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CNS: "We had to go to NH, Sims was rattled..."


DKW 86

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This coming train wreck is FUN to watch...

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I hope Alabama didn't hurt anyone during that stint.

Actually I think Saban petitioned the NCAA to impose slowdown on Alabama during that drive.

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I hope Alabama didn't hurt anyone during that stint.

Actually I think Saban petitioned the NCAA to impose slowdown on Alabama during that drive.

Well that's good then, I'd hate to think that we forced Nick to compromise his morals, values, and ethics to compete in today's NCAA. I'd also hate to think that we forced Alabama to use a design of play that, as Alabama fans scientifically proved, put Alabama football players at the same risks as NCAA female collegiate soccer players. As they said, if its to dangerous for female soccer players, then its really really dangerous for college football players.

I actually didn't see the game, did he run out and work the refs for not spotting the ball and resuming play fast enough?

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Will Tide QB Sims force Saban to tweak 'dinosaur' offensive ways?

ATLANTA -- If Blake Sims is Alabama's full-time quarterback instead of Jacob Coker -- and that race seems far from over -- it's time for Nick Saban to embrace what he seemed to oppose for years.

No-huddle offense.

Fast Football.

The same thing that helped West Virginia frustrate an underwhelming Tide secondary with 365 passing yards while running plays every 19 seconds during Alabama's solid yet unspectacular 33-23 win in the Georgia Dome.

Sims, a fifth-year senior and first-time collegiate starter, is an athletic quarterback in a pro-style offense. He'd be perfect for some read option, but that's not coordinator Lane Kiffin's thing.

But Saban, a self-proclaimed supporter of the "dinosaur age" offense with blocking tight ends and two backs and two receivers, admits Sims was at his best when the Tide went no-huddle. Sims was rattled in the second quarter. He called a few wrong formations or plays in the huddle, causing the Tide to burn timeouts. Saban told Coker -- the touted FSU transfer who was expected to win the job but didn't -- to get warmed up. Time to play.

But then Saban had another thought. He told Kiffin to dial up a faster pace.

Sims (24-of-33 for 250 yards and an interception) was at his best when the Tide offense fired off six plays in 1:27 to end the half, an average of 14.5 seconds per play, twice the per-play pace of the previous drive.

During that span, Sims completed all four of his passes for 28 yards and ran for another 21 to set up a 41-yard Adam Griffith field goal. Yes, the Tide had to go fast since it was the two-minute drill, but Saban took notice of how comfortable Sims looked when the offense moved.

Will this challenge Saban's beliefs at his core?

"We'll certainly consider (more no huddle)," said Saban, who in early 2014 advocated a proposal that offenses must wait at least 10 seconds between plays before snapping the ball. "We have the capability to do it... I think we will do what we think benefits our players the most."

Quarterback isn't the Tide's biggest problem right now. After one game, that appears to be cornerback, where Alabama is usually stout but looked lost at times covering West Virginia's wideouts.

In fact, erase a few crucial third-down drops and WVU might have won this game. An incomplete pass to fullback Elijah Wellman at the 1-yard line early in the fourth would have been a walk-in score.

Saban said he expected a tight game since he was playing with a new quarterback and West Virginia was better than advertised, but he probably didn't plan on calling his defense "soft" during a halftime TV interview, which means either the Mountaineers are a Big 12 contender or Alabama has problems again.

The average Alabama fan didn't expect to call West Virginia's Clint Trickett (365 passing yards) the best former FSU quarterback on the field. That was supposed to be Coker, who entered the game with 1:05 left for a few garbage handoffs. Coker didn't take ownership of the job in fall camp.

The Tide found itself in survival mode, which can suit Sims well because of his scrambling ability. Sims offset a few errant throws with an impressive ability to avoid sacks.

Sims, the SEC's new version of Matt Flynn, a fifth-year senior with minimal fanfare whose relief efforts could affect the SEC West tilt, felt good winning the starting job because "I worked hard," he said.

He'll feel even better if the Tide caters to Sims' skill set.

"Very comfortable in what we did," said Sims when asked about being in the no-huddle for parts of the game. "Maybe we can bring it into next week."

