Bleacher Report - Articles by Larry Burton

Carlos Dunlap Out For Florida For The SEC Championship Game Against Alabama

Larry Burton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:46:25 -0500

Following today's practice, Urban Meyer announced that Carlos Dunlap is "suspended indefinitely" after his arrest for DUI early this morning. As a result, Dunlap will not play in the SEC Championship Game against Alabama this Saturday.

Dunlap was out drinking with other members of the team according to Dunlap's father, Carlos Dunlap Sr. He said Dunlap had managed to make it almost back to his apartment before falling asleep at the wheel of a car with the engine running in gear at a green light.

Dunlap Sr. said the player tried to get the police to let him walk home, but they declined.

Dunlap would not allow police to give him a breathalyzer test. However, he failed a regular field sobriety test at the scene and was immediately arrested.

Not only will this foolishness cost Florida one of their best players before the two biggest games of the season, but it may cost Dunlap millions in signing bonus money.

He was projected to be a Top 10 pick in the NFL draft.

According to Dunlap Sr., Meyer had not decided what to do and told the father that he needed to check with the Florida administration, but didn't know if he could play his son.

This is an alarming statement from a head coach who perhaps would have, and should have made a decision to suspend the player himself.

Meyer's statement leaves room for one to wonder whether Dunlap could be available for either the Sugar Bowl or the Gators' bowl game.

We have learned from Meyer's previous actions that "indefinite" can mean anything.

Florida Gator's DE Carlos Dunlap Arrested for DUI: Could That Help Alabama?

Larry Burton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:54:08 -0500

Urban Meyer's problems with off-field incidents with the players continue as the Gators top defensive end and probable first-round NFL draft choice, Carlos Dunlap, was arrested on DUI charges early this morning while stopped at a green light.

Falling asleep drunk at a red light and having a policeman walk up to your car to wake you up after the light had gone through several cycles is not exactly a good way to deter detection.

Officer Robert Rogers approached the red 2000 Chrysler at about 3:25 this morning to find the occupant drunk and asleep at the wheel.

Despite the officer yelling at him, he drifted back into sleep until finally being taken from the car.

Failing to both pass both the field sobriety test and the ability even to speak clearly, he was arrested and taken to jail.

Dunlap was the defensive MVP of last year's national championship game and is currently tied for the team lead with seven sacks. His loss is a huge blow as he also leads the team in quarterback hurries.

No word yet from Urban Meyer. This is a blow to Florida as they play perhaps its toughest game of the year against the Alabama Crimson Tide this weekend.

Time for the Big Ten to Put Up, or Shut Up, In These Projected Bowl Games

Larry Burton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:00:56 -0500

The good news for the Big Ten this bowl season is that they are mostly playing conferences experiencing down years this year.

The bad news is the Big Ten isn't so strong itself, not that it has been for a few years now.

So, this is definitely the year that the Big Ten teams, fans, and media should either put up or shut up about the Big Ten even being relevant anymore.

Its marquee team this year is Ohio State, already with losses to a down USC team and a Purdue team with a losing record. That's proof that the Big Ten is already irrelevant.

It's now down to the bowl season to prove that this is little more than a cupcake conference. Here are the likely bowl games for them to try and make a statement in, along with the projected outcome.

The Rose Bowl

Ohio State vs. Oregon is an interesting matchup. It takes away the boredom of seeing USC beat them every year.

The Ducks are far from a powerhouse team and appear beatable, but this is a Big Ten-Pac-10 matchup, and the outcome will be the same.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Iowa vs. Boise State is a game that has the most interest. Can Iowa's defense slow down that blue grass offense? Iowa does have a defense capable of doing that.

I think Iowa has a chance to win this one and help settle future arguments that Boise State could have won a national title game.

I'm tempted to call this a toss up, but I have a soft spot in my heart for a team with a good defense, so I'll say Iowa in a close one.

Capital One Bowl

Penn State vs. LSU is another one of those games where the SEC flexes its muscle against the Big Ten. This one could get ugly, and I hate that for one of my favorite coaches of all time, Joe Paterno.

LSU is just too big, too fast, too talented, and too SEC for Penn State. If they don't like this game, they won't like the series they're about to start with Alabama.

The Outback Bowl

Northwestern vs. Ole Miss is yet another Big Ten sacrificial lamb being laid at the altar of an SEC team. There's ugly, and then there's UGLEEEEEE. This one will be the latter.

Ole Miss may have their ups and downs this year, but this one will have them feeling better during the offseason and will once again cause people to speculate about the Rebels being SEC contenders once again.

The Insight Bowl

Missouri vs. Minnesota is a bowl of two conferences going through down years and two teams right in the middle of them. This will be one of the chances that the Big Ten has to pull out a win if the Gophers can get the offense going.

However, Missouri can get their offense going on most days against middle-of-the-road teams, and I look for them to defeat Minnesota by nine.

The Alamo Bowl

What a relief for the fans of Iowa not to have to go back to San Antonio. The Alamo Bowl will be dumping the Big Ten after this year, and who could blame them?

This year, it's looking like Michigan State vs. Texas Tech in what would be a virtual home game for Tech. But they won't need that advantage to beat the Spartans, as they put on their track shoes and make this one another one of those UGLEEEE games.

Champs Sports Bowl

We'll see Wisconsin slide in and play an ACC foe, either Miami or perhaps Clemson. Either could beat Wisconsin, and that says much to the depths to which the Big Ten has sunk since this is the lowest the ACC has been in many years, too.

If Wisconsin loses this game, one of the Big Ten's better shots at a victory, then you can stick a fork in the myth of the Big Ten, because it's over and done for at least this year.

All that being said, I expect Wisconsin to win this game and bring the total of the other games I expect them to win to two.

If a 2-5 performance in the bowls spells disaster for the Big Ten, can you imagine what a 1-6 or 0-7 will mean? This is the first year in many that a conference shutout could be a real possibility.

If so, then maybe we can get just one preseason poll without one of these lame teams in the top 10 to start the year.

Weis To Both His Notre Dame Fans: "Don't Cry for Me!"

Larry Burton — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 09:00:30 -0500

OK, raise your hands on this one. Who wouldn't take a kick in the butt for say eighteen million dollars? So, as Charlie Weis leaves Notre Dame his farewell statement to his two remaining fans should be, "Don't cry for me".

And why should they? Let's look at the reasons...

He'll have eighteen million reasons not to be overly sad.

The NFL is waiting with open arms for Charlie to return. He will be unemployed as a coach only as long as he wants to be.

He'll now have time to do Jenny Craig and land that lucrative endorsement deal.

He'll finally have time to comb his hair.

And he can say with pride that he at least did better in college football than Steve Spurrier did in the NFL.

Charlie Weis gave Notre Dame his best shot. I'm sure of that. He simply was not a good head coach. It's the old case of the Peter Principal. He was promoted to the level of his incompetency as there was arguably not many better offensive coordinators.

Same old tune with a different singer, not all great assistants make great head coaches.

And I certainly don't blame Charlie for Notre Dame's apparent cash flow crisis with his firing. I would point the finger at the administrator who gave him such a lengthy contract extension with so little to show for it.

I remember the day it happened and remember looking around the landscape and not seeing any one else waiving a check book in Charlie's direction. It wasn't like there a fight to keep him there.

Notre Dame may be mired in mediocrity for a few more years while the next coach wades through players left behind and starts building his own team.

Recruiting is tougher now because this is a generation of "NOW" kids. Notre Dame hasn't been relevant since this year's group of five-star high school athletes were in elementary school, and few grew up looking at Notre Dame saying, "Wow, one day I want to play for them."

At least this saga gave something for us writers to kick around while we're waiting for the bowl announcements and that's something. We won't have Charlie Weis to kick around anymore.

Will Nick Saban Lead Alabama To the Promised Land at Long Last?

Larry Burton — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:32:59 -0500

About a year ago I wrote a saga for CBS Sports called Alabama's Return From the Desert Wilderness and Land of Mediocrity. You can see it by clicking here . I also posted a copy of it here on a site that became a home away from home for me.

CBS wanted a fan's take on what it felt like to be back in the hunt for a national title after so many years of so-so football and I took a very comical approach to the subject, including that artwork, because it was still a painful subject to talk about.

My years at Alabama were filled with nothing but SEC Championships and back-to-back national titles against Penn State and Arkansas. That was Alabama football. Since 1992 what I have been living though is hope and denial.

What a difference a year makes. Now instead of basking in the exuberance of being back in the national hunt, it was once again an expected feeling. Alabama fans started this year expecting to be a contender, not wishing for it, and it was a very wonderful and familiar feeling to me.

Nick Saban not only brought the football team back to national prominence, but he restored the confidence to the fan base that they could expect to stay that way for years to come.

The combination of Mal Moore and Nick Saban have not just put a great team on the field, but a world class stadium to play in, and top flight facilities to work out, play and live in.

Despite tough economic times, fund raising went well, ticket sales are at an all-time high, and the eyes of the nation are now back upon the coach and team in Tuscaloosa. It feels like old times again to us old timers.

How all of this happened over such a short period that it's just downright shocking. Were we always just a coach away?

Having lived through the the years since Coach Bryant, I had become jaded that the next coach would be next great one. Stallings certainly filled the bill, but he was gone too soon.

Nick Saban had us less that one quarter of football away from a national championship contest last year and yet the naysayers said it was a flash in the pan, a fluke, yet here they are again, one game from a BCS Championship showdown, yet again.

And all of this took just one year of getting rid of the dead wood, moulding a team to the standards he knew would work, getting them to buy in to a term that seemed so mysterious two years ago known as "The Process" and whatever other magic Saban brought along with him.

Though we still have yet to have Saban part the sea and return us to the promised land, we are close close enough to smell the milk and honey and we all realize it's just a question of time.

Alabama's Quarterback Greg McElroy Heating Up at The Right Time

Larry Burton — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:51:20 -0500

Before the season even started rumors that turned out to be fact came drifting from the Manning Passing Academy, a special summer camp for the elite quarterbacks to attend, that this "new kid" from Alabama was raising everyone's eyebrows and putting some of the big name quarterbacks to shame.

