So, did last night put a hole in....

[orangefloyd]

I thought Saban was uncharacteristily calm last night. Maybe he’s ready to do something else.

 

[82_VOL_83]

Poor decision on the fake FG. Other than that...........he wasn't the one getting beat on the OL and didn't throw 2 horrible int's. He wasn't playing on the DL getting pushed back.
The players got beat....It's not always the coach's fault.

I am of the belief that they weren't ready to play and that is on the coaches. They also looked like Botch Jones teams where there were no changes being made to adjust. Also, I believe that we saw the real Tua last night. I don't think he plays like an Hawaiian god if he doesn't have that O-Line. The first int was a bad throw on his part and the second was throwing the ball up on a timing route without even looking. He put the ball on the ground also and was lucky he didn't lose that. Saban cruised through an easy schedule and caught GA napping in the first quarter. I still think they are a better overall team, but his coordinators failed him last night and last week.

 

[peaygolf]

I am of the belief that they weren't ready to play and that is on the coaches. They also looked like Botch Jones teams where there were no changes being made to adjust. Also, I believe that we saw the real Tua last night. I don't think he plays like an Hawaiian god if he doesn't have that O-Line. The first int was a bad throw on his part and the second was throwing the ball up on a timing route without even looking. He put the ball on the ground also and was lucky he didn't lose that. Saban cruised through an easy schedule and caught GA napping in the first quarter. I still think they are a better overall team, but his coordinators failed him last night and last week.

To each their own...but if 19-22 yr olds aren't "ready to play" for the National Championship....that is on the players. Overconfident? Probably. But, I'm pretty sure the coaches didn't tell them they were so much better and didn't need to worry about Clemson. The players got punched in the mouth and didn't respond.

 

[82_VOL_83]

I thought Saban was uncharacteristily calm last night. Maybe he’s ready to do something else.

I took that calm as him knowing it slipped away in the 1st quarter and there was absolutely nothing he could do. Very uncharacteristic for Saban. You think he might be thinking of playing golf with Spurrier? Maybe doing a little fishing in the Gulf? He looked like he was done.

Although, next year they may be even better........which sucks.

 

[82_VOL_83]

To each their own...but if 19-22 yr olds aren't "ready to play" for the National Championship....that is on the players. Overconfident? Probably. But, I'm pretty sure the coaches didn't tell them they were so much better and didn't need to worry about Clemson. The players got punched in the mouth and didn't respond.

I meant overconfident and basically on coast. Tua just saying it's OK that's on me after that terrible back shoulder 50/50 (actually just a ****** underthrow) pic 6 showed me they were way to cocky for that game. Saban should have been on him like stink on **** and the OC too.

 

[k-town_king]

I am of the belief that they weren't ready to play and that is on the coaches. They also looked like Botch Jones teams where there were no changes being made to adjust. Also, I believe that we saw the real Tua last night. I don't think he plays like an Hawaiian god if he doesn't have that O-Line. The first int was a bad throw on his part and the second was throwing the ball up on a timing route without even looking. He put the ball on the ground also and was lucky he didn't lose that. Saban cruised through an easy schedule and caught GA napping in the first quarter. I still think they are a better overall team, but his coordinators failed him last night and last week.

Just like we see the "real Tom Brady" when he gets pressure?

Its almost like when a line plays bad it effects the qb.

Wow, who could have guessed poor blocking bogs down the o?

 

[82_VOL_83]

Just like we see the "real Tom Brady" when he gets pressure?

Its almost like when a line plays bad it effects the qb.

Wow, who could have guessed poor blocking bogs down the o?

Yep, I bet JG would look almost serviceable with Bama's O-Line. Nice try but to even think JG is in the same category as Tua is smoking dope........

 

[Pride85]

Poor decision on the fake FG. Other than that...........he wasn't the one getting beat on the OL and didn't throw 2 horrible int's. He wasn't playing on the DL getting pushed back.
The players got beat....It's not always the coach's fault.

So wait...you are defending Nick Saban in a way that this certain posters on this site routinely roasts non negavols when used. It is always the coach and never the players according to them.

 

[cgrish]

....Saban's "my system's so good any two doofuses, one season each, can be the coordinators and I win" theory?

Clearly Venables, a marquee coordinator (perhaps the best one extant) beat the crap out of the Tide offense, and whoever that chump with the Slingblade haircut pretending to be Saban's DC didn't stand a chance. If Swinney had ordered it, Clemson could have scored 65.

Did every good coordinators' stock just go up significantly last night?

Bama was definately out coached on both sides of the field last night.

 

[cgrish]

I had a thought, as I watch the game last night, confirming my strongest beliefs for the success of any sports program is continuity of staff. It seems to me after great success, most programs start losing their position coaches (rightly so). Clem and their defense coach are a good example of what I am saying. Also, Bama's demise in this game is also an example, their game plan on both sides of the ball was an embarrassment. The best players on any two teams in the country were on the field. When players are "equal" look at the staff to see which team wins and which team loses...

Actually according to recruiting rankings last 5 yrs Clemson 11th, bama 1st. This makes it even more so on looking at the staff. Bama was way out coached last night.

 

[cgrish]

I thought Saban was uncharacteristily calm last night. Maybe he’s ready to do something else.

I thought the same thing.

 

[Cartervol]

I thought Saban was uncharacteristily calm last night. Maybe he’s ready to do something else.

We can only hope. You would think with his demeanor at some point he's going to leave Bama. What he's built will be too much for even him to maintain or anyone for that matter. The stress of it all will finally get too him, kind of looked like it did last night.

