Interesting stat regarding Alabama's offense this season

[ShotgunDawg]

Been doing a little research this morning and came across this interesting nugget.

This season Blake Sims has thrown the football exactly 200 times. In those 200 passes, he targeted Amari Cooper 96 times or a whopping 48% of the time. In those 200 attempts, Sims has completed 131 of those passes and 71 or 54% of those completions were to Amari Cooper.

Cooper leads the SEC in receptions, and, for comparisons sake, the next highest receptions total is 51 by Pharaoh Cooper at South Carolina. However, Dylan Thompson has thrown the ball 320 times and completed 195 of those.

In conclusion, I don't believe stopping Bama on offense is rocket science. It is fairly obvious that Blake Sims is a one look QB, and most of the time Amari Cooper is the 1st look.

From watching football for the past 20 years, I believe competent, well coached defenses should/usually have the ability to take what the other team does best out of the game, and I trust/believe that Geoff Collins should have no problem designing a scheme against Bama that limits Bama's ability to get Cooper the ball. If you make Sims go to his 2nd look and beat you with his other receivers, then I think you have a great chance to shut them down. Bama could be a one trick pony on offense.

If Sims beats us by having to spread the ball around, then you just tip your hat. I've never seen an elite team target one player so often. John Chavis may solve this simple riddle tomorrow night. Hard to see LSU's elite secondary allowing Cooper to beat them.

[phatdog]

I think LSU handles Alabama's offense and wins a low scoring game. We'll have no problem with Alabama. Stop the run, keep Sims in the pocket and cover Cooper. Game over.

[ShotgunDawg]

I think LSU handles Alabama's offense and wins a low scoring game. We'll have no problem with Alabama. Stop the run, keep Sims in the pocket and cover Cooper. Game over.

Yup, I have no doubt that we'll stop their run. The key is just keeping Sims in the pocket and taking away his first look at Cooper. It appears to me that Alabama has gone to the same well way to often. Will be interesting if they stay with that tomorrow night or try and change some tendencies.

[TUSK]

Good work, 'Gun...

I think you're right... If you can limit Cooper, it goes a long way towards slowing down Bammer's Offense...

and I think LSU will have success doing that... I'm guessing Bama manages 24-31 points, or so....

Additionally, it should be noted that the LSU Defense allowed 566 & 570 yards against the best 2 teams they played (AU & MSU)... that's horrific.


the real question is, "Can LSU score enough?"... they have a QB that has really struggled and gets sacked a good bit..

They lean heavily on the run and Bama arguably has the best rush defense in the country.

I think they are gonna need some TOs, big plays, and a decent lead early (to keep the crowd in it) to win... and maybe some of that Mad Hatter Magic...

[maroonmania]

Been doing a little research this morning and came across this interesting nugget.

This season Blake Sims has thrown the football exactly 200 times. In those 200 passes, he targeted Amari Cooper 96 times or a whopping 48% of the time. In those 200 attempts, Sims has completed 131 of those passes and 71 or 54% of those completions were to Amari Cooper.

Cooper leads the SEC in receptions, and, for comparisons sake, the next highest receptions total is 51 by Pharaoh Cooper at South Carolina. However, Dylan Thompson has thrown the ball 320 times and completed 195 of those.

In conclusion, I don't believe stopping Bama on offense is rocket science. It is fairly obvious that Blake Sims is a one look QB, and most of the time Amari Cooper is the 1st look.

From watching football for the past 20 years, I believe competent, well coached defenses should/usually have the ability to take what the other team does best out of the game, and I trust/believe that Geoff Collins should have no problem designing a scheme against Bama that limits Bama's ability to get Cooper the ball. If you make Sims go to his 2nd look and beat you with his other receivers, then I think you have a great chance to shut them down. Bama could be a one trick pony on offense.

If Sims beats us by having to spread the ball around, then you just tip your hat. I've never seen an elite team target one player so often. John Chavis may solve this simple riddle tomorrow night. Hard to see LSU's elite secondary allowing Cooper to beat them.

I am beginning to think that Collins doesn't have a defensive schematic that double covers anyone. He better draw up one by next week though.

[ShotgunDawg]

I am beginning to think that Collins doesn't have a defensive schematic that double covers anyone. He better draw up one by next week though.

Yes, if there was ever a time to double cover one receiver, it is next week. He is literally over half of their passing game. It seems obvious.

[Goat Holder]

We shut down Paidwell last year too and voila, we give ourselves a chance to win the game. Would have blown them out if Prescott/Russell had played the whole game and we hadn't miffed the punt. So yeah you're onto something there with the competent, well-coached defense part.

Of course, actually doing that is tougher than it looks. Duke got over 100 on us.

[ShotgunDawg]

Good work, 'Gun...

I think you're right... If you can limit Cooper, it goes a long way towards slowing down Bammer's Offense...

and I think LSU will have success doing that... I'm guessing Bama manages 24-31 points, or so....

Additionally, it should be noted that the LSU Defense allowed 566 & 570 yards against the best 2 teams they played (AU & MSU)... that's horrific.


the real question is, "Can LSU score enough?"... they have a QB that has really struggled and gets sacked a good bit..