He burst onto the college football world with a big second half in the Virginia Tech game but still many doubted that this was a man that Saban could pin his hopes on for a national championship run.

Then came the Arkansas game where Bobby Petrino sold out to stop the run and force Alabama to beat them with this first year starter. The result was a 35-7 stomping that saw McElroy throw for 291 yards and three touchdowns.

And this was the same Arkansas team that almost beat Florida, the same team that held Tim Tebow to just one touchdown toss in a 23-20 Florida come from behind win.

Then came the "slump". McElroy's numbers did in fact go down, but Mark Ingram's rushing numbers went up as did his Heisman hype. Doubters began wondering about McElroy again.

McElroy quickly put that doubt to rest with impressive wins over LSU and great completion ratios in the ones that followed. And then came "The Drive". With the game on the line, McElroy once and for all should have quieted the last of the doubters with a 15 play drive that killed both the clock and Auburn's hope of an upset.

He went seven of nine and slowly and methodically moved the Tide to the end zone with a nice pass to Sr. Roy Upchurch. In that drive he was cool on third downs unflappable after being hit and unfazed while being rushed.

Bama fans have now come to see Greg as an upgrade from last year's Sr. quarterback, John Parker Wilson and a man that has yet to lose a game as a starter, or make costly mistakes that have almost cost his team a loss.

Florida's game plan to stop Alabama is simple. Stop the run first. Pressure McElroy and force this young quarterback make plays against the best defense he's seen all year.

That has already been tried and they didn't like the results.

This is a different Alabama team that Florida faced last year even though the majority of the faces remain the same. The biggest different is the quarterback in Crimson and his ability to win games, and unfortunately for Florida, he's getting hot again at just the right time.

The SEC Championship Games: What Each Must Do and Not Do to Win

Larry Burton — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:38:23 -0500

For Florida:

The Must Do's

They must make the passing game work because the running game won't. Everybody thinks they have the team that can run against Alabama and yet nobody has, so the passing game must work.

They must let Tim Tebow be Tim Tebow. Don't force him into a game plan that he's not comfortable with, let him run the offense. After all, hasn't he proven he IS the offense?

They must cover Julio Jones with two men or lose. Julio Jones can turn an eight yard out into a 45-yard touchdown because he's hard to bring down one on one.

They must pressure Greg McElroy. He is virtually unsung outside of Alabama fandom, but, if given time, Greg McElroy can be one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in all of college football.

Teams that sell out to stop the run have found this out for themselves.

The Must Not's

They must not let Javier Arenas beat them, and he's perfectly capable of doing so in a close game. Kick away from him and kick out of bounds or risk catastrophe.

They must not forget about Alabama's deep ball. Alabama's percentage of completing long balls of 40 yards or more is among the highest in the nation. Marquis Maze has world class speed and can get a step on any back Florida puts against him. Julio Jones makes doubling this threat a real nightmare.

They must not allow Alabama to get the running game going. This only sets up a passing game that is even deadlier when the play calling is balanced.

Lastly, they must not allow Alabama touchdowns in the red zone. This has been a struggle for Alabama all season and Florida should not allow them to find the cure this weekend.

For Alabama:

The Do's

They must be patient with the run. Florida wears down on defense and with Alabama's ability to keep pounding with fresh backs they must keep the defense honest and keep running.

Greg McElroy must bring his A game. He has already seen some of the best defenses in the country this year, now he sees the best not in Crimson uniforms. It helps he can practice against one just as good, but he needs to relax and look for second and third option receivers as Florida is sure to blanket Julio.

Alabama must designate on defensive player to Tim Tebow on every play that will follow him everywhere but the Florida sideline and bathroom. They must stop Tim Tebow from being a running back.

Alabama must score touchdowns in the red zone as this will be a close game and every point scored could be the difference.

The Must Not's

They must not give too many cracks to Jeffrey Demps, that's all he needs to bust one to the endzone. Doing this for four quarters will be as tough a task as Alabama has faced all year.

Alabama must not give up punt and kick returns to give Florida good starting field position. This team is dangerous enough when starting from the 20 and Alabama has shown a tendency to let the coverage teams dig them a hole.

They must not sell out in wholesale blitzes without leaving one man to contain Tim Tebow should he avoid the initial rush. Tebow kills teams more with his feet and third down conversions running than his passing.

Alabama must not let Florida jump out to an early lead while they start in their usual lethargic manner. Alabama can not count on wearing Florida down as they have other teams.

And as football fans there is one thing we must not do, we must not miss a minute of this game. It has all the makings of a great game.

SEC Championship Game Preview: Alabama vs Florida, Strength vs. Strength

Larry Burton — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:09:42 -0500

This is not one of those games that has two teams facing off pitting one's strengths against another team's weakness. These two teams are too much alike. These are two gladiators that will swap punches for four quarters, mano a mano.

There will be no quarter given and no excuses offered. That is the way it should be in a championship game. Many sports fans feel this game is really for the national title though I'm sure a lot of Texans may disagree.

On both paper and reality this game matches up as a battle royal. The nation's top two defenses line up against solid but less spectacular offenses. These are two teams that usually win by finally exerting their will, conditioning and depth onto a weaker opponent.

There will not a knockout in this game, both teams will be standing at the end exhausted yet still willing to trade haymakers. It is and will be a game worthy of what a championship game is supposed to be about.

The few edges one team may have on another are all arguable but let's explore a few of them and attempt to sort out an outcome.

The following stats come from cfbstats.com and only reflect stats through 11-21-2009 as the last game's stats are not included.

Special Teams

In a tight race, I've heard many a good coach say it could come down to special teams and field position. Both teams are good in this area.

Kickoff return yards—about dead even.

Kickoff return yards allowed—five yard edge to Florida.

Punt return yards—16.5 yard advantage to Alabama.

Punting yardage—virtual tie.

Field goal percentage—Alabama wins 86 percent to 69 percent.

Special Teams Edge to Alabama

Offense

Scoring—Four point advantage to Florida, but in common opponents seven point advantage to Alabama.

Time of Possession—Virtual tie.

Total offense—Advantage Florida by 27 yards a game, but against common opponents, the reverse is true.

Third Down Conversion rate—Advantage Florida, 38 percent to 47.5 percent.

Rushing—Virtual tie.

Fumbles lost—Alabama 6, Florida 9. Advantage Alabama.

Passing—Virtual tie.

Interceptions—Tie.

Offense—Slight edge to Florida due to Mr. Third Down, Tim Tebow

Defense

Scoring allowed_Virtual tie, but in common opponents seven point lead for Alabama.

Total yardage allowed—Virtual tie.

Third down conversion rate allowed—Slight advantage Alabama by 2 percent.

Rushing Allowed—Advantage Alabama by about 200 yards over the season.

Passing Allowed—Advantage Florida by 200 yards over the season.

Turnovers created—Interceptions: Tie. Fumbles: Advantage Alabama by two.

Defense—Slight edge to Alabama due to statistics

Other factors that influence the outcome

As previously stated, common opponents mean a lot, especially when Florida has the reputation for running up the score and Alabama is content to just win. In those common opponent games, Alabama has fared better in almost every statistical category including most importantly, the score.

On offense and defense, Alabama rotates players in and out at a greater rate than Florida does. Alabama appears to be slightly deeper at key positions that Florida, and in a game when such heavyweight punches will be thrown, that can be a key issue.

The "TEBOW FACTOR" There's an old saying attributed to Coach Bryant that says, "I ain't nothin' but a winner." The Tim Tebow factor is just that. No player in recent years has been better in taking a team on his shoulders and simply exerting his own will to win better than Tim Tebow. He was the difference in the last game and could be this time too.

Play makers and the WOW factor. Each team has a couple of players that have that speed and those moves that leave others reaching for air. For Florida, Jeff Demps is just that kind of guy and for Alabama Javier Arenas is that guy who makes every coach hold his breath when they punt. Yes there are others on each team, but they pretty well balance out. Demps will certainly get more touches however.

Team trends for this year - Both teams have had some great wins and ugly wins this season. But overall for the year, Florida is down from last year's stats in almost every major category, while Alabama's stats are better than last year's team. Given the fact that last year's game was so close, with Alabama leading going into the fourth quarter, that could be a big trend indeed to favor the Tide.

Final Scenario and Outcome

Florida starts out fast and finishes slowly, Alabama starts out slowly and finishes strong. I can't help but think of the old tortoise and hare here.

I expect this to be a physical, bruising SEC type game that could turn on just one or two big plays.

It could come down to a field goal and Alabama would certainly have the advantage there with Lee Tiffin doing the kicking.

You could virtually flip a coin in this one and Las Vegas has yet to put out their pick. But given the special teams advantage, the fact that Alabama did better against common opponents and the overall trends of last season vs this season, Alabama would seem to have what it takes this year.

Larry's Losers in the SEC and the SEC Championship Game

Larry Burton — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 00:02:04 -0500

After a few days off visiting relatives, eating turkey and being stuck in the car on two long trips, Baccardi the wonder dog and I have just gotten home and are ready to end this season's regular season and conference championship game on a high note.

Well, Baccardi, we finished another regular season and this last week provided us some upsets and some near upsets and this week, the prognostication process proved pitiful.

The Old Ball Coach proved you better not make his reservation at the nursing home just yet as he dished out an upset to Dabo Swinney's Clemson Kitty Cat Club. That was a shocker, but not like the one that took place in Mississippi.

Dan Mullen's mutts have been kicked like a yard dog this season as far as the check marks go in the win column, but they, the kickers, have pulled back legs with quite a few tooth marks in them. It was only a question of time until the dogs had their day.

Well that day came today and they just completely ripped the wheels off the 10-win express that Houston Nutt was hopin' to sport around in this off season.

The Rebels came into this dog pound and got mauled by a pack of pooches that had so many other good teams on the ropes, only to see them jump over the fence and get away at the last minute.

Lane Kiffin improved the Vols bowl hunt with an overtime win against Rich Brooks and them Kentucky Kitties. Baccardi and I both felt this was an upset in the making, but it just didn't come through.

Would the Les Miles Meltdown continue in Louisiana? We picked that upset. At least this week Miles figured out that when the clock numbers get smaller that means time is going off the clock and he got the field goal team out there just in time to get it to overtime.

