re: This team felt like a fraud from the start

Milroe didn't play his best game for sure. And his mistakes just compounded an already horrible defensive showing.

These games happen. I thought BAMA had snatched the momentum away a few different times. Especially after the Hollywood/Lynn Swann TD catch.
Vandy just wasn't going to be denied.

I've said this before. Down 5 prior to Milroe's fumble, BAMA should've gone to the run game and tried to impose their will. Score a TD there after a longer drive and we're talking about a near miss today and not a loss. But if this loss moves the program forward, I'm all for it. Shitty as that sounds.

I believe DeBoer is the guy. I don't think he's Gomer Jones. I think He's Barry Switzer. But anything that moves the program forward is welcome. Especially since it doesn't really affect the program in the long run. Everything BAMA wants this season is still in front of them.

Keep punching.

quote:

---

are part of the reason our defense was gassed in the second half.

---

They looked gassed in the 1st quarter Hell the first drive Vanderbilt scored with little resistance

quote:

---

I think team chemistry is going to be more difficult going forward with NIL.

---

Going forward , and not just with Alabama, achieving team
chemistry is much more difficult ---- jingle already in the pocket ,
pay is unequal with "stars" and certain positions knocking down
more than grunts on the line who do the dirty work and now with the
portal , there's always that proverbial greener grass looming.
Rah , rah and school allegiance began disappearing before Saban left
the building but the Alabama brand and Bama offered perhaps
a greater shot into the pros was a big selling point.
Now that it's the Wild West with NIL and who can dole out the most dough, Texas , Texas A &M , etc. is really where it's at.
Only a fool would claim NIL won't change the game that much .... but then, courts have ruled and we live in a free enterprise system.
Let the blame games begin.

quote:

---

They looked gassed in the 1st quarter

---

Vandy did have the ball for almost the entire first half.

quote:

---

You are far too old to be this reactionary then

---

I think you might’ve misunderstood my post. This isn’t a Finebaum call, it’s a simple assessment of the team as it currently stands. They were not the #1 team, their struggles with USF and the second half of the Georgia game should’ve been giant red flags.

But again, as I said in the OP, it’s what happens from here that matters. Everything is still there for them if they can step up.

Milroe played really well yesterday but yes, the illegal forward pass was infuriating to watch. That’s awareness that has to be had by the starting quarterback. Especially a senior who has made that mistake before. See the barn game last year.

quote:

---

Because the defense couldn’t stop them. Forced like 1 punt

---

And one 51-yard field goal. That's a stop. No one expects a kicker who missed an extra point to drill that.

Vandy only had 4 possessions in the first half. Our defense stopped them on 2 of them.

In the second half, Vandy had 5 possessions. Our defense forced a punt and a FG on two of those, and another one was the last series of the game.

So let's put it all together: Vandy scored a touchdown on less than half of their possessions, 4 of 9.

Meanwhile, our offense also had 9 possessions. They gave up a pick 6 and a fumble (giving Vandy the ball in plus territory), and punted twice, while scoring 5 touchdowns on the other series.

When laid out like that, what would you say were the defining drives of the game?

To me, the fumble and the pick 6 appear to be the keys to the loss. Not our defense.

That doesn't even take into account that one of our punts was SOLELY due to a stupid illegal forward pass (again giving Vandy the ball in plus territory).

ETA: Let's also not forget the drive in the first half where our defense stopped them multiple times, only to have two number 2s on the field for a punt and then have the drive extended by multiple garbage penalties. Defense was NOT the problem last night.

quote:

---

No kidding. My son who is 18 yrs old and has never known anything but Nick Saban and Alabama in the playoffs handled this loss better than some of these older fans. It’s not a good look.

---

I think people got unrealistic expectations after the UGA win.

This is still a first year staff. There should be no expectations.

quote:

---

Don’t get me wrong coaches should be held accountable for a lack of in game adjustments. I’m not saying accept what we’re seeing but the threads that are insulting or calling for the firing of a first year head coach are ridiculous.

---

For sure, they definitely have things they need to figure out but let's at least wait till year 2 before we start looking for replacements.