Like most fans on this board, I have been very supportive and extremely comfortable with the decisions that Nick Saban has made this year. Mueller as GM, the assistant coaches, the draft, and free agent pickups all were good choices, in my opinion. His attitude, complicated playbook and supposedly creative and innovative defense all seemed perfect....exactly what this team needed. The big win against Denver, eventually going 2-1, and occupying first place, seemed to cement the fact that Saban knew exactly what he was doing.
Then the last 2 weeks happened. Now a trend has occurred and I have started to at least question some of the things Saban is doing and, for the first time, I just don't feel completely confident in his ability to totally turn around this franchise. I'm not panicking and I realize it's early, but some disturbing questions, nonetheless, have arisen.
1. After a horrible game against Buffalo and setting a franchise record for penalities, why did Zach Thomas report that the team had sloppy, inefficent practices this past week? Why wasn't the coaching staff pissed and why wasn't there a sense of urgency this week?
2. Why has the defense gone from an innovative, pressuring defense (according to a Denver player, "This defense is the best we will see all year.") to a backpedaling, inefficent defense that is getting killed on 3rd downs and destroyed by #1 WR's?
3. Why is Rex Hadnot making so many false start penalities and our #1 pick, Vernon Carey, sitting on the bench? Could we have done more in the offseason to rebuild this line? Did Saban put too much trust in Houck?
4. Why do all of our WR's, except Welker, drop so many damn passes?
5. Why is Saban being so nice to these guys? What happened to Atilla the Hun?
6. Why isn't Ronnie Brown used more as a receiver, since our WR's can't get it done?
7. Why are we so lousy on the road and decent at home?
I really think Nick Saban is in a tailspin right now and needs to make some bold changes. It is great that we can at least think of the Dolphins as a contender this year. We owe that to Saban. But there are many questions unanswered, the greatest is can we pull out of this tailspin and still be competitive this year?
Then the last 2 weeks happened. Now a trend has occurred and I have started to at least question some of the things Saban is doing and, for the first time, I just don't feel completely confident in his ability to totally turn around this franchise. I'm not panicking and I realize it's early, but some disturbing questions, nonetheless, have arisen.
1. After a horrible game against Buffalo and setting a franchise record for penalities, why did Zach Thomas report that the team had sloppy, inefficent practices this past week? Why wasn't the coaching staff pissed and why wasn't there a sense of urgency this week?
2. Why has the defense gone from an innovative, pressuring defense (according to a Denver player, "This defense is the best we will see all year.") to a backpedaling, inefficent defense that is getting killed on 3rd downs and destroyed by #1 WR's?
3. Why is Rex Hadnot making so many false start penalities and our #1 pick, Vernon Carey, sitting on the bench? Could we have done more in the offseason to rebuild this line? Did Saban put too much trust in Houck?
4. Why do all of our WR's, except Welker, drop so many damn passes?
5. Why is Saban being so nice to these guys? What happened to Atilla the Hun?
6. Why isn't Ronnie Brown used more as a receiver, since our WR's can't get it done?
7. Why are we so lousy on the road and decent at home?
I really think Nick Saban is in a tailspin right now and needs to make some bold changes. It is great that we can at least think of the Dolphins as a contender this year. We owe that to Saban. But there are many questions unanswered, the greatest is can we pull out of this tailspin and still be competitive this year?