Bama

[AuNuma1 1]

Brodie looks great....against Southern Miss, USC, and whoever else you played.

Until he and Shula beat Top 25 teams, it really doesn't mean much other then another Music City Bowl year

182078[/snapback]

Man's got a point.

All Shula can claim right now are wins against the Mississippi schools, UK, Vandy, and now USC. I'll give uat credit. They looked good today. But USC is a 5, maybe 6 win team. Until Shula knocks off a top tier SEC team, he's going to have the "when will he" label.

[SCWarEagle 4]

I tried to tell y'all the Lamecocks sucked, but nobody wanted to hear it at all.

Take nothing away from Bama. They are a dangerous team. Thin as hell on the depth chart ... still (for numerous well-discussed reasons) but good enough to beat any team in the conference when they have a good day. The skinny kid comes to play. Let's not even talk about Prothro.

I hate 'em, hate 'em, hate 'em, but its true.

Nevertheless, any team who claims a "signature win" against the Gamecocks has fallen on hard times. Let ther be NO doubt about that.

Furthermore, having given them their objective props, screw them. I can't stand them, and I hope they lose every game left on their schedule.

Sadly, I just don't think that's going to happen. At least as long as their talented but oh-so-frail boys stay healthy.

I hope they come into JHS 10-0. It makes it that much better to beat them.

War Damn Eagle!

63 - 3

Let the Kenny Irons Experience Begin!

[TexasTiger 12,947]

I think, what this win today does...its shut people up about this "signature win" crap.

You beat ANYONE in the sec on the road by 3 touchdowns...(and it wasnt even that close) you are playing good football.

Shula coached a wonderful game today. Big win for bama. Bigger game 2 weeks from today looming.

182068[/snapback]

Bama played well. Bama has talent can beat some good teams. But if Bama fans are calling a win over SC as a signature win, the program has fallen even further than I thought.

[aubrandon 5]

LISTEN MY PEOPLE....

THE TIDE HAS NOT PLAYED ANY ONE. DON'T GIVE THEM THE SEC JUST YET. THEY STILL HAVE TO PLAY FLORIDA, LSU, TENNESSEE, AND OF COURSE THE DEFENDING SEC AND MY 2004 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS . THEY WILL LOOSE THREE OF THOSE GAMES AND HAVE TO REBUILD FOR NEXT YEAR. EVENTUALLY THEY WILL BE BACK TO THE NORMAL 9-2 SEASONS BUT NOT JUST YET

[Raven_tiger 5]

Brodie played well, and survived the game. Darby ran well. The defense did it's job. Arky may be in for another thrashing next week.

Gators will burst Bama bubble...

[Ranger12 46]

As I said in my post, Shula got his first significant win, but not his first signature win. SC should not be considered a signature team just because Spurrier is their coach now. SC does not have the record to support that.

[LegalEagle 22]

No doubt about it, Bama is playing well. They'll probably make it to Shreeveport for their bowl, now that Vandy has the inside track on the Music City Bowl!

[JxnTider 0]

As I said in my post, Shula got his first significant win, but not his first signature win. SC should not be considered a signature team just because Spurrier is their coach now. SC does not have the record to support that.

182121[/snapback]

ok, some of you are informed, like Ranger here. I don't know anyone personally that is calling this a signature win.. However, it is a SIGNIFICANT win. It showed that Schula can change up the game plan, mix it up a little bit, and that our O can execute it. Our offensive line showed drastic improvements. And whoever said we are weak in the depth chart needs to read up on their info a little more. 2 good QB's (JPW threw a TD in his first game with much playing time), 3 good RB's (4 if you count when Prothro runs the ball), great WR core, and i don't find it necessary to mention the D.. they are living up to the normal expectations. The only place we are thin is the O line, and they played very well, IMO...

Our signature win will be in two weeks... UF... I said it earlier, i'll say it again. We have a LEGITIMATE chance of winning at least three of four big games. UF, UT, AU, or LSU...

[JxnTider 0]

oh yeah, one more thing... i figured we'd get a little more credit for beating USC, since in the poll that was conducted, USC was picked to win by 74 people, BAMA by 23... not many had faith that BAMA could beat them...

However, thanks for all the congrats...

