re: To UhOhOreo and all the LSU/AU lurkers

That’s a very level-headed/objective perspective. Surely you are a Sunshine pumper with bright crimson glasses on j/k.

It’s hard to rationalize with most fans. They are passionate and Bama is the standard in CFB, so I understand. I just try to stay realistic and look at the roster CKD truly inherited, the tremendous job CKW has done with the defense, and what is the TRUE reason that has ultimately caused CKD’s offense to struggle at Alabama this far.

The offense has shown glimpses of how incredible it can be, like the 1st half in both Georgia games in 2024/2025 that produced 632 yards and 58 points, then get shutout both times in the 2nd half while producing a combined 94 total yards….the answer is much more more complex than saying Booker/Proctor/Brailsford played great in the 1st halves but terrible in the 2nd. They didn’t forget how to block during halftime……it’s schematics and your typical fans have a hard time seeing/understanding exactly what is happening and why it’s happening. It can be complex.

It is frustrating enough listening to the same talking heads that cover CFB repeat the same narrative constantly when they have absolutely no clue what they are talking about. It hard to fault a typical fan for buying into or believing what they hear on the radio/TV/podcast 24/7 and use the same talking points. Coaches at the collegiate level laugh at those guys and know they are absolutely clueless and are just clowns.

I’m not going to let myself get bummed out over a message board for Bama football, but I do wish we were a more rational and informed fanbase.

They had a solid Redzone TD production even this past year. Lots of short passes to the TE, the Bunch set on 4th and goal vs OU in the Playoffs and they ran the 5yd “Spacing” concept to Brooks who got into the endzone to start the comeback.

The play calling inside the 10 and in, was actually one of the better things they did imo. No real complaints there…

Edit: just looked it up, and Bama was 24th in Redzone scoring and 20th in TD production. Also were 18th in 4th down conversions (lots of levels and spacing concepts from the 5yd line that Ty hit for TDs)

He can't read.

There are two types of fans on this board. Those who enjoy insight and different perspectives and those who see a post that is more than three words and see nothing but Lorem ipsum.

Perfect example (referring to my initial response to you just above this one about Redzone/short yardage efficiency) of how CKD operates very efficiently when he doesn’t have one arm tied behind his back (his dominant arm at that).

Yes, for most pass-oriented offenses, especially CKD’s extremely aggressive 10-15 downfield throws of 30+ yards per game passing attacks that just constantly bombard with with “shot plays”(that’s what he averaged everywhere he’s been and what he wants to be able to do at Bama) do typically struggle in short yards/Goal-to-go situations, but the stats I listed in the previous post demonstrated their high efficiency in those situations.

Think of the 4th and goal “spacing” concept out of Bunch to Brooks for the TD to spark the comeback vs OU, Cuevas had 4 TD receptions from the 7 yard line or closer, and especially I would point to that 2-point conversion play vs South Carolina, as well as the triple option play from the 3 yard line on the first possession of the season where they used Rico Scott as the “pitch player” from a slot WR alignment and he was able to walk into the endzone.

There are several other examples (the Reverse to Bernard on 4th and 2 that went for 30 yards vs Vandy (I believe was the opponent but may have been against OU).

I think this demonstrates perfectly how creative CKD is offensively when he has players who.can execute the basic things he wants to do (in the passing game) offensively.

Those play designs on 4th and Goal from inside the 5yd line were NFL quality concepts out of creative formations and motion as well.

I just want to see the offense this year so badly. Like I said, this is the most I’ve looked forward to a season in a looong time.

I cannot wait to hear what the “talking heads” and “pundits, analysts, and experts” (lol) in the media have to say after Bama puts up 350 yards through the air on a regular basis with RW catching 4 balls downfield, Brooks with 2 and Morgan/Rogers for 2 more (and 1 to the RB bc that’s something they always look to create a 1-on-1 vertically vs a LB).

Will they still bash Bama for only 115 yards rushing (despite averaging 4ypc), or will 35+ points in SEC play cause them to shut their ignorant mouths?

