bamajama

I don't get it. Taking a snap from under center is a task that JG no doubt has been executing without difficulty since he was in middle school, since that task is absolutely required of ANY quarterback. How can any coach possibly fall back on such a lame excuse? This sort of nonsense is exactly the kind of thing that has had UT fans lighting their hair on fire, and rightfully so. Jones is a fine man, I'm sure, and certainly an effective recruiter. But he also is one of the worst on-field coaches I've ever seen. It's inexplicable to me how anyone familiar with his stint at UT so far could possibly expect him to survive beyond this season, barring a magical reversal of form

Hate to say it, but Herbstreit's right. Until Bama matures a bit and can become more consistent on both sides of the ball, they'll have trouble supplanting either OU or Clemson on the top rung. Plenty of time left, though, before the CFP...

A solid win, but I believe all observers would agree that the Tide will benefit from more seasoning and experience before the CFP. Lack of consistency on both sides of the ball no doubt will be the focus of much of Saban's attention as the year progresses.

Couldn't agree more....this obsession with Bama's "vertical" passing deficiencies is wearing me out. For the Tide, 10- to 20-years patterns to the flanks or in front of the linebackers will be sufficient to keep opposing defenses from stacking against the run, but still enable Ridley, Jeudy, and others to break free of coverage and head toward the end zone. Frankly, right now I'm a lot more concerned with the struggles of the OL than with Hurts' ability to "see" downfield.

All good comments here, but the OL for me is far and away the area that needs the most improvement. I know there are some new faces up there, but the athleticism has never been in question. So far, though, they've looked slow coming off the snap on occasion & the pass protection has been sub-par. That said, though, my guess is they'll be much improved by season's end.

Surely "Chattown Tider" will reappear later today to tell us that he was "just kiddin'." If not, he might consider "wandering" on to a remedial geography class.

Well, it may be "fair" to ask when Hurts is going to dominate an opponent through the air...but is it crucial to Bama's success that he does so? No. Saban doesn't need for Jalen to go 22-35 for 290 yards in a game, and fans should stop hoping that someday Hurts will morph into Tom Brady. All Jalen needs to do is use the pass to keep the defense honest and, more important, to convert on third downs. For me, the most important pass Hurts has thrown so far has been his TD toss to Hentges in the Fresno State game, and not the long heave to Ridley against FSU. Why? Because it shows that, unlike Lane Kiffin, Daboll actually knows what a tight end can do to take time off the clock and maintain possession. In short, with the Tide's arsenal of running backs, short to mid-range passes should be sufficient. Sure, let Jalen uncork a long one once in awhile...but let's not agonize over the prospect that victory will depend on such completions.

Lovin' this colloquy, fellas...But, hey! As a follower of Descartes, and thus an advocate for rational thought and the dependability of the empirical evidence that must necessarily follow, I approach this subject not through the lens of arrogance, but rather objectively. Yes, Oklahoma's a solid squad with a talented QB & OL. But against them Ohio State proved to be the same overrated, toothless team that Clemson annihilated last year. And Clemson? Offensively they appear to be striving for Watson 2.0, with virtually no running game and a defensive front that reminds me a lot of Florida State's. The fact is, men, that neither the Sooners nor Clemson has anything approaching the quality and depth Alabama boasts on all fronts, but especially at the skill positions. The depth at running back alone should be enough to give both the Sooners and Dabo pause. Yes, yes-- ANY team can be beaten on any Saturday, and cockiness is not in the recipe for victory. But neither Lincoln Riley nor Clemson will face any team the remainder of the regular season that will challenge them in every aspect of the game. And while I'll not be surprised if Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Louisville, and perhaps even FSU upset their respective apple carts, both teams could go undefeated. Still, my money's on Nick's team -- not out of blind loyalty, but because Alabama simply has too much talent everywhere. Period. And God only knows how much more they will have improved by season's end. Looking at the issue another way, how many readers on this site believe that Oklahoma or Clemson could defeat Bama without Mayfield or Bryant on the field? Yet, conversely, if Tua were at the helm for Saban, with Scarbrough & Co. in the backfield and Ridley and Jeudy on the wings, would Hurts' absence mean a loss? Possibly... but really, which of the three quarterbacks is more integral to their team's success and which of the three teams has the more potent supporting cast? Case closed.