Congrats on y'alls demolition of BSU also... wow... 63-3

By the way, anyone see the article where Spurrier said we could have beat them 50-0?

http://tidesports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articl...S/50917004/1011

'They could have beat us 50-0'

Alabama tames the Gamecocks in SEC opener

By Christopher Walsh

Sports Writer

September 17, 2005

email this story.

COLUMBIA, S.C. | Early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game, the University of Alabama assistant football coaches all left the press box to enjoy the celebration on the field at Williams-Brice Stadium. While South Carolina cheerleaders threw T-shirts that bounced off empty seats, even the front row coeds who had spelled out the nickname on their stomachs were missing G-A-M-E, the others vanishing early with a good part of sellout crowd.

Instead of enjoying coach Steve Spurrier’s SEC home opener, Gamecock fans witnessed the Crimson Tide dominate both lines of scrimmage and rush for 358 yards to absolutely destroy South Carolina 37-14.

“This is probably the biggest win we’ve had in a couple of years, no doubt about it,” senior quarterback Brodie Croyle said. “It was good for us to come here and play as well as we did.”

There wasn’t a single favorable statistic that Alabama (3-0 overall, 1-0 SEC) didn’t dominate except for net passing yards. In a game that was in doubt for only three series, coach Mike Shula’s offense racked up 489 yards with no turnovers while the defense turned Spurrier’s Cock ‘n’ Fire offense into the Cock ‘n’ Fizzle.

“I was sort of watching him call plays and said, ‘That’s a fun way to call it,’” Spurrier said. “You go back and throw one 60 yards downfield and if you don’t hit it, who cares. You’re going to run for it the next play.

“They could have beat us 50-0 the way they were able to run the ball and we weren’t.”

All week, South Carolina was wondering what kind of a difference Croyle could make after he missed last year’s 20-3 victory. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 115 yards, but what shocked the Gamecocks was the vastly improved play of the Tide’s young offensive line from just a week ago.

The result was 145 rushing yards on 20 carries by junior Kenneth Darby, 75 yards on 15 carries by true freshman Glen Coffee and even 64 yards on three carries by junior wide receiver Tyrone Prothro.

“Hats off to the group up front, running backs making people miss and attitude,” offensive coordinator Dave Rader said. “It’s a culmination of a lot of things. Some days you get holes like that and you want to keep handing it off.

“That many yards is unexpected. You always go in thinking you might be able to run some, but I think the guys had another gear in them today.”

Even Croyle got into it, scoring the first touchdown on a 15-yard carry, his career longest, to go with a 14-yard run before sliding to avoid a hit.

“I kind of was laughing, actually,” Shula said. “I thought I was the slowest quarterback in Alabama history.

“You kind of do a little bit of everything. You kind of chuckle, hold your breath, get concerned, tell him to get down and congratulate him for getting a first down.”

Quipped senior safety Roman Harper: “He had the Superman cape on today.”

Actually, the cape was passed around, beginning with Prothro, who provided the initial spark with an 18-yard gain out of the backfield.

“That adds some productivity,” Shula said. “The more things you can do with certain personnel on the field, it keeps you out of certain tendencies. That’s probably the biggest thing. He looked pretty good back there.”

With six different players touching the ball, Alabama took the opening drive 80 yards in eight plays to set the tone.

South Carolina answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that was keyed by a 19-yard reception in which 5-foot-9 senior cornerback Anthony Madison played 6-foot-4 Sidney Rice perfectly, but couldn’t stop the high pass.

“We had no rhythm in that first drive,” defensive coordinator Joe Kines said. “That was a 15-play drive and most of that was my fault.”

“That motivated us,” sophomore cornerback Simeon Castille said. “We knew that he had a 70 percent completion rate and our goal was to come in and hold him to under 200 yards. We did that.”

South Carolina quarterback Blake Mitchell completed 20 of 38 passes (52.6 percent) for 173 yards.

Alabama quickly answered with another 80-play drive, with sophomore wide receiver Keith Brown breaking a pair of tackles to turn a short pass into a 46-yard touchdown.

“I saw the hole and hit it,” Brown said. “It was a good view of our offense, but we still have a lot more weapons than what we brought out today.”