They lean heavily on the run and Bama arguably has the best rush defense in the country.

I think they are gonna need some TOs, big plays, and a decent lead early (to keep the crowd in it) to win... and maybe some of that Mad Hatter Magic...

I'll come on here and eat crow and apologize if it happens, but I don't think Bama sniffs 31 points tomorrow night. LSU has an outstanding secondary that should be able to limit Cooper, and Bama has an average, at best, offensive line.

Your running game is your best bet against LSU, as it was for MSU and Auburn, but LSU has placed Kendall Beckwith at MLB in the past month, and that has made them more effective at defending the play up the gut.

I agree that I'm not sure LSU can score on you guys and that's why I think Bama wins, but I don't think you score 31 points. I think it's about a 17-10 or 14 type game.

[ShotgunDawg]

We shut down Paidwell last year too and voila, we give ourselves a chance to win the game. Would have blown them out if Prescott/Russell had played the whole game and we hadn't miffed the punt. So yeah you're onto something there with the competent, well-coached defense part.

Of course, actually doing that is tougher than it looks. Duke got over 100 on us.

True Duke did get over 100 on us, but Auburn is much more multiple on offense than Bama. Auburn has Sammy Coates, Marshall, and an offensive scheme that spreads you out and is deceptive.

Bama doesn't have a complicated offense, doesn't have the same experience at QB or a system that allows the QB to shine in the running game like Auburn does. I think defending Bama is easier than defending Auburn from both a schematic and personnel standpoint.

[EAVdog]

Add in the fact that Bama's O Line is young and banged up, and I feel like we have a real shot at walking out of Tuscaloosa with a W. However I'm less worried about limiting their Offense than I am about scoring on our end without turnovers or mistakes against their Defense!

[HoopsDawg]

I am beginning to think that Collins doesn't have a defensive schematic that double covers anyone. He better draw up one by next week though.

I've never seen us double any one. Arkansas gave the blue print: put someone in his face and make it tough for him to get off the LOS and have help over the top.

By the way, Bama wins fairly easy tomorrow night.

[ShotgunDawg]

Add in the fact that Bama's O Line is young and banged up, and I feel like we have a real shot at walking out of Tuscaloosa with a W. However I'm less worried about limiting their Offense than I am about scoring on our end without turnovers or mistakes against their Defense!

Agree, this is basically the game. If MSU limits turnovers on offense and on punt returns, and makes Bama drive the field, MSU should win the game.

[MadDawg]

Additionally, it should be noted that the LSU Defense allowed 566 & 570 yards against the best 2 teams they played (AU & MSU)... that's horrific.

It should also be noted that Alabama hasn't played either of those teams nor LSU yet, all three being 3 of the best 4 rushing offenses in the SEC. So claiming Bama has the best rush defense in the country should have a huge * next to it. I seem to remember a team from oxford that claimed to be one of if not the best rush defenses in the country that gave up a combined 500+ rushing yards to LSU and Auburn.

[messageboardsuperhero]

I'm just going to go on record and say we should expect to see a lot of Blake Sims running the football in the read option game. That's a little wrinkle that Kiffin has thrown in the offense some this year, and we've struggled somewhat stopping a QB running game.

[deltadawg99]

Taking away Cooper is much easier said than done. What is the best way to try and contain him? Have Redmond on him with Cox helping over the top all game?

If we can put pressure on Sims and make him spread it out I like our chances. Our run defense has to play great too. I don't think Sims is good enough to beat us if their run game isn't effective against our defense.

[ShotgunDawg]

I'm just going to go on record and say we should expect to see a lot of Blake Sims running the football in the read option game. That's a little wrinkle that Kiffin has thrown in the offense some this year, and we've struggled somewhat stopping a QB running game.

We only struggled against running QBs when we didn't prepare for it. We didn't expect Towles to run the ball. We handled Marshall fine

[drunkernhelldawg]

The completion percentage to Cooper is gaudy. 71 of 99, or did I read that wrong? It's going to be an amazing battle. Our secondary has its hands full with this guy.

[codeDawg]

Well, it's not really as simple as all that. The issue is that Kiffin is doing a great job putting Cooper in position to not get doubled, or at least for the double to not be effective. They are bringing him across the line underneath, running rub routes, crosses, screens, and all kinds of stuff specifically for him to get open.

You can't stop him, so the only thing to do is limit him. One thing you can do is bring the heat. These plays take time to setup. In our case, we may have to go man-to-man with one safety back and bring as many as we can afford given the formation. You can try to force Simms to throw before Cooper is open or ready. You can also try to bump Cooper on the line and use the safety as support of the corner gets knocked out of the play.

Watching our backfield play zone is a bit of a conundrum to me. I can't tell if we are challenging teams to make throws and playing it safe, or if we're just out of position. I would love to hear Collins talk philosophy on some of the plays where we have guys in the flat with 15 yards of space around them while we're bringing 4 on the rush. The other problem is that the don't have a ball-hawk safety. There's no penalty for heaving the deep ball. They will either catch it or miss it. We don't get the INT back there from the S position.