I wonder how they are going to spin it after talking/typing/podcasting for almost an entire year straight about “Bama not able to run the football) when they are tops in the conference in ppg and top5 nationally in passing offense? I

I can’t wait to see what they “pivot” to
as the reason for the success but yet the rushing total is marginally better, after beating the drum about how Bama will never succeed until they can run the ball successfully snd consistently.


The reason why CKD “hangs his hat” on the (creative and well designed) downfield passing game is bc “chunk” plays of 30-40+ yards lead to scores as opposed to driving the ball 75 yards on 13 plays where a penalty or an overthrown pass results in a punt. If you just go 6-16 on balls thrown 30+ yards, then that’s going to (on average) lead to 4 scores that are “quick strikes” and swing momentum as well, and then 1 true Drive and a s ore off a short field, and you look up and there’s 42 points on the board.

Most good defenses (the SEC is filled with them) just do not allow you to routinely drive the ball 70 yards without there being an explosive play (or 2) of 20 yards or so. That’s why each “shot play” CKD dials up is a potential chance to setup a scoring opportunity, despite only being successful 30% of the time. That is how you score 35-40+ points on elite defenses…..big plays

What did Coach Saban preach defensively above anything else, and site in just about every post-game press conference….eliminating big plays (or “explosives” is how he referred to them). He would always list the number of “explosives” the defense allowed when they played poorly. Eliminate the big play and it makes scoring difficult at every level of football.

Bama did have 450 yards of offense vs OU though, and then scored 37 in Norman.

That’s what matters, not how you score but how much.

You are correct about Duo, and I also agree with you about D. Hill. But also, OU isn’t the best defense to look at and say “the Oline didn’t get a push”…..OU plays that same 3-4 Under (also “Even and Over too) that CKW has adopted and they actually had the 315lb Shade and 295lb 4-tech to run it unlike the disadvantage that CKW has dealt with by having 4-down/Even- Front personnel that were recruited to 1-gap and create penetration (all those guys thankfully got processed and Bama now has the body types that fit the scheme).

CKW, like Venables, plays with those 3 big bodies in-between the Tackles (2-gap Nose/or a Shade weak, with two 4-techs or 4i’s whose only job is to hold the A-B gaps they are aligned in, and make the ball “bounce” to the edge.

CKW also plays with a true Mike LB, but with that one exception, they (Venables too) want basically DB’s at every other position (Back 6 or even 7), that can RUN.
The Nickel/Dime/ and Weak Safety and the Rover/alley positions, and even using Hubbard at WLB in obvious D&D, and the Weak Safety are all guys like Zay Mincey, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr, Red Morgan, Brey Hubbard, Jireh Edwards on the field together bc they are big bodied DB’s that have SPEED. Josh Mac and the Seahawks do the same think with 6-7 DB’s on the field vs most all personnel groupings.

Even the WLB is a guy like J Jefferson is small for an off-ball LB but he excelled in this system bc he can run and is great in coverage.

I give all the credit in the world to CKW for making such a radical change after the debacle he had with his base 4-2-5 vs UGA and Vandy early in Year 1. Also he has done it while playing with a Dline that doesn’t fit the scheme….that’s why you saw London Simmons as a TF and Tim Keenan on the field together more and more as the season progressed.

So, OU/Bama use lots of run pressures (blitzes basically) on early downs to stop the run, so they can get 7 DBs on the field and make it miserable having to try and run to the perimeter and is obviously tougher to three against.

Obviously they are doing something right since Bama and OU have surrendered the fewest yards and points and also forced the most turnovers in the Conference over the past two seasons.

So I wouldn’t put much stock in the lack of success on “Duo” vs OU. Also, Duo reallyyyyy needs a Back with patience and suddenness/burst (not necessarily speed). I’m hoping T. Brown can be that guy for Bama this year bc he has the ability.

Do yourself a favor and do NOT watch that clown. Guy has no idea what he’s talking about. I tried to sit through it a couple times bc I saw Bama fans posting about him a good bit,

It was veryyyy difficult to watch. The guy literally has no idea what he’s looking at outside of maybe showing a lineman getting beat or something anyone could recognize easily.

I remember specifically, he was bashing a perimeter screen Bama ran bc the #2 WR (not RW but the middle guy in the 3-WR set) did not block the flat defender but instead he bypassed him and worked up to the 3rd level to fit up on the Safety. He went on a loud tangent about the lack of effort and attention to detail (all the same ole cliches).

