SEC Championship Preview!

By Tim Nordstrom:

After predicting a 41-16 victory over Auburn last week I think I gave Auburn too much credit and Alabama not enough credit. All season this team has stepped up to the challenge and have forced people to beleive they can get the job done no matter what the task. From the butt whipping they gave Clemson in opening game to the 31 point first half at Georgia all the way through to the 36 point victory in the rival game. This team has stayed the course.

With two games left the mental toughness of this team is going to be tested more than in any 4 game stretch this season. This Florida team is formable opponent, no doubt, but Ole Miss showed us that they are not invincable. If there is a team, right now, that can beat Florida, it is Alabama.

On the line of scrimmage, again, is where this game will be won. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Alabama come out and, if they win the toss, defer to the second half. Send a message to Florida that we are not afraid of them. Another option would be to onside kick, but if Florida recovered it would give our defense a short field. I think we give them the ball and stick with percentages on their first drive, as far as play calling goes. Alabama’s game plan, of course, will be to run the ball down Florida’s throat. If they are successful, we as Alabama can make reservations for our first National Championship game in 16 years.

I have no doubt that Coach Saban has come up with a gameplan to give us the best chance to win. Just like in 1992 when we had no chance to beat Miami, I think this team will make a statement Saturday and make it to the National Championship game. If I were to predict a score like 31-21 or 38-17 it wouldn’t matter Saturday. I will say this, depending on Alabama’s success in forcing their will on Florida will depend on the outcome. I would like to see a repeat of the 1999 SEC Championship game that we won 34-7, as well as our 2005 contest that we won 31-3.

Saturday, win or lose, this has been a season to remember, a success no matter what bowl we go to. This team has the ability to make it 13, believe it!!! They have proved it all season long.

Nordstrom’s Notes: Auburn Week - Breaking down the Iron Bowl

By: Tim Nordsrom

Hello Tide Fans,

Well, it is Auburn week and we come into this game a two touchdown favorite. Forget that we have lost the last 6 in row. The last time we, as fans, really felt like we could win was in 2005. I think we feel the same about Saturday’s game at Bryant-Denny Stadium. We have ended streaks to LSU and Mississippi State and dominated when we were picked, by the “experts”, to be dominated.

I would like to write a lot more than I have, but as a full-time student my school work takes precedence and I have a full slate. With it being Thanksgiving today I decided to give you some of my thoughts on the past few games and what I think will happen Saturday.

My last blog was during Ole Miss week. I was still in a wait and see mode because we were about to hit the meat of our schedule. Not that it was the most difficult opponents of the season, but because for the past few season’s this time of the season was when we would fold.

I attended the Tennessee game for the 5th time since 1998 in Neyland Stadium. I was quite nervous about how we would perform and the team put that to rest with a solid performance that forced the UT UNfaithful to head to the exits. I knew that there would be alot of TIDE fans there when the week leading up to the game the UT ticket office put a few thousand tickets back up for sale. There were alot of us there, the most that I have ever seen in Neyland Stadium. Rammer Jammer was awesome and we sang it like birds and just hearing the echo inside of the UT HOME stadium was music to my ears in more ways than one.

The only home game I didn’t attend this season was the ASU homecoming game. We took care of business and I was glad to see that. I was of the belief that ASU is better than Tulane AND Western Kentucky. I was hoping we wouldn’t let them hang around like we did Tulane and was very happy with the outcome.

Next was the LSU game. I was relieved at halftime when, as bad as we had played, we still were in the game. Both teams had several missed opportunities, but we made our breaks and as I predicted about UT, LSU AND Auburn their QB problems have come back to haunt them late in the season. We got out of Tiger Stadium with a win and still undefeated at 10-0.

I attended the Mississippi State game and had the best seats EVER!!! I was right next to the players tunnel with a great view of the field. Those “RED” seats next to the field make you feel like you are IN the game. I had a blast and after a slow start our special teams took over and gave us the breaks we needed to win the game and end a streak that never should have been.

Now to the Auburn game. I have said this all along, that Auburn has won six games against teams that were coming off of TWO back-to-back probations. They have not beat an Alabama team straight up, even playing field in terms of scholarship players. This is the first year that that is going to happen. Tuberville has been dubbed as a genius who coaches UP players and is a good recruiter. Hell I could recruit against anybody when they are on probation and for the first few years had a post season bowl ban. Add to that that we had a mediocre, at best, coach AND recruiter…..it was meant to happen for Auburn. If they didn’t have a 6 game win streak it would be SAD!!!

We have a coach, we have the players, we are at HOME!!!! Make it matter guys. If you are at the game Saturday, as I will be, make Auburn wish the game was back in Birmingham at 50-50 ticket sales. We as fans are our teams advantage. No matter if Auburn goes up 14-0 in the first quarter, keep making noise. I want us to be heard all the way up here in Huntsville!!!

