Bottom line, LSU has much better talent than Bama. We dominated both lines of scrimmage, unfortunately for us Bama's skill players played better than expected and LSU's skill players played worse than expected. Thus the game hung in the balance. So it's really hard to answer the coaching question. On one hand, we dominated the game statistically which has got to give our coaching staff credit (and blame for Bama's staff as well). On the other hand, Bama hung in there as much as they could taking advantage of LSU's mistakes, so credit goes to Bama's coaching and some blame definitely goes to LSU's coaching staff for the many many mistakes (dropped passes and penalties) we had. I think Saban definitely has Bama going in the right direction. As far as the 47-7 predictions (mine was 31-20), they weren't too far off. You eliminate the senseless turnovers and penalties, and the game ends up somewhere in that neighborhood (48-17 or so).
A well written post but I do disagree with some of your points. It was inevitable that we would hear this if the game was close, therefor giving you legitimacy to the argument that Saban is better than Miles. There is no scenario where Miles would have been given credit. Certainly not in a loss, not in a close victory, and not even in a blowout. He simply could not win. Saban is a good recruiter and the Bama name still holds luster. Perhaps this had an effect? I have not watched your line enough to say one way or another, but I do feel like LSU's DLine had something to prove tonight. Probably a little of both. It was distressing to see the imbalance of penalties against us, but we did deserve most of them. The reversals in our favor actually shocked me, as this was an away game. We will know by the SECG(if we get there) if we are MNC caliber or not. Something tells me we will not see another game like this again. Maybe it's Miles' statement after the game about the players not liking him on Monday. I thought they did just that. Despite the repeated mistakes, the players reached and took the game back. If the coaches can get the blame, they can also get the credit. Luck, emotion, execution, Coaching factor both ways. A puzzling thing to be sure. Perhaps our coaches felt that might be just a bit too predictable. Even the commentators were guessing at times. I consider that a good game plan. The truth is the turnovers were just poor execution. Had Flynn been a bit more steady, we could have pounded the ball after being up 21+, but Matt had a bad 2nd quarter and it didn't work out that way. After that, mistakes kept giving you guys points and I don't think we could have run the ball and won. Flames are completely unnecessary, as this was an excellent post. Nice to talk football with an opposing fan.:thumb:
There have been some good posts by Bama fans in this thread. I really think Bama should be proud of their team after this game, but don't get over confident. We made you look better than you truly are (not to take more than necessary away from you). LSU hasn't played consistently like the #3 team in the nation since the first few weeks of the college football season. Good game Bama. This was a tough slugfest and I am glad we gutted out another dramatic victory.
Thanks for the answer. Let me ask a follow up question or two with regard to the notion that Shula "paid next to no attention to the defensive side of the ball", because this is the core premise of your opinion on the "Talent Issue." Let me ask you, was this notion discussed and debated on any message board before or during the 2005 and 2006 seasons? I don't recall this, but, I may have missed it. As for THIS board, I can say that the main Bama folks on this board were nothing but very satisfied and confident about the state of Bama football right before the 2006 season. Second, you said that the defense suffered because Shula focused on players on offense. How, then, do you account for Demeco Ryans and some other great defensive players that came from the Shula years? Please don't say "Joe Kines coached them and they had great coaching", because I'll counter with this question "If Joe Kines was that great of a coach, where is he coaching now?" Thanks. PS I'd like to hear from the other Bama fans on this, especially those who were so gregariously active on this board for weeks prior to the LSU game last night. Come on, Gentlemen . . . shyness does not become you. PSS I certainly agree with the notion that Bama is better off with Saban as coach than Shula. LSU! :crystal: LSU!
Let me start by saying that Bama played a very good game last night, but a blind man could see that we did everything to give that game away. That game could have gotten ugly quick had we not been so generous with turnovers and penalties. I'm not so sure Saban did anything, coaching wise, that was so much better than what Shula would have done. A special teams score and penalties on third down stops was more to do with sloppy play on our part and not so much how well Saban coached. We play smarter football and this game isn't even close. Credit to Bama for capitalizing on our mistakes.
But the Bama response to this is that capitalizing on LSU mistakes is a sign of great coaching from the Bama staff.
First of all congratulations to LSU on a quality win. To add a little to buzzards reply on Alabama (Shula's) recruiting. The sanctions created a problem of which areas to shore up first. Shula went for skill players in his first class of 16-17 players then he went after defense. The last area he addressed was the OL and he had one of the worst OL coaches in college football to prove that point look at UCLA this season as that is where he landed a job. UCLA will probably be getting a new coaching staff. Had Shula fired that tool he would likely still be at Alabama and we would have lost yesterday 45-9. The five players we were missing for the game did hurt but we beat Tennessee without them and gave LSU one heck of a game without them. I expect them all to be back for Auburn as a 4 game suspension is what I am hearing. Coach Saban had his team positioned with a game plan that gave them a chance to win and almost pulled off the upset. With the loss from BC you should move up to #2 and that is something to make Ohio St. nervous. Good luck.
Coaching is about more than calling plays. Bama only got two penalties and played mostly sound football. Saban is a good coach and it seems a lot of LSU fans have allowed emotion to cloud their perception of reality.
Thanks, bayoutider, and other good Bama folks. Why isn't Joe Kines coaching somewhere this year? Everyone agrees that he did a great job as Bama's Defensive Coordinator. Second, you said that the game score would 45-9 in favor of LSU if Shula and Kines were Bama's coaches last night. Does that signal a change of heart with regard to the skill of Joe Kines as a coach. I'm kind of surprised that he's no longer in coaching. I'm also curious about the Bama defensive stats for 2005, 2006 and 2007. Is the Bama defense better in 2007 than in previous years? Finally, a lot of folks might argue that LSU's penalties almost gave the game to Bama. Do the people who are coaching Bama have much to do with how many penalties LSU commits? If not, then, was it the LSU penalties that almost gave Bama the win, or the Bama coaches? PS It's very wrong to call the LSU Bama football game the "Saban Bowl". The media did this, and it stinks.