Seems like these two teams never can settle the argument in the regulated time and last year when it went to continued contestin', the Hogs came out a winner, and this year it was payback time for the Tigers.

And lastly Mark Richt, proved you can't keep a good dog down and he upset the little smart pill machine with a win over Georgia Tech in what would prove to be the second SEC over ACC upset of the day and neither did I or Baccardi see it coming.

These five misses brought about the worst week in week Larry's Losers history and is making me and Baccardi rethink the whole smart pill machine thing. It just ain't workin'.

This brought the season total down to 73-20 or 77 percent. A coach winning 77 percent of his games would have a 10 win season out of 13 games, and that'll keep your job, so Baccardi and I will be back next year, but we'll be bakin' up some "Smart Cookies" to help us be one smart cookie ourselves.

As far as the only two we got right, Gene Chizik reached into the Tiger trunk of tricks and almost pulled out an upset, but an Elephant knows that slow and steady usually win the final race, and the pachyderms finally trampled the Tigers.

And lastly, Urban Meyer kept Bobby Bowden from strolling into retirement wearing any new Gator skin boots and they snapped and chewed the Seminoles as predicted and now prepare for the final SEC match up of the year.

And how will that go?

The Gators are coming in fat and happy after feeding off all their opponents this year and they are no doubt confident after their final course of Seminole Souffle.

And that last drive of Alabama's down in little brother's backyard is gonna give the Tide the belief that they can do anything once their mind is set on it.

This Saturday's game is really for the national championship, as the winner should walk over Texas for yet another title coming home to the SEC.

This game will have great defense, a few big plays and maybe a nail-biting ending but when it's all over, the Elephants will prove to more than a mouthful for the Gators and they will come out on top.

Larry's loser: Florida.

Baccardi and I need to go out on top with this last SEC match up, but we'll have one more chance to set the bar a little higher for next year with Larry's Losers in the SEC Bowl Games in the next installment.

So once the bowls have all been decided, old Baccardi and I will have all the details worked out on that recipe and have us some smart cookies ready to make some gallant guesses at the bowl games to come.

Thanks for sticking with us this season and we'll see you back next year if the good Lord's willin' and the hurricanes don't blow us out to sea.

Top Five Reasons the Close Iron Bowl Game Was Good for Alabama

Larry Burton — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:37:08 -0500

Ugly win? Yes it was. Under achieving? Perhaps it was that too. But there are five good reasons why this game could actually help Alabama in it's quest for continuing wins this season and next.

1. It was a win. When it's all said and done that's number one. For Alabama to play in the BCS national championship game all it has to do is win. This ugly win could slip Alabama back behind Texas, but it doesn't matter if they just keep winning.

If they beat Florida, no matter how ugly, they will play for a national championship and that is the goal of this team.

2. Greg McElroy erased any doubters that he can lead this team back from behind to a late game comeback win.

That last drive showed McElroy could not be flustered, even after some wicked sacks. He simply showed his cool, calm manner and went about his business taking what the defense would give him, draining both the clock and Auburn's hopes of winning the game.

This kind of comeback will give the whole team confidence, not just McElroy that they can will win these kinds of games if they keep their cool and do their jobs.

3. We can win when our "star" is having a bad game, and let's face it, Mark Ingram had a bad game. Auburn's game plan was simple, follow Mark Ingram.

They had someone in his face following him everywhere except the Alabama bench and the locker room at half time, and it worked.

So we had others step up. This is a lesson will that keep the team from panicking if another "star" goes down.

4. This game may have kept Mark Ingram from winning the Heisman, and if it did that, it may be the reason to end any speculation of him leaving at the end of the season for the NFL.

Not that any hint of this supposed early leaving has come from Ingram, but it should end that speculation by the press and fans alike.

Now Alabama will come back with the play makers from this offense intact for next year and that can't be a comforting thought for the rest of SEC.

5. It shows this team once again how important it is to take every team seriously and take advantage of every scoring opportunity to earn seven points and not three.

This is a game that while giving a win, gives the coaches much to point to for improvement and gives the players a reason to listen to the advice.

In all, it may have been ugly to some, but it was a thing of beauty to others.

Does Sam Bradford Prove That Oklahoma Is a Lousy Team?

Larry Burton — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:13:33 -0500

First, let's explain that headline.

Sam Bradford is a great quarterback. After all, they don't give Heisman Trophies to hacks, and with Bradford at the helm, Oklahoma does as well as almost any team in college football.

But without him, they are a 6-5 team. And one that even Sooner fans would agree is a far cry from the one that was expected to contend for a national championship this year.

There are good teams that win despite the loss of a star or two, and then there are teams that are thought to be great, but are exposed as an average team without their star.

And while every team has its stars, most teams can still win without them. However, there is a danger to relying too heavily on just one star, and it was apparent this year in Norman, Oklahoma.

When Florida lost Tim Tebow earlier this year, they could rely on a smothering defense, a solid ground game, and a backup quarterback to help them win games. They did the same last year when wideout Percy Harvin was out.

Alabama lost one of its top defensive players, Donta Hightower, early for the entire season, yet they start this weekend as the top defense in all of college football. Many others thought they couldn't make a run this year without their best running back who had jumped to the NFL. Instead, his replacement is in the lead for the Heisman.

Another knock against Alabama's title run was their quarterback situation. John Parker Wilson also left for the NFL and in his place was a young man who had never started a single college football game.

That freckle faced young man is currently surpassing John Parker Wilson's offensive statistics and has already entrenched himself as a leader, a winner, and a championship contending quarterback.

There are teams and then there are supporting casts.

Oklahoma has a bunch of good players, but they proved that at best they are Sam Bradford's supporting cast, and not a team.

It makes one wonder what life will be like for Texas once they lose Colt McCoy. Can they make that transition? Are they still a good team? The argument can go either way.

We know that Florida will have life after Tebow and once Mark Ingram leaves, few in Alabama doubt the abilities of Trent Richardson and Eddie Lacey.

Those are teams. The title for best TEAM might just be decided in the SEC Championship game and not the National Championship game after all.

Alabama's Corey Reamer and Baron Huber Trade Old Dreams for New Dreams

Larry Burton — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:33:05 -0500

Two young men, each with a dream that didn't come true. Neither boy ever expected to play in crimson uniforms, and only one ever expected to play in an Iron Bowl.

One wanted to don the orange of the Tennessee Volunteers and run the the "T" in Neyland Stadium; the other, to sing the "War Eagle" fight song after an Iron Bowl win.

However, fate and luck won out, and those childhood dreams are now long forgotten.

Instead, the boys ended up as friends, roommates, and teammates in crimson, together helping rebuild Alabama's football program into a championship contender.

Corey Reamer comes from a family of Auburn Tigers, and his parents were less than thrilled when Auburn didn't seem as excited to have him as Mike Shula (Alabama) did. In the end, despite his boyhood loyalty to Auburn, Reamer came to Alabama.

Reamer was a special team machine who had made a high school career out of blocking punts and kicks. He also had a reputation for some bone-jarring tackles.

The other young man couldn't be much more meshed in the Vol tradition. He grew up in the shadow of Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, but out of high school, Phillip Fulmer (Tenessee) wasn't sure what he could do and passed on him.

Most schools weren't sure what to do with Huber either. Many thought defensive lineman, but Shula saw a bruiser who might be a better fullback.

Now together at Alabama, the enthusiasm and intensity they put into every play is evident.

Both players have won individual awards at Alabama. After 2009 spring practice, Reamer won the Woodrow Lowe Linebacker Award, and Huber won the Derrick Thomas Community Service Award. In addition, Reamer has been a two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection.

Both are enthusiastically praised by their coach Nick Saban for the way they affect other players on the team with their energy and zest.

About Huber, Saban said, in terms that let you know how much he loves the guy, “Some people play five plays and complain they didn’t play 10, but this guy is happy to give everything on every play he gets, and you have to love how his enthusiasm motivates and affects the other players.”

Baron was named a team captain for this year’s Tennessee game, and it was an honor he certainly earned.

“This is a guy who looked like he was going to just be a good special teams player, but he’s worked so hard to put himself in the position he’s in now,” Saban said of Reamer.

“He’s got great instincts and puts himself in the right position to make plays.”

Reamer teased that he’s so used to being yelled at by Saban that recently when he did something really great in practice and Saban complimented him on it, he felt awkward and so did Nick, so they both had a laugh about it.

Both Reamer and Huber fit well into the team, which runs like a well-oiled machine, and it would be hard to imagine the Tide doing so well without them.

Huber plays on all the special teams and is also a fullback and tight end when needed. You'll always see No. 40 in on all of the 3rd-and-short type plays as he pancakes opposing linemen.

Reamer has the versatility to go wherever he's needed. He's practiced at every linebacker spot and has proven to be invaluable to the Tide this year after Dont'a Hightower went out with a season-ending injury.

Even with one of Alabama's best starters out, players like Reamer have helped to elevate the play to the point where the Tide's is the No. 1 defense in college football.

Both are known for their almost devilish hits on opposing players and their enthusiasm both before and after the play.

Alabama says goodbye to both these men this season, and they will go down in crimson lore not just for their statistical contributions, but also for their love of the game and the passion they brought to the team.

It's good for Alabama that these men did not get to live out their childhood dreams because they are helping Alabama fans realize a much bigger dream that may just come true in Pasadena, Calif., this January.

And not only will the Bama Nation think these are better dreams, both men will agree that it's a better dream than any they had imagined as children.

Larry's Losers in the SEC, Final Week of the Regular Season

Larry Burton — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:40:32 -0500

Last week saw this humble enterprise beginning to peak with my second week of perfect picks including the "upset" of LSU. I chose Les Miles' picture this week to represent the losers as he was the biggest loser of the week.

Last week brought the season record up to 71-15 and lifting the margin back up to 79% and sniffing distance up to a grade of B.

So using the same batch of little smart pills and some musical inspiration from Steve Wiggins and the Steve Wiggins Band (www.stevenwiggins.com) playing some really good blues, Baccardi and I are ready to end the regular season with a bang and another perfect prognosticatin' performance?

What's that Baccardi? Well you don't don't understand losers if you don't know the blues, and this guy really knows the blues and he's used that to become a winner so why not me, so hush that backtalk and fetch me my schedule.

