RollTide.com Offensive and Defensive previews
I know most people are probably itching for some more content on Michigan's team but I was on RollTide.com to see if they had any sort of video/preview of their team - just so I know what we are going to be dealing with.
From the Offensive and Defensive previews - I get a sense that most of their players realize that Alabama doesn't rebuild just reloads, which could be taken as overconfidence but is also just flat out scary. Their equivalent of Doug Karsch has a thick southern accent and says "defaynce" not "defense". Pretty good information though, after watching these you'll at least recognize some opposing player names while watching the game.
I also found it interesting that ESPN Gameday and Kirk Herbstreit shot a 30 second spot for RollTide.com specifically to tell Alabama fans to show up for Gameday. It had details of the time, place (specific lot @ Cowboys Stadium) and to "show Michigan fans how Alabama fans support their team". I like to think it reflects how easily influenced some fanbases are over others. =)
August 27th, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
They are big, strong and athletic. We need to go to short passing game and some draws to slow the pass rush. Fortunately, Denard's game is strong in those areas.
August 27th, 2012 at 2:01 PM ^
Will be whether or not we can get their MLBs to respect the RB.
Can we win without this? Yes. But IF we can get that to happen (4-5 yds a shot for a quarter should do it) that makes everything we do insanely easier.
Secondly, our WR have to be physical enough to break any press coverage they have or this will be a long ball game.
August 27th, 2012 at 4:45 PM ^
Eh.. I don't think the dline looks especially big relative to other good teams we've played. Those videos strike me as just pandering to the fanbase. It's all about appearances and smoke and mirrors. They're obviously good, but if they really reloaded every year to the point that they have no weaknesses they would win the NC every year. That guy made it seem like they had zero question marks, but I find that hard to believe. I trust Lewan to watch Denard's back, and as long as Denard can see what's coming he'll get away and extend the play 9 times out of 10. Then it's up to the linebackers, and they lack experience there. Again, really good, but not last year's team.
As far as our defense goes, I think the linbackers and safeties are exactly the group we needed to have experience at, because they need to handle the balanced attack and step up to stop the run game. And if Yeldon gets a lot of carries, I'm hoping he gets some freshman jitters playing his first game on such a big stage and coughs up the ball once or twice. They're very good, but not invincible. There's a reason no one ever wins it all back to back.
August 27th, 2012 at 11:45 AM ^
Interesting differences in the message put forth in these videos compared with our fall camp videos. The Michigan videos are always hitting the note: we aren't good enough yet, but we're working hard on it. The Alabama videos are saying: we're great and haven't missed a beat.
I think that's partly why they look "scary" as another poster said. It's possible they are just in that much of a better position than us, but I think the difference in message is also reflecting a cultural difference in approach to communicating with the public.
In other words, we're humble, they're cocky!
August 27th, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^
You're last sentence is farcical in it's innacuracy. But whatever you need to do to maintain superiority in your mind, so be it. We, Bama, may be a lot of things, but the team, it's players, it's coaches, and everyone involved are as humble as you can get, and do things in a classy way. Watch a player interview or Saban's press conferences for proof:
http://videos.al.com/al/college_sports/alabama_football/index.html
August 27th, 2012 at 12:03 PM ^
That last sentence was supposed to be a sarcastic overreach; I thought the exclamation point would make that clear. If one can't draw outlandish conclusions from small amounts of data on the internet, what has this world come to?
August 27th, 2012 at 12:09 PM ^
My apologies. I did not read sarcasm. Having perused this board for a few months, I've come across enough spiel from your fanbase that's riddled with innacuracies about Southern football that I've come to expect it. My bad.
On a side note, I'm interested in you guy's score predictions. Anyone want to pony up a guess?
August 27th, 2012 at 12:13 PM ^
It's extremely hard to predict being the first game of the year.
I think Michigan wins this game about 31% of the time. Things will have to go very well for us, but that could certainly happen and I hope it does.
August 27th, 2012 at 12:15 PM ^
Fair assessment. I see something like 31-13, or maybe a scosh closer. But. you're right, Mich can win the football game. You do have a decent team, despite it's flaws. The coaching staff is solid.
August 27th, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^
Alabama gave up 7 to Kent State and 11 to Penn State in its first two games last year, and this offense is light years beyond those two (and I don't think your defense will be as good as last year).
I could be wrong here, but if I was a betting man I'd say we score at least 21.
August 27th, 2012 at 3:05 PM ^
I don't believe Kent State scored on our first D, and 11 for Penn State is simply 11 - big deal. I would estimate your score higher if your FG kicker was better, but he's not. I don't think you will or can score 2 offensive touchdowns. I know you guys are hanging your hat on our D "not being as good as last year", but i wouldn't do that. We have 6 definite NFL draft picks on this year's D: 2 at Dline, 2 at LB, and 2 in the secondary. While last year's D was, IMO, the best of all time, this year's D will be scary good. Luckily for you, you guys are getting us in game one. However, I guarantee that we have a top 5 defense this year, likely #1 - depsite the losses. Do you really think you'll score 21 on the best defense you'll face this year by a wide margin? The only way you'll score 21 is with defensive/ST touchdowns or a plethora of FG's.
