In a weird way, for this one game, I'm glad we don't have an effective run game...

[maroonmania]

because if we did Mullen would indeed try to pound the ball which would get summarily stuffed and be a waste of time. Coaches are hardheaded and if the run game has been effective for them all year they are going to do it no matter if they are running into a brick wall (see Les Miles). At least given we have no effective traditional run game and really only have Dak doing some QB runs for the most part, hopefully we won't waste our time trying to force that part of the gameplan. Our only hope in this game is to totally air it out and use the short passing game as a substitute for the run game to slow up the Bama rush. Believe me, there is a good reason that ONE team has given Bama fits the last two years (UNM) and its no coincidence that THAT team has no effective traditional run game either. Our offense in some ways has morphed into the Hugh Freeze offense with bubble screens and the like and for THIS game, that is the best way to go at this Bama defense. We have to throw early and throw often in this game or we will spend the entire game behind the chains. We still may not win but its our best hope.

[MetEdDawg]

I still think Mullen is going to try and pound Dak a little too much on short distances to get 1st downs. He hasn't done it as much this year, but that's usually the one thing we can count on in big games is for Dan to rely on Dak in too many short distance conversions.

I'm hoping we bring out the short passing game and allow Dak to use Ross and Bear and Hutch on those 3rd and shorts. Or, give them an opportunity to go get one on 3rd and short and see if we can burn Bama deep for a big gain. 6 or 7 down OL, RB protect for playaction, 2 wide, let guys win one on one matchups to get a conversion. That will keep Bama from stacking the box and at least make them respect the passing game on 3rd. Might open up some holes for us and stop Bama from pinching 8 or 9 down on us in those situations.

[SDDawg]

Makes it harder to **** it up, that's for sure.

Mullen will show us a lot this week. He saw us freeze up last year on a big stage, simply not ready for the pressure and he took ownership for that. This year, nothing to lose but everything left to play for. I think he has learned and can't wait.

[Big4Dawg]

Bama dominating LSU's run game was one of the best things that could happen for Mullen.

[Jack Lambert]

Makes it harder to **** it up, that's for sure.

Mullen will show us a lot this week. He saw us freeze up last year on a big stage, simply not ready for the pressure and he took ownership for that. This year, nothing to lose but everything left to play for. I think he has learned and can't wait.


Their not playing for a playoff bid this time. They are just playing for a win and Mullen is going to be a lot loser.

[starkvegasdawg]

Bama dominating LSU's run game was one of the best things that could happen for Mullen.

We hope. If we still see Holloway try to go up the middle then we'll know it had no effect at all.

[SallyStansbury]

because if we did Mullen would indeed try to pound the ball which would get summarily stuffed and be a waste of time. Coaches are hardheaded and if the run game has been effective for them all year they are going to do it no matter if they are running into a brick wall (see Les Miles). At least given we have no effective traditional run game and really only have Dak doing some QB runs for the most part, hopefully we won't waste our time trying to force that part of the gameplan. Our only hope in this game is to totally air it out and use the short passing game as a substitute for the run game to slow up the Bama rush. Believe me, there is a good reason that ONE team has given Bama fits the last two years (UNM) and its no coincidence that THAT team has no effective traditional run game either. Our offense in some ways has morphed into the Hugh Freeze offense with bubble screens and the like and for THIS game, that is the best way to go at this Bama defense. We have to throw early and throw often in this game or we will spend the entire game behind the chains. We still may not win but its our best hope.

Miles has a future NFL back and a great running game, tried to run repeatedly and failed.....he is stubborn.

Mullen has no running game, and if he runs Holloway between the tackles tomorrow, what is that called?

"Keeping the D honest?" Us running repeatedly, effectively giving away downs with Williams/Holloway/Shump is cowardice. We have to do what the poster above says. To do otherwise and expect/hope/wait for Alabama to make a mistake is boneheaded.

We have to take multiple shots down the field and do this early, not in the second quarter with Bama up 14-0, come out with guns blazing. Misdirections, screens, TE over the middle, dump offs to Holloway/Shump. It is time to stop worrying about Bama getting interceptions, Dak screwing up, etc...you have to go for it. I can handle those errors. 3 and outs with lots of designed runs? Not so much.

[blacklistedbully]

We hope. If we still see Holloway try to go up the middle then we'll know it had no effect at all.

One of my biggest fears. That shit show from Perkin's senior year, combined with Dan's insisting on letting Bell attempt FGs is what had me just about ready for Dan to go. As much as I loved LP as a player, Dan's misuse of him that year was nearly criminal.

