Posted on 12/28/2016 4:18:11 PM PST by blam
•If Washington can get pressure on Alabama QB Jalen Hurts, the Crimson Tide could be vulnerable. But the Huskies need QB Jake Browning to have time to take advantage.
Andy Staples
Wednesday December 28th, 2016
Who wants Bama? Washington does. Huskies coach Chris Petersen did excellent work as an underdog at Boise State, and now his team will get the ultimate underdog experience against the undefeated defending national champ in the Peach Bowl. Alabama coach Nick Saban has told anyone who would listen since the playoff field was announced that Washington will be the best team the Crimson Tide have faced all season. Saban, who often speaks to his players through the media, does not want them to underestimate the Pac-12 champions. But he’s also telling the truth; Washington probably will be the best team Alabama has played so far.
1. Time for Jalen Hurts to take the next step
True freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts has turned Alabama’s attack into one of the nation’s most versatile thanks to his running ability, but he hasn’t had a chance to run the full offense yet. “Once we realized how talented he was, we needed to play him right away,” Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin said. “We didn’t have two years to develop him, so how can we simplify the offense to do the things he can do best?” The extended break between the SEC title game and the Peach Bowl offered the first chance for Hurts to go back to basics at practice as the starter.
Hurts’s yards per attempt dropped by nearly a full yard (from 8.1 to 7.2) as Alabama faced better defenses in its last seven games, but his completion percentage remained high. He currently ranks No. 13 in the nation at 65.3%.
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(Excerpt) Read more at si.com ...
However, the defense will be in Browning face all day, stop him and Bama will win the game.
The defense will score some points too.
I agree that the pass defense is the weakness of this Bama team. Injuries have been an issue though the guys who have stepped in have done a good job. Jalen keeping his composure and staying injury free is a key to this game. The Washington players were talking about hitting him and hitting him and hitting him some more in their presser today. Hopefully, the line will be ready for that.
I watched the Bama press conferences yesterday and today and love hearing the players. They are the most intelligent group of players I have seen out of Bama in the last ten years.
I think Alabama is just a rougher and tougher team and will wear Washington down by half-time.
Nobody runs against Bama. After 13 games teams have averaged 63 yards per game. The rush is not gonna happen.
Florida (Gators) had 231 yards passing, ZERO yards rushing for the whole game.
I wish the best for my Huskies....
...but I must acknowledge that it will take a ‘Red Sea-class’ miracle of Almighty God for them to win.
Alabama is really good, but the right team could make it interesting: good OL, accurate pro-style passer, run-pass balance, no turnovers. A running QB or a lateral running game, no way. Maybe one of those good Stanford teams of a few years ago. I don’t know enough about Washington to know how they match up.
Okay, that’s pretty good.
MY humble prediction:
Half - Alabama 17 Washington 10
Final - Alabama 41 Washington 17
Now Clemson - Ohio State -- different story. That will be an all-night barn-burner. Final Clemson 34 OSU 31
We'll have at it with Clemson again for world champs?
I’ll ping you Saturday night, so you can eat a few of those words ... ROLL TIDE, ROLL!
I want OSU. We owe them a but whoopin'.
Please do.
When they have to defend against the long pass, the short pass and the play action pass, the run will be much, much easier.
The long pass is questionable. Don't quote me but QB's against the Bama front 5 have a window of about 2.5 seconds to throw the ball. For there to be any success in the air the Husky OL will have to be in top form and the Bama DL will have to have a bad day. In short, the Huskies better put up a lot of points in the first half if they can because there's no way they can stand toe to toe with the Bama DL for 4 quarters.
The Tide’s defensive backfield is a sieve. Their DL has kept them in many games.
Any scheme that negates their blitz will be successful.
I invite you to watch this:
WATCH: All of Alabama’s 12 non-offensive touchdowns of 2016
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