Alabama at Auburn

This year's Iron Bowl may have a little rust on it since it may not have the implications it once carried. Though it's still a great rivalry, this is a game that only means pride for the striped tabbies and a shot at a perfect season and a national championship contest for the for big red pachyderms.

Gene Chizik's had a week off the sharpen his kittie's claws and he's hopin' to catch the Tide lookin' past his pack of pussy cats and being focused only on the swamp lizards this weekend.

But when it comes to hope like that, Chizik better have another plan, because Nick Saban has these boys as short sighted as mole and they don't aim to overlook the fact they need this win as much as any other this year.

When the big eared stampede is over they'll be plenty of flat cats littering the field and the only birds circling this stadium after the game may be the vultures comin' to claim them. Larry's loser - Auburn

Arkansas at LSU

Will we see Les Miles try and atone for almost single handily costing LSU a win last week? The snout nosed ones from Arkansas sure hope not and hope the Miles Meltdown continues for at least one more week.

This is a case of one team improving as the season's gone on and one going the other way. Bobby Petrino is hoping that his head Hog Ryan Mallet will put on a piggie passing parade that will propel players to many scores and Les Miles is going to take lessons in how to tell time.

The outcome could be really close but just like last week, I expect LSU to come up with Les. Larry's loser - LSU

Florida State at Florida

Bobby Bowden has had a season to forget so far and is hoping to end the regular season on a high note by taking care of Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators this week. But Urban Meyer has a way making any note being played by a competitor come out sour and low.

We don't know if this will be Bobby Bowden farewell bow in the regular season but we know it's Mickey Andrews and we wish him a big SEC thank you for all the years of thrills and great football these two put on for us, and since Mickey played for Alabama, and Bobby was once a Bear Bryant Assistant, they both have strong SEC ties and will be acknowledged as great ones in this SEC article.

That being said, the Gators will be glad to shake their hands after the butt whippin' has been administered as they have much more to fight for than the slumpin' Seminoles. Larry's Loser - Florida State

Georgia at Georgia Tech

Mark Richt is bringing his hot seat and hounds to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets and maybe get themselves more focused in the bowl game picture. Ending the season with a 4-4 mark in the SEC and coming into the last game of the regular season at 6-5 is something the bulldog fans didn't see coming this season and they they hope to get in and out quick with a win and without getting stung by the buzzing bees.

But the Ramblin' Wreck is hoping to hold things together for another week and stay in the thick of the race for the top of the ACC. Usually in in such games, when in doubt go for the SEC team, but I have no doubt about this one.

Baccardi throws out a shout and a prayer to all of UGA VII's family and friends and wonder if the dog's downturn may have caused him a heart attack and this week's game may have him rollin' over in his grave. Larry's loser - Georgia

Tennessee at Kentucky

Lane Kiffin and his Tennessee Vols travel about as well unrefrigerated tuna salad on a hot summer day, and this week they hope to finally find an SEC win on the road against the Kentucky Kitties.

But Rich Brooks has guided this troop of tabbies to a yet another bowl season and a win here could get them to a nicer bowl and a bigger payday, so they aim to continue to Volunteer's travel plans for the rest of the year.

Though the Vols at least became bowl considerable last week with a 'closer than the score" game against the worst team in the SEC, they aren't looking like a team with much improvement over the Fulmer Fiasco, just one playin' an easier schedule. Larry's loser - Tennessee

Ole Miss at Mississippi State

Houston Nutt is hearing the good Rebel Yell again after proving that while the best team might not always win, the best coach usually does after watching his fellow coach go through the 'Miles Meltdown' last week.

This puts the Rebels of being in a position to claim the 3rd place ring in the SEC this year and they're not about to let Dan Mullin's mutts leave a puddle on their post season blueprints.

Though the bulldogs have proven to be a dangerous team, Nutt already has his disappointing losses behind him and the Rebels could run all the way to the Cotton Bowl after this one. Larry's loser - Mississippi State

Clemson at South Carolina

Former Alabama player and coach Dabo Swinney brings his South Carolina version of the kitty cat club to play their in state rivals at the Chicken Coop. At 8-3 these Clemson Kitties have a real chance for a breakthrough season and an elusive ACC Championship.

This ain't the season that Spurrier had in mind when he started it this spring. His clucker's have been plucked so much they're having to rub Rogain on themselves in hopes they can at least grow hair. But they figure they've got one more good fight in them before they're finally fricasseed.

They'll have a better chance if they make it to a bowl because in this one, Larry's loser is South Carolina.

So that's it for this week and this regular season sports fans. Next week we'll have a special Larry's Loser in the SEC Championship Game and then a final season ending Larry's Losers in the SEC bowl games edition.

It's been a great run run this year even if the prognosticatin' has been less than perfect and I've enjoyed sharing it with you again this year.

Now Baccardi, turn up the volume and fetch my slippers and let's listen to Steve Wiggins boogie the boards, keyboards that is and sing the blues for all this season's losers. Good night y'all and may the worst team lose.

Les Miles: Less Wins, Less Truthfulness, Less Coaching Ability

Larry Burton — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:55:05 -0500

Ever since Nick Saban joined the ranks and history of the Alabama Crimson Tide LSU fans have been quick to point to Les Miles as being the better of the two coaches.

They point to his record with the Tigers against Saban's. Never mind that Saban inherited a train wreck when he got to LSU and left Miles a perfectly running well conditioned team in which all he had to do was not mess it up.

They point to Miles' ability to recruit, which in all actuality has not been as good as Saban's.

After Saturday night's debacle, the 'Miles Meltdown' proved once again and finally ended all doubt once and forever that Les is not more.

There are housewives who only watch one football game a year that could have coached that team better in the closing minutes and managed the clock with much more ability.

His total ineptitude was cringing to watch. He screwed his team out of yet another win over a team he had more than enough talent to beat.

And then he went to the press and lied. In a move that could only make Lane Kiffin happy for now taking the mantle of biggest liar off his shoulders, Miles said that he doesn't know where the "spike the ball" call came from.

Did Miles seriously not know that the head coach is always in camera range and that he was recorded not once, not twice, but three times yelling and giving the spike call from the sideline?

Jordan Jefferson, the quarterback talked of the total confusion coming from the coaches and the sideline. Even his own quarterback called him a liar. You can see that video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B9kfnJvB6Q

After talking to fans from Miles old coaching venues, I have been warning LSU that these days were not only coming, but were here to stay with Miles only to be met with laughter and flaming replies.

Perhaps now, they'll see what the rest of the sporting world has seen for quite sometime. The comments that come not from the Miles detractors, but the LSU faithful, will be interesting to see over the next few days and even the offseason.

Is this the coach that deserves to be the highest paid coach in the SEC? I think now the LSU administration may rethink that one.

This Was A Good Day to Be A Fan of Alabama Football

Larry Burton — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:19:19 -0500

Saturday was a fun day. I arrived to the stadium early and met with my publisher "TOUCHDOWN ALABAMA", met our photographer and learned more about photography in 15 minutes than I've known all my life.

We went over some of the beautiful pictures taken by the staff and discussed this past year and the next. We have great plans on increasing the size of the magazine and the content.

They are a great bunch of people and they all do it for the love of the school and the good of the Bama Nation.

I was not in a hurry to get to the press box as usual and arrange all my notes and chart out what keys to game I was planning to track and to make sure I didn't miss the wonderful buffet they always put out an hour before kickoff.

I grabbed a sidewalk vendor cheeseburger and hung out with the fans. I greeted some visiting Chattanooga Moc's fans and gave them some after game dinner ideas and spots to try.

No one is a stranger when you tailgate and talk. I met two brothers from Albertville, Alabama and both had great insight into why the Tide would prevail against Florida this year. It was nice to not be rushed and just enjoy being a dot of crimson in the Bama Nation sea.

At kickoff I looked up a new friend, Richard Keenam who has written for Bleacher Report and RollCrimsonTide.com and is one of the most respected writers I enjoy reading. I spent the first half with him and was truly a fan.

I got to talk, something you don't do in the press box, yell and clap, also forbidden in the press box. Then at half-time, I went to finally find my seat and met some great people from Andalusia, Alabama and did lot more yelling.

I talked to the people around me and they to me like we were all old friends who were re-uniting after a long absence. There really is a sense of family in the Bama Nation.

The writer in me couldn't stay subservient to the fan and I soon began checking off players in the second half that were making appearances. Nick Saban did a wonderful job of getting everyone in the game and as far as I could tell, all the seniors did in fact get to play on this Senior Day event.

At the end of the game, instead of rushing of the press room for Nick Saban's remarks and interviewing players, I hung around and talked to fans about their hopes and fears, joys and disappointments and everything else Crimson.

I was impressed with the depth of good football knowledge the average Alabama fan has and the keen insight they have to the best and worst aspects of the game.

Today my son got to come with me and we enjoyed the trip up from Florida getting to see my parents and spending one more father-son road trip together.

Yes, it was a great day to be a fan, there was much to yell about and many people to enjoy it with, but I can't wait to get back in the press box again. Once a year being a loud yelling fan is enough.

Can Tennessee Overcome These Newest Distractions and Finish Strong?

Larry Burton — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:28:37 -0500

The loss to SEC foe Auburn seemed to be a wake-up call to most fans. It was a contest of two rebuilding teams with two new SEC coaches. This game would go far in showing which team was making the biggest strides.

Auburn won that in a close contest, but it may have been a turning point for Tennessee. They committed themselves to knuckle down and work hard, and they certainly did that the next week in completely demolishing an old SEC foe, Georgia, 45-19.

Crompton ended up silencing many of his boo bird fans, and the following week they almost succeeded in pulling off the upset of perhaps one of the best teams in the nation, a 12-10 loss to Alabama.

Tennessee came back the next week, however, and once again humiliated South Carolina 31-13 and pummeled an out-manned Memphis team 56-28.

Then came news of the arrest of three players in an armed holdup attempt. Whether that was the cause of the distraction or not, the wheels came flying off and Tennessee was beaten like a plow mule by Ole Miss 42-17 in a game that was almost painful to watch.