LP's graduation pretty much forced Dan to use JRob the following year. Dan's a young coach, so I have to believe he is still learning from past mistakes, and will only continue to grow as a coach.

He is so damn good at many things that you hate the thought of him leaving us for another program, but he is so damned frustrating with a couple of things that it makes you want to grab him by the neck and choke him at times.

[QuadrupleOption]

Guys, we're going to have to have SOME run attempts just to keep the defense honest. And we will hand some off up the gut as well.

I do expect that we will run a lot of wheel routes and short passes to simulate a run game. Just don't be pissed when we give it to Shumpert to run off-tackle.

[maroonmania]

Guys, we're going to have to have SOME run attempts just to keep the defense honest.

Who says? Yes, if they start putting 4 or 5 in the box we should run some to see what happens but if they stay in their standard defense its a waste of time. But no doubt Mullen is going to call some running plays. I just hope they are held to a minimum unless we have some VERY unexpected success.

[Big4Dawg]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=400791536

This should be our box score after the game. Keep the defense honest is BS.

[MetEdDawg]

Who says? Yes, if they start putting 4 or 5 in the box we should run some to see what happens but if they stay in their standard defense its a waste of time. But no doubt Mullen is going to call some running plays. I just hope they are held to a minimum unless we have some VERY unexpected success.

Automatic Dak check to a run is 5 in the box. But for the most part you don't see teams doing that any more because he gashes through the line, then you've got DBs trying to tackle Dak in the open field. Teams really didn't like seeing Dak bust down field for 30 yards so they stopped giving him that look. So yes we will run some but I doubt you will ever see us check to a run unless it's in that situation.

Other than that, I think we have to use the run very sparingly. We have to keep them in check, but we aren't going to run the football with our RBs effectively. The only hope we have of effective running plays is Dak running when everything is covered down field. And even then Bama will spy him I think quite a bit.

[maroonmania]

Automatic Dak check to a run is 5 in the box. But for the most part you don't see teams doing that any more because he gashes through the line, then you've got DBs trying to tackle Dak in the open field. Teams really didn't like seeing Dak bust down field for 30 yards so they stopped giving him that look. So yes we will run some but I doubt you will ever see us check to a run unless it's in that situation.

Other than that, I think we have to use the run very sparingly. We have to keep them in check, but we aren't going to run the football with our RBs effectively. The only hope we have of effective running plays is Dak running when everything is covered down field. And even then Bama will spy him I think quite a bit.

One thing I do NOT want to see Mullen doing, which he loves to do, is call a standard run play on 2nd and 10 after an incomplete pass on 1st and 10. We have done that A LOT this year and always end up in 3rd and long by doing so.

[MetEdDawg]

One thing I do NOT want to see Mullen doing, which he loves to do, is call a standard run play on 2nd and 10 after an incomplete pass on 1st and 10. We have done that A LOT this year and always end up in 3rd and long by doing so.

And what pisses me off is that if you play the percentages, if we pass the ball 3 times on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and 10, we are going to convert more than not even if we get nothing on 1st. So I totally agree. That's when teams start stacking and covering holes and we get no yardage.

But we have to be honest with ourselves. Anyone that thinks we have to establish a run game is crazy. That's not going to happen. We have to incorporate the run to keep Bama honest, but the only chance we have is to spread their defense out and do what Ole Miss did. Quick hitters that limit the effectiveness of their pass rush and extend Bama towards the sidelines, take chances downfield when we have them to keep the safeties, and hit them up the middle in the run game periodically when we've got them spread out.

And we can't get pissed when it doesn't work. Our system works against Bama when it's executed correctly. It doesn't work every time, but when you give it time, it eventually does what it's designed to do. Spread teams out and back which opens up the gaps in the LOS for the option game. If we can do that, we will have a chance in the 4th quarter. But to me the most important part of the game tomorrow is getting Bama's safeties to play further back. They make a crap ton of tackles on us near the LOS. Got to keep that in check by using our deep threats.

[TrapGame]

I can see Bama dropping more guys in coverage giving Dak a decent lane here or there but as far as handing the ball off that would be a wasted play.

[dawgs]

Guys, we're going to have to have SOME run attempts just to keep the defense honest. And we will hand some off up the gut as well.

I do expect that we will run a lot of wheel routes and short passes to simulate a run game. Just don't be pissed when we give it to Shumpert to run off-tackle.

Pass to set up the run, just like we did in the 2nd half last year against bama. Once we started making them cover sideline to sideline, it opened up some running lanes between the tackles and we moved the ball effectively.