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!!!!