Now no one in his right mind would bet the house that Tennessee will lose to Vanderbilt this weekend; they simply have too much firepower. But will all these distractions hurt them in that game that they need so badly to become bowl eligible?

And what about next week when the competition gets a little stiffer with Kentucky? There are going to be a lot of 6-6 teams in the SEC this year. Could Tennessee be the odd man out watching everyone else go bowling?

Certainly these next two weeks are the most important in the young Lane Kiffin era. To have the wheels come off as they did last week and not come back would signal that this team has taken no steps forward since firing Phillip Fulmer.

It will also leave many fans wondering if they indeed took a step backward.

The world will be waiting to see not only how the team deals with all of these latest developments, but how Lane Kiffin will deal with the fact that he was caught exaggerating the cleanliness of his program as well as the ongoing dilemma of what to do with the two remaining students who have not yet been asked to leave the program.

Kiffin wanted a high profile, high-paying job and he got it. Now we're all waiting to see how he deals with the high profile, high stress ramifications that go with it.

Can he, and in turn Tennessee, get past all this and finish strong? The football world is waiting and watching.

Lane Kiffin Exposed as a Liar: Vols Coach Kept Player's Arrest Under Wraps

Larry Burton — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:36:50 -0500

We've all heard the story about the three Tennessee players arrested for their part in an attempted armed robbery. We all heard how Kiffin had just spoken hours before the incident and proclaimed how there had been no such incidents.

We finally heard his explanation and how proud he was that they went "Eleven months and 11 days without an incident."

Our hearts went out to him as we felt this could have happened anywhere and we were willing to give him a pass since nothing else had transpired, as he told us repeatedly.

But today word came out that this was indeed not the first incident.

Freshman defensive back Nyshier Oliver was charged with shoplifting on Nov. 7, just hours before the Vols played Memphis. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel , a police officer spotted Oliver trying to conceal a $110 polo shirt in a Dillards bag.

Oliver's punishment was handled quietly, and he was taken off the dress roster for that game and banned from team activities, according to Tennessee athletic department spokesperson Tiffany Carpenter.

Then, four days after Oliver's run-in with the law, Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin went on the SEC coaches teleconference and praised his team for not having any arrests or incidents in 11 months.

Maybe he thought nobody would miss a player who has only played in one game. Maybe he thought the media would just give him a pass, but the simple truth is Lane Kiffin is a liar.

A player being arrested for shoplifting and facing a Nov. 23 court date is an "incident," Mr. Kiffin. Would you rather us think you're simply too stupid to know that, or just a liar?

Now not even the most fervent Volunteer fan will ever have faith in your ability to tell the truth in crunch time. Now they can not even hold their heads up and defend you. You sir, just got caught in a very bad way.

What will the reaction be? I can't wait for this one.

Understanding Saban Speak Tells the Real Meaning of What He's Saying

Larry Burton — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:55:55 -0500

Covering Alabama football regularly and attending other Alabama functions with Nick Saban as the speaker is the only way to learn "Saban Speak." There's a subtle difference between what he says and what he means.

The players know this all too well. So do the assistant coaches. I've even been told by players they can tell by his body language how the talk is going to go.

They say if he grabs the lectern or a table he's mad and trying to stay under control. If he pumps his hands up and down he's frustrated about something and if he tilts his head, he's happy. But when he makes and holds eye contact with you and doesn't take his eyes away, watch out.

After learning all this I went back to watch some of the post game press conferences I'd taped and I have to say they were spot on.

But for the fans at home that don't get to witness the little things, let me help you out with some of the "Saban Speak"; or "Sabanisms", as I like to call them.

AIGHT

Short for "All right," aight has two meanings but the most common one is used like this. "We had four opportunities to make TDs this game and we only made one of them, aight!"

What this means is that yes he knows they sucked in the red zone, everyone in the stands knew they sucked in the red zone and it sure wasn't ALL RIGHT. Most of the time when he says aight, he means it ain't all right.

Another example is in the press room when he says, "Well it's easy to second guess the play calling after the game aight!" This of course means, "You're a jackass for trying to be an armchair coach after the game and that ain't all right."

But if he says aight with a smile on his face, (rare, but it does happen) or a smirk, (which is also rare) then it simply means "Are you following me?" "Do you get what I'm saying?"

An example would be, "So I got Cody trying to be my new best friend and all, aight, because he's wanting more third down opportunities. And he wants to spend a lot more time with me aight..."

OPPORTUNITY

No word is used much more by both Nick and the players he's mentored than opportunity. Opportunity usually means chance, as in Saban saying, "When Javvy couldn't play that just meant somebody else had to take advantage of that opportunity."

But opportunity also means goal, as in "We have the opportunity to beat any team." Yes, you could say that means chance too; but in Saban Speak, when he's talking long term, he means that it's a goal to have happen.

IMPROVE

When you hear Nick say, "Some players may need to work a little harder because the goal of every player is to improve," that means, "This guy is slacking off and he better get his *%*@ together and do what he's been taught to do."

If he's complimenting a player by saying he's improved, he means he's finally got his #%*@ together and it's about time.

The Shoulder Shrug

When Saban talks and shrugs his shoulders in that "I don't know" manner, you can believe he's not saying I don't know. This is his signal for, "Yes I know, but I can't kill them."

As in a reporter asking about kickoff coverage and the answer is, "Well, that's something we certainly need to improve , and it's an opportunity (See above definitions) that we need to capitalize on rather than let it be a problem." (Followed by a shoulder shrug)

The Air Quotation Marks

Is perhaps the funniest side of Nick Saban. I can't see him do it without thinking of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies. To all opposing teams, they see Nick as the "Evil Genius" bent on conquering the world. The college football world anyway.

Once the players made me aware of this, I couldn't believe how many times he does this without my being aware of it. Like his reference Monday to the Mississippi State game and how tough a team they were, and how it could have been like a (insert air quotation marks here) street fight.

He doesn't do this as alliteration like most speakers. He does it to place more emphasis on the words so you'll pay more attention to them. It's almost like a teacher telling you be sure and underline this.

Rocking Side to Side

When Saban's telling a story or recounting a game and he's rocking side to side, he's bored. He's saying something that needs to be said or saying something so it won't be asked later and he's just getting it out of the way until he gets to the good part.

So now that you know Nick, take the time to watch his post game press conferences. Students have parties and watch them and take a shot each time he says AIGHT; but for the average fan, watching them will take on a whole new meaning now that you've learned Saban Speak.

Tennessee's Lane Kiffin's Silence Is Deafening As The Orange Is Crushed

Larry Burton — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:22:44 -0500

As someone who has blasted Lane Kiffin in the past for his stupid statements, lies and mental miscues, I was fully ready and willing to give Lane Kiffin a pass for this, his first player arrest.

He has kept the team pretty much in check for a month short of a year and at Tennessee, that's quite an accomplishment.

What happened last week was possibly three young men who made a terrible decision. It was something that could have happened to any coach at any team. Unfortunately, such things have become all to common.

Kiffin has talked the good talk about discipline and even the fans outside of Tennessee fully expected him to follow through with a quick and swift verdict and appropriate punishment.

However, the silence coming from Tennessee is deafening.

His only two statements boiled down to "no comment" and "we need to get all the facts."

Lane, the facts are that at least two of your players tried to rob some citizens at gunpoint. That much seems pretty clear, the involvement of the third seems to be in question as does the speculation that they were smoking pot as well.

Police found the drugs in the car with paraphenalia along with the gun and the suspects were caught in the car and with the clothing described to the police and then eye witness I.D.'d.

How many more facts do you need? What other facts are you hoping this so called investigation will deliver?

You should have sent a representative to the jail to administer a drug test and you would have already had the results. You should have issued a statement immediately that said something like "Because of the overwhelming evidence at this point against the players arrested that they are suspended from the team for an indefinite period of time and if the charges prove true, they will be asked to leave both the team and the University."

You had time today to meet with the police, the players and even the victims. There was not much to investigate. Either they did or did not stick a gun in a citizen's face and demand money.

Even Inspector Clouseau could have solved this case by now. Each day you drag this out is another 100 pounds of credibility you lose.

Lane, you want to be considered a big time coach, now is the time to step up and act like one. Make your decision and stand by it. Let us see your convictions in action and let us see it soon. Your silence is deafening.

Alabama's Greg McElroy Is Throwing TDs Again, So Quit Complaining

Larry Burton — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:34:20 -0500

Greg McElroy thought he was prepared for the starting job as quarterback at the University of Alabama. He thought he knew what to expect, but the recent criticism has gotten under his skin.

Though he is a junior, this is his first year at the helm of a program whose quarterback gets thousand times the publicity and scrutiny of the state's Governor. This is the first year he's had to endure being circled by the press in the media room and picked over like road kill by a flock of vultures.

It has become evident in watching him over the season how McElroy's mood in these meetings went from excitement and pride to annoyance. At least in the media room, most are both professional and kind to Greg in the post game interviews. However, the press that comes after has burned him a little.

And so do the blogs and forums that post fans' displeasure with his mid-season slump.

He thought he was prepared for such things. Greg said that he watched how John Parker Wilson handled himself with the criticism that he endured for his last two years, especially during Saban's first year.

But the talk that came from some corners hit nerves he didn't count on.

Greg privately told a few people that yes, some of the talk was bothering him. From the look in his eyes you could tell it bothered him maybe a little more than he wanted you to know.

Then he spilt it all out to ESPN Saturday night.

“So many times, guys do read press clippings, and I think a lot of my teammates might have lost faith in me because of some of the things that were written,” Greg said.

That must have shocked his teammates who said their confidence in him had never wavered. Mark Ingram told me about Greg and his "slump" recently, saying, "As long as we're winning and trying to improve, there is no blame to pass around. We all make mistakes, (he had earlier referenced his fumble in the Tennessee game that almost cost them the game), but we learn from them."

"Greg and I are both in our first full year of starting and we have a lot to learn, but we all have faith in one another," Ingram continued. "No one on this team would rather have another person leading this offense right now. We have faith his ability to do whatever it takes to put a win on the board, no doubts, no question about it."

In fact, Greg worrying about what his teammates think may have been the first crack I've seen in the cohesiveness of this team. His teammates were probably shocked to hear that Greg had doubts about how they felt about him.

