The Iron Bowl

[CurtEgerer]

Originally Posted by lin7310948

as stated earlier no consideration of the team on the field to defend the possible runback! looked like a goal line defense team chasing on the runback...all beef and no speed! thought saban was smarter!

The play-by-play guy kept saying "Alabama had no athletes on the field, just their fat guys (referring to the offensive lineman) Incredible game.

[Baz]

I don't blame Coach Saban for trying the F.G. If made it would have ended the game. It almost made it through.

You could however make the argument they should have had a couple guys (or the entire FG unit) ready to defend a return - on a possible miss.

Not going to second guess the man.

Just going to credit Auburn for never giving up and being prepared to make that return.

Bama was beaten last night by the better team. They know that - and as such there is no shame really.

Bama had missed several other F.G.'s earlier in the game that would have iced the win. I feel bad for A.J. but I know he will take it all in stride.

These upcoming conference title games will be interesting.

[biosurfer1]

Originally Posted by Baz

I don't blame Coach Saban for trying the F.G. ...

Bama had missed several other F.G.'s earlier in the game that would have iced the win.

I blame him and you already said why. Your main field goal guy has already missed EVERY field goal he has tried in the game so the decision is you send out a guy who has only taken 2 prior field goals in college football, missed one of them and the other was a 20 yd and have him try a 57 yd? I would think Saban has more confidence in his team than that so why not take it to overtime. And if a guy is able to catch the ball and return it, it did not "almost" go though, it came up 5+ yards short.

[matt f]

Alabama needed a set number of big players to prevent a blocked field goal.
The more big guys used decreases the number of skill players to defend a run back of a missed FG,
especially once the return player gets past the first wave.

The kicker only had 2 misses, long left and long right ( unreturnable, out of the end zone.)
If the kicker didn't have the leg for 60+ yards, wrong kicker.

Of course none of the above addresses IF going for a FG was the correct call.
Great game and one that will be discussed at length for a long time.

[Shuie]

The 57 yrd field goal attempt wasn't the worst call of the game, IMO. Auburn going for it on 4th & 2 from their own 30 on the previous series was an absolutely terrible call. Unbelievable finish, but they never should have lost the lead at the end of the game.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by biosurfer1

I blame him and you already said why. Your main field goal guy has already missed EVERY field goal he has tried in the game so the decision is you send out a guy who has only taken 2 prior field goals in college football, missed one of them and the other was a 20 yd and have him try a 57 yd? I would think Saban has more confidence in his team than that so why not take it to overtime. And if a guy is able to catch the ball and return it, it did not "almost" go though, it came up 5+ yards short.

The backup kicker who attempted the missed FG.....he was kicking 60 yarders in practice before the game.

The wind was at his back.

Also Coach Saban felt he would have been at a disadvantage in OT...Auburn had the momentum in the 4th quarter.

What he didn't factor in was the return coverage on the miss. But he also mentioned after the game the players didn't fan out after the kick as they normally would have. That's because they were not regular special teams and weren't used to playing in that scenario.

I maintain it was not a poor decision....but I also understand there were other options that could have worked.

We'll never know what could have been.

YMMV

[Tobra]

It was a very bad decision to try that kick.

I was under the impression that Mr Saban was a better coach than that.

[black73]

What is being overlooked in all of this is the TD pass that tied the game.
Best play call ever! Set it up by calmly running the ball up the middle several times as the clock ticks away, fake up the middle, fake end run then BAM! TD!