Around the Big Ten

[entropy]

...yes.


is it that obvious?

[entropy]

All year I heard from people how Bama's size was so daunting and these guys were 250lb LB's who can run like WR's.

Yet in the last two games, they were chasing. Against A&M, they were chasing. The reality is the SEC has more teams that believe in 3 yrds and a cloud of dust than any other conference. If your OL can give the QB a couple seconds and he's athletic, you can put up points vs bama. They don't have this speed at LB so many claim. Too many teams lose before they start (see ND).

Also, if you're recruiting the #1 class every year, how do you end up with no depth at CB and have to play 2 true FS? seems odd to me

[THE_WIZARD_]

It's a new year Talent...I have filled my quota of rational posts already...now back to my typical dipshittery...

shaddup

[iam416]

I swear to god, The Wizard posted something that was generally English-formatted and sensible. Shook me to my core. Spent the rest of the day looking skyward for a giant volcano to descend from the heavens shooting killer sharks, lightning and acid-filled lava balls at me. Like in that Genesis thing.

[entropy]

... it's not a good idea to watch the scifi network on acid.

[iam416]

Sharknado!

[entropy]

and nowhere am I claiming bama is a bad football team or they're not that good. They are a good team. I just don't think the SEC is head and shoulders above everyone else. They have some great players. SC DE, bama's freshman RB... those guys are studs. But that doesn't mean they have a team that is unstoppable like espn wants you to think.

[iam416]

Yet in the last two games, they were chasing. Against A&M, they were chasing. The reality is the SEC has more teams that believe in 3 yrds and a cloud of dust than any other conference. If your OL can give the QB a couple seconds and he's athletic, you can put up points vs bama. They don't have this speed at LB so many claim. Too many teams lose before they start (see ND).

Well, when the QB is a legitimate running threat and you run an offense that utilizes run/pass options, you can find 1v1s in open space to stress the defense (or, in OSU's case, 1v0s). RichGOD knew it. Stoops knows it. Lots of teams know it. Good spread offenses have hurt The Nick.

[entropy]

yep. his defense is designed to stop LSU.

[entropy]

I still think a switzer or TO's offense would also cause nick problems, but the spread passing is what he's had problems stopping. His team is fast, but not quick. there is a difference

[entropy]

btw.. why did bama stop running the ball?

[iam416]

Yep. It's very difficult to put together a defense that can smash both a power offense and a spread offense. You almost need to be weakness free.

I've seen OSU have a tremendous back 7 that was well-disciplined, athletic, fast and basically able to throttle any spread offense. But when they played Wisky, those lunkheads were able to pound out enough yards to win.

And, of course, the past two seasons OSU's defense has been pretty good up-front and the LBs have at least been good run-stoppers. Wisky couldn't run on them either year. Neither could MSU. But a weak back 7 in coverage and remarkably poor discipline made that defense suspect. Somehow, it still rates reasonably high, but they had some performances that had to make Coach Tressel queasy. And they'll have another in 10 hours.

So, Alabama has this quandry: it's principle competitor in the West is fundamentally a power team. The next two in line, though, are up-tempo spread teams -- and they're very different spread teams. So, your defense has to stop all three. Against A&M, that didn't happen, but A&M's defense is god fucking awful. Against Auburn they were much better, and if they converted any of their easy FG opportunities (2 misses and one nonsensical 4th down call), they win. But, still -- that offense was more problematic for Bama than Mettenberger and LSU.

[entropy]

and add in Tenn and Georgia as top teams in the SEC... more traditional power running

[iam416]

Arkansas wants to be a power team, too, assuming Beilema lasts long enough to get them there.

[whodean]

It really depends on how a game progresses, if a power running team gets a lead they can be unbeatable, but coming from behind can be tougher than for a spread team.

The 2011 (and to a lesser extent '12) Bama defense had the horses to shut down any sort of scheme thrown against it, this year's did not, Nick had to rely on his offense more.