So I ran it back and watched it myself and the “flat defender” that the WR bypassed was the freaking Nickel playing into the Boundary (I’ll admit that Trips into the boundary isn’t very common) and rotated/buzzed straight to the #1 (widest) WR to eventually become the flat defender while the CB mid-pointed #1 and #2, sooooo there was no flat defender with any outside leverage and the WR he was criticizing like he had committed a homicide did EXACTLY what he was supposed to do by climbing to the next level (much like a lineman working up to a 2nd level defender on outside zone bc there is no down-tech to the PS.

It was simply a good call defensively, and Bama still had the edge but it was thrown slightly behind the #3 WR running the perimeter screen and he had to slow down briefly to catch it which allowed Malachi Starks (freak athlete) to run him down from the inside.

The he tried explaining how the pass pro was “called the wrong way” when it was a 4 man slide to the field with the BST taking the DE and the RB taking a potential B or C gap pressure (very simple and basic protection that is sound that just about any team in the country runs routinely…well both of them came (PSLB and the Nickel defender) which meant the defense brought 4 from the same side (this is rare and also unsound defensively bc you lack “gap integrity”, but UGA ran it bc it was 3rd and a mile and they obviously weren’t concerned about a handoff), and the RB took the PSLB bc he has the shortest run to the QB, and that allows the QB a chance to see the alley/wide edge pressure coming (the Nickel defender in this case), and get rid of the ball or even throw into the blitz, and “Film Guy” or whoever he is, lost his mind again like Bama is the worst coached team in America when they literally handled both plays as soundly as it gets. It wasn’t even complex. A well coached HS team could’ve handled just as well.

Watching that will have you dehydrated from raving about Bama’s lack of running game and how the offense won’t “work” until it does….before long you will sound like the SEC Network guys!

You can't sweat downvotes in here. Watch, I will get two just because of my screen name.

As far as bend but don't break, it is just what people kept saying. They looked pretty opposite to my eyes.

Yes, any defense that holds opponents to 290ypg (especially when you consider that includes all 16 games and the strength of the opposition), when CNS’s defenses didn’t accomplish that since the 2017 season before Pruitt left is certainly not a “bend but don’t break” lol.

Also allowing the 4th fewest passing yards in all of CFB is also a pretty good indicator.

Then factor in the forced turnovers (scored 9 points of their own vs South Carolina, held on to a 24-21 win in Athens despite the offense getting shutout and converting 4 first downs the entire 2nd half, the Z Brown pick-6’s vs Tennessee and OU that flipped the game on its head, etc etc etc).

What game out of the 11 wins last year, would you say the offense bailed out the defense to win a game?

Like I often cite:
- Bama is 18-0 under CKD when scoring 23 points in a game*****

My theory is that Bama fans don’t give the defense and most of all CKW near the credit they deserve bc:
- All the focus is on the offense’s ineffectiveness/inconsistency

- The defense hasn’t had any “stars” like the Saban years where the defense was nothing but future All-Pro talents. It’s kind of a “no-name” defense that doesn’t have any “feared” player(s) that you associate them with.

I think that is a feather in CKW’s cap bc he is about to have some “Dudes” to work with (X Griffin, Jireh Edwards, Justin Hill, Jordan Edmonds, Ivan Taylor, Nolan Wilson, Jamarion Matthews, etc etc etc)

- The undersized DLine trying to play a 3-4 Under Front that makes them just look small when you see them on TV. They have 260lbs J Renaud playing a 4i, and 6’6 278lb K Keeley as a 5-tech and Edrik Hill at 280 trying to play a 3-tech, etc…

Yes, he would put TF London Simmons out there and ask Tim Keenan to play 40+ snaps a game when he’s supposed to play 20 at the most, in order to put some size in-between the Tackles.

Once again, I think this is a credit to CKW for producing the best/2nd best defense in the conference in both seasons, including allowing fewer points, yards and producing (far) more turnovers than Georgia’s defense.
I doubt you could’ve found a single person who follows Bama closely that would’ve believed that when he was hired.