re: Saban's comments on the defense post-South Carolina

quote:

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I have to disagree here. I would think it's much easier to play learn the offense minus quarterback than to learn a complicated defensive scheme like ours.

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Playing defense, has, historically, required more read and react, which should be simpler. Coach Saban has always had one of the more complicated systems to learn, particularly if you have to have a working knowledge of all the concepts he teaches before you get on the field.

Coach Pruitt didn't just play faster. He simplified defensive concepts and responsibility and because of that could play faster. Coach Saban commented on that very fact and so did players like Ryan Anderson and Shaun Dion Hamilton at the time and both players and HC were very complimentary on how much coach Pruitt helped them to manage the game.

And I recall in 2017, ESPN and many more talking heads talking about all the injuries we had during the season on defense and especially at outside LBer. Most said we couldn't win the NC. We did, and we also finished #1 in total defense in the country that year.

I wonder if they saw that coming?

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