Coker will probably get his shot. Saban said he wants his staff to help Sims improve "as well as Jake."

The starting quarterback won't be the star, though. Running backs T.J. Yeldon and Derrick Henry -- with 239 rushing yards on 40 carries Saturday -- are the stars. An Alabama quarterback must handoff left, handoff right, complete a few third-down passes, repeat.

Sims, despite misfiring on a few open receivers in the first half, sealed the game with a 3rd-and-7 conversion to a slanting Chris Black with 4:42 left. He should have had 300 passing yards but a wide-open Christion Jones dropped a deep pass late in the third quarter.

"Couldn't be more proud of that guy," said right tackle Austin Shepherd of Sims. "He pretty much just gets in the huddle and he is ready to go."

Looming larger than quarterback play is a secondary that allowed 8.1 yards per passing attempt, with starting corner Bradley Sylve struggling mightily at times. West Virginia converted 4-of-7 third downs in the first half.

Saban stressed his defense needed a quarterback, which senior linebacker Trey DePriest should solve when returning Saturday against FAU. The Tide had "a lot of mental errors," he said. A repeat performance might help Florida pull off a Sept. 20 upset in Tuscaloosa.

"Very frustrating," said safety Landon Collins about giving up key third downs.

When Saban needs a spark, though, he can turn to old friend Kiffin to change the pace. Kiffin called a "fantastic" game Saturday, Saban said.

"The guy's a really good coach, now," Saban said. "Ya'll need to fess up to that."

Kiffin can punctuate that statement if Sims, the unlikely starter thrust into a huge role, has success.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/jeremy-fowler/24688445/alabama-survives-wvu-scare-33-23-with-blake-sims-at-qb

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Yeah..sounds like saban is facing the harsh reality that they suck ass this year. That's what I gathered from all of the excuses he was spouting out.WDE.

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Let's allow bg to tell us of all HIS excuses. He has had 24 hrs to make them up.......

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Sims indeed played as good as possible. The rest of uat "team", not so much...

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Sammie and Duke must be licking their chops after seeing what WVU could do in the passing game.

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Sims indeed played as good as possible. The rest of uat "team", not so much...

Yeah, two backs over 100 yards, no sacks allowed by the oline, and a WR over 100 yards. The rest of the team was terrible.

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Guest jojo1515

I think its hilarious that saban wants everyone to anoint kiffen as the greatest OC ever after 1 game where they struggled to beat one of the worst teams in the Big 12. What a pompous a$$. There may be some cracks developing. Saban does these things for a reason, and its not usually cause he thinks it is the truth. He is smart in his use of the media. He is either worried about how the O will be perceived this year or has been yelling ALOT at kiffen and used the media to give him an ataboy to make him feel better. There is a chance he just believes his propaganda, but I doubt it in this case. That is just not how you act after an average performance against a terrible team.

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Sims indeed played as good as possible. The rest of uat "team", not so much...

When did y'all watch the uat game to know how their team played? I went to our game, and went to party afterwards.
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Sims indeed played as good as possible. The rest of uat "team", not so much...

When did y'all watch the uat game to know how their team played? I went to our game, and went to party afterwards.

Buffalo Wild Wings for me. In between satellite farts I was one of three tables wearing orange and blue. The audio was on the UAT game as were most of the TVs.

Auburn's performance did not go unoticed to many of the crimson crowd, btw.

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Sims indeed played as good as possible. The rest of uat "team", not so much...

Yeah, two backs over 100 yards, no sacks allowed by the oline, and a WR over 100 yards. The rest of the team was terrible.

...and an uninspired win over a team that is expected to go no more than .500 this year.

http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24647917/college-football-conference-predictions

CBS picked them to finish 8/10 in the Big 12.

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Sims indeed played as good as possible. The rest of uat "team", not so much...

Yeah, two backs over 100 yards, no sacks allowed by the oline, and a WR over 100 yards. The rest of the team was terrible.

...and an uninspired win over a team that is expected to go no more than .500 this year.

http://www.cbssports...nce-predictions

CBS picked them to finish 8/10 in the Big 12.

With all do respect, the hogs were picked to finish last in the sec west. I guess both wins were uninspired.
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