But results speak louder than words. Those results not only silenced the press, the blogs, and the fan sites, but also any doubts that Greg may have had about the faith his teammates have in him. A 28 point win over a good opponent will do that.

Going 13 for 18 for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns that included yet another beautifully thrown bomb to Julio Jones made everyone in the 'Bama nation breath a sigh of relief as McElroy's spot-on passing kept the running game open for Ingram.

Greg has played through several of the toughest defenses in the nation so far this year and has come up a winner each time. Five of Alabama's 11 opponents so far this year have defenses that are in the top 25 in the nation.

McElroy has seen some best defensive coordinators throw some of the top defensive players at him, and he's still undefeated. To be fair, Greg hasn't played a defense ranked as high as Florida's, but he practices against one almost every day.

And those he practices against have high words of praise for McElroy as well. Marquis Johnson said he's not had to face a quarterback with better long ball ability than McElroy.

"You can blanket your man and cover tight and McElroy can still put it over his shoulder and into his hands". Johnson said. "I wouldn't want to face him as an opponent."

Defensive leader and linebacker Rolando McClain also had praise for McElroy. "He has great vision and instincts back there and he has a talent of finding just what what is there and take what they will give him," McClain said. "[The defense] know that if we do our job, he'll do his and we can win. We have that faith in one another."

McElroy has had some private talks with his head coach about his insecurities, and Saban has helped him work through them. Greg has never heard a public word come from his coach's mouth that could have ever been construed as negative.

About the harshest comments from Saban were, "We had some opportunities we didn't take advantage of and some passes we didn't complete that we could have, but we are confident that we can work those out and come back and take advantage of those opportunities the next time they come up."

Saban was never in doubt of Greg's mechanics, his abilities, or his desire, just in his ability to relax and not force throws.

So with McElroy's teammates so solidly behind him, maybe the press and fans will fall in line too. If not, then maybe McElroy will take his head coach Nick Saban's advice to heart and "believe in yourself and ignore the negative."

Larry's Losers in the SEC: Week Twelve

Larry Burton — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:32:39 -0500

Dog Gone it! I follow up my first perfect week with two losers in week eleven. Auburn proved you can't keep a good team down and allowed Georgia to prove they may be better than we all thought and I wrote Larry's Losers before the Tennessee Trio auditioned for America's Dumbest Criminals and if it didn't take the team's mind off business, something sure took the wind out of their sails as they were humiliated by Ole Miss.

That brings the record down to 65-15 for the season for just a 77% winning margin. I'm back to a solid C and lookin' to bring up the ratings with my second week of prodigious pickin' this week, so settle in and learn the results of this weeks picks from the little smart pill machine.

U.T. Chattanooga at Alabama

The confused Mocs of Chattanooga come to Tuscaloosa for a down home beating and a big paycheck for being a bye week and sacrificial bird. I say confused because U.T. Chattanooga used to be the Moccasins, as in water moccasins, then became the shoe variety of Moccasin, then the mascot became Chief Macanooga, sort of a Cherokee Indian.

However, political correctness took over and they became the Mocs, short for a railroad engineer mockingbird named Scrappy. That's the forth Moc transformation, but what they'll be known for after this game is a group of confused Tennessee hill people mocking reality and portraying themselves as a football team.

The Mocs will leave with they came for, a big paycheck and and a big butt whuppin'. Larry's Loser—U.T. Chattanooga

Mississippi State at Arkansas

Can the Bulldogs finish lickin' their wounds before a group of troublesome tusked hogs jump on them? That will be the question to be answered this week as Bobby Petrino seeks to improve his bowl situation with a win over the down and out dogs.

Mullen's mutts have had a bite as big as their bark this season, but has always come up a few bites too little until being totally whupped on by the Crimson Tide last week and Dan hopes to regroup the pound puppies and get back a little respect.

However a little respect is all the hogs will show them as they swat them good with rolled up papers and send 'em scurryin' back to Starkville. Larry's Loser—Miss. State

Florida International at Florida

Mario Cristobal brings the Florida football stepchildren to the swamp for the second big paycheck and butt whuppin' of the year. They've already been to Tuscaloosa and should know by now just to duck, cover and protect the face when playing a top flight team.

After several lackluster showings, Urban Meyer wants to make a strong statement that the Gators are for real, so he would hang 60 points on his mamma's knitting group to do it. Unless there's a game warden there to remind Urban that Florida panthers are a protected species, this could be a massacre.

In a game will show their ain't no brotherly love among Florida football programs and Larry's Loser will be Florida International.

Kentucky at Georgia

Rich Brooks became bowl eligible last week and hopes to step up from the visit to Shreveport with yet another win. This is the fourth year in a row that the Kentucky Kitties have been bowl bound, and the first time that's happened to these boys. Rich Brooks has done a heckofa job there and me and Baccardi both tip our hats to Rich for a job well done.

Georgia likewise became bowl eligible last week, and this could be the fight to escape Shreveport as each team has six wins and Georgia don't have much chance beatin' their brothers over at Georgia Tech next weekend.

If I knew which Georgia team would show it up, it would be easier to pick, but despite my little buddy urging me to pick the dogs, the cat's have won the most fights this season, so it looks like Larry's Loser will be Georgia.

LSU at Ole Miss

Les Travel a few miles with his band of Bengals to take on a Rebel that totally kicked his hiney last year. The Tigers have revenge on their minds and really want a little payback for last years humiliation. But after last weeks potential embarrassment at the hands of Louisiana Tech, people are finally seeing that this is a very weak two loss team.

Now that Houston Nutt has fallen completely on his face after such lofty preseason hype, it's time for him to continue to brush off the dust and build the Rebels up for possibly another Cotton Bowl bid.

This is a game of two over-hyped coaches but one that will finally show that sometimes Les is not more after all. Larry's Loser—LSU

Vanderbilt at Tennessee

With only two games left in the season you can officially stick a fork in the poor little Commodores from Vandy, they're done. Bobby Johnson's one good old coach, but he ain't got the talent he had last year and it shows.

Lane Kiffin on the other hand has increased the talent pool in Knoxville. Now if he can just keep them out of jail he might improve his lot in the bowl picture as well. This win will get the Vols bowl eligible and fighting with Kentucky and Georgia for the Shreveport Slot.

Even though Tennessee lost badly last week, this is Vanderbilt in their usual glory. Last week when they played, Dexter McCluster did everything to Tennessee except father a child with Lane Kiffin's wife but Vanderbilt has a way of making those bad memories go away quickly. Larry's Loser—Vanderbilt

OK Baccardi, let's get those steaks on the grill, my stomach's growling like a Georgia Bulldog seeing an Auburn Tiger. Until next week, God bless and may the best team win, all the players be safe and my prognosticatin' skills get better.

Darn dog, where's my slippers? You realize there's a lot of disgruntled bulldogs that would take this job in a heartbeat don't you?

Are All the Stars Aligning for Alabama As a Team of Destiny in 2009?

Larry Burton — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:48:00 -0500

In what is unveiling to be a season of firsts and lasts, this Tide team appears to be peaking at the right time to finish the season. Yesterday marked the first time in Nick Saban's career that he has posted back to back 10-0 starts, and the first time Alabama has done it since 1973 and 1974.

It also marks the 29th game in a row that the Tide has not allowed a rusher a 100 yard game, and last night Alabama held Miss. State to about half it's season average in rushing.

This is the year Alabama will have to win the SEC Championship to preserve it's record of winning at least one in every decade since a champion has been named. This is certainly proving to be an important year for the history books.

Saturday night brought out yet another team "Blackout" against Alabama, and another Alabama blowout result. Gimmicks haven't worked against Alabama since the arrival of Nick Saban, just hard work and except for the kickoff return team, Mississippi State had little of that to show.

"We had several goals coming into this game", said Nick Saban, "We wanted to dominate from beginning to end, we wanted some explosive offensive plays and we wanted to contain number 24 (Miss. State sensational running back Anthony Dixon) and overall I thought we did a pretty good job against a very good team."

Mississippi State a very good team? For those of you who forgot, LSU had to stop them on the goal line to preserve a win, and they played Florida right to the end. This is the worst loss they've had this season, and the first time they've been held without a touchdown.

This was a team not willing to overlook a dangerous, yet unranked, opponent that no other team was able to dominate in such smothering fashion. To a man, every Alabama player says, "It's one game at a time." But they do have long range goals in mind.

This was a game that many felt was a trap game for the Tide. They had already secured an SEC Championship game slot, a major BCS Bowl at the least, and they were playing a team after an exciting and emotional win over LSU.

However, that trap failed to spring. This was one of the more determined, nose to the grindstone wins that Alabama has had all year, but it would be foolish to say they're not looking ahead just a little.

Coming off the field someone shouted to Alabama's imposing nose guard, affectionately known as Mt. Cody, "How does it feel to be 10-0 again?", and his reply was short, sweet, and simple, "Not as good as 14-0 will feel!"

And with all the stars and stats aligning for them, that may be a possibility. As was predicted in the article http://bleacherreport.com/articles/288611-alabama-and-florida-shocking-statistics-and-how-they-will-change, Alabama did beat Mississippi State worse than Florida did, much worse in fact, and Florida defeated South Carolina by less points than Alabama did.

Alabama started last week with Alabama and Florida both beating common opponents by exactly 57 points. That has now swung to Alabama's favor by 22 points. Alabama appears to be peaking while Florida appears to be stagnating.

Overall, most all of Florida's offensive statistics are down from last year, while Alabama's offensive statistics are much higher. The same can said for the defensive statistics as well.

So with everything aligning for a monumental clash in the SEC Championship that could favor Alabama, Tide fans must first wait through two more games, and continue to hope.

The Fat Lady Has Not Sung at Notre Dame for Weis According to Swarbrick

Larry Burton — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:37:14 -0500

According to sources close to Jack Swarbrick, the Notre Dame athletic director said, "Anyone who has said Charlies Weis will not be our football coach next year is being irresponsible and does not have the facts. Charlies Weis has a contract than runs until 2015 and Notre Dame has every intention of honoring that contract."

