We had to replace a seasoned veteran QB playing at a very high level with a totally green QB who had not thrown but a few passes in his career. We lost our top two running backs who both are playing in the pros right now and the top replacement was trying to come back from an almost career or life ending neck injury. We replaced our top tight end who is now starting in the pros. We only had two previous starters coming back in the offensive line and two of the replacements had never played a down of college football in the offensive line, one of them had never played any offensive line plays until this past spring. Despite the fact that this rebuilt offense has struggled some on short yardage plays and has had too many “teaching moments” during pass protection, they have played fairly well. Are they improved enough to move the ball and score on Bama? I think they will but not sure if it will be enough.
The defense is playing better. Running QB’s have continued to hurt them but there has been much better play in the secondary and the running is happening because the receivers are not open and the rush is flushing them out. We played Tennessee’s running QB well last year. We need to do that against Bama and we got a chance. JMVHO
With Austin Allen at quarterback, I think this is a game that the Hogs have a chance to win. It takes great QB play to beat Alabama. Allen is capable of that.
I can recall talking to Dan Enos about the Michigan State-Alabama game in the playoffs last year. He had talked to his mentor, the Michigan State coach. What did he tell him was the key to beating Alabama? Great quarterback play. I think I quoted Dan before the Liberty Bowl in some notes that I wrote. It still stands true.
I think everyone pretty much thought we would be 3-2 at this juncture with losses to aTm and TCU, but we BEAT TCU (a team that struggled with the Jackrabbits of South Dakota State so I’m not convinced it was a quality win yet) and we got lucky against La Tech… I believe the next 2 Saturdays tell us how good we really are…
WPS
I think every team has to have an element of luck, which comes from having yourself in a position to take advantage of Luck. TCU was mentioned in the CFP and highly ranked when we played them. We played them in Fort Worth and it was a hostile crowd. Hogmodo did a great job pointing out the hurdles we have cleared and challenges we face. LaTech missed a FG and their QB played a career game as a Freshman. Latech made it all look questionable for us, but we won and that is all that matters. You could also say that in spite of the turnovers, mistakes, and Trevor Knight finding the massive whole in our defense; we were still very capable of beating A&M in the 3rd quarter. Crap happens over a 3 play time frame to swing the game 14 points and it took the wind out of our fatigued sails. Does that mean A&M is lucky? No they played great and were in a position to take advantage of all of our turnovers and mistakes. That is what good teams do…
I’m with you I think we have a chance and Saturday we will find out who we are as a team. I’m sure we did not want to show that we could stop a run up the middle last weekend before Bama comes to town, at least I hope that’s the case. Maybe it will be the passing game opening up the running game instead of the other way around. No matter what happens I want to see us use every play in our arsenal to win this game and lean on some of our young players that got to play last week to give us more diversification to attack on offense & defense alike. If we play it safe and play our usual game we will be in trouble, our coaches have to be thinking out of the box to win this game. WPS
I can hardly wait to see what our coaches have up their sleeves. With obviously having some more options a RB opens up some things there.
Defense and defense and more defense is my main concern which has been for a few years now. Hopefully we throw some wrinkles in there and the home crowd is loud, loud, and louder to help shake up their young QB.
I have watched almost every snap of all the Alabama games so far this season. Jalen Hurt is talented, no doubt. He can keep plays alive with his legs and can certainly make us pay with the read option (see Trevor Knight). However, he is not an accurate passer yet, and I am not convinced he can read a defense, especially on the road in front of a raucous RRS. I think Jalen Hurt will make mistakes and potentially turn the ball over. It’ll be up to us to capitalize on these mistakes. Their WRs are very good. Calvin Ridley and Ardarius Stewart are big play threats and can score at anytime from anywhere on the field. They will make a couple of big plays. I think the Hogs will as well if we can stay balanced on offense. The only way to beat their near NFL caliber defense is to keep them guessing mixing the run and pass. One thing I believe wholeheartedly is that Austin Allen is the better quarterback this season. If we can somehow capitalize on Bama mistakes, get a comfortable lead, I don’t think Jalen Hurt can single handedly win the game for them throwing the ball. We HAVE to stop the read option and QB run plays. We do that, I think we have a good chance to shock the world. JMVHO.
I think it comes down to fatigue in our LB and Secondary as it has for years against HUNH pace. We don’t have the depth to keep everyone fresh into the late 3rd quarter and 4th quarter so that is when we fall apart. It is downright terrible how bad our starting LB’s are playing every snap, so let’s hope Scoota Harris can play a bunch for Ellis and Greenlaw. Ellis is at a speed disadvantage when he is fresh against a Ridley, Cameron Kirk, or the guy from TCU but it is the 3rd and 4th quarters when fatigue slows him down more.
Conversely, I think our Dline rotation can help us wear down the Bama Oline.
We’ve not done well against 'Bama teams when the coach wasn’t named DuBose or Shula. Other than the '95 game that Lunney and Meadors won, we have never beaten a good Alabama team.
Good historical information, but I’m not buying into it affecting this game in the least. As mentioned in various posts here and elsewhere, if we play a perfect game and they don’t we win. How far we and they deviate from the above will define the outcome. Nevertheless, at the end of the day regardless of the outcome they’re still “my Hogs”, and I’m proud of their efforts (not to mention thankful that they decided to be Razorbacks). Hoping for the best!! WPS!!!