And while you do some things well on O, to say it's "light years" beyond someone else is a stretch, given that your Oline is suspect and you have little talent at receiver. You've got Roundtree, hopefully Gardner's decent, and after that you're desperate for a FR to be the answer. That's not light years beyond anything, despite the fact that Robinson's dangerous and your running game is pretty good.
August 27th, 2012 at 3:30 PM ^
I feel like you're constantly sniffing a wine glass filled with your own farts.
August 27th, 2012 at 4:33 PM ^
I feel like you're a pseudo-intellectual who's threatened by others' intelligence. I bet your favorite movie is Sideways, and you look down on people for their beverage choices. I feel like I wouldn't like you very much if we met, as I'd be annoyed at your attempts to prove you're the smartest guy in the room, and you'd be annoyed that I obviously am.
August 27th, 2012 at 4:59 PM ^
I don’t quite see where you’re getting pseudo-intellectualism from that post. I also don’t see a great deal of intelligence from yours. That isn’t an insult, all you’re doing is evaluating a roster, and there isn’t much room to display intelligence in that exercise. Anyway, I suspect everyone involved would do best to drop the strident tone that’s developed in this thread.
August 27th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
August 27th, 2012 at 4:02 PM ^
We can agree to disagree, as I don't have quite the confidence in those goups as you do. However, I can readily admit that I, as a rival fan, am potentially much less informed than you about Mich and am therefore under-estimating your team. Can you then admit that you, like me, are much less informed about Alabama and are under-estimating my team, particularly on Defense?
August 27th, 2012 at 3:39 PM ^
August 27th, 2012 at 4:08 PM ^
I don't mean to imply that I think Mich Offense is average by any means. I definitely think you guys will end up in the top 35 Offenses in the country this year, with the potential for top 20. I think you guys run the ball well, and have big play potential. However, Toussaint being out is a HUGE loss, IMHO.
I just happen to think that Bama will have an ELITE defense once again this year, and there won't be too much of a dropoff from last year, although there will be some. I personally don't think there's an offense in the country that I can say that they would definitely score 2 offensive touchdowns this year. It could definitely happen with maybe an offense like USC that can really throw it around, but I don't think you guys understand the level of defense that we will play come Saturday. We will be the best defense you've faced in several years - period.
August 27th, 2012 at 4:19 PM ^
does losing three starters from a top ten offense (FEI) equate to "potentially a top twenty" offense and losing six starters from the top defense (also FEI) make them as good or better than last year?
August 27th, 2012 at 8:40 PM ^
I'm not sure what you're getting at, nor am I aware of this FEl of which you continue to speak.
Put simply, if your O played against our D last year, I doubt you score 10, and no way in hades you get to 14. They were the best CFB defense ever assembled. I do not for a second think you guys had a top 10 offense last year, and I watched at least 7 complete games of yours. I don't think your offense was as good as ours last year, and 30 is about where we were and where we belonged.
Our D unit should take a small step back this year - and simply be the best defense in college football for the second year in a row - but not be in the discussion for best ever assembled. Probably something like LSU's defense last year, or ours in 2009 - giving up on average 10-13 points per. Your O unit I think will have a similar type of production, and be a good to (at times) great, but not elite, offense. Consistency and lack of turnovers are big factors.
Therefore, I do not think the 2012 Mich O can score 21 points on our defense in 6 quarters. I'm not trying to flame or troll - I actually think our D will be excellent this year, and I don't think your Offense is elite, even if it improved a bit, based on what I saw last year and what's returning, and I'm counting the fact that you'll be in year 2 of your OC scheme. Your O's good - it ain't elite. Bama's had an elite D for 3, about to be 4, years.
August 27th, 2012 at 8:56 PM ^
Also, and this is paramount, and hopefully, for your sake, Hoke gets you to this point in a few recruiting cycles, but there's a major difference with the ideas of Replacing and Reloading. This is a new year, and our new starters aren't new starters cause they weren't or aren't good enough - it just wasn't their turn yet. Now it is, and we've very much reloaded. Again, no flames, just callin' it the way I sees it.
Sure, we lost some great talent from last year, but we gain a great deal of talent this year as well. Remember the name Adrian Hubbard: first year starter at Jack LB - I think he's gonna be a star and wreak havoc on Saturday - I'm not sure if you can regularly block him Should I change my opinion based on him being a first year starter, or should I base it on height, weight, ability, and what I is being reported by players, coaches, and media alike?
August 27th, 2012 at 4:21 PM ^
The NCAA listed your 2011 offense as 42nd in the country in total offense:
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1027
and 26th in Scoring Offense:
http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/1027
To put that into perspective, you are ranked below Bama in both categories, and yet probably would have thought your O was better than ours last year.
I'm not sure where you're getting 2nd and 9th from.
August 27th, 2012 at 3:46 PM ^
That Penn State offense was downright bad last year. They ranked 110 in scoring offense (~19ppg). Michigan last year finished just outside the top-25 in scoring offense after a dramatic transition in the offseason. It's fair to say that 34ppg is light years ahead of 19ppg, especially in a transition year from a read-option coordinator to a West Coast coordinator.