Agreed on all counts...Once the Tide's O-line works out the kinks in its pass protection, however, Saban could be on his way to his next title. I don't believe either Clemson or Oklahoma can run effectively against his defense, and Bama's flotilla of running backs can run on ANYONE -- including Clemson. Just sayin'...

C'mon, Booger! Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Yes, Clemson's defense has some horses up front, but Auburn's one-dimensional offense proved no challenge whatsoever. Meanwhile, Bama's front seven literally demoralized FSU, and especially the Seminoles' running game. So, let's reserve judgment until the regular season concludes.

Poor ol' Danny. He just can't seem to suppress his pathological dislike for Bama and the SEC in general. And his opinion here evidences his bias. Anyone else who saw the game will tell you Auburn, with virtually no offense, made Clemson look a lot better than it is. Yes, Dabo's team is strong defensively, but is nothing like the force that destroyed Ohio State & eked by Bama last year, and I imagine they'll have their hands full with Lamar Jackson and Louisville next week. In fact, while Kelly Bryant certainly will mature through the year, I don't see Clemson being a "lead pipe cinch" to return to the CFP.

Looking forward to seeing significant improvement in Jalen's protection...Yes, Florida State's defensive front is fast and aggressive, but anyone watching the game could see the OL was often slow coming off the snap.

Oh, yes...just didn't see his name in this article.

Anyone know where Dylan Moses is now in the linebacker mix? Given the injuries I'd have to guess he'll see some playing time.

Am I alone, or do others on this site feel that Bama's O-line looked a bit sluggish against FSU? Certainly, I concede that the Seminoles' talent across the defensive front is exceptional. That said, though, the Tide's tackles looked as if they were a step slow in fending off the rush. Conditioning a problem? What do ya'll think?

Excellent work, "Rocky Top" !! And speaking of idiots, you failed to insert a comma after "no" and managed to misspell "snippet." No surprise, though, given the incoherent gibberish you offer in your other posts. Much more telling, though, is your claim that Butch Jones, the most cliche-laden coach in the country, is rhetorically capable of fooling anyone not blind to his inadequacies -- someone like you, for example.

I think Nick's assessment is objective and fair. Generally, a very good start -- especially against the preseason #3. Front seven defense was extraordinarily effective, especially given all the losses to the NFL off last year's squad. And apart from FSU's only score, the corners and safeties for the most part executed well against similar speed. Offensive line, however, looked a bit at loose ends at times, and appeared to have surprising trouble with fending off the outside rush. Some missed assignments, perhaps? And once again, we saw a conscious decision not to utilize the tight end as a receiver...curious. Field-goal kicking inconsistency appears to be a recurring challenge, and with Saban's recruiting "chops" I can't figure that one out. All in all though, an encouraging beginning, with Scarbrough escaping another injury and the other backs looking like they're ready to go, too. Given what I saw last night and knowing some of the rough edges on offense will be smoothed over time as the unit jells, another undefeated regular season and SEC championship should be in the offing. Superior talent, depth, and commitment -- tough to beat.

Jones continues to "set himself up" when he makes such comments. What is he implying -- that the playing surface is so exotic that only a full-blown practice can enable his team to succeed? That this new stadium is unlike any other domed facility? "They got a phone call" ??? What's he saying? "Is "home cooking" in Atlanta really that brazen? C'mon, Butch !!

The issue here is/was that Sarkisian's and Kiffin are the proverbial "two peas in a pod" re: offensive philosophy and their tendencies in any number of "down and distance" scenarios. And that kinship bacame more and more evident as the Clemson game wore on. One thing's certain: you won't see Daboll abandon his running game on "third and three" and defer to tosses to receivers behind the line of scrimmage & hugging the sidelines. Unlike Kiffin, I can't imagine he'd let stubbornness control his thinking.