On Offense:

Don’t be surprised when we start out in 5 wides and throw the ball deep on the first play. There will be motion out of the backfield to throw the defense off, but I look for a deep ball to Julio or Maze to get things off to a fast start and put Auburn on their heals. They match up with us pretty good on the line, but I think their secondary is their weakest link. So, I look for JPW to make a run at 300+ yards passing and I think Terry Grant will make his first substantial contributions of the season getting 5-10 touches and motioning from RB out to WR or vice versa on few few plays. He is my ace in the hole for this game. Alexander and Jones will have big games at WR along with Maze. I think they will get thrown to quite a bit and Auburn will try to double and triple cover Julio and bump him at the line regularly. Once Alexander and Maze get it rolling, the coverage on Julio will ease up a bit. I look for Bama to get close to 500 yards on offense and score 35-45 points

On Defense:

They have a quick QB, their WR have under achieved all season, and they have a pretty good stable at running back. What would you do? Man up on the receivers and blitz the dog mess out of them from every angle possible. Scheme is the name of the game here. Blitz both corners from the nickel while your LBs cover the middle and safeties cover the outside receivers and drop a lineman….. Blitz everybody, but the lineman and safeties… Put Burns on his heals, similar to Gino Torreta years ago. Get in his head early and my 35-40 point prediction will look SMALL!!! First of all up front, you have to start with TC. Auburn will be determined not to allow him to make an impact, but when he is in the game he is GOING to. They will try to establish the run early and keep the ball away from our offense. If we do what I mentioned it will shut down both the run and the pass. I think they will eventually go to some spread looks to ease up the pressure and run Burns and get some success. I don’t think they will succeed and we will keep them to 17 points or less for the game. I think they kick 3 field goals and get one touchdown and the TD will be late.

My Prediction by Quarter:

1st- Bama 10 Auburn 3

2nd-Bama (14)24 Auburn (3)6

3rd-Bama (14)38 Auburn (3)9

4th- Bama (3)41 Auburn (7)16

Bama will have:

300+ yards passing

150+ yards rushing

One punt return for a TD.

-Tim

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Ole Miss Week

I haven’t had much to say for the past few weeks, partly because I wanted to see how this team grew. I didn’t get to see the Georgia game LIVE, but it was recorded for me and I got to watch it at 1 o’clock in the morning. As things stand right now the only games that I will not be in attendance at this season are the Clemson, Georgia, and LSU games.

I was disappointed in how the team reacted initially to some bad calls in the Kentucky game and until the coaches decided to go back to the bread and butter of our offense it looked like an upset was brewing. After watching the game on TideTV, I found the illegal player down field call, on the first deep ball to Julio Jones and the pass interference call later in the game on Julio Jones to be bogus calls. Not even judgement call screw-ups, but just plain questionable calls coming from the Kentucky sideline.

There was a third call of pass interference that gave Kentucky a first down after an incomplete pass on 3 and 9 that led to UK’s first touchdown. With those three calls I have estimated a 14-point swing in the game and no less than 10. I do not make excuses for lack luster performance, but against UK I really didn’t see a hang over like we did against Tulane earlier this year. Bad calls on critical plays will kill any team and I would hope that Coach Saban brought this to the league’s head of officiating.

I would love to go back and read some of my predictions I made back in June and July. I knew there was something different about this team and it STARTED with the freshman. Look no further than that to see WHY Alabama has had such a great start to the 2008 season. When your incoming players “pick-up” the veterans and say are you coming with us or not, that goes a long way in helping them find an identity.

Back in Mike Shula’s first or second season we had an injury bug and no Quarterback. We committed to running the ball every play. Teams knew that we were going to run, but couldn’t really stop us until we got inside the redzone, when you need to be more creative with your plays. That is partly what makes the 2008 team good. Our opponents know that we are going to run the ball, but they can’t stop it. The difference is this we can throw too.

Before the season started I said that Tennessee would be lucky to beat their 2005 record this season. I said that Auburn would be lucky to go 7-5 and that today looks like an understatement. I also said that LSU’s lack of a quarterback would hurt them, but that their defense would keep them in games and maybe even win a few early for them. This stuff is not rocket science, I could see Coach Saban and Alabama getting to the Auburn fans and it was showing on the field with frustration during fall camp…..remember all the fighting?

As long as the number of Alabama fans that buy into “The Process” continues to grow, we will be ok. I used to believe that what the fans thought didn’t matter, but it eventually resonates through the team. If in your mind you tell yourself you are the underdog every week there will not be a problem with overlooking any opponent.

Buy into the thought that the next game is the most important game of the season. I rarely think of who we play next and at times have to break out the schedule to remember who we do play. Focus on beating Ole Miss, a team that upset Florida in the swamp. We need noise and enthusiasm at Bryant-Denny on Saturday. If we can make it through these next two weeks with wins it will be very interesting to see if we can kill the

0-for-November blues of the past two seasons.

