I have been asleep at the switch, but ...

I'm not fighting everything your selling, probably just the degree that we are discussing this. The better the talent, the better the results, absolutely. Last year's Bama team was the best front seven of the Saban era. McElwain called them our front 30. They went 11 deep and were rocking the 40 front and multiple looks with lots of speed at the LB position to boot. Just a tough matchup last season and we got you at home. Running through them wasn't going to get it. Michigan St. was great on their OL and most of the media had them as top 5 O-line in the nation all season. They were determined to go through us and said so before the game. You could hear Conner Cook come off the field screaming "their f**king everywhere."

In my opinion, Watson of Clemson had it right, go around, spread out. Give the QB the run/pass option at the snap. Les Miles gets the QB with the wheels he just never puts him in an offense that spreads and puts talent and speed in space that much. That stuff stresses the edges of your D and stretches the field. Just my opinion based on what I keep seeing that gives us the most trouble.

 

How can you expect to run the football if the other team knows that's what you are going to do and has ZERO respect (and for good reason) for your passing game? You can blame it on the O line all you want and that's definitely a piece of it, but if you can't throw the football, when the big boys come around, you ain't running it either. Sure you can feed Fournette the rock 32 times against EMU, and he will eventually break a few big ones, but that shit ain't happening against the Alabama's and Arkansas' of the world. Was Alabama better on the line than LSU? Of course, but help your QB out by designing plays that fit him or help him. Don't run the ball 65 percent of the time the whole year and expect that Harris is just gonna turn into Montana with the game on the line against Bama.

 

That's been the biggest criticism. Les thinks he can hide his anemic passing game until he needs it, but that ain't how it works. If you don't see a different offense in the first two games then there isn't going to be one.

 

I don't recall Harris running for his life. Hell I don't recall him running at all. Let's take a running quarterback and make him a pocket guy. I mean that's just a recipie for failure with a staff that already has issues in the passing game.

 

Call me opposite, but I am more worried about the new defensive scheme against a team that is familiar with it.

 

Though true, the scheme itself is designed to hide coverages and disguise the blitz. Best part of the scheme is it can be unpredictable.

 

Yes, I'm much less worried about the first game under Aranda than I was the first game with Steele. How familiar are we with Bama's D? How much has that helped us?

 

I understand but for me it is more of new & old folks with a new scheme. I did not think Steele's scheme was as different as arandas but I am not as familiar with the details so your point is well taken.

 

I've been prepping my liver for a few weeks now just in case.

 

Steele made zero in game adjustments. That's why we would often have a great defensive 1st half only to be outclassed in the second by good teams.