That sounds like something a lawyer might say, which was Swarbrick's first occupation before becoming Notre Dame's Athletic Director. Of course they'll honor that contract, but only because they'll be legally obligated to do so.

Nothing makes an administration more eager to keep a coach than the prospect of simply losing millions of dollars and would the Irish be willing to pay Weis more than $20 million to sit home and barbecue on Saturday while paying out another $20 million to a new coach?

And that does not include the contracts of the assistants that are sure to be gone as well. This could become the most expensive firing in history were it to happen.

A source inside the Notre Dame athletic dept told me that Swarbrick was not happy with the mess that he inherited and the Weis contract that was already enforced, but could ride out the storm should Weis prove he could turn it around with a very strong finish.

And it is possible that Weis could still pull out a 10-win season and a respectable bowl. No team would fire a coach for bringing his team up to that standard.

However, to accomplish that feat, Notre Dame would have to do something it has so far seemed incapable of doing, being consistent and beating a few top-20 teams.

They would have to beat No. 12 Pittsburgh, a Connecticut team that came within two points of upsetting No. 5 Cincinnati, and the always pesky Stanford Cardinal plus a major bowl opponent.

One thing is for sure, unless he brings home a National Championship, no coach will ever be given a "Charlie Contract" without first earning it.

As for now, Swarbrick is taking line you would expect not only an athletic director, but a lawyer to take. Notre Dame has a head football coach, we have a contract in place and we are honoring that contract.

The players love Charlie and hear all the talk that's being bandied around and hate it. They would like nothing more than to rally and save their coach's job.

"We have pride to play for every game," Jimmy Clausen said this week, "But also want to win for Coach Weis".

If only he had felt that way before losing to unranked Michigan and Navy, perhaps this talk wouldn't be needed.

But if Weis can rally the troops and finish with a nine or 10-win season, that may be enough for the press to kick him around for at least another year. Whether he deserves it or not is a different question than the one that asks:

Can Notre Dame afford to fire him?

Alabama's Streak of Being an SEC Champion in Every Decade is No Big Deal

Larry Burton — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:23:23 -0500

The first SEC Championship Game was in 1933 and the winner was Alabama. Since then the Crimson Tide have won an unprecedented 21 titles. That's eight more than second place Tennessee and over twice the number of fifth place Florida.

Sheer numbers are not the only thing that makes Alabama the all time king of the SEC; you would also have to factor in consistency. Alabama has won at least one SEC Championship for every decade since the first one.

However, Alabama's last SEC Championship was in 1999. Since that date Alabama went through the Dubose fizzle, the Franchione fiasco, girls gone wild with Mike Price, and the Mike Shula experiment.

Those were some of the craziest, probation filled, dark days that Alabama has ever had to endure. An SEC Championship, not to mention a shot at a National Championship would finally once and for all put a period on this dark decade.

That means to keep that streak in place, this is the year that Alabama must win the SEC.

This is certainly a good year for that to happen. Currently Alabama is locked into a meeting with Florida for a chance to win it all, but will this streak put extra pressure on the players?

Not according to the players.

As Mark Ingram told me, "We are all about winning every game. Whether it has more implications than just the win, it doesn't matter, no one win is more important than another. We play to win them all, so this streak will put no more pressure on us than any other game. The most important game is the next one."

"We just worry about getting better every week, doing our job, and taking advantage of the opportunities we have" he concluded.

And one of those opportunities is to keep that streak in effect.

Mike Johnson told me he wasn't even aware of that streak being on the line, but his comments echoed that of his team mate. That is not unusual. In interviewing players all season it has amazed me how this truly is one team, with one heartbeat as Coach Bryant used to strive for, but one mindset as well.

"We signed on at Alabama believing in this school and that we could bring this program back to the top" Johnson told me. "We believe we can win every game, and we know that to attain the goals we set for ourselves, every game is equally important. We'll worry about Florida when it Florida week and focus on next week's opponent this week. The most important game is always the next one."

So while the streak in important to the fans, it's just another game to the players. Sure it means something special, but to the players, it's just another game to get to winning them all.

Orange Crushed: Tennessee Arrests Mean Kiffin Hasn't Fixed The Problems

Larry Burton — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:20:00 -0500

Tennessee has always had a reputation of having players in trouble. How bad? The "Award" for the team with the most players arrested and charges pressed against them was named "The Fulmer Cup."

Many thought Lane Kiffin's hire would stop that trend and, for a time, it certainly seemed to have. But last night, three University of Tennessee players—all that Kiffin himself brought in and signed—were arrested.

This was not a drunken bar incident, a DUI or misunderstanding, but a full-fledged armed robbery. (Although police found out later it was a pellet gun.)

Nu'Keese Richardson, a freshman wide receiver from Pahokee, Fla., Janzen Jackson, a freshman defensive back from Lake Charles, La., and Michael Edwards, a freshman defensive back from Cleveland, were arrested a short time later. Each was charged with three counts of attempted armed robbery. This according to Knoxville police spokesman Darrell DeBusk.

Kiffin has not had time to make a public statement on the incident, however his actions and punishment will be closely watched by observers from around the country.

According to police, the victims told police that they were sitting inside their vehicle, parked next to a Toyota Prius, while a friend was inside the Pilot store.

"The victims stated that a black male then exited from the passenger side of the Prius, wearing a black hoodie, walked around to the front passenger door of their car, opened it and stated, ‘give us everything you've got,' " DeBusk said.

The victims told police that they all showed their wallets to the suspects. All the wallets were empty. A third black male then approached and told the other two suspects, "We've got to go," DeBusk said. The suspects then got into the Prius and drove away.

Police spotted the Prius a short time later and stopped the vehicle, arresting the three players.

"In plain view, officers observed two black hoodies on the back seat. Underneath the back seat, officers located a black, CO2-powered pellet gun," DeBusk said. "The suspects were taken back to the store, and the victims positively identified Edwards and Richardson as the two who approached their vehicle."

The players are still being held pending bail.

This is an unfortunate turn of events for Kiffin, who at least had kept the players in line amidst yet another disappointing season for Volunteer fans. This now leaves fans wondering if Kiffin or anyone can get a handle on this team and leaves questions about the type of players Kiffin is recruiting.

Nick Saban inherited a mess at Alabama with off-field problems. But for the years he's been at Alabama, no Saban recruit has been involved in any problems like this.

Kiffin is expected to make a statement later today, addressing both the crime and the expected punishment. For a young coach, this is a make-or-break moment and a opportunity to get a handle on the this team. Let's hope he handles it well.

Alabama and Florida: Shocking Statistics and How They Will Change

Larry Burton — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:51:49 -0500

As you may know, statistics can be very helpful in illustrating a point you want to prove or even proving either side of a heated argument in some cases. Such is the case with Alabama and Florida.

Common Opponents -

Florida beat Tennessee by 10 points and Alabama beat them by only two. Therefore Florida must be the better team. But wait, Alabama beat Arkansas by by 28 points and Florida just squeaked by with a three point win, so Alabama must be better?

They both had a similar game against LSU so they must the same. But wait, Florida beat Kentucky by 34 points and Alabama only beat them by 18, so does that give the edge to Florida?

By adding the scores of common opponents, Alabama beat them 109-52 and Florida beat them 100-43. Alabama scored nine more points and Florida nine less points to be scored. Boy that sounds like two pretty evenly matched teams.

The casual fan may be shocked to see that Alabama actually scored more points against common opponents and that Florida allowed less points, since Florida is primarily known as a points racking juggernaut and Alabama is known for defense. It's funny that these stats are flipped in the other order.

Each team has beaten the common opponents so far by 57 points. Isn't that quite a facinating statistic? Apparently there is no edge in common opponents.

How the Figures Will Change -

There will be two other common opponents before the meeting in Atlanta. Florida will play South Carolina, a team Alabama beat handily 20-6 and Alabama will play Mississippi State, a team Florida struggled with before winning 29-19.

Florida has recently had a blowout win, but usually seems to have a tough game with South Carolina, and Steve Spurrier will give his old team his best shot. I do not expect Florida to win it by more than Alabama's 14 point margin.

Alabama is looking to continue to break out the offense and they will beat Mississippi State by more than Florida's 10 point margin.

Passing and Rushing -

You think you know these two teams, but once again get ready to be shocked.

So far this year Alabama has passed for 1815 yards and Florida has passed for 1782. What a minute, Greg McElroy, a first year starter playing against a tougher strength of schedule than Florida has thrown for more yards than a Heisman Trophy winner? Yes, that's the tale of the tape so far.

Alabama has run for 1917 yards and Florida has run for 2166—249 yards more. But wait, isn't Alabama the running team with the guy that's being talked about for the Heisman? Yes, but Tim Tebow is like having another running back on the field and no QB gets running yards like he does.

Alabama has a running average of 5.24 yards per carry and Florida has an average of 5.51. That's just a few short inches of difference. Both teams know they can run the ball and both use the run to impose their will on the other team's defense.

How the Figures Will Change -

Alabama will continue to lead Florida on passing yardage and perhaps add to their advantage.

Florida will continue to lead Alabama in rushing but the gap will lesson by the SEC Championship Game.

Red Zone Stats

Everyone knows Alabama has trouble in the red zone right? That is after all, what everybody's saying. And everyone knows Florida and Tim Tebow are a red zone scoring machine, right?

Actually, Alabama ranks 12th in the nation and converts red zone opportunities about 87 percent of the time. Florida ranks 84th and converts over 76 percent of their opportunities.

Alabama is actually doing nine percent better than last years team in the red zone and Florida is doing 12 percent poorer than last year.

If the stats so far go against what you've thought about both teams so far, you're not alone. The mainstream press has been accurately portraying what really going on in favor of hype and controversy.

How the Figures Will Change -

Florida's percentage should increase as should Alabama's due to the strength of the opponents, but Alabama will maintain a commanding lead.

Third and Fourth Down Conversions -

Though Alabama has converted 49 first downs this year to Florida's 51, Alabama has had many more attempts than the Gators. Therefore, the Gators lead in the 3rd down conversion ratio 45% to 37%.

This is the first stat that goes pretty much as expected.

Total First Downs

Alabama has converted 186 total first downs this season. 92 by rushing, 82 by passing, and 12 by penalty. Overall this shows a very good balance.