While Alabama extended its lead with two field goals in the second quarter, the defense was on the field for only seven snaps. With the Gamecocks unable to run, the Tide sat in its nickel defense and basically dared Blake Mitchell to throw, which resulted Castille’s second career interception on a slant.

Thanks to a rushing advantage of 185 to 25, Alabama’s lead in time of possession at halftime was 20:25 seconds to USC’s 9:35.

“We ran the ball 10 times better than we did any time this year,” Croyle said. “We didn’t have to throw it as much. It gives opposing defenses a lot of things to prepare for. Last week we had to throw it after [southern Miss] took away the run. This week they were taking away the pass, and we pretty much ran it down their throats.”

Already deflated, and with a fair share of the fans having already called it a day, South Carolina tried to spark its offense by inserting redshirt freshman quarterback Antonio Heffner for a series — only to see him get caught by Castille for a 17-yard sack.

After Alabama scored again, on a 22-yard run by Darby, Alabama emptied its bench in the fourth quarter, with freshman quarterback John Parker Wilson throwing his first career touchdown pass, a 36-yarder to brown.

While the defense had two sacks, four tackles for a loss, eight passes broken up and three forced fumbles, with senior defensive tackle Rudy Griffin recovering one, the backups yielded a late touchdown.

Nevertheless, it still added up to a solid win on the road.

“I was very surprised,” USC sophomore defensive back Ko Simpson said. “Alabama wanted it bad enough. They ran the ball down our throats. It’s frustrating and embarrassing.”

[BamaGrad03 0]

oh yeah, one more thing... i figured we'd get a little more credit for beating USC, since in the poll that was conducted, USC was picked to win by 74 people, BAMA by 23... not many had faith that BAMA could beat them...

Considering the fact that this is an AU board, I think bama has gotten more props than should even be expected.

[JxnTider 0]

oh yeah, one more thing... i figured we'd get a little more credit for beating USC, since in the poll that was conducted, USC was picked to win by 74 people, BAMA by 23... not many had faith that BAMA could beat them...

Considering the fact that this is an AU board, I think bama has gotten more props than should even be expected.

182196[/snapback]

i know, hence the pokes... i don't think it was so much they didn't think we could beat USC, i think it was they believed Schula couldn't outcoach Spurrier...

Just my opinion though

[one 2]

"outcoaching?" doesn't that usually refer to a team with equal or less talent than the opposition winning a game when they shouldn't?

I thought UAT manhandled SC, and the coaching was solid, but I wouldn't say that anybody outcoached someone.

[Shug2003 1]

All "jesting" aside guys, this Bama team could be very dangerous toward the end of the year IF Brodie stays healthy. As I responded in an earlier thread of "what game do you fear most" I indicated this was the one. The reason I gave is that this game, more than any other, determines or seems to determine, Auburn's "state of Mind." Again, Tubs has them right where he wants them with his foot on their neck. Guess what? Every time this has been true in the past, Auburn has let them get up. Tubs is RIPE to let this happen again this year....although I hate to think so.... Make no mistake about it.....this Bama team is talented with Prothro, Croyle, Darby, Brown, and others as well as a usually tough defense. They would like nothing better than to break our streak and knock us down again. Beware! WDE!

[Longtrainn 2]

All "jesting" aside guys, this Bama team could be very dangerous toward the end of the year IF Brodie stays healthy. As I responded in an earlier thread of  "what game do you fear most" I indicated this was the one. The reason I gave is that this game, more than any other, determines or seems to determine, Auburn's "state of Mind."  Again, Tubs has them right where he wants them with his foot on their neck. Guess what? Every time this has been true in the past, Auburn has let them get up. Tubs is RIPE to let this happen again this year....although I hate to think so.... Make no mistake about it.....this Bama team is talented with Prothro, Croyle, Darby, Brown, and others as well as a usually tough defense. They would like nothing better than to break our streak and knock us down again. Beware!  WDE!  

182226[/snapback]

See this is the only thing I don't like about this rivalry. It's become so important that the fear of losing overshadows the joy of winning. I for one don't feel happy when we beat Alabama, more like relieved. It shouldn't be that way. But I digress... We don't play Alabama until November, so there's no point in worrying about it until then. Who knows what could happen between now and then. If either one of us loses our starting QB and the other doesn't, it won't be much of a game anyway. But I do sincerely hope we get to see the first Iron Bowl between two ranked teams in a decade, what a spectacle it would be.

