Friday, November 6, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Saban Taking Chances
In just three years at The University of Alabama, I have seen a big change in Nick Saban’s offensive philosophy. I wouldn’t even say it has taken three years for this change to take place. The change from being a strictly conservative ground and pound offensive team to opening up the playbook for some long throws began with the hiring of Jim McElwain.
Saban has only allowed his quarterbacks to be game managers and not playmakers at every location he has coached. If a receiver is not wide open, do not throw it. The quarterback’s only job was really to not screw up and throw an interception or fumble the ball. Running backs have always been the players to get the glory on Saban coached teams, and they often do not get any recognition because he prefers a running back-by-committee strategy.
With this in mind, I was shocked when the Alabama head coach said, “"To me, you want to play aggressively and think what you have to gain. That's your motivation.”
Saban was referring more to how he keeps his players playing to win as opposed to playing to lose, but there is more to this mindset than how he is approaching each game as a whole. This statement opened my eyes to the new Saban with Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain and Junior quarterback Greg McElroy. He wants McElroy to quit just taking what the defense gives him and take chances throwing deeper routes, even if that means taking chances of throwing interceptions. This is something you will not hear Coach Saban say often, if ever again, exemplifying the confidence he has in the first year quarterback.
Saban is using this same mentality in fixing the struggling Alabama passing game, which has accounted for only 359 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the past three games. The good news is that McElroy played better in the Crimson Tide’s last game against Tennessee by throwing for 120 yards on 18 of 29 passing. I know those are not the Heisman candidate like numbers McElroy was putting up prior to the South Carolina game, but the Junior quarterback was very efficient throwing short passes that the defense gave him without throwing an interception.
Whether McElroy is deserving of the freedom the coaching staff is giving him is still to be determined, but I have a feeling Saturday will give us the answer.
Saban has only allowed his quarterbacks to be game managers and not playmakers at every location he has coached. If a receiver is not wide open, do not throw it. The quarterback’s only job was really to not screw up and throw an interception or fumble the ball. Running backs have always been the players to get the glory on Saban coached teams, and they often do not get any recognition because he prefers a running back-by-committee strategy.
With this in mind, I was shocked when the Alabama head coach said, “"To me, you want to play aggressively and think what you have to gain. That's your motivation.”
Saban was referring more to how he keeps his players playing to win as opposed to playing to lose, but there is more to this mindset than how he is approaching each game as a whole. This statement opened my eyes to the new Saban with Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain and Junior quarterback Greg McElroy. He wants McElroy to quit just taking what the defense gives him and take chances throwing deeper routes, even if that means taking chances of throwing interceptions. This is something you will not hear Coach Saban say often, if ever again, exemplifying the confidence he has in the first year quarterback.
Saban is using this same mentality in fixing the struggling Alabama passing game, which has accounted for only 359 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the past three games. The good news is that McElroy played better in the Crimson Tide’s last game against Tennessee by throwing for 120 yards on 18 of 29 passing. I know those are not the Heisman candidate like numbers McElroy was putting up prior to the South Carolina game, but the Junior quarterback was very efficient throwing short passes that the defense gave him without throwing an interception.
Whether McElroy is deserving of the freedom the coaching staff is giving him is still to be determined, but I have a feeling Saturday will give us the answer.
In just three years at The University of Alabama, I have seen a big change in Nick Saban’s offensive philosophy. I wouldn’t even say it has taken three years for this change to take place. The change from being a strictly conservative ground and pound offensive team to opening up the playbook for some long throws began with the hiring of Jim McElwain.
Saban has only allowed his quarterbacks to be game managers and not playmakers at every location he has coached. If a receiver is not wide open, do not throw it. The quarterback’s only job was really to not screw up and throw an interception or fumble the ball. Running backs have always been the players to get the glory on Saban coached teams, and they often do not get any recognition because he prefers a running back-by-committee strategy.
With this in mind, I was shocked when the Alabama head coach said, “"To me, you want to play aggressively and think what you have to gain. That's your motivation.”
Saban was referring more to how he keeps his players playing to win as opposed to playing to lose, but there is more to this mindset than how he is approaching each game as a whole. This statement opened my eyes to the new Saban with Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain and Junior quarterback Greg McElroy. He wants McElroy to quit just taking what the defense gives him and take chances throwing deeper routes, even if that means taking chances of throwing interceptions. This is something you will not hear Coach Saban say often, if ever again, exemplifying the confidence he has in the first year quarterback.
Saban is using this same mentality in fixing the struggling Alabama passing game, which has accounted for only 359 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the past three games. The good news is that McElroy played better in the Crimson Tide’s last game against Tennessee by throwing for 120 yards on 18 of 29 passing. I know those are not the Heisman candidate like numbers McElroy was putting up prior to the South Carolina game, but the Junior quarterback was very efficient throwing short passes that the defense gave him without throwing an interception.
Whether McElroy is deserving of the freedom the coaching staff is giving him is still to be determined, but I have a feeling Saturday will give us the answer.
Saban has only allowed his quarterbacks to be game managers and not playmakers at every location he has coached. If a receiver is not wide open, do not throw it. The quarterback’s only job was really to not screw up and throw an interception or fumble the ball. Running backs have always been the players to get the glory on Saban coached teams, and they often do not get any recognition because he prefers a running back-by-committee strategy.
With this in mind, I was shocked when the Alabama head coach said, “"To me, you want to play aggressively and think what you have to gain. That's your motivation.”
Saban was referring more to how he keeps his players playing to win as opposed to playing to lose, but there is more to this mindset than how he is approaching each game as a whole. This statement opened my eyes to the new Saban with Offensive Coordinator Jim McElwain and Junior quarterback Greg McElroy. He wants McElroy to quit just taking what the defense gives him and take chances throwing deeper routes, even if that means taking chances of throwing interceptions. This is something you will not hear Coach Saban say often, if ever again, exemplifying the confidence he has in the first year quarterback.
Saban is using this same mentality in fixing the struggling Alabama passing game, which has accounted for only 359 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the past three games. The good news is that McElroy played better in the Crimson Tide’s last game against Tennessee by throwing for 120 yards on 18 of 29 passing. I know those are not the Heisman candidate like numbers McElroy was putting up prior to the South Carolina game, but the Junior quarterback was very efficient throwing short passes that the defense gave him without throwing an interception.
Whether McElroy is deserving of the freedom the coaching staff is giving him is still to be determined, but I have a feeling Saturday will give us the answer.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
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