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Was the 2018 offense the most talented unit ever?

Posted on 5/5/21 at 11:53 pm
Posted by King Cam
Member since Jun 2020
93 posts
Posted on 5/5/21 at 11:53 pm
QB: Tua Tagovailoa (1st Round Pick)
RB: Damien Harris (3rd Round Pick), Josh Jacobs (1st Round Pick), Najee Harris (1st Round Pick)
WR: DeVonta Smith (1st Round Pick), Jerry Jeudy (1st Round Pick), Jaylen Waddle (1st Round Pick), Henry Ruggs (1st Round Pick)
TE: Irv Smith Jr. (2nd Round Pick)
LT: Jonah Williams (1st Round Pick)
LG: Deonte Brown (6th Round Pick)
C: Ross Pierschbacher (5th round Pick)
RG: Alex Leatherwood (1st Round Pick)
RT: Jedrick Wills (1st Round Pick)


That's every starter/major contributor. Waddle didn't start, but played with the ones and was 2nd on the team in receiving yardage. Damien started at RB, but Jacobs and Najee both played regularly with the ones. This does exclude Lester Cotton, who started 10 games at LG compared to Brown's 5. Cotton went undrafted. Hale Hentges played a bit too, but only caught 4 passes. He went undrafted.

This doesn't even mention the two backup QBs went in the 2nd and 1st round. You had a 1st round QB throwing to four 1st round WRs and a 2nd round TE, plus two 1st round RBs and a 3rd round RB. He was protected by three 1st round OL.
Posted by TideSaint
Hill Country
Member since Sep 2008
75839 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 12:22 am to
We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No.
Posted by Fells
Member since Jul 2015
3907 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 1:29 am to
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No.


I get where you are coming from. The team fell short and got humiliated so it can't ve considered the best ever.

I think though that the game was an anomaly. I think we beat Clemson 7/10 times. One of those three that we lose is not close and we happened to have a bad roll.

We obviously had problems and they were exposes. There were weaknesses to the team that got exploited and we deserved do lose. I ain't trying to take anything away from Clemson, but that offense was stacked beyond comprehension.
Posted by Cobrasize
Birmingham
Member since Jun 2013
49680 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 1:32 am to
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No
.

Can’t be in the conversation when you get your brains kicked out
This post was edited on 5/6/21 at 1:33 am
Posted by RiverCityTider
Jacksonville, Florida
Member since Oct 2008
4255 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 6:39 am to
The 2020 team will draft as well with a better QB. If given the choice, would anyone here draft Tua over Mac?

That's right. Mac Jones was significantly better than Tua, which lead to an offensive consistently that 2018 never had.

Naji was better as a senior by a solid amount. I think the 2020 online was better.

So I would say, 2020.
Posted by bbeck
Member since Dec 2011
14555 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 6:50 am to
quote:

Was the 2018 offense the most talented unit ever?
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.
Posted by 1BamaRTR
In Your Head Blvd
Member since Apr 2015
22511 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 7:08 am to
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No.


Because talent isn’t everything. They were more talented then Clemson but they didn’t perform anywhere near as good.

Same with the 2010 Bama team. They were quite talented but still lost 3 games.

You can look at the NFL. Plenty of guys have the talent to make it but don’t for a variety of reasons.
Posted by Che Boludo
Member since May 2009
18161 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 7:13 am to
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No.

Clemson D sign stealing bastards

Weird game though, Bama moved the ball well, but couldn't get TDs.

Bama won time of possession (although largely irrelevant in today's offenses)

Bama had 400+ yds of total offense; only ~40yds fewer total yds than Clemson; Bama outrushed Clemson, as well. Bama had more 1st downs. Yet, it was a 28 pt game that could have been worse.

2 x turnovers; an inability to convert key 3rd downs (4-13) while simultaneously failing to get Clemson off the field on 3rd (10-15); and more explosive plays in Clemson pass game were the difference.

Clemson was better team that night, but it was also a historical let down for an all time great Bama offense in terms of talent/potential. They didn't finish the season well, but still in the convo for best assembly of talent.

Similar to the 2016 Bama D getting gassed in NCG doesn't change that they were one of (if not the) best D of the Saban era in terms of talent and productivity. All 11 starters were drafted with 9 going in the 1st 3 rounds.

This post was edited on 5/6/21 at 7:17 am
Posted by King Cam
Member since Jun 2020
93 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 8:04 am to
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No.