 

[cardvolfan]

I will bet you that the bubbas would have liked to have had Pruitt back last night. They were simply unable to stop the tigers. Made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy.

Surely you must feel the slightest tinge of empathy for the Alabubba faithful?

 

[bamawriter]

I will bet you that the bubbas would have liked to have had Pruitt back last night. They were simply unable to stop the tigers. Made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy.

Eh. Pruitt's defense was worse against Clemson in 2017 than Lupoi's was last night. It hasn't seemed to matter who the DC is. Smart, Pruitt, and Lupoi have all been whipped by Clemson's offense in each CFPNCG. I don't know what is going on in film study, but every time Bama plays them (last year with a terrible QB notwithstanding) the secondary has no idea what their coverages are supposed to be.

 

[m1al]

Clemson could match them up front and weren't afraid of them. They whipped mighty Bama in the trenches. Few teams have. The plug and play Bama deal may have caught up to them or maybe it was just time.. What goes up must eventually go down. No tears will be shed if that was the end of Bubba's run. Most are quite sick of it actually. No one will match that 10-12 year run maybe ever. They can gum on that for a while.

fyp...

 

[Exiled]

I think Herby made a good point about the revolving door of coaches they‘ve had. I thought w Tua being off their playcalling didn’t adjust appropriately.

I wonder if Saban will be tempted to go back to the QB as a game manager formula he used in the past.

 

[Gandalf]

Surely you must feel the slightest tinge of empathy for the Alabubba faithful?

No, not the slightest. The only sadness I feel is that so many of Clemson's players should have been Vols.

Eh. Pruitt's defense was worse against Clemson in 2017 than Lupoi's was last night. It hasn't seemed to matter who the DC is. Smart, Pruitt, and Lupoi have all been whipped by Clemson's offense in each CFPNCG. I don't know what is going on in film study, but every time Bama plays them (last year with a terrible QB notwithstanding) the secondary has no idea what their coverages are supposed to be.

Reality is that Bamma's "shut down" Defense is not plug and play and Coordinator turnover makes a difference. You had the horses but the new jockeys were perhaps not as good as the old ones. In his 3 NC games most recently as DC, you can see that Pruitt had them giving up fewer points each year than the one before (but your offense also kept scoring less every year too).

Even so, I give you that Clemson's offense is just hard to stop. Last night's failure was mostly on the Offense.

 

[wmcovol]

Bama was clearly outcoached.

 

[golfballs]

I wonder if Saban will be tempted to go back to the QB as a game manager formula he used in the past.

Makes it more difficult when you don’t have a decided talent advantage. I thought given the way they game started and Tua clearly being off that they would be more patient and try to wear down Clemson’s D more. They were on the field a lot and clearly gassed. Bama was put in some adversity and they caved. Not something they’re used to

 

[bamawriter]

Reality is that Bamma's "shut down" Defense is not plug and play and Coordinator turnover makes a difference. You had the horses but the new jockeys were perhaps not as good as the old ones. In his 3 NC games most recently as DC, you can see that Pruitt had them giving up fewer points each year than the one before (but your offense also kept scoring less every year too).

Pruitt only coached in 2 title games for Bama. I guess I'm a little lost.

But, even comparing 2017 to 2016, yes Bama gave up fewer points, but Bama was up by 2 scores late in 2016 and gave up a garbage time TD. That's certainly preferable to 2017, where Bama was up by 1 score, and let Clemson march down the field for the game winning TD. Just like last night, a lot of that was on the ineffectiveness of the offense.

That said, pointing to last night and saying "See, they miss Pruitt!" is just pumping sunshine. Bama's D was going to take a step back this year no matter who was coaching because they had to completely turn over the entire secondary, including the 2 string in a couple of spots. Coaching turnover certainly matters, but not nearly as much as turning over an entire position group.

 

[golfballs]

Eh. Pruitt's defense was worse against Clemson in 2017 than Lupoi's was last night. It hasn't seemed to matter who the DC is. Smart, Pruitt, and Lupoi have all been whipped by Clemson's offense in each CFPNCG. I don't know what is going on in film study, but every time Bama plays them (last year with a terrible QB notwithstanding) the secondary has no idea what their coverages are supposed to be.

Clemson’s offense ‘17>‘19 yet Bama gave up more points to them last night. And over the course of the season Bamas D that year was better. Pruitt was a better DC than Lupoi is IMO

 

[Cartervol]

fyp...

Lol

 

[Milerd]

This game was won and lost on the LOS. Tua did not have a good night but he was pressured on almost every pass attempt. In the first qtr bama was faster on the outside than Clemson but the tigers adjusted and the long throw was not there. Clemson's front four on D was able to hold the line and let the LBs plug the holes to contain bama'a run game. I don't know if the fake FG was panic or just a brain fart on Saban's part but it was bad, bad either way. Clemson's O Line was able to Give their Qb time and get enogh push for them to run with some success. But it boils down to what I was told playing pee wee ball "he who controls the LOS controls the game".

 

[VOL_Lyfe]

That said, pointing to last night and saying "See, they miss Pruitt!" is just pumping sunshine.

Last night ya'll were missing a DC, period. I lost count how many times the secondary turned around pre-snap and shrugged shoulders, pointed to each other, shook heads, etc. Lupoi was sweating like a hooker in church.

 

[JCHateSteve]

I love seeing Bama get trounced. But they are nowhere near done unless Saban leaves. They have lost a Championship to Clemson before, only to come back to win the next one the following year. Right now Bama and Clemson are alternating national titles. So long as little Nicky is there Bama will contend, unfortunately.