what a tough SEC calls for.That combined with Hurts read options.
I think Bo has understood this process from the beginning.
But I was shocked that lane stayed with 25 after the long run and coming up short form the 2 on the first carry.
25 fumbled the next carry.lane maybe wanted to reward 25 for the long run. But we had been going Bo down there.
In lane defense he called for them to line up quick and go with the same lineup after the run.
Again thanks for posting and i really feel were gonna call Bo's name for a big possession drive in the next couple of games.
This post was edited on 10/11/16 at 9:44 am
Posted on 10/11/16 at 9:42 am to TideSaint
Marcus has never been the brightest guy on the SEC Network. I would be worried about this game if Tennessee hadn't just played Florida, Georgia and A&M the last 3 weeks.
Bama is catching a beat up and tired Tennessee team at the right time.
Bama is catching a beat up and tired Tennessee team at the right time.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 10:24 am to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
Can Alabama's well-oiled machine continue to impress this season?
If so, it won't be without navigating through massive roadblocks over its next three games.
Heather Dinich, ESPN's lead College Football Playoff insider, is calling the Crimson Tide's upcoming slate "college football's toughest stretch in over a decade", but she believes in Nick Saban's team, one of her preseason final four picks.
"Is there any team out there with the depth, talent, speed and ability to execute a better gameplan than big, bad Bama?"
Alabama travels to ninth-ranked Tennessee this weekend, hosts unbeaten and sixth-ranked Texas A&M after that, then gets a bye week to prepare for a pivotal showdown at LSU on Nov. 5.
And if Auburn's still inside the Top 25 in the regular-season finale, Alabama will have played seven nationally-ranked teams in its quest to reaching the SEC Championship Game for a third consecutive year.
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 10:32 am to TideSaint
Posted on 10/11/16 at 10:41 am to Cobrasize
quote:
Good Morning America co-host and ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer can't put a finger on Tennessee's first-half struggles this season.
Previewing Saturday's showdown vs. top-ranked Alabama during Tuesday's appearance on SportsCenter, Palmer said the Vols have proven to be one of the nation's best teams this season but early ineptitude could be a damning factor against the Crimson Tide.
“This has to be mind-blowing for head coach Butch Jones because it’s really a myriad of problems,” Palmer said. “I think certainly having key players out on defense has aided offenses in finding explosive plays early in games, but offensively for Tennessee, where do you want to start? Early in the game, Joshua Dobbs is missing throws, receivers are dropping passes, and there’s been way too many fumbles, turnovers and penalties.
"If you're Butch Jones, you need to re-evaluate practice habits throughout the week, re-evaluate if your team's getting enough rest and make look at the pre-game routine to just try and find something you can tweak or change. (The first half struggles) must to stop this week playing the No. 1 team in the nation."
Despite inconsistent play to begin games, Palmer likes Tennessee's chances in Knoxville. He says the outcome may fall on the shoulders of Dobbs, who received some initial Heisman buzz prior to last week's game against the Aggies.
“Even after losing to Texas A&M, I still think Tennessee has best chance to beat Alabama," Palmer said. "They have the talent to win that game at home. And they got have to start fast. I think this could be a career-defining game for Joshua Dobbs. It won't be easy and he’ll have to throw into small windows down the field, but he’s got a lot of help. Jalen Hurd's a good inside runner and Alvin Kamara outside.
"The game’s at Neyland Stadium, by far the most hostile environment Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has had to play in, but man, Tennessee has got to start fast.”
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 10:53 am to TideSaint
quote:
"The game’s at Neyland Stadium, by far the most hostile environment Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has had to play in, but man, Tennessee has got to start fast.”
So is every road game going to be the most something or biggest something that Hurts has faced?
It doesn't matter. Dude is a robot. Proved it when the Arkie player tried to remove his head on the TD run and didn't phase him.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 10:56 am to ArabianKnight
I've tempered expectations for a while because he's a freshman, but at some point that doesn't matter. I think that's now. He's calm and collected.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 11:09 am to ArabianKnight
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Proved it when the Arkie player tried to remove his head on the TD run and didn't phase him.
I'd say he proved it when he got annihilated at OM, fumbled, and we went down by three scores, and then casually ran it down their throats en route to a touchdown.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 2:23 pm to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee and Alabama will meet as top-10 ranked teams at Neyland Stadium for the first time since 1996.
