At least that’s what Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage says about the SECCG matchup: “In most cases, Georgia and Alabama can out-talent the teams that they play. This time, that won’t be the case.”
Interesting comment from him about the most talented player on the field Saturday night.
Savage said to keep an eye on Georgia wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell, who he said would be “the best athlete on the field.” Mitchell leads the Bulldogs in receptions even though he started the first three games of the season at cornerback.
“He’s a player Alabama will know exactly where he is,” Savage said.
Hope he makes Kirby rue losing the recruiting battle to Bobo.
Get The Picture 
Thats an interesting take, and one I hadn’t considered much. Looking back over the last few years I think he might be the most dynamic play maker we’ve had at the reciever position. AJ had freakish ball hawking ability and his speed was really good too, but what MM lacks in catching ability he makes up for in fast twitch speed, accelaration, strength and vision. He compares well with Percy Harvin who as a DC’s match up nightmare.
Who from Bama can cover MM?
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Malcolm Mitchell on play action could be an issue for Bama if they nap at all. But then again, Bama is not likely to nap.
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He was in a green jersey at practice.
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MM is better than Bama’s best DB.
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+1. That’s Bama’s Achilles’ Heel. Their DBs are really good at stopping the run but only average in pass coverage. Pass ’em silly Bobo.
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Well, statistically speaking, Alabama leads the conference (vs. conference teams) in pass defense.
I think the actual Achilles’ Heel has been a couple of things: 1) a so-so pass rush coupled with 2) our nickel back (whoever we put out there) doesn’t cover very well and 3) teams are hitting the soft spots in our zone coverage and converting third downs.
In our two biggest games (LSU and A&M), we couldn’t get off of the field on third down. So, rather than passing us silly, I would imagine y’all would try to run the ball fairly well and stay in third-and-manageable and try to tire our defense out.
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I thought your second paragraph eloquently summed up what I was trying so inarticulately to say BD. I reiterate: Pass ’em silly Bobo.
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Bama has too many good subs and can tire everyone out. That includes Bama’s D getting to our line.
I spect we’re gonna try a little ground with the air. Balance, you know.
Bama’s ground game is probably set in stone after all the film of our porous ground running D. We like our players and their efforts, but please, let’s don’t overlook the obvious of what you guys do best and we do least best. Your problem appears to occur in the red zone recently, but I’ll bet that Saban is busy shoring that up while we are shoring our running D to fit Lacey, Yeldon and the slew of RBs there.
It will be interesting to the last half minute and, boy!, we should all love this great SEC game. STs for both teams are about even with no discernable game-tilting diffs. There will be a fellow on soon inquiring about your long snappah. He is our go-to detail worrying guy.
It’s nice you came right to the point on the game play. Interesting conversations to be had. How’s your back-up QB? Does Saban have one designated? Hutson Mason is ready to go for the Dawgs should Murray need a rest.
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The long snapper is Carson Tinker. He’s the guy whose girlfriend was killed in the tornado that passed through Tuscaloosa. Snatched right out of his arms. Sad.
The backup QB is Blake Sims, who is right out of Gainesville, GA. He’s somewhat of an Alabama internet legend. Seems like he’s played for years and there are always rumors of the sneaky ways Saban is planning to use him.
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I have the funniest feeling that Branden Smith is going to be involved in an important offensive play Saturday. It’s either going to be huge for us… or huge against us.
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sounded reasonable until you said “or huge against us”.;-)
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Just DON’T run the reverse! Bama will stuff it for a loss.
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In addition to and perhaps more important than his status as the Senior Bowl director, Phil Savage is Alabama’s color guy on radio broadcasts.
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Sounds like Phil Savage might be playing a mind game.
To counter that, I’ll say that Bama’s offensive line grades out with an A and our o-line is a B-.
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How could anybody replace Snake?
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Gee whiz, I would sound better than Snake.
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Speaking of the prowess of Alabama’s defensive skills, I watched some of the Bama/A&M game and saw two occasions where the Tide DB (Thornton I think) made two consecutive plays of “faceguarding” that were not called. Personally I think it should be allowed but wondered if the NCAA had changed the rule. It was great defense, if legal, because he didn’t lay a hand on the receiver, but seemed too obvious if the rule of not turning the look at the ball is still in place.
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You can face guard in college, but not in the NFL.
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Thanks, figured there was a reason, SEC refs would never miss obvious calls.
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That’s been the rule in college for years. You are really showing your age, Mac.
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Maybe, or it could be I am used to watching a team that isn’t close enough in coverage to ever get flagged for that.
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You’ve been watching Tech? No way!
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I wasn’t aware that you could face guard legally. If you never turn around and just wave your hands in front of his eyes, that is interference, or so I thought. You are not making a serious effort to locate the ball and if you touch him or not, you can’t blind him to the ball. What’s wrong in what I wrote?
Course, I’m not the brightest football knowledgeable bulb in the room. Jus askin’ for details.
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jordan jenkins was also a bama commit that flipped to georgia. that would’ve hurt bad to lose….
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Yep, glad to see the other JJ out there for us. He’s going to be a force before he’s gone from Georgia.
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He’s already a force.
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And will be on Saturday.
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Just like Sc game, this will come down to our Oline vs bama dline / pass rush. Murray isn’t hitting Mitchell deep if he is underneath a dlineman. And as always, our Oline will need to give our RBs some room to run or the play action will be null and void. To me, the game hinges on our Oline play
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+1000 We will win or lose based on our Oline play. Shall we pray.
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