Storming your way through the SEC

What a difference a year makes.

• Kickoff average:  7th in 2016; 1st in 2017
• Red zone conversions:  7th in 2016; 1st in 2017
• Opponent red zone touchdown percentage conversions:  14th in 2016; 1st in 2017
• Punting:  14th in 2016; 4th in 2017
• Kickoff returns;  9th in 2016; 2nd in 2017
• Opponent kickoff returns:  12th in 2016; 4th in 2017
• Passer rating:  13th in 2016; 4th in 2017
• 3rd down conversions:  5th in 2016; 1st in 2017

It’s almost like Kirby sat down after last season ended, made a to-do list and then checked off all the boxes on it.

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Quick — no peeking!

With Alabama’s loss, which SEC team currently sports the conference’s longest winning streak?

The player formerly known as Roquan

He played so lights out against Georgia Tech — nine tackles, eight solo, with three tackles for loss including a sack –that I’m going to refer to him from now on simply as “R”.

If we measure a man by his pettiness…

… then Corch is the greatest college football coach of our era.

Seriously, does this look like the face of a man who enjoys what he’s doing?

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Trash

I’d say, stay classy, ‘Cock fans, except I expect I’d be wasting bandwidth.

Nick Saban is not happy he has to make time for this shit.

A dour man now faces a situation in which he has to go on a charm offensive, and, judging from this first volley, it’s gonna take a lot of effort on his part.

“I think this team deserves an opportunity to get in the playoff by what they’ve been able to accomplish and what they’ve been able to do,” Saban said after the game. “Certainly not maybe in this game, but I think the team we played tonight is a very good football team, probably one of the best teams in the country.

“They won 11 games, and not many teams are able to do that. I really don’t know what all the scenarios might be where we’d have an opportunity to do it, but I’d certainly like to see this team get an opportunity to do it.”

I mean, really, is this what Nick Saban returned to college football for?

If it doesn’t work — and you’d have to think that if Auburn wins its rematch with Georgia in the SECCG, Alabama’s chances are pretty much toast — which of these alternatives seems the most likely course of action for Nick to take?

• (a) add a full-time PR staff to the support army Saban already has at his disposal to work the media and selection committee non-stop; or
• (b) begin lobbying hard for the playoffs to expand to eight teams

I’m leaning towards (c) both.  Saban is nothing if not thorough.

“I tried to run the clock all the way down. I guess 40 seconds was too long.”

When you’re a genius sifting through the rubble of another crappy season, it’s always easier to blame your defensive coordinator than the fact that you’re a lousy recruiter.