But that’s just one of many interesting numbers pertaining to the game on Saturday (3:30 pm. ET, CBS) when the No. 9-ranked Vols (5-1, 2-1 SEC) play the No. 1-ranked Tide (6-0, 3-0).
The last time the teams met when both were ranked in the AP Top 25 was in 2005, when No. 5 Alabama beat No. 17 Tennessee, 6-3.
In 1999, the teams met as top-10 foes, and the No. 5 Vols beat Shaun Alexander and eventual SEC champ Alabama, 21-7, in Tuscaloosa.
Tennessee was in the midst of a seven-game win streak over Alabama entering the new millennium, but the Tide have the current run in the rivalry, having won nine in a row.
Here’s a look at how the teams compare statistically entering the matchup:
Schedule strength
(USA Today Sagarin Ratings)
1. Stanford
6. Tennessee
22. Alabama
Total Offense
1. Louisville, 659.2 yards per game
24. Alabama, 489.8
51. Tennessee, 432.0
Rushing Offense
1. New Mexico, 354.0
T-20. Alabama, 237.0
50. Tennessee, 192.5
Passing Offense
1. Texas Tech, 544.0
47. Alabama, 252.8
62. Tennessee, 239.5
Scoring Offense
1. Louisville, 58 points per game
6. Alabama, 44.8
48. Tennessee, 33.8
Total Defense
1. Michigan, 212.8
12. Alabama, 292.5
66. Tennessee, 399.3
Rushing Defense
1. Alabama, 69.2
86. Tennessee, 183.0
Passing Defense
1. Michigan, 113.7
49. Tennessee, 216.3
61. Alabama, 223.3
Scoring Defense
1. Michigan, 10.3
11. Alabama, 15.8
64. Tennessee, 26.7
Team Sacks
1. Ohio, 4.17 per game
T-2. Alabama, 4.00
T-106. Tennessee, 1.50
Sacks Allowed
1. Troy, 0.20
T-41. Alabama, 1.67
T-78. Tennessee, 2.33
Third-Down Conversion Rate
1. Toledo, .568
16. Alabama, .488
51. Tennessee, .424
Third-Down Conversion Defense
1. Michigan, .122
25. Alabama, .316
34. Tennessee, .337
Turnover Margin
1. Washington, 2.17
T-20. Alabama, 0.83
T-97. Tennessee, -0.50
Time of Possession
1. Army, 36:00
41. Alabama, 31:00
88. Tennessee, 28:00
Kick Return Offense
1. Air Force, 37.14
28. Tennessee, 24.13
72. Alabama, 20.64
Kick Return Defense
1. Memphis, 14.00
32. Tennessee, 18.83
59. Alabama, 20.62
Punt Returns
1.Syracuse, 21.25
4. Alabama, 17.71
74. Tennessee, 7.09
Net Punting
1. Utah, 48.12
16. Alabama, 41.45
35. Tennessee, 39.46
LINK
Posted on 10/11/16 at 2:30 pm to CapstoneGrad06
quote:
We’re nearly halfway through the regular season, and the bowl picture is now beginning to take shape for the SEC teams expected to become bowl-eligible.
It’s now consensus that Alabama will play Washington in the College Football Playoff semifinals, and that fellow unbeaten Texas A&M is destined for a Sugar Bowl clash with former Big 12 rival Oklahoma. Tennessee was projected to either the Orange or Cotton bowls by all six sites polled, and five of six are pegging Ole Miss to get the Citrus Bowl bid.
After that, things get a little murkier, but this week should help clear that up with Arkansas hosting Ole Miss and Missouri traveling to Florida.
SEC Country has compiled expert predictions made by multiple media outlets, including ESPN (Mark Schlabach and Brett McMurphy), CBS Sports, SB Nation, 247Sports and our own set of projections.
Through six weeks, here’s where SEC squads could be headed during bowl season:
Alabama (6-0, 3-0 SEC)
SEC Country: Peach Bowl vs. Washington (CFP)
ESPN1: Peach Bowl vs. Washington (CFP)
ESPN2: Peach Bowl vs. Washington (CFP)
CBS: Peach Bowl vs. Washington (CFP)
SB Nation: Peach Bowl vs. Washington (CFP)
247Sports: Peach Bowl vs. Washington (CFP)
LINK
I could dig this matchup. It would certainly be fun to watch.
Posted on 10/11/16 at 2:41 pm to TideSaint
I'd love to play Washington. It's been a long time
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