It's hard to find one that didn't have a somewhat mobile one too. Pocket QBs are what they are built to attack. Johnny Football and Watson both beat them with arm and legs. If Auburn has had mobile enough quarterbacks when they have won.

 

There is something to that because those QB’s can A. extend the play or B. pickup cheap first downs. I don’t think they are going to face that kind of dynamic player this year.

It's hard to find one that didn't have a somewhat mobile one too. Pocket QBs are what they are built to attack. Johnny Football and Watson both beat them with arm and legs. If Auburn has had mobile enough quarterbacks when they have won.

I’ll give you Auburn, but Watson was putting up ridiculous numbers through the air in those championship games. That’s why he was successful. Manziel was also successful through the air. Then you look at Cardale, Bo Wallace, Trevor Knight, etc. who could run a little bit were able to move the ball downfield. It never hurts to have that added dimension, but I’d much rather have a guy that can sit in the pocket and pick apart man coverage.

In order to beat Bama there is a checklist you have to meet:

1) You have to have a QB capable of making big plays with his arm downfield

2) You have to have the talent to matchup with Bama

3) You have to have to multiple dudes in the trenches that will be playing on Sundays

4) You have to have an elite coach

 

3 Teams check all 4 boxes: Ohio State, Clemson, and Georgia

 

2 Teams check 3/4 boxes are lacking the elite coach: Notre Dame and LSU.

 

None of these teams can beat Bama right now, but do possess the potential.

 

I question why Kirby Smart is listed as an elite coach already? If you put him there then Brian Kelly needs to be too. He took one team already to a National Champuonship game. He was a Texas missed field goal away from taking UC to the National Championship game, and in position to take Notre Dame to the playoffs this year.

 

So I'm good with people if they dont think he is an elite coach. However if they dont think he is. Then its way to early to put Kirby Smart there, especially after the beat down his Georgia team just took, when they are suppose to be the 2nd most talented in the country.

 

Imo if talking elite coaches there are only 3 teams with elite coaches. Bama, OSU, and Clemson.

Yeah, Bama's best shot for losing will probably not come until the playoffs. At the end of the season teams are rolling, then forced to take a five week break. It puts a damper on momentum and who knows what happens between the 30 layoff. There is also something to be said about putting the Tide in a challenging situation to where all starters are playing late into a game. Make them sweat and we will see how they react.

I question why Kirby Smart is listed as an elite coach already? If you put him there then Brian Kelly needs to be too. He took one team already to a National Champuonship game. He was a Texas missed field goal away from taking UC to the National Championship game, and in position to take Notre Dame to the playoffs this year.

 

So I'm good with people if they dont think he is an elite coach. However if they dont think he is. Then its way to early to put Kirby Smart there, especially after the beat down his Georgia team just took, when they are suppose to be the 2nd most talented in the country.

 

Imo if talking elite coaches there are only 3 teams with elite coaches. Bama, OSU, and Clemson.

Pretty simple. Kirby Smart didn’t bow to the pressure of facing a Saban team in the national championship. He didn’t look overmatched from a schematic standpoint the way Kelly did. Kelly has just always rubbed me the wrong way and it may just be my personal bias showing, but I just don’t think he’s in that elite class.

Alabama has looked really good, but to this point who have they really played that could challenge them? Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Oklahoma, Michigan and maybe even Texas would all be undefeated against their schedule. Toughest opponent has been Texas A&M and that game was at home.

 

If Alabama wins at Death Valley they'll roll into the playoffs undefeated. However as dominant as everyone wants to make them appear, they have their own flaws.

Alabama has looked really good, but to this point who have they really played that could challenge them? Ohio State, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, LSU, Oklahoma, Michigan and maybe even Texas would all be undefeated against their schedule. Toughest opponent has been Texas A&M and that game was at home.

 

If Alabama wins at Death Valley they'll roll into the playoffs undefeated. However as dominant as everyone wants to make them appear, they have their own flaws.

They kind of remind me of the 2005 USC Trojans. While Leinart, Bush, etc. were beasts on offense, they struggled all season keeping teams out of the end zone. Bama is better than that team's defense, but the comparison holds, especially considering Bama won it all last season like USC had in '04.

They kind of remind me of the 2005 USC Trojans. While Leinart, Bush, etc. were beasts on offense, they struggled all season keeping teams out of the end zone. Bama is better than that team's defense, but the comparison holds, especially considering Bama won it all last season like USC had in '04.

