CFP Title Game, Alabama vs tOSU, Jan 11, 8:15 ET on ESPN, Miami

[Gcashwell]

I'd also like to hear if you think this is your best team. I tend to think it was your most efficient offense with a surprisingly light collection of defense.

If it’s not, it’s close to it. The offense was stunning.

overall, I was pleased with how the defense Improved. They were terrible early. That’s where a full schedule was an advantage for Alabama. They got time to gain experience and grow. OSU didn’t get nicked up as badly, but also didn’t gain as much experience.

The game has changed so much in the last few years that it is hard to say how one of the older “great” defenses would have performed against an offense like this. However, it’s obvious that no other Bama team has the accomplishments this one does.

I posted a quote from Najee about his game last night. OSU wanted to take away the run, and try to bend but not break against the pass. I’m surprised they never adjusted.

 

[muffler dragon]

Congrats to @Gcashwell and @Jim Hunter

 

[muffler dragon]

If it’s not, it’s close to it. The offense was stunning.

overall, I was pleased with how the defense Improved. They were terrible early. That’s where a full schedule was an advantage for Alabama. They got time to gain experience and grow. OSU didn’t get nicked up as badly, but also didn’t gain as much experience.

The game has changed so much in the last few years that it is hard to say how one of the older “great” defenses would have performed against an offense like this. However, it’s obvious that no other Bama team has the accomplishments this one does.

I posted a quote from Najee about his game last night. OSU wanted to take away the run, and try to bend but not break against the pass. I’m surprised they never adjusted.

That was complimentary of Najee.

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

OSU students seem a little entitled these days, at least this one writing for 11W:

My class (2017-21) is now the third straight four-year class to miss witnessing a national championship while on campus. Fun!

Shit, we lost at least 3 games every year I was a student. Now we're mad if we don't get our obligatory NC?

What a spoiled punk. OSU lost more games in my freshman year than they've lost in the last 4 years combined.

 

[jwinslow]

If it’s not, it’s close to it. The offense was stunning.

overall, I was pleased with how the defense Improved. They were terrible early. That’s where a full schedule was an advantage for Alabama. They got time to gain experience and grow. OSU didn’t get nicked up as badly, but also didn’t gain as much experience.

The game has changed so much in the last few years that it is hard to say how one of the older “great” defenses would have performed against an offense like this. However, it’s obvious that no other Bama team has the accomplishments this one does.

I posted a quote from Najee about his game last night. OSU wanted to take away the run, and try to bend but not break against the pass. I’m surprised they never adjusted.

Thanks. Yup development and consistency is a big problem when you play four games in two months.

As far as adjustments:

They have no other dbs they trust. Jordan battle was the only corner in the 2018 osu class, and they lost 3 key depth guys to injury or dismissal. The next class was mediocre.

Because of this, they hired coombs to come back and restore his recruiting and development magic (the former is happening in a big way). But to do that, he got a promotion to call his first college defense.

Technically the third problem is they needed their lbs to stop the run without togiai and smith, but that leads them extremely vulnerable through the air. Tuf can't cover jerome bettis in the flat let alone Najee.

 

[Wells4Heisman]

I'm having a little crow for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Credit to Alabama, I thought we would find a way to get timely stops but schematically the staff was outclassed. Game was lost in that crucial 6/7 minute stretch before half, Clemson knows the feeling from New Years. Incredibly proud and thankful we had a chance to see these guys get a chance to play in a fucked up year.

 

[Don Muenz]

What a spoiled punk. OSU lost more games in my freshman year than they've lost in the last 4 years combined.

Well, when I came to OSU in the fall of 1967, I got student tickets, five home games for $21, on a punch card. My seat was in the field bleachers right new the entrance to the Southeast Towers, where the team had its lockers. The stuff that they yelled at Woody after the Illinois Homecoming loss! Wow!

In the end, as often I forget about these things, it is a game, not life, though often mimicking the latter's injustice, cruelty, agony and arbitrariness, along with the occasional pristine moment of resplendent glory and human vindication.

Shuffles down from Lever Brothers soapbox.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Hope that Ryan looks long and hard at the staff and himself, though. Cannot afford to refuse to learn from this, like Don Brown did for several years.
Everyone, be well.

I don't doubt he will. We need to remember Day is in his second year as a head coach. I do think he learned a lot of lessons from last years loss to Clemson, and I think he'll learn from last night as well.

Quotes from Coach Day: “What these guys have learned, what our staff has learned, what our program has learned has been incredible for our culture.” “What we experienced tonight is motivation for when we come back next season.”

