Started By
Message
re: Iron Bowl Discussion
Posted on 11/14/17 at 10:58 pm to JuiceTerry
Posted on 11/14/17 at 10:58 pm to JuiceTerry
quote:
That was Apollo 13
Ah, thanks. Corrected
Posted on 11/14/17 at 11:15 pm to five_fivesix
quote:
Ken Mattingly
one of my favorite NY Yankees.
I believe you might be thinking of his little brother, Ron...
Posted on 11/14/17 at 11:20 pm to Che Boludo
quote:
For any that watched both, what was key difference that led to such a different outcome? Field position or STs/defensive scores?
Auburn had an early sack fumble that led to an MSU field goal, but they couldn't stop AU's offense. KJ still wasn't recovered from his hamstring (had to pull up in the red zone during what would have been an easy 60+ yard TD on first drive). 104 of MSU's yards was against backups down 42 and 49-10. Other than those two drives, they only had two possessions over 17 yards offense. They didn't really show up, but Auburn's offense did lull at times with a big lead, a la LSU.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 5:40 am to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
The biggest difference was Auburn got some negative plays and Fitz wasn't very good throwing.
That and the fact that we won 49-10 and you guys won 31-24
Other than that, the games were exactly the same.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 6:10 am to blzr
You don't have two losses? Go ahead and explain away for me chief.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 6:11 am to blzr
You don't have two losses? Go ahead and explain away for me chief.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 7:33 am to LanierSpots
quote:
That and the fact that we won 49-10 and you guys won 31-24
That was the biggest difference in why those games were that way.
State's possessions were hanging by a thread against us, but credit to them they kept getting 3rd and 3s and 3rd and 4s. We were literally 3 or 4 TFL or bad Fitz throws away from being up 3 scores, but it didn't happen. Their gameplan relied on almost 100% execution because they had zero explosive stuff. They had to be near perfect in incrementally moving down the field. And, to their credit, they were for 3 quarters.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 7:41 am to AeroSpaceTiger
Good post.
PS. I hate Auburn.
quote:JK has a great leg. Seems to hook one ever so often but he is definitely a weapon. On the other side, have you seen our kick returners? Securing the catch has been an issue all year. Could be a factor.
1. Special Teams
quote:We had some issues exposed against MSU. LBs hitting incorrect gaps. D Line getting pushed back. Misdirection from AU could have a HUGE impact on our younger players if they are not disciplined.
2. Mistakes
quote:Agree.
3. Coaching
quote:Agree.
I hope it is a good, clean game without injuries
PS. I hate Auburn.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 7:59 am to Bamadiver
No matter the records, or how good either team is; I never feel comfortable about the Iron Bowl. Jalen is an amazing weapon. His composure and talent are scary.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 8:08 am to InfernoOrangeSS
Yeah, Jalen has made a huge jump from last year. He's honestly the only reason I think we have a shot. Which is crazy, because when we played last year and we would have lost, it probably would have been because of Jalen.
Amazing what a year can do to someone.
Amazing what a year can do to someone.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 8:09 am to AeroSpaceTiger
Chip Kelly is a bigger story than the Iron Bowl.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 8:43 am to Gary Busey
quote:
Yeah, Jalen has made a huge jump from last year. He's honestly the only reason I think we have a shot. Which is crazy, because when we played last year and we would have lost, it probably would have been because of Jalen.
Amazing what a year can do to someone.
I think he is much better than he was last year and I think he is the X-Factor in the IronBowl. If we can contain him or not will be the deciding factor.
Posted on 11/15/17 at 9:36 am to LanierSpots
ESPN | Have injuries pushed Alabama to its tipping point?
quote:
A strange thing happened late Saturday night: For the first time since the opening week of the season, people actually paid attention to Alabama.
Like, they watched the game and everything.
The previous eight weeks had passed by in a blur of sleep-inducing dominance. Nick Saban’s squad was so much better than the competition that it only made sense to doze off or change the channel. Even a prime-time game against LSU in which Alabama didn’t play its best was overlooked because the Tide never trailed and wound up winning by two touchdowns.
But on Saturday, on the road against Mississippi State, that all changed. Alabama’s offense stumbled out of the gate, the defense struggled to contain QB Nick Fitzgerald and the Bulldogs' running game, and late into the fourth quarter, Mississippi State was actually winning. It took a brilliant performance from QB Jalen Hurts to pull Alabama back from the brink and leave Starkville undefeated.