Results =/= talent. I wasn't calling them the best team, just (arguably) the most talented.
Posted by King Cam
Member since Jun 2020
93 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 8:12 am to
quote:

If given the choice, would anyone here draft Tua over Mac?

That's right. Mac Jones was significantly better than Tua, which lead to an offensive consistently that 2018 never had.



Mac's performance wasn't all that different from Tua's. In fact, 2019 Tua had a higher passer rating and YPA than Mac. The 2019 OL was great, though the 2020 version was certainly better. Plus Mac had a better version of Smitty, Waddle (for a few games), and Najee. The trade off being Tua had Jeudy and Ruggs.

Personally I take Tua. His ball placement is the best I've ever seen at the collegiate level, and his athleticism (when healthy) was a nice bonus weapon teams would forget about here and there. I love Mac, and the completion percentage would confuse people, but he didn't put the ball in the spots that Tua did, and I love me some insane accuracy. Mac wasn't very far behind though, and considering he's with the GOAT NFL coach he might have a better NFL career due to that fact if anything.
Posted by CrimsonClover
Member since Oct 2020
1063 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 8:46 am to
quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No
.

Can’t be in the conversation when you get your brains kicked out



With Brian Daboll, Lane Kiffin, or Sarkisisan we run the table in 2018.

2018 was easily our worst staff under Saban
This post was edited on 5/6/21 at 1:16 pm
Posted by bamasgot13
Birmingham
Member since Feb 2010
13619 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 8:55 am to
quote:

Was the 2018 offense the most talented unit ever?

quote:

We lost by 28 to Clemson with this roster.

No.


He didnt ask if they were the most accomplished unit ever, or even the "best" ever. The question was if they were the most talented. I think the draft results show that was the greatest collection of talent assembled on one side of the ball. The didn't live up to that talent to close out 2018, but what offensive roster was more talented?
Posted by Grievous Angel
Tuscaloosa, AL
Member since Dec 2008
9668 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 9:29 am to
We're not LSU. Georgia also seems fascinated with "talent."

Championships matter more than draft picks.

2020 >> 2018 by a mile.

I had the Georgia/Alabama SECCG on the other day. Even the announcers were wincing at the hits/sacks Tua was taking, saying every play doesn't have to be a TD.

Mac took what he was given.
This post was edited on 5/6/21 at 9:31 am
Posted by Richard Dangler
Huntsville, AL
Member since Dec 2015
720 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 10:44 am to
Yeah but they were stealing signals, had less wear and tear, and according to Dabo they had prepared for us all year. I'm not whining and saying we win the game if those 3 things are not a factor, but I do think our team had the better talent overall.
Posted by Richard Dangler
Huntsville, AL
Member since Dec 2015
720 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 10:46 am to
I think a lot of teams would still have been willing to take the gamble on Tua. The guy has a high ceiling.
Posted by Richard Dangler
Huntsville, AL
Member since Dec 2015
720 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 10:47 am to
Other than 2007 I'd agree.
Posted by 1BamaRTR
In Your Head Blvd
Member since Apr 2015
22511 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 1:08 pm to
quote:

That's right. Mac Jones was significantly better than Tua, which lead to an offensive consistently that 2018 never had.

You can’t put it all on him. Sark did a far better job then Locksley/Gattis. Their red zone play calls weren’t very good. Meanwhile Sark was capable of dialing up anything not just RPO slants, screens, and go routes. Tua was actually having an even better year in 2019 with Sark.
Posted by CrimsonClover
Member since Oct 2020
1063 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 1:14 pm to
quote:

Other than 2007 I'd agree.


At least in 2007 we had Kirby Smart.

in 2018 we had Locksley, who got dominated by Venables, and a makeshift defensive staff.
Posted by Glorious
Mobile
Member since Aug 2014
24445 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 2:11 pm to
Was the 2015 offense with Coker, Henry, Drake, Ridley, Mullaney, Howard, and Stewart more talented than Tua, Harris, Harris, Jacobs, Waddle, Irv, Jeudy, Devonta, and Ruggs? Or did they simply have a way better offensive coordinator and scheme?
This post was edited on 5/6/21 at 2:17 pm
Posted by IB4bama
Pelham
Member since Oct 2017
1977 posts
Posted on 5/6/21 at 3:15 pm to
Mac only had Smith for most of the year, and didnt have him in the second half of the NC game, but we still scored every possession. He was and will continue to be the better QB.
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