Maybe he will:

 

[bukIpower]

If it’s not, it’s close to it. The offense was stunning.

overall, I was pleased with how the defense Improved. They were terrible early. That’s where a full schedule was an advantage for Alabama. They got time to gain experience and grow. OSU didn’t get nicked up as badly, but also didn’t gain as much experience.

The game has changed so much in the last few years that it is hard to say how one of the older “great” defenses would have performed against an offense like this. However, it’s obvious that no other Bama team has the accomplishments this one does.

I posted a quote from Najee about his game last night. OSU wanted to take away the run, and try to bend but not break against the pass. I’m surprised they never adjusted.

For as much as Bama wins... I've never minded because you all seem to always have good kids, coaches who show respect, and fan bases that are surprisingly humble.

Your program is like the anti Clemson.

 

[Tanner]

I must say I am pretty gosh darn tired of watching games where Ohio State gets clearly and obviously out schemed. And the worst part is it happens in games against good and bad teams.

 

[dragurd]

I must say I am pretty gosh darn tired of watching games where Ohio State gets clearly and obviously out schemed. And the worst part is it happens in games against good and bad teams.

You can say that but also we clearly out schemed and out played Clemson the last 2 years. So we have the capability. Coombs is a much better DB coach then he showed this year. So I want to see next year before I throw him out. The Secondary was not good. But how much of that was the players, how much was no off-season and 7 games and and how much of it was Coombs. Indiana and Today Coombs got them killed but it's hard to be multiple and change things up without practice

 

[LordJeffBuck]

This is a generational offense. Especially if Waddell (sp?) is back.

2020 Alabama had:

• Heisman Trophy winner (Smith)
• Best running back in CFB (Harris)
• Best wide receiver in CFB (Smith)
• Best offensive lineman in CFB (Leatherwood)
• Efficient game manager QB (Jones)

Kind of like 1995 Ohio State:

• Heisman Trophy winner (George)
• Best running back in CFB (George)
• Best wide receiver in CFB (Glenn)
• Best offensive lineman in CFB (Pace)
• Efficient game manager QB (Hoying)

Saban goes 13-0 and wins the NC with his embarrassment of riches ... Coop somehow manages to lose two games and finish outside the top five.

 

[1926Buckeyes]

2020 Alabama had:

• Heisman Trophy winner (Smith)
• Best running back in CFB (Harris)
• Best wide receiver in CFB (Smith)
• Best offensive lineman in CFB (Leatherwood)
• Efficient game manager QB (Jones)

Kind of like 1995 Ohio State:

• Heisman Trophy winner (George)
• Best running back in CFB (George)
• Best wide receiver in CFB (Glenn)
• Best offensive lineman in CFB (Pace)
• Efficient game manager QB (Hoying)

Saban goes 13-0 and wins the NC with his embarrassment of riches ... Coop somehow manages to lose two games and finish outside the top five.

Well it was Coop, so...

Seriously though, when I was younger I never understood how that happened looking back at that roster. I think in another thread this summer, someone posted all the talent on OSU between 94-96 and we all agreed that Coop should be tried at the Hague for his failure.

 

[Tanner]

You can say that but also we clearly out schemed and out played Clemson the last 2 years. So we have the capability. Coombs is a much better DB coach then he showed this year. So I want to see next year before I throw him out. The Secondary was not good. But how much of that was the players, how much was no off-season and 7 games and and how much of it was Coombs. Indiana and Today Coombs got them killed but it's hard to be multiple and change things up without practice

Last year against Clemson I would argue was a wash. This year a clear yes. But I mean, jeez, I would hope Ohio State would be able to out scheme teams at least occasionally.

The practice issue is a fair point.

There is absolutely no way Coombs (or Coombs + Mattison, however you want to slice it) was the best possible candidate for the job but I will stop harping on it.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

I must say I am pretty gosh darn tired of watching games where Ohio State gets clearly and obviously out schemed. And the worst part is it happens in games against good and bad teams.

The staff didn't coach like Ohio State was a nine-point underdog. They just lined up and did very basic things, like this was some Big Ten game.

The staff really needed to devise some creative schemes/game plans to bridge the obvious talent gap between the two teams. Show some new looks, take some chances, use some misdirection, maybe even throw in a trick play or two. Kind of like what underdogs always do against Ohio State (Rutgers, Indiana, for example). But nope.

It probably wouldn't have mattered in the end, because talent usually wins out. But Ohio State might've had a puncher's chance if they'd been able to keep Alabama off balance and out of their comfort zone by utilizing their talent in more creative ways.