*Davis is our best RB, especially when there is a little bit of blocking (which there was not on our next to the last drive as evidenced by him being stopped on consecutive runs). He made one cut that just undressed #17. Yet, Perine gets the start and early carries, only to give way to #20
. Are we afraid Perine might transfer? Davis needs to be more involved at the beginning of the game IMO.
First, let's remember Perine likely wouldn't be a starter this year had Scarlett not used the credit card scam. I can't say which is a better back and more deserving of starting, I just have seen this staff operate, and I have no doubt Scarlett would have started and Perine would have been second. I can only hope Davis would have been recognized enough to get third string carries. My other two thoughts here is, given Perine is more experienced he would likely get the starting role and bulk of the carries (right or wrong, I see this staff leaning on experience over talent), and in the grasping at straws category perhaps they are using Perine to wear down defenses for Davis to take advantage. That last bit sounds like something our staff would say as an excuse, because it doesn't make sense - Davis is the more punishing, more demoralizing, back for a defense to face. Who gets tackled for a 3 yd gain vs who turns a 3 yd run into an 8 yd gain and falls forward? Davis should be wearing down a defense, not Perine, with the early carries.
He continues to not engage players at all during games, most glaringly Franks. He complemented Taylor on the pick and talked to Burnett after the double penalty. Otherwise, he continued his absentee coaching.
Again, I find myself trying to find some sense in this. Everyone wants to win like Saban, and I'm sure Mac is trying his own version of Saban ball, so let me ask this since I haven't watched Bama play much - how much does Saban engage players directly vs screaming through his headset for the coaches to address their respective players? I'm only guessing here that part of Mac's distant approach may be that Saban does that and he's trying to emulate a system that relies on chain of command and allowing (should be requiring, but it ain't) position coaches and coordinators to correct mistakes with player. However, even if this were true, if your staff isn't doing the job, you HAVE to get in the player's face and address the issues. In my heart, I think if Mac is relying on that chain of command, he's given too much opportunity and the staff haven't stepped up - and he either believes in infinite chances, or doesn't have the cojones to step in and address players directly. More than anything related to delegating to coaches, I truly believe Mac doesn't know what to say to the kids without coming off as a whiny btch "Why did you do that?" as opposed to "I understand what you saw and why you did that, here's what you need to look for and do".
Having said that, and as BAD as our offense is.... do you think having Calloway, Cleveland, toney, and dare I say even LDR (I would say scarlett but our RB's seem to be doing their part) would have attributed for more than the 2 points we lost by. I do. We play that exact game with those guys, and we'd had won.
I absolutely believe that if we had the talent on the team that was supposed to be here, we'd have won the last two games. But I'm ok with this current situation. Know why? Because if talent had won the last few games, it wold continue to mask the lack of coaching they are trying to overcome. At least now, the coaching is so exposed, there are no excuses and no benefit of the doubt...fact is, the coaches suck.
And another thing, it was obvious we missed Toney. But Dre Massey looked pretty good. He made something positive happen whenever he touched the ball. Why the hell didn't they give him a few more touches???
Ha! Perfect. You would think as we lose key playmakers, the remaining ones would have increased touches as opposed to less. But that, of course, is said with an expectation of competent coaching. Hell, I'm sure the other teams prepare for us and say "we only have to cover these two as opposed to watching for those 4-5 guys". And then come gametime, their staff is like "WTF? They won't even use the good players they have?!?!?!"
