Some takeaways from Eric Hansen's excellent article mentioned below:
1. We lose to the " ogres " ( Alabama, Clemson, and Ohio St. ) when it comes to star wars. They have way more 4 and 5 star guys than we have.
2. We can't afford to have a track meet with them. Our hope is to grind it out: have our lines win the line of scrimmage; use multiple tight end sets; run the ball; and eat up the clock.
3. Ironically, this used to be Nick Saban's MO; however, he was flexible enough to see that scoring lots of points would be the trend of the future, so he has targeted elite QBs and WRs.
4. We're not there. That is why it is so important that we start fast and try to get a quick lead. Our margin for error is so small and we aren't built for catch up football.
5. As a result, we can't squander possessions: be better in the red zone; score TDs, not FGs; be better on getting enough yards on first down; don't be so predictable-- mix in jet sweeps, screens, use the middle of the field in the passing game; use our excellent TEs more as receivers; use more misdirection; throw 50/50 balls to our taller receivers; use a special gadget play. Keep them guessing.
6. We can't play press coverage with our mediocre CBs. We have to keep them in front of us in various zone coverages.
7. We can't miss chip shot FGs.
8. It can be done!
Replies to: Some takeaways from Eric Hansen's excellent article mentioned below:
They let their players go home for the holiday
How many will be out due to virus/tracing?
There's no place like home for the holidays...
No matter how far away you roam...
This connotes the end of competitive college football..
The context is that almost all P5s are in serious financial situations. It'll be hard enough to survive as presently configured, if at all. They'll won't have the resources to maintain any sort of major athletic program. The "ogers" have positioned themselves to remain top flight programs, even if the rest of college football implodes...
Most, if not all, of that has been mentioned here on UHND.
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Not realizing that at the elite level the game has moved on from #2, as #3 states is why #4 leaves
us with the smallest chance in the beginning of #5.
It’s almost like Alabama has adopted the Brian Kelly 1.0 offensive philosophy.
Spead it out, throw on 3rd and 1, etc.
A rather odd juxtaposition.
Are you saying we should reboot Kelly's operating system...?
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There can always be value in running against current fashion, if you can do it well.
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When #4 is really #1 "We're not there." . .. in year 11, we're not there.
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Seems like a fair assessment of what we have to do to win. I will add force a turnover or
take advantage of a messy play by them.
I would add
Score more points than them
Turnovers, of course, would be huge.
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