Also, I'm not sure how informed you are about our offensive line. Our depth is suspect, but the starters are generally experienced and hyped, and are widely thought to be the best OL in the Big Ten. Our issue is depth, which is less likely to factor into an opener. If Toussaint plays, our backfield has two 1,000 yard rushers from 2011 returning, along with a decent and deep, if unspectacular, receiving corps.
Anyway, I think it's unreasonable to think your defense will be as good as it was during the heart of the season last year. Everyone here knows how well Alabama recruits and coaches, but your defense will slip up at times, and I think Denard will be able to exploit that. Don't forget, in 2010 four teams scored more than twenty on Alabama, and I see more similarities between 2012 and that team than 2012 and the 2011 squad. A lot of what made last year possible was returning ten starters from 2010, you don't have the luxury of getting ten players back from 2011.
August 27th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^
All good info, and I appreciate your response. I admit that I'm probably under-estimating your Oline, but the reasons are 2 fold:
1) the loss of your Center
2) your size
While I think that your size is adequate to very good for most teams, it's not an asset against Bama due to our size on the front 7. Granted, I'm still thinking that you guys are still recruiting yourselves away from the small, quicker Oline of the RichRod era, and that may not be a big deal now. I see your offensive line's strength to be quickness, not brute strength, and I think you'd benefit from more size and strength against us. I just don't see how, given our players and yours, that you'll be able to regularly control your offensive line of scrimmage.
Regarding our defense, sure we lost a good bit of talent, but we return A LOT of talent. It makes no sense to say that we won't be dominant simply because we were so dominant last year. That makes absolutely no sense. Turnover is a part of College football. Players get replaced, and it doesn't always mean a giant step backwards. However, I do worry a bit about communication in our secondary and you guys getting a few big plays as a result, it being the first gama and all.
August 27th, 2012 at 11:51 AM ^
If they are cocky, they have the right to be, especially on defense. 2 BCS championships in the last 3 years, and a whole crapload of 1st and 2nd round draftpicks in the last few years.
August 27th, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^
Or are they just trying to perpetuate their typical "southern fans are the best" story line?
August 27th, 2012 at 12:04 PM ^
Make a statement for the Wolverine fans..Let us show the south how the midwest supports their teams.....GO BLue!!!!!!
August 27th, 2012 at 12:06 PM ^
Their offensive line looks ridiculous
August 27th, 2012 at 12:13 PM ^
Average size: 6'5" 314. 3 draft picks in next years draft, returning Outland trophy winner, 4 definite future draft picks in starting 5. If they stay healthy, they're our strongest unit.
August 27th, 2012 at 12:21 PM ^
As a discussion point regarding score, what is the amount of points you guys expect to have at the end of the game, regardless of who wins. I don't mean best or worst case scenario, but if you have a pretty good offensive day against whatever you think we'll have on D, what is a reasonable amount of points you expect from you guys' perspective?
EDIT: Didn't mean to post under my last post. My apologies.
August 27th, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^
Staying within your parameters, I would guess somewhere between 17-24 points.
August 27th, 2012 at 1:34 PM ^
I would say the same from a purely Offensive standoint (not counting pick 6's...)
August 27th, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
Both fair assessments, but as a Bama homer, I'd put 24 points in your best case scenario pile. I believe this year's D will give up and average of 10-13 points per game, and i don't think you guys will have the best O we face all year, given the questions at Oline, TE, and Receiver. With Toussaint out, it looks even worse. I will admit, however, that a Bama victory is not a forgone conclusion and you can win the game, particularly if we have a few busted plays in the secondary. Also, I'll eat my hat if you guys get 100 yards on the ground from designed running plays.
Regarding pick 6's, McCarron threw only 5 picks in 328 attempts last year, so don't count on that. We rarely fumble, either.
August 27th, 2012 at 1:31 PM ^
August 27th, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^
TE is our weakest unit.
August 27th, 2012 at 3:43 PM ^
I trust that Mattison will be able to keep Alabama's score within striking distance. However, if Borges is faced with a lot of 3rd and long situations, I don't see this one ending pretty. Besides flukey plays changing things, the game will likely come down to whether or not the front 4 can handle Alabama's offensive line, stymy drives, and put the ball back in Denard's hands.
Playing against Alabama in the first game of the season will only help. Win or lose, the team will be better prepared than most to meet the challanges of the rest of the season.
August 27th, 2012 at 4:17 PM ^
It's cliche, of course, but field position will be monster in this game. Your O has to have enough success to at least flip the field when not outrightly successful and not give us a short field. If you give us a short field, we will score - regularly - both FG's and TD's.
August 27th, 2012 at 5:17 PM ^
Even if we don't beat them, Les will take care of business for us. =)
August 27th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^
LSU will have a good squad this year, but Lester the Clock Molester is good for at least a -4 for his team in any big game. He's mentally handicapped, bless his heart. Plus, we own them in Baton Rouge. They should be the best team we face this year, unless we see SoCar in the SEC champ game. So Car is legit this year, me thinks.
August 28th, 2012 at 12:16 PM ^