All Things Alabama

[Irish#1]

RT Fluker is a really strong run blocker, and LG Warmack is probably the best G in the country.
C Barret Jones is a 5th year senior who has already started on two national championship teams and won the Outland trophy last year.
LT Kouandjio is the young guy of the bunch, but looks like a first round pick after next year.

This is just a great o-line, experienced and talented, 4 guys will will likely be first or second round NFL picks, you just don't see that on a college line very often.

I did notice them double up on the Georgia NT a few times and it worked, and of course running to the RT side with the TE and H back helping.

The teams that have given the running game some trouble this year are smaller quick teams that take chances and shoot the gaps, it works some times, but left them open to get burned by passing plays.

Seems like bigger, traditional defenses have been worn down by the end of the game.

Nix is big, but he is very quick so he could cause considerable problems if Jones doesn't like a guy on top of him. I think the speed of the Irish defense is good enough that they wouldn't have to move Nix if Saban spreads his line. Tuitt maybe the wild card here.

 

[North Buffalo Irish]

Georgia's defensive tackles did really well in the first quarter... and really the entire first half until Lacy's explosive run. Remember that the score was 10-7 at half time.

I think that UGA's defensive tackles are too big (read: fat). They did not have the fitness levels to stand up to Alabama's punishing run game for 60 minutes. Hell, they barely lasted 30 minutes.

Alabama's first 5 drives: 58 yards and a fumble
Alabama's 6th drive: 4 carries, 67 yards and a touchdown

Also remember that Lacy's big run was off tackle, directly at Jarvis Jones. Bama's 7th drive was mostly McCarron (33 yards on two plays) scrambling to set up the field goal at the end of the half.

What really jumps out at me is the fact that Georgia allowed Bama to possess the ball SEVEN TIMES in the first half. No wonder they were being physically dominated in the 2nd half. TOP for the game was 37:35 to 22:25 in favor of the Tide. The Irish can absolutely not allow that to happen.

 

[Old Man Mike]

I will respect Rolltide's superior knowledge here, but if correct the announcers were wrong. They specifically stated that the center did NOT like the NT directly over him, and the offense tried to align to get the D-Line to sit in gaps instead.

 

[PANDFAN]

He has an unidentified foot injury that he sustained in the first quarter and he played through it and played well. We don't start bowl practice for 2 weeks, and with all of the awards banquets etc, he wouldn't anyways....simply conditioning stuff going on right now.

He'll be fine...

he didn't play a good game and i focused on watching him because of how good he was supposed to be

Concerning their center, it was stated at least twice during the georgia game that the center did NOT like a powerful NT right over him, and that Saban even used certain spread formations to encourage the DC to not put a DT there. I somehow doubt that Diaco does not know this. If Nix is directly over center, he WILL require two blockers minimum.

i saw the same thing the announcers did..their big NT was pushing him around for the 1st half but he gassed and began getting double teamed ....i was thinking during the game how this was going to play into our strength of nix...he will be unreal this game.. he is the key on def

 

[GoVols16]

Want to wish you all luck against Alabama after watching NBC's show about you all. It's going to be the hardest game, by far, you all have played this year. Saying that, I hope you embarrass them on the National Stage. Until January 7th, Go Irish, beat the hell outta Alabama.

Go Vols.

 

[koonja]

There are a thousand keys to this game, imo.

TOP, turnovers, big plays, covering Eifert/#9 for them, etc.

I think what's huge for our defense is that Kona, Day, and Springman really bring it for the handful of snaps they'll have. When our DL needs a breather, for that one or two plays we cannot have them be a liability.

 

[koonja]

It's too bad J. Jones is going to be a late bloomer it appears. I wish he could have pulled a Sheldon Day this year. We could really use another solid DL for about 8-10 plays per game. IDK if it's just me, but Springman doesn't do it for me.

 

[ACamp1900]

I may be off base but I feel the key will be which team can score more points...

 

[koonja]

I may be off base but I feel the key will be which team can score more points...

****, who needs Diaco when we have ACamp!

 

[ACamp1900]

****, who needs Diaco when we have ACamp!

Who?... Oh, yeah.

 

[ROLLtide]

I will respect Rolltide's superior knowledge here, but if correct the announcers were wrong. They specifically stated that the center did NOT like the NT directly over him, and the offense tried to align to get the D-Line to sit in gaps instead.

I think they said that because Jones isn't a big physical guy, is more a technique and football smarts guy.
He probably will struggle sometimes against a big NT, but i never noticed him whiffing or letting his man get by unless it was the smaller guys that blitzed and confused the line.

Also, our NT Jessie Williams is 320 and benches 600 pounds, he practices against a big strong guy all time, and it's not like he hasn't seen a few good NTs in his career.

 

[Irish#1]

There are a thousand keys to this game, imo.

TOP, turnovers, big plays, covering Eifert/#9 for them, etc.

I think what's huge for our defense is that Kona, Day, and Springman really bring it for the handful of snaps they'll have. When our DL needs a breather, for that one or two plays we cannot have them be a liability.

I suspect Kelly will not replace the entire front line at the same time, rather one player at a time.