Florida has converted 204 total first downs this season. 18 more than Alabama. But they have 114 of them by rushing, 79 trough passing, and 11 by penalty. This also is a good balance.

Excluding penalties, Alabama converts 56% of it's first downs running and 44% passing. For Florida the ratio is almost 60% running and 40% passing.

What These Figures Don't Show and How They May Change -

No team likes to be predictable, but Florida is just that on third down. Third down is "Tebow Time." Tebow accounts for more rushing first downs than any running back and of course he throws the first downs too.

Tebow's reluctance to give up control of the majority of third down plays could cause a decrease in their conversion rates as teams simply key on him on third down and force him into a hurried throw which is not his strength.

Alabama has worked through the hardest part of their schedule and with McElroy getting over a mid season slump, Alabama's numbers should improve. Both should enter their game together with pretty equal numbers.

Conclusions -

You may have been shocked that both teams have beaten common opponents by the same margin this year. Most thought Florida had been crushing opponents and Alabama just getting by.

I'm sure you were shocked that Alabama actually has more offensive yardage than Florida especially in passing. The worry about Greg McElroy not being able to go toe to toe with Tebow in the Championship game is a joke. He's already doing better now.

I know you were dumbfounded that Alabama simply kills Florida's production in the red zone and that gap could only widen. Most sportswriters would have you believe Alabama has two left feet in the red zone compared to Florida, but Alabama is in the top 10% of the best in red zone conversions and Florida isn't even in the top 50 percent.

Overall Alabama's numbers are much better than last year's team at this time and Florida's is much worse. Given the closeness of last years game, one would have to say that Alabama is actually the better team this year and should win the next matchup.

Well, that's only if the stats work out and we all know that stats can tell almost any story the author wants to tell. These stats came from http://www.cfbstats.com/ .

Nick Saban Brings Tide Team and Recruiting Crop Both Up To No. 2

Larry Burton — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:59:04 -0500

Just when you thought Nick Saban had his hands full guiding this year's Crimson Tide team team to a second place ranking and coaching so hard to stop the silly miscues they've been making, he's also building yet another recruiting class that came in today at No. two as well.

Could this be the third year in a row that Nick Saban not only brings home the wins, but brings home the best recruiting class in America yet again?

With Saban, all things are possible. Some people refer to Saban as a recruiter who coaches during his off time.

Five-star athlete Keenan Allen's commitment this past week helped elevate the Tide to this high ranking.

However another No. one would be very long shot as Saban has commitments and has offered scholarships to two kickers that are only two stars at this point.

Saturday's game against LSU was certainly an exciting game. It was also a game that Saban had arranged to have a hefty number of top prospects attend.

That game helped cement some very positive feedback from every single one of them.

A typical reaction was like this one from a 2011 prospect, Javorius Allen.

"It was a different atmosphere than I've ever seen before. The crowd was out of control. It was also one of the best games I've ever seen in person before so that was great too," said Allen. "I talked to Coach Smart and Coach Willis after the game. They told me they like what they've seen of my play on the field and they told me to keep up the good work and keep working hard. They were very encouraging to me and said they really think I could be a special player."

So not only was Saban working on getting the 2010 class to No. one, but he was already laying the groundwork for the 2011 class as well.

Saban is a winner, and he takes that mentality to every phase of his job. He doesn't want to just win games, he wants to win every recruiting contest, every golf game and every argument with reporters.

So far I can attest to having witnesses three of those four myself. We have yet to play golf together.

Just How Good Can Alabama Be If It Plays Its Most Complete Game?

Larry Burton — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:51:17 -0500

There's a lot that sports fans will never agree on, like who was the best college team ever. But there is one thing most will agree on—Alabama has not played it's best game yet this season and they're not hitting on all cylinders.

Every fan can agree that McElroy missing open receivers for touchdowns and Julio Jones dropping easy passes can't be signs of a team that has it all together. Mindless penalties that negate great kickoff and punt returns are a quick sign that things aren't clicking well.

Blown defensive coverage for an easy six and watching a defender slip to the ground to allow another are more signs of a team with issues that need work.

However, they are still winning and the mistakes do seem fixable. The question is, just how good can this team be when the mistakes are fixed?

To put in it in NASCAR terms, they have run 350 miles of a 500 mile race with two cylinders not firing—and they're still at the front of the pack. Can you imagine how much faster they'll be than the rest of the cars once they reconnect those plug wires on the next pit stop?

Alabama beat one of the top rated teams in the country by nine points last week. They could have easily beaten them by 25 with just a few of the miscues fixed.

Of course every team has it's problems and all could stand some improvement, but still, if Alabama brings it's "A" game, is there anyone out there that can stop them?

Nick Saban has to be a man with mixed emotions. On one hand, he's got a team that's making mistakes costing him hair dye and headphones, but on the other hand, he's got the team that just keeps beating some of the better teams in the country while still committing those mistakes.

He's smart enough to know what they are capable of, and a good enough coach to get them there, but when?

That is the question that keeps us watching this year's version of the Crimson Tide.

Why Are Mississippi State and Auburn Helping Alabama Beat Florida?

Larry Burton — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:13:03 -0500

Dan Mullen is helping Alabama beat his old boss and friend Urban Meyer. Gene Chizik and his new offensive coordinator are also helping Alabama to beat Florida in the upcoming SEC Championship Game.

No, they're not Gator haters and they're certainly no fans of Alabama or Nick Saban, so what are they doing to help Alabama beat Florida this year?

They are giving Alabama some really good practice against the spread offense and several defensive schemes that Florida runs as well.

Though Auburn's offense may vary a little, it is close enough to provide a lot practice in shutting it down. But Mississippi has the same Dan Mullen offense that Florida is still using today.

Alabama should thank both coaches for the extra weeks of practice against the spread. It will sure come in handy later.

Alabama didn't face the spread that much last year, and Florida's offense proved hard to stop when it mattered. They didn't go into that game playing two of thee three teams that also run the same offense.

Certainly this time last year, the only spread in Mississippi State was a bed spread and Auburn was running from the spread as fast as it could. What a difference a year makes.

By the time Alabama gets around to playing Florida, they may know the spread as well as Florida.

Yes there is a talent difference, but still the Tide will see the same formations, the same motion plays, and more. And don't forget, both have good defenses for Alabama to practice their own offensive problems against.

Florida won't have the luxury of playing an Alabama clone for two of their last three games. For that matter, who in the SEC is a Bama clone? There aren't many teams that have a Mark Ingram—Trent Richardson one two punch with a Julio Jones on one side and a Marquis Maze on the other.

With Alabama working on getting back a good balance, all three remaining games should do much to help them polish their skills without too much fear of a loss.

And if Alabama hoists the SEC Championship Trophy up in the air, they may have Mississippi State and Auburn to thank for it.

LSU Fans Beginning To See Les Is Not More When It Comes To Coaching

Larry Burton — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:25:32 -0500

LSU fans are beginning to show some division. The loyal fans who praised Les Miles as the second coming of a Bengal Messiah who could continue to lead this team to more greatness are now divided.

Some still see him as the great recruiter, which he undeniably is, and a great coach. Others see him as a great recruiter who doesn't have a clue what it takes to get a team to the end of the regular season undefeated and focused.

Yes, we all know he has a ring on his finger you can point to, but he won that with players who were still disciplined by Nick Saban standards and conditioned into shape both mentally and physically by him.

Tonight, I ran across a familiar name on an LSU forum. His real name is Jim Nall and he goes by Maximus. He's no Johnny-come-lately, he's been a member of that forum for over five years and posted over 93,000 posts there, mostly positive ones. But I saw tonight he has finally had enough.

His post, at http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/messagetopic.asp?sp=16201050&b=1&s=1&p=16168594

And it says:

Year 5 of Les' program, all of his recruits in yet we're: - still having senior WRs negating big plays because they can't line up on the line of scrimmage correctly like 7th graders

-Still running meerkat to make sure everyone is confused and we can kill any drive that we accidentally get going because of sheer talent by one of our studs
-Still have no idea how to manage the clock or your timeouts -Still make ZERO halftime adjustments and look like absolute shite for the second half because other teams have actual coaches who make adjustments. Les announcing to Wolfson after halftime that the offense and defense were perfect and he needed to change nothing in the 2nd half was very reassuring.

-Still have players completely out of shape, dropping left and right like flies from injuries and conditioning AND being completely out of gas from the start of the 4th quarter on.
-Have a kid fly in to block a punt at the worst possible angle for the 2nd week in a row because hey if he can get away with it vs Tulane than surely it will work against Alabama, right? right?
-Still have no clue which QB on your roster is the one you need to win a game for you.
-Still have as much of a grasp on when to go for 2 point conversions and when not to as the average Bengal Belle.

Can't wait til all the Miles Marching apologists come in here to tell us that Miles is the man to keep this program at the top (which it no longer is at BTW) and that he outcoached Saban but we WUZ ROBBED by dem mean refs. Everything positive we did in that game was the result of either great individual efforts by great players on mediocre to bad play calls (see Shepard, Scott, Jefferson, Toliver, Ridley) or just horrible plays by Bama's shitty ginger QB.

How excited are you to know that no matter how much talent we can accumulate (if the 1985 bears are put back in a time machine, granted college eligibility and all sign with LSU) we will still be GUARANTEED to lose at least 2 games a year? I'm pretty pumped.

(End of Maximus' post)

I was saying as early as two years ago that once Nick Saban's players all departed, the magic would be gone from LSU. Not because he can't get talent, but because he can't develop it and get the most from it.

Les may be licking his chops just waiting for the Rich Rodriguez firing so he jump ship and get out of a conference where he is so badly over matched. Not by talent, but by coaches who know what to do with it.

And the talent pipeline will soon start drying up. Coaches are already telling recruits that if you want a chance to win a minor bowl and learn from a coach who is considered second-rate by most NFL coaches, go play at LSU. If you want to win championships, you might want to look at (insert your name here).

It's time for LSU to face the fact they are loaded with as much talent as they'll have for a long time, and if all they can do with it is settle for second tier status, that's just fine for the rest of the SEC.

But the LSU fans must now come to grip with the fact that Les is not more when it comes to coaching ability.