Here’s the problem, though: Everyone saw what happened. Miami-Notre Dame got out of hand early, so Alabama took center stage -- warts and all. And suddenly there are concerning questions being asked about the Crimson Tide.
The issue at hand isn’t debatable. It’s injuries, plain and simple.
No one wants to hear about injuries because every team deals with them, but even the most ardent of SEC haters would have to look at what Alabama has dealt with this season and understand that this isn’t your typical case of wear and tear. The attrition at specific positions has put Saban’s defense in danger of reaching its breaking point.
If we’re being honest, Alabama's vulnerability is something we should have seen coming for a while now. Because in the midst of that blowout win over Florida State in the season opener, Alabama lost two of its best pass-rushers in outside linebackers Terrell Lewis and Christian Miller.
Overlooking that was a mistake that wouldn’t come full circle until the LSU game when starting inside linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton was lost for the season with a knee injury and reserve inside linebacker Mack Wilson was sidelined for an expected four to six weeks by a foot injury. On top of that, star defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick pulled a hamstring.
All that attrition came to a head against Mississippi State. The lack of experience and depth at outside linebacker was exposed as the defense struggled to seal the edge when Fitzpatrick ran the read-option. Losing Hamilton, the signal-caller of the defense, no doubt played a part in the team's inability to get off the field on third down. And Fitzpatrick? He played, but you could tell that he wasn’t 100 percent.
Alabama's defense is showing the strain of losing so many key players to injury, including linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton. Vasha Hunt/AL.com via AP
The issues at linebacker speak for themselves -- no defense can lose four key players at a single position and not experience a drop-off -- but the day-to-day status of the All-America candidate Fitzpatrick creates a troubling domino effect in a secondary where he’s capable of playing all six positions. The moment he pulled his hamstring, he became a liability in pass coverage, forcing Hootie Jones to play safety and Tony Brown to move to nickelback -- two solid role players suddenly asked to do much more.
An Alabama defense that had allowed just two touchdowns and 66.4 yards per game on the ground during its first eight games of the season has now yielded four touchdowns and 161.5 yards per game rushing over the past two games.
After beating Mississippi State, Saban lamented a "myriad of mistakes" that included players losing containment, not blitzing when they were supposed to and not covering well at times.
"So," he said, "lots of things to correct."
On Monday, he tried to piece it together.
"When you have changes," he said, "whether … those changes are inevitable because of players missing or whatever, those are all things that have some impact on how you're able to play and what you're able to do. Whether it's how you communicate, the guys getting in the right things, doing the right things, not making mental errors, or having the confidence that every player out there is going to be able to do what he needs to do effectively."
And therein lies the rub for those who would brush off Alabama’s injuries and point to the never-ending crop of four- and five-star players riding the bench. Because while five-star inside linebacker Dylan Moses was a prodigy LSU recruited as early as the eighth grade, his talent can only overcome so much. He can’t outrun experience and he can’t suddenly be skilled in performing all the duties Hamilton was expected to take care of at inside linebacker.
As Saban explained, “The stability of the defense has to be created through confidence in the signal-caller making the right calls.” Lose that and you’re going to feel it.
Maybe Moses can develop into Alabama’s signal-caller, or maybe it’s veteran reserve Keith Holcombe who will step up.
Whatever the case, it’s not going to be Hamilton. It won't be Wilson, either. And Lewis and Miller aren’t coming back before a bowl game.
What’s more, offensive lineman Ross Pierschbacher, a three-year starter, is dealing with a high-ankle sprain that has him out this weekend against Mercer and threatens to sideline him against top-10 Auburn the week after.
With Auburn surging and Alabama nursing a slew of injuries, the Iron Bowl has become a more compelling matchup, one that will serve as an elimination game for the College Football Playoff and decide who will face Georgia in the SEC championship game.
Even if Alabama survives, you have to wonder what kind of shape the team will be in coming out the other side.
The fully-stocked, dominant Crimson Tide are gone. What we’ll see from here on out is a team held together by backups and bandages.
This post was edited on 11/15/17 at 9:39 am
Posted on 11/15/17 at 9:43 am to TidalSurge1
That's the situation in a nutshell....easily recognizable.
Back to top
Follow SECRant for SEC Football News