[RougeDawg]

It should also be noted that Alabama hasn't played either of those teams nor LSU yet, all three being 3 of the best 4 rushing offenses in the SEC. So claiming Bama has the best rush defense in the country should have a huge * next to it. I seem to remember a team from oxford that claimed to be one of if not the best rush defenses in the country that gave up a combined 500+ rushing yards to LSU and Auburn.

Based upon playing some putrid offenses and weak SEC opponents. OM hit their physical stretch of games and is dropping like flies. I fully expect the same for Bama. After LSU beats them up all we need to do next week is come out and hit them hard early and often, imposing our physical will on them. This is LSU's final home game this year and SR day. They are fired up and have something to prove. They are also still alive in the SECWest. They have a ton to play for.

[HoopsDawg]

Watching our backfield play zone is a bit of a conundrum to me. I can't tell if we are challenging teams to make throws and playing it safe, or if we're just out of position. I would love to hear Collins talk philosophy on some of the plays where we have guys in the flat with 15 yards of space around them while we're bringing 4 on the rush. The other problem is that the don't have a ball-hawk safety. There's no penalty for heaving the deep ball. They will either catch it or miss it. We don't get the INT back there from the S position.

Good paragraph here.

[defiantdog]

Well, it's not really as simple as all that. The issue is that Kiffin is doing a great job putting Cooper in position to not get doubled, or at least for the double to not be effective. They are bringing him across the line underneath, running rub routes, crosses, screens, and all kinds of stuff specifically for him to get open.

You can't stop him, so the only thing to do is limit him. One thing you can do is bring the heat. These plays take time to setup. In our case, we may have to go man-to-man with one safety back and bring as many as we can afford given the formation. You can try to force Simms to throw before Cooper is open or ready. You can also try to bump Cooper on the line and use the safety as support of the corner gets knocked out of the play.

Watching our backfield play zone is a bit of a conundrum to me. I can't tell if we are challenging teams to make throws and playing it safe, or if we're just out of position. I would love to hear Collins talk philosophy on some of the plays where we have guys in the flat with 15 yards of space around them while we're bringing 4 on the rush. The other problem is that the don't have a ball-hawk safety. There's no penalty for heaving the deep ball. They will either catch it or miss it. We don't get the INT back there from the S position.

Cox hasn't really been challenged yet..... every deep ball is thrown against Evans or Coman. Cooper will expose our secondary when Evans and/or Coman are in the game..... there's no way around that. I'm not too worried about Sims because I think B. Brown and Wells will be able to contain him. I don't see him getting a 100 yards on us like Nick Marshall did.

[Irondawg]

Watching our backfield play zone is a bit of a conundrum to me. I can't tell if we are challenging teams to make throws and playing it safe, or if we're just out of position. I would love to hear Collins talk philosophy on some of the plays where we have guys in the flat with 15 yards of space around them while we're bringing 4 on the rush. The other problem is that the don't have a ball-hawk safety. There's no penalty for heaving the deep ball. They will either catch it or miss it. We don't get the INT back there from the S position.

Agree with this - we've seemed soft over the middle where our LB's should be roaming often. Seems we lose guys guys across the middle a lot and don't get our depth correct. But it's really, really hard to see that on TV. However, we'll be rushing 4 and then they drop one across the middle and there is seemingly a ton of space where in theory there shouldn't be

[codeDawg]

Cox hasn't really been challenged yet..... every deep ball is thrown against Evans or Coman. Cooper will expose our secondary when Evans and/or Coman are in the game..... there's no way around that. I'm not too worried about Sims because I think B. Brown and Wells will be able to contain him. I don't see him getting a 100 yards on us like Nick Marshall did.

I believe that last drive against UPig had Cox on that TE and the ball got past him when he was in position at least twice. Once through his hands on the 4th and 15 and once over his head. I don't expect him to be Cody Prewett, or even Nickoe Whitley, but both of those guys would have put the game to bed right there.

The safeties as a group are in much better position than at the beginning of the year, but they have to start making plays on the ball if we're going to win this thing. You have to punish them for mis-throws on the deep ball.

[defiantdog]

I believe that last drive against UPig had Cox on that TE and the ball got past him when he was in position at least twice. Once through his hands on the 4th and 15 and once over his head. I don't expect him to be Cody Prewett, or even Nickoe Whitley, but both of those guys would have put the game to bed right there.

The safeties as a group are in much better position than at the beginning of the year, but they have to start making plays on the ball if we're going to win this thing. You have to punish them for mis-throws on the deep ball.

I agree that Cox isn't where Whitley was his senior year (even with the bum knee). I hate that 3 rush prevent we ran against Arkansas on that 4th down..... B. Brown was playing as the third safety on that play..... it's just a weird damn formation we run. I still think Cox is our best safety when it comes to coverage..... he does need to learn how to knock the ball away instead of going for the interception every time. Redmond had that problem early on this season, but he's even realized there's a time where you just need to knock the damn ball down.