re: Blake Sims at Home

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If these things are accurate, what is the best way for a defensive coordinator to take advantage of these weaknesses? Disguising coverages, so that Kiffin is unable to anticipate correctly? Play zone, so that the DBs can read Sims's eyes?

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I would say the best thing you can do is what defenses try to do to Peyton Manning. They show one thing and try to shift into another look seconds before he snaps the ball...but if they tip their hand at all early enough for him to catch he will make them pay, a la Kiffin with Sims.

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When you only have one to throw to, it is not staring down.

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First, Bama has 16 different receivers with a catch this year. AU has 14. MSU has 17. That's not "only have one to throw to".

Second, Amari Cooper is the best WR in the country this year. He's a mismatch against any single coverage. Throwing to him works more often than not. Why would you NOT throw his way as much as the D allows?

Finally, the whole "staring down" argument is usually made when people don't fully understand route concepts. Usually, a QB has a hi-low read on one side of the field (or a low-hi read). If that is not open he then works his way across to his other reads. USUALLY, a QB has two reads on one side of the field so what looks like staring down a single receiver is actually reading two. Not always the case - and may not be the case with Sims - but to assume that he only looks at one receiver shows a fairly elementary football knowledge.