The final four games will be the most important games we have played in since the 1992 Sugar Bowl. The 2008 squad has not played a complete game yet, and that is scary. John Parker Wilson needs to learn to deliver a deep ball knowing that he is about to get hit. If he can become more accurate this team’s offense could be the best we have had in a long time. I hope we can all focus on Alabama and keep growing the positive energy around the program. We have not trailed in a game this year and that helps, but we will. Just keep believeing and be loud when we are on defense and barely breathe when we are on offense. Roll Tide!!!!

Nordstroms’s Notes: Thoughts on Week 2

Tags: crimson tide, SEC

2008 Outlook: Offense

By Tim Nordstom - Contributing Author

With the first full week of practice setting up the first scrimmage Saturday, I am going to take a look at what we might see from the Alabama offense this fall. When you talk about offense you have to look at the quarterback first. In 2008 John Parker Wilson will be entering his third season as the starter. Although he had some good games last season, he had quite a few bad games as well.

Who is responsible is an after thought. Two costly fumbles late in the games versus LSU and Florida State could be the offensive lines fault as much as Wilson’s. The interception right before halftime at Mississippi State could be as well. Wilson has reportedly put on weight and is a lot stronger, which should help with the latter play against Mississippi State.

Wilson’s greatest improvement could come by way of Jim McElwain in the form of play calling. The problems last season were team wide and their lack of commitment was obvious, especially in November. So, what does that mean for 2008?

The 2008 offense will feature more players than the 2007 offense did and by that I mean. The quarterback will have the ball less and the play-makers will have it more. Wilson did not have a problem with decision making, it was throwing form and time to throw.

With DJ Hall moving on in his career, Wilson must find a new guy to throw to. With plenty of guys fighting for the spots vacated by the seniors it is likely he will find a few guys to fill the void left by Hall, Matt Caddell, and Keith Brown. Imagine, if you can, the comeback against Arkansas. The formation Alabama ran was four wide receivers in tight, two to either side. Now imagine that same goal line formation with Julio Jones, Mike McCoy, Earl Alexander, and Darius Hanks.

Is there a bad target in that group? Based on early observations from practice, it opens up a whole new can of worms for the defense to have to cover two guys over 6-4 and McCoy is not a dwarf. Gone are the days of the jumbo package, although it will still be used some. With McElwain in town I look for us to disguise formations like this.

The formation will start out looking like this. Three wide receivers, a fullback, and a running back. The defense believes it will be covering three wide receivers and guarding against the run. The two players in the backfield then motion out to the wide receiver position. Now the defense is faced with guarding five wide receivers, with only four defensive backs to cover them the mismatch is made, linebackers covering wide receivers and a corner back on a fullback.

At offensive line we will be as strong as we have been in years. I am not going to put them in the Wesley Britt, Evan Mathis, and Justin Smiley league yet, but we are close. Right tackle is our biggest weakness and with the emergence of Drew Davis it looks to be improving.

With four starters returning, experience will not be the issue. Can these guys pave the way for the running backs and give Wilson time to throw the ball. The latter will not be all that difficult in the new offense. The offensive line will be a huge asset in 2008.

The wide receiver position will be deep and productive, although I don’t think that there will be the one dominant player in the group like with DJ Hall. I expect single season passing records to be broken once again this season. Julio Jones will get the ball alot, but I don’t believe he will be featured in 2008 like he will be in future season’s.

At running back Terry Grant will not be alone in 2008. Roy Upchurch, Glenn Coffee and freshman Mark Ingram and Chris Jordan will look to add depth and talent to the position. Coach Nick Saban is finally getting his players in and these guys can play.

My expectations for the 2008 offense are high. I believe in Jim McElwain’s offense and how it works. The running back position will be as strong as it has been in years. If the young players on this team are able to mature slowly and grow with the season, a lot of things are possible in 2008 for the Alabama offense.

-Next week I will cover the defensive outlook for the 2008 season.

Nordstroms Notes: Preseason thoughts after SEC Media Days

Well, SEC Media Days for the 2008 season are in the books. Did we learn anything?  Not really. Oh wait, yes we did. Phillip Fulmer got served. Other than that coaches didn’t really get too deep about their teams. It is more like the Rose Bowl parade than anything else. I think we will all agree that the most important thing about Media Days is that football season is here.

Alabama coach Nick Saban was quoted a few weeks back as saying that 5 or 6 freshmen will see playing time. At SEC Media Days, he said that 5 or 6 freshman would play ON DEFENSE and more could see action on offense. He said that it just depended on their level of commitment. By all reports this freshman class is ready to play. Of the 25 expected to report on July 31 and the two early enrollees, don’t be surprised if 15 see a good amount of playing time. The upperclassmen will have to fight for their time now more than ever. This class is hungry and lives in the weight room. Most of you know the big names that are being thrown around - players who are coming in at a position of need. [Read more]

Tags: nick saban, SEC