What rubbish! Sark's play-calling on virtually every down-and-distance situation made it appear that Kiffin was still with the program. Both those guys have the USC-"West coast" offensive philosophy tattooed on their foreheads, and it's highly unlikely Kiffin's presence would have made much of a difference. Moreover, the rumors of Kiffin's impending departure began circulating weeks before the Clemson game, so I doubt seriously that Bama's offense was stunned or shocked when he left. Finally, does ANYONE seriously believe Saban would have risked another national title by severing connections with an OC simply to have the last word in a season-long squabble? No, thirteen games into the season Nick apparently thought Kiffin was dispensable. So do I, and I'm happy he's gone.

Clint Lamb's assessment of Bo Scarbrough's role in the Tide's offense this year is, unfortunately, fair. But anyone knowing Bo's medical history ought to be pulling for him with all the horsepower they can muster. Ever since he arrived in Tuscaloosa he's been the object of awe and wonderment, a physical specimen far beyond his years blessed with extraordinary athletic gifts, yet one who's been injury prone since high school. News about his readiness coming out of the spring and summer camps has been encouraging, so he's obviously worked hard to return to playing shape. There's no question that Jacobs and the Harris "twins" have got the ability to carry Bama's fortunes. But I imagine most observers and fans of Alabama football will join me in hoping for a 12-game season for Bo and a following opportunity for him to "strut his stuff" in the NFL. Opposing cornerbacks, however, probably have a different opinion.

Confused comments avail little success. Suggest we extricate ourselves from this rhetorical abyss and move on to the next topic...

Thank you for illuminating the obvious.

Ahhh!!! Not that they need any, but I thank Thrasher for providing more motivation for the Tide to atone for last year's "failure" against Clemson...

Right on point...The Tide's defensive scheme will look different this year, but it's difficult to imagine much of a falloff in production. Even without the stellar pass rushers of last year, Nick is going to field a lineup of linebackers, corners and safeties that will challenge opposing passers at every opportunity. Yet...the continuing inconsistency in field goal production remains an issue. And why this problem persists is a real puzzlement given Saban's ability to recruit top talent every year.

The only intriguing thing about UT this year will be whether the school's new AD will be able to withstand the demands for Jones' scalp if Butch goes 8-5 or 9-4 and finishes third in the SEC East once again. After 5 years of exemplary recruiting, I don't understand why many readers on this site continue to feel that the Vols are still a "work in progress," or that somehow they should be exempted from reasonable expectations because of various injuries, disciplinary issues, early departures for the NFL, or other developments that typically challenge other major college programs every year. Glaring inconsistencies on both sides of the ball have become habitual nemeses for the Vols and point squarely to deficiencies in both game-day preparation and coaching proficiency. Period. I like Jones as a man, and think he offers an excellent role model for his players. But if he falters again & can't take "the next step" no one on the planet should be aghast if he's terminated at season's end.

Strange... Did Nick not offer a scholarship to Dooley's son?

Really looking forward to watching Daboll's offensive scheme take root against a quality opponent...and while we all know the number of studs Bama lost to the NFL off the '16 squad, I have a feeling this year's defense-- while retooled with a different look-- will more than hold their own against FSU. Just too many exceptional athletes and quality depth for Pruitt to deploy without commensurate success. The Tide by at least 7 sounds about right...

Can only hope Bo stays healthy this season and have the stellar year everyone expects, and that he deserves. Yes, Bama has a flotilla of fine backs, but as with Derrick Henry most cornerbacks would just as soon see Bo head in the other direction. A "stud" who needs only to avoid another serious injury to persuade NFL scouts he may finally have broken free of the plague of physical setbacks that have dogged him since high school. Nothin' like seeing a freight train dressed in crimson...

I agree. Anyone watching Clemson dismember OSU in last year's semifinal could see a big difference in team speed, depth, and talent at the skill positions. I know the Buckeyes were young and that Urban's brought in another top recruiting class, but I can't see them going undefeated this season.