 

[Irish#1]

I think they said that because Jones isn't a big physical guy, is more a technique and football smarts guy.
He probably will struggle sometimes against a big NT, but i never noticed him whiffing or letting his man get by unless it was the smaller guys that blitzed and confused the line.

Also, our NT Jessie Williams is 320 and benches 600 pounds, he practices against a big strong guy all time, and it's not like he hasn't seen a few good NTs in his career.

Not saying he can't handle him, but I think he will be in for a surprise with Nix and it may take a while for him to adjust.

One thing ND will have going for them that other teams don't is their conditioning. Alabama may be as well conditioned, but not better. I don't look for the D to wear down easily.

 

[koonja]

I will respect Rolltide's superior knowledge here, but if correct the announcers were wrong. They specifically stated that the center did NOT like the NT directly over him, and the offense tried to align to get the D-Line to sit in gaps instead.

Quoting the announcers during the AM game.

[Texas AM] "Going to move Nealy into the nose for this game and thought his quickness would give Barret Jones a problem".

 

[Kak7304]

Quoting the announcers during the AM game.

[Texas AM] "Going to move Nealy into the nose for this game and thought his quickness would give Barret Jones a problem".

I think we'd be smart to mix things up. Wear him down with an old-fashioned trench war with Nix and then line up Day over him to give him a different look.

 

[WakeUpEchoes]

@McShay13
Studying ND defense. The most underrated guy on this group from what I'm seeing is 89 (Kapron Lews-Moore). Versatile, quick and relentless.

 

[NDinL.A.]

I may be off base but I feel the key will be which team can score more points...

Hmmmm, I still think you're over-thinking it...

 

[NDinL.A.]

I think they said that because Jones isn't a big physical guy, is more a technique and football smarts guy.
He probably will struggle sometimes against a big NT, but i never noticed him whiffing or letting his man get by unless it was the smaller guys that blitzed and confused the line.

Also, our NT Jessie Williams is 320 and benches 600 pounds, he practices against a big strong guy all time, and it's not like he hasn't seen a few good NTs in his career.

Man, your D-Line and O-lines have some BIG boys! It is going to be a fascinating match-up for both teams, the entire game. Stanford's lines were incredibly physical (and their front 7 quick as well), but these have to be the biggest lines ND has seen all year. Can't wait to see how they fare!

 

[koonja]

The Alabama NT has 'YOLO' tattooed on his neck. I'm most worried about Nix laughing at the clown.

 

[blackirish]

What was the problem with that hit?

Are QBs totally untouchable now? Stams did that to Rodney Peete during the exact same situation in 1988. Have they changed that rule now?

I don't see what is so dirty about it, honestly. Maybe I am just too old-school when I think about football.

I am in total agreement, what will be next ? are FOOTBALL PLAYERS ( or socall) getting hit too hard ???

 

[blackirish]

There are two problems with this hit. The first is that it is helmet to helmet on a defenseless player. The second is that it is unnecessary since it is on a player who is not attempting to enter the play (or something like that).

If you want to get a mad about a hit, this was called a penalty and it brought back a td. The blocker put a shoulder into the chest of a guy who had a shot at making the play, smh.

well his teamate ( N0.24) saw the guy coming and didn't say a damn thing like "CRACK BACK" !!! , oh well keep your head on a swivel, listen if we think that the Elephant boys are not going to try to do some of this,then we will be saddley mistaken,because of all the SEC games that I saw this season this type of play is very commen,hell even the bottom dwellers of that conference does this **** all the time and if a flag is thrown thier attitude is so what we're going to do it again,but that doesn't mean they will win,however there's a reason why they've (SEC) won the last 6 of 7 NC's. Just Saying.

 

[blackirish]

I'm with ya. We are a young, and growing offense. They are established in their identity. We are going to progress a lot over the next few weeks, we'll have some new faces and new looks emerge.

but here's the thing defensively they have good personel,but not like the studs they had last season,no doubt they're going to be prepaired,but they will have some blown assignments in this game and we have to capitalize on those mistakes.

 

[Irish#1]

@McShay13
Studying ND defense. The most underrated guy on this group from what I'm seeing is 89 (Kapron Lews-Moore). Versatile, quick and relentless.

The guy just keeps chopping wood.

 

[ROLLtide]

The guy just keeps chopping wood.

Nice picture, that must be from one of the bowl games in the 70s, little bit before my time.

I know some older Alabama fans that really want to give ND a payback for those days.

 

[zbikowski88]

Tyler James @TJamesNDI 1m
I offer this up with no comment. MT @AlabamaFTBL: ALABAMA ANNOUNCES FOOTBALL SERIES WITH COLORADO STATE

 

[Ironman8]

The thing is, the OP didn't even call him a thug. He used the word as an adjective describing an action that the player could be suspended for.

 

[kmoose]

Man, I was having fun,... waiting to see what he said about Barret Jones is a hobbit...

You'd probably have been waiting all week, until he figured out how to google "hobbit", and see what it meant.

 

[tadman95]

Awwww, there was some funnies in there.....

Can I post screen shots?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Awwww, there was some funnies in there.....

 

[tadman95]

If I could rep I would! That's funny!!