Re: One thing you guys are missing... Apparently, you haven't figured it out yet. I don't post a thing that is based on "hopes." And, for what it's worth, there is no such thing as the Iron Bowl anymore. You guys killed that one...
I have been reading this thread and have to ask why losing Brodie Croyle is the biggest factor in assessing Bama's 2006 season? In the second half of our season (games after Florida) we only scored something like 14 TDs and half of those were against Utah St. It seems to me that someone could figure out there were more problems than having a stud QB on the field. Peprah was a bigger part of our offense than some realize and Old Miss exposed our OL for what it really was. Alabama has some very good running backs returning and solid fullbacks. We have a couple of good receivers returning and a couple we hope will be playmakers. Terry is right about the OL, center should be good, guards improved, tackles so far are as bad as the SEC has and we have capable TEs which will probably be used more to help our tackles. Wilson will be a capable QB but I shudder to think of our backups. Shula's recruiting under NCAA sanctions had to be quite inventive. He addressed areas he thought needed the most attention. Each group, when given attention from recruiting, improved. The OL has not been given that attention till this last recruiting class and Shula signed one of the best OLs in the nation. Some of us feel that Coach Shula will give our OL coach a chance to prove his technique will work for us but it is clearly the weakest link right now. I will say his clock is ticking. Our defense should be about as good as last season. We have young players giving veterans of last years squat a real run for their money. Although we did lose several stars off our defense their backups saw ample playing time and had standout games in their own right. I don't forsee anyone scoring a lot of points on us and certainly no blow outs. Overall I think we have eight games we should be favored to win and I don't expect us to lose all four of the games we will be underdogs in. 9-3 maybe 10-2 plus a bowl win is my expectation. Auburn and LSU should be favored to win the West but if either gets overconfident or unable to stand up under having to wear that bullseye week after week anything can happen. 9/16/06, 11/11/06 and 11/18/06 will all be important dates.
The idea that a defense could be better than last year is something most people can't grasp. No big deal, IMO. It's funny...the responses for Alabama are the same this year as last. IF, a team can stop the running attack they can beat us. If not...??? If you look at the time of possession last year you'll find it the same as what you see coming this year. It'll stop those "high flying offenses." Honestly, I think we can take LSU this year. The losses I see are UF, AU and maybe Ark. 9-3...10-2. You make the call. The point that most SEC folks can't concede is we've come back from the sanctions quicker than most realize.
