Five Speed Bumps For Alabama to Negotiate In 2010

Confidence in Personnel and Game Plan

This seems like a given, but in any new season, the first team offense and defense will have the jitters until they meet a true competitor. The offense must come out of the gates this season much like the 2008 offense did. They must take the field with the intention to set the pace and establish an early lead for the defense.

The defense will need to gain confidence quickly in the 2010 season; there are no easy foes. From the beginning of the 2010 season to the Iron Bowl, this defense will be tested and will carry a target on their backs.

They will be scored upon more than the 2009 Tide defense, but they have the personnel to stuff the run and shut down the pass game of any team they face. The entire team may need to respond to the adversity of coming from behind more often than they have in past seasons. This season will call on expert, timely play from the offense, defense, and special teams.

Beware of the Trap Games; Be Alert on Opening Day

This year's opening game against the San Jose State Spartans can present a trap of sorts. This WAC team will be prepared to meet the defending national champion and will throw out all the stops.

They have a new head coach, Mike MacIntyre, the 2009 AFCA Football Bowl Subdivision Assistant Coach of the Year.

MacIntyre is no stranger to the SEC. He played two years for the Vanderbilt Commodores ('84-'85), under the tutelage of his father, head coach George MacIntyre. He finished his career at Georgia Tech ('87-'88) coached by Bobby Ross. As a Yellow Jacket, MacIntyre was an exceptional free safety and punt returner.

He spent time as an assistant at Ole Miss from 1999-2002. In his first two years, he coached wide receivers for the Rebels; in the following two years, defensive backs. The Rebels finished the 2001 season ranked fifth nationally in pass defense, yielding only 161.3 yards per game.

From 2003-2006, MacIntyre coached in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys (under Bill Parcells) and Cincinnati Bengals (2007), as a defensive backs coach in both situations. His highest achievement as a mentor in the professional league was helping Roy Williams achieve Pro Bowl status in each of the four years he was on staff with the Cowboys.

Coach Mac spent his last two years as the defensive coordinator for the Duke Blue Devils. In the two seasons that MacIntyre coached the Blue Devils, the teams posted the best defensive statistics for a season (each season) in over 20 years. The 2008 team allowed 67.7 fewer yards per game than the season before and 9.8 fewer points per game.

In 2009, the defensive unit helped the Blue Devils win a total of five games, more wins than in any season since 1994. Three defenders received All-Conference honors. MacIntyre knows defense, particularly pass defense, and will have the San Jose State Spartans prepared for the Alabama pass attack.

The running game should be in full gear and prevent an upset in this season opener. But the offense should not back off, and must use this game as a teaser for the upcoming test against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Success in the pass game against the Spartans, in conjunction with the run, will instill a confidence that can carry this team for weeks to come in the early season. But the game must be prepared for as expertly as any other game on the schedule. This San Jose State team is laden with junior and seniors who would like nothing more than to upset the defending national champs in the season opener on the road.

Having said this, the Spartans won only two games in the entire 2009 season. While great things are expected from the hire of Mike MacIntyre, opening the season with a win against Alabama is unlikely.

Avoiding the Injury Bug

In some regard, this is a matter of luck. Then again, solid technique and playing with speed and confidence in your reads helps to avoid unnecessary injury. Last year, Alabama was bitten early in the season with season ending injuries to Damien Square and Donta' Hightower.

Square was injured late in the game against FIU, Hightower against the Arkansas Razorbacks. In both instances, the injuries seemed unavoidable but both will admit that their guard was down when the injuries occurred.  ACL injuries occur from knee hyperextension, and in many cases, internal rotation.

Playing off legal chop blocks with correct technique and planting your foot with proper leverage can help in avoiding this particular injury. Each play requires intense focus and attention to such details.

This is learned in practice during fundamental skills and drills. Getting through the drills when you are extremely tired is even more important because you train your muscles to respond with proper technique even when fatigued.

Improving the Special Teams

The Alabama Crimson Tide have very good special teams units. Yet they have not had great special teams units. Special teams could be referred to as transition teams to better define their role. They are the units in place on the field during the play that allows for a transition from offense to defense.

This occurs on every kickoff and punt return and can occur on any given PAT and field goal attempt. Offensively, special teams units are put on the field to secure the exchange and give the offense an opportunity to take the field. The secondary goal is to give the offense the best field position possible and the tertiary goal is to score when given the opportunity.

A player like Javier Arenas is instrumental in achieving each of the three goals with every exchange to your return team. Javier Arenas must be replaced with a return specialist at least as good, hopefully even better, than the four year starter.

While Javier had great statistics and very remarkable highlights, his best returns and greatest highlights came against weaker opponents. Alabama must show an improvement in special teams play against SEC opponents in 2010.

The Alabama special teams units need to develop into units that are feared by every team on the schedule. By the end of the season in 2009, because of his four year history, both Florida and Texas avoided Arenas' touches, to their own detriment. Both teams gave up good field position due to poor punting.

On the other hand, Texas found a weakness in the kickoff game and exploited the Tide on two occasions in the national championship game. Improving special teams will go a long way to improving the outcome of the 2010 season for the Crimson Tide.

Special teams can also be useful in maintaining possession on fourth down by successfully converting a fake punt, or on kickoffs by pulling off the successful on-sides kick. Special teams is about possession of the ball and giving your team field position that is to your team's advantage, offensive or defensively.

In 2009, Alabama finished 36th nationally in special teams. Texas finished the season No. 3 in special teams. Alabama was fifth in the conference behind Georgia, LSU, Florida, and Kentucky. Auburn finished 83rd nationally.

Owning the Entire Game. Domination from First to Fourth Quarter

In 2008, the Crimson Tide got the jump on nearly every team they played. The two teams that didn't allow that to happen defeated that Alabama team in their last two contests of the season.

In 2009, the offense scored just enough to get a lead and allow the defense to make a stand. Although this 2010 defense has the talent to defend the goal and avoid big point totals by the opponent, they will more than likely allow more points than last year's defense.

Therefore, this year's offense will need to be more productive when they have the ball. Time of possession is definitely a key to success and putting points on the board will be more important in 2010. The offense must take advantage of every opportunity to score. Improving the red zone scoring will be essential in 2010.

Last year, Alabama ranked 11th nationally in red zone scoring at 92.6 percent; many of the conversions were off of the foot of Leigh Tiffin. Alabama was fourth in the conference behind Arkansas (97 percent), Auburn (94 percent, Ugh), and Georgia (93.5 percent).

Converting red zone opportunities into a higher ratio of touchdowns to field goals will allow this team the opportunity to repeat as undefeated SEC west champions. Too many field goals in the red zone will spell defeat somewhere along the road in 2010.

There are lots of opportunities for improvement for the 2010 Crimson Tide football team compared to seasons past. Improving in these five categories will give Alabama a chance to repeat the D1 championship trifecta (Division, Conference, and BCS Championship).