I like this comparison. I think that 04-05 USC teams were better than the 17-18 Alabama teams, but this is pretty accurate as far as the dominance goes.

Pretty simple. Kirby Smart didn’t bow to the pressure of facing a Saban team in the national championship. He didn’t look overmatched from a schematic standpoint the way Kelly did. Kelly has just always rubbed me the wrong way and it may just be my personal bias showing, but I just don’t think he’s in that elite class.

 

At the end of the day they still lost. He has been a head coach two years now, so hard to put him as elite yet imo. As much as people dont like Brian Kelly. His resume is still up there as one of the best in the country. Especially if he gets Notre Dame to the playoffs this year. He literally was a field goal away from having UC in the title game. He did get Notre Dame once to the title game and a chance to make the playoffs again. Like it or not he made UC into a great program during this time there and has made Notre Dame relevant again, and at least sometimes back in the national picture some years. When they haven't been like that since Lou Holtz.

 

Brian Kelly definitely may not be a likeable guy, but he has done well as a coach. If he can find away to win a title then that truly completes a very nice resume.

At the end of the day they still lost. He has been a head coach two years now, so hard to put him as elite yet imo. As much as people dont like Brian Kelly. His resume is still up there as one of the best in the country. Especially if he gets Notre Dame to the playoffs this year. He literally was a field goal away from having UC in the title game. He did get Notre Dame once to the title game and a chance to make the playoffs again. Like it or not he made UC into a great program during this time there and has made Notre Dame relevant again, and at least sometimes back in the national picture some years. When they haven't been like that since Lou Holtz.

 

Brian Kelly definitely may not be a likeable guy, but he has done well as a coach. If he can find away to win a title then that truly completes a very nice resume.

I’m more likely to move Smart down to Kelly’s level than moving up a level.

Yeah, Bama's best shot for losing will probably not come until the playoffs. At the end of the season teams are rolling, then forced to take a five week break. It puts a damper on momentum and who knows what happens between the 30 layoff. There is also something to be said about putting the Tide in a challenging situation to where all starters are playing late into a game. Make them sweat and we will see how they react.

 

I think the exact opposite holds true. During the playoffs, Bama will be healthy. And with weeks to prepare for a team, Saban is usually lights out.(excluding Zeke and Deshaun Watson)

I’ll give you Auburn, but Watson was putting up ridiculous numbers through the air in those championship games. That’s why he was successful. Manziel was also successful through the air. Then you look at Cardale, Bo Wallace, Trevor Knight, etc. who could run a little bit were able to move the ball downfield. It never hurts to have that added dimension, but I’d much rather have a guy that can sit in the pocket and pick apart man coverage.

 

You are spot on. it is the biggest lie told about Bama's defenses. Of course the mobile quarterback helps; but what really kills Bama is a qb that can make timely throws into small windows. Watson and Cardale Jones feasted on man coverages and being able to move out of the pocket on occasion. This team is different. It could be the worst defense we've had since 2007. They're not bad, they're just not really good.

I think the exact opposite holds true. During the playoffs, Bama will be healthy. And with weeks to prepare for a team, Saban is usually lights out.(excluding Zeke and Deshaun Watson)

We can point to instances where coaches have been good/bad after the long layoff. Until two years ago, Urban Meyer was seen as the king of the long layoff coaches. Not calling you out, but I always get a chuckle out of the "this coach has had all off-season to prepare for this team" or "this coach has had all of December to prepare" as if the other coach is just sitting around on their hands doing nothing.

We can point to instances where coaches have been good/bad after the long layoff. Until two years ago, Urban Meyer was seen as the king of the long layoff coaches. Not calling you out, but I always get a chuckle out of the "this coach has had all off-season to prepare for this team" or "this coach has had all of December to prepare" as if the other coach is just sitting around on their hands doing nothing.

 

I understand totally where you're coming from. But most people think that Saban is very good at game planning with a long time to prepare. More than that, it will give the team time to get healthy like last season. Bama doesn't beat Clemson or Georgia if they don't have time to heal up. Saban is 10-0 in opening season games at Bama. Most of them weren't cupcakes.

You are spot on. it is the biggest lie told about Bama's defenses. Of course the mobile quarterback helps; but what really kills Bama is a qb that can make timely throws into small windows. Watson and Cardale Jones feasted on man coverages and being able to move out of the pocket on occasion. This team is different. It could be the worst defense we've had since 2007. They're not bad, they're just not really good.

 

Lost in all this is they have their best QB in recent memory. We always feared when they would have a “great” QB, well they do.