Bama/IU Lessons – I Need a New Stat

@jimmydafreak

 Thanks for the take.  I hope you are correct.  Personally, I don't like the excessive NILS and free market transfer portal...But, my Hoosiers and Longhorns have the resources to benefit from both...I think reform needs to occur on a national level.   My boy, Quinn Ewers was driving a new Aston Martin around campus when he was 19...I am a middle aged financial executive and I still don't have my AM or equivalent yet...There is something very wrong about the current system...

Good luck on your bets!  Happy New Year! 

I don’t think the fact they are a bit older is as important as you are making it out to be. The more important factor is EXPERIANCE! Reps lead to fundamentally sound players. The second the line came out I jumped on Indiana because they are so fundamentally sound at everything. Alabama was horrible all year running the ball because their offensive lineman are soft! Just like LSU! Too much passing, not firing off the line of scrimmage. I was so curious how you could say Bama was bigger and stronger. Indiana whipped them at the line of scrimmage just like I said they would. It was noticeable in their first game! They got absolutely blown off the line of scrimmage time and time again. Their team speed saved them throughout the season and hide their weakness along the lines. Also the coaching advantage was huge. I was wanting Cignetti back when Brian Kelly was hired. The Bama special teams have been horrible all year as well. Chamberliss is special for sure. I just don’t see anyone beating Indiana. I was bragging on them last year and all these oilfield rednecks just want to talk about SEC superiority. That has changed. Parity is everywhere with the NIL and portal nonsense.

I think Miami is going to be playing Indiana for the title.....that Canes defense is stout.....of course it's impossible to ever feel confident backing Mario Cristobal 

I think you are spot on about Cignetti. Hes a great coach and has known he can't compete with the Ohio St and Bamas in the recruiting field.....so why bother when you can see film of guys playing college ball and then make an assessment....nabbing 5 stars isn't beneficial anymore because there's a good chance they won't be better than 3 and 4 stars once the playing field is leveled (not being the fastest or strongest guy anymore)......

Jimmy

It’s like picking players from mid conferences to form an all star team. Cignetti is doing a good job. His team is big10 battle tested. 

I think it's an intriguing opinion. Football is a much different sport than basketball or baseball. I would say football and hockey are parallel examples because of their physicality. But even the most skilled and developed teenagers go pro in basketball, baseball, or even hockey and make an impact. In basketball that is seen most often. Teenagers can play with grown men because it's not a sport where you are essentially lining up and going man to man and potentially getting the living daylights blasted out of you. Smith from Ohio State has looked like an NFL wideout from probably his first day in high school. Doesn't mean he could withstand an entire NFL season at his age maybe he could. He would be a truly rare case. Remember when Maurice Clarett was supposed to be worthy of early departure? Lol he did not last very long and you could go down the list of guys wanting to come out after one or two NCAA seasons and play in the NFL. 

I definitely think it's a reason but not the entire reason Alabama got killed. Saban is gone and you are not replacing one of the greatest perhaps the greatest to do it. As such after he lost to Michigan I predicted he would retire. He saw the layout changing which meant he would lose control of the program and how he wanted to recruit and develop players. It's just become a money grab for players choosing the highest bidders. And Saban wanted no part of it. 

DeBoer? He is clearly in over his head right now. I don't care what the scouting and recruiting grades say for players. Cignetti is a much better coach and has a much better staff. He also has good/great players so when you have that combination that's what makes successful teams. I do not like the QB and Heisman winners history is not friendly but he's a guy like Saban who seems to build a winning culture. No I do not think keeping eligibility and guys playing NCAA sports in their mid to late 20s and 30s is logical. It's complete bogus and should not be allowed. Guys with zero pro prospects are using the system to get paid for as long as they can. Idiotic setup. 

@MatthewJL46

 Alabama's #1 problem is they are mentally and physically soft, and that was on full display in the IU game.  Teams usually take on the personality of their head coach, and DeBoer is soft - nice guy - but soft as cotton candy.

@jimmydafreak

 Jimmy I had an account years back changed email and had to set up a new one. I remember you are Alabama alum. I don't have a financial or emotional attachment I just knew when I saw Alabama get Saban after I watched him win at LSU they were going to resurrect the program. It's unfair to expect DeBoer to simply continue what Saban constructed. They have shown flashes of brilliance only to be followed by total letdowns and inconsistency. Saban didn't win every national championship game he entered but the consistency of being right there or on the cusp virtually every season is the motif of his entire career.  I believe if he coached the Dolphins back in a prior era like Shula they would have turned into a serious contender. They were already turning things around with him until he split. I love Saban and I am glad he retired because this new BS layout was never going to work for a guy like him. He is a coach and leader first with "some" principles. He's not a pimp for a university. Saban knows Cignetti and I am sure he would have told the board, chancellors, president, athletic director, powers to be etc to hire him over DeBoer. 

DeBoer made himself sexy with his brief run in Washington and Alabama needed an immediate replacement. I don't think he is the guy for that program or region. I am from CA and while the culture is always changing (for the worse) I do not see AL becoming CA or the west coast tomorrow. Saban's teams never got mauled like that. Sure they lost many dramatic games it happens when you play and are circled on everyone's calendar. But they won more than they lost. Clemson's rout of them in the 2019 championship is the only one where they were an outright dud. But you would know better than me.