[LegalEagle 22]

I don't understand the concept of "fearing" a game. In my mind the question "Who do you look forward to playing the most?" would have the same answer.

[Shug2003 1]

It would be interesting to see just h ow many of you guys with the attitude of the last two posts were big enough to know "sh-t from shinola" when they (Bama) had beaten us for nine straight years and were looking at ten straight. Then, your attitude toward an Auburn win over that bunch would certainly have changed. Then, you would know the full ramification of what losing to them really meant!

[Tigerwalkin 2]

I'm not sold on alabama yet. The best team they have played so far is So. Miss, which was not an impressive win by any means. So. Carolina is a depleted football team with minimal talent. I'll have to wait until the game before I can say how good they are. It was a good win for Shula though.

[WarTim 3,456]

A N Y win is a GOOD win for flipper.

p.s. USC is THAT bad.

[tgr4lfe 220]

Bama has a good team. The game against UF will certainly tell of how good they really are. I think SC played way above themeselves agaisnt UGA OR UGA is not as good as we think, kind of like UT, who I think all of us knew was not that good. I am anxious to see LSU play again. UT comes to town for LSU. Bama is going to be tough for a lot of folks to beat. Gotta shut down the run and pressure Croyle. Like USM did, but couldn't finish the game. See how the rest of the year goes!!

WAR EAGLE!!!

[AUesquire 1]

I picked Bama 37-14. I've got the link right here. Now where did I put that thing? I know it's here somewhere.

Oh well, I'll find it and get back to you later.

On a side note, if that's all UF's got, Bama will beat em' 7-10 points. Honestly, I was not impressed by either UF or UT. But then again, I've been saying all along that UT was way overrated. AU has put three severe butt kickin's on them and Bama nearly beat them with a MASH unit last year. You can't dispute Foolmer's overall record but his last couple of teams have not been all that good.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

oh yeah, one more thing... i figured we'd get a little more credit for beating USC, since in the poll that was conducted, USC was picked to win by 74 people, BAMA by 23... not many had faith that BAMA could beat them...

Considering the fact that this is an AU board, I think bama has gotten more props than should even be expected.

182196[/snapback]

My guess is that people on this AUBURN board voted that bammer would lose just because they are bammer - not so much that anyone believed SC was going to win.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

oh yeah, one more thing... i figured we'd get a little more credit for beating USC, since in the poll that was conducted, USC was picked to win by 74 people, BAMA by 23... not many had faith that BAMA could beat them...

Considering the fact that this is an AU board, I think bama has gotten more props than should even be expected.

182196[/snapback]

My guess is that people on this AUBURN board voted that bammer would lose just because they are bammer - not so much that anyone believed SC was going to win.

182354[/snapback]

Right on Jenny. I voted bama in the poll but picked then in the weekly pick contest.

I have come across few thing in life where I would deliberately vote in bama's favor

[WarTim 3,456]

I picked uat to lose vs usc and So. Miss. (I just couldn't pull the trigger on Middle TN.)

I am going with the Hogs this week as well. If it comes down to coaching, same as with usc, uat will lose.

[LegalEagle 22]

It  would be interesting to see just h ow many of you guys with the attitude of the last two posts were big enough to know "sh-t from shinola" when they (Bama) had beaten us for nine straight years and were looking at ten straight. Then, your attitude toward an Auburn win over that bunch would certainly have changed. Then, you would know the full ramification of what losing to them really meant!

182265[/snapback]

You Sir, are ignorant (beats stupid, idiocy, etc. ). In each of those years you speak of, I proudly bet on AU and paid promptly - except when we won! If you fear Bammer, then don't go outside when the sun is shinin' and look down.

They may have had more points on the board at the end of the game than we did, but I don't know of any fan or team who feared playing them. Now that I recollect, while my parents were at one of the games, a friend and I took over the TV and liquor cabinet at my home. When something went wrong on the field, he punched the wall - yep, big ol' hole in the wall. YIKES! Then I feared my parents return from the Iron Bowl, but never feared Bammer. Screw Bammer.

[WarTim 3,456]

Amen & amen.