With all the hype and anticipation this game brought, it seemed like the perfect scenario for the typical disappointment. However, that was not the case by any means. Actually, this is one of those games that a Kentucky or Florida fan is going to think is impressive by looking at the final score, without even knowing that the game was not anywhere near the ten-point differential shown at the bottom of the screen. Not even in the same ballpark. Vanderbilt controlled that game like no one would ever expect, even when playing a poor outside shooting team like Alabama.
It was awesome. Our basketball was smart and our defense was stellar. I spent the majority of the game actually trying to figure out how we were shutting the Crimson Tide down so well. I know they have not been playing up to their skill level recently, but they looked absolutely stunned out there on the court. Alabama is not a bad team folks, just watch some of their games. Heck, I feel like they are a better squad than Mississippi State. And that is the truth. I was so blown away by our performance that I really do not even know what to say.
I am serious too. It seems like all anyone wants to do these days is spit out some numbers from Ken Pomery and call that analysis. And while I know Pom has a good system and advanced stats are cool, they just do not tell the full story. You know, if you really watch Alabama play, you can see for yourself that they are a darn good team with their use of effective post offense and crushing defense. Nothing like the team that was seen playing Vanderbilt tonight. Or in this certain case, you can actually look at Ken Pomery and his rankings call Alabama the fourteenth team in the nation. What we just did to them on their homecourt was fantastic and unexpected, as they simply could not even function on the basketball court. It was like the Crimson Tide team that played Mississippi State over the weekend just decided to stay in Starkville. I was blown away.
We can play with anyone with performances like that one. Right now though, we just need to look ahead to our own game with Mississippi State. I will give my breakdown of the Bulldogs tomorrow, which will hopefully turn out as good as the Alabama analysis yesterday. I am not trying to toot my own horn, but I was proud of myself for being quite accurate in picking out the strengths and weaknesses of the Crimson Tide. Anyways, I will talk to you guys tomorrow.
Alabama is much more complex than I first thought. And their game against Mississippi State was an excellent basketball game that was even closer than the four-point difference indicates. The Crimson Tide never give up and have a pretty wide range of techniques to throw at opposing teams, and it will take everything we have to top them in Tuscaloosa. I have done my research though folks, and may have spotted some keys to victory. Hope you enjoy it.
JaMychal Green is the first guy I have to breakdown. Alabama is decisive in getting him going early, and he was given control of the ball four out of the first five possessions. It is clear to me that he likes to establish his stellar offensive game along the baseline, facing up with opposing post players that usually cannot match his skill set. He is never afraid to take the long two-point shot and actually prefers to get his stroke going further away from the basketball in the early parts of the game. As his oppositions get tired is when he likes to post up, and he clearly has a great touch on hook shots from the evidence I witnessed. One of the more surprising parts of his game is his solid court vision and natural passing abilities. He finds cutting teammates with ease and is a tough player to matchup with from a defensive standpoint. As for his own defense, he is not the best. When defending against a post up player, he gets pushed around quite easily and has a bad habit of fouling. He isn’t always in great position for the defensive rebound either, which hurts his team. However, he has great instinct when it comes to blocking a driving offensive player. Which, considering the sometimes faulty defense his teammates have, patches up a lot of mistakes of the Alabama defense as a whole and naturally intimidates opposing players. Overall, he is surprisingly one of the most clam players on his team and is good at getting the game under control when the Tide get a little too fast for their own good.
Tony Mitchell is the other deadly forward for Alabama. He, much like his teammate, can stretch the court quite well for a post player and has actually taken more threes than any of his teammates. However, his a little too aggressive for his own good sometimes. My thoughts are that he gets a little panicked when controlling the ball too long and throws up tough shots. Still, his offensive outburst can really be a difference maker for Alabama if he gets going. Mitchell seems to like to play parallel to the baseline, and lacks the post up game Green can present. He does have that odd talent of being a good passer, and can find his fellow forward easily if Green establishes position in the paint. His defense overall seemed decent, although he lacked some of the explosive blocks his teammate had. Mitchell has been known to nearly foul out of games, but he generally plays a lot more minutes than the foul happy Green. And this is one of the reasons why his value is similar to that of Green, although he is not as skilled.
On the perimeter, the Crimson Tide start to look a little foolish at times. No one really hits the long ball with any consistency. All of the guards really rush if they get caught in a momentum trap, as in they do the exact same thing that everyone is told not to do. Instead of slowing the game down, they like to push the ball even harder which leads to many mistakes, especially considering that their passing is not the greatest. And that is one of those moments when they are better off giving the ball to Green and letting him work. However, they do excel in some areas. In man-to-man defense, they play as tight as any team in the conference and really know how to run as soon as opposing teams make a mistake. All of the guards are textbook in fastbreak execution and know how to finish in those scenarios. And when they drop back into zone defense, they are great at reading opposing teams and snatching passes that lead to more breaks. Trevor Releford, in particular, is a great finish and without a doubt the most threatening of the Alabama guards. Other than he, they can really struggle in halfcourt situations when Green or Mitchell are not getting the ball.
Off the bench, only two players are really going to do anything. Andrew Steele is a really tough guard of the bench who could pose some problems if we let him. Nick Jacobs is a freshman forward who actually has a decent post game put will not get many plays designed for him, and his defense can really be exposed by opposing players. I expect both to get decent bench playing time, especially if Green is in foul trouble and one of the starting guards is struggling (both of which are very possible).
Overall, Alabama has some good pieces and they are a serious threat to our winstreak. We cannot allow Green to get to the free throw line eleven times again, and we must make sure he gets his foul. Overall, our essential game plan should be to get some things going in the post, because Alabama as a team is known to foul and allow offensive rebounds. And that is why I expect Lance Goulbourne to have a pretty nice day for us. I say this because Arnett Moultrie to abuse them on the glass this past weekend, and Goulbourne has the same rebounding intensity of Moultrie (although he lacks the same offensive instinct). If Festus Ezeli could magically come back to form over this longer break then his post moves could probably destroy Green, but we cannot but all our faith into that. We need our perimeter players to take control of the ball and be ready to scare Alabama out of their deadly zone by shooting the ball. I know that sounds a little funny but if the Mississippi State game was evidence of anything, then Alabama plays a darn good zone defense that simply does not allow for post play. It took Dee Bost making some great plays from the perimeter for the Bulldogs to top Alabama, and we will need our guys to do the same.
As Alabama kicker Cade Foster missed his overtime field goal attempt against LSU a few weeks ago, I jokingly mentioned the possibility of a rematch for the BCS Championship. And here we are less than twenty days after that much-anticipated game, with the two teams poised to meet each other again in the final game of the college football season. However, things may not go that way if Arkansas has anything to say about it. Thanks to the many upsets over the past few weeks, the Razorbacks are sitting at number three and hungry to get into the championship game. Moreover, in perfect SEC fashion, they will have a chance to do so this Friday as they take on the top ranked Tigers. Meanwhile, Alabama just has to escape a huge fluke in the Iron Bowl as they sit at second place in the latest rankings.
The only real shame in this rather epic circumstance is that someone is going to miss out on their major bowl due to BCS rules. However, there is a chance for the Georgia Bulldogs to also get in on the major bowl fun if they defeat LSU in the conference championship game. And if the Tigers were somehow able to only fall to second place after that upset, then we could have three conference teams in BCS bowls.
I could see some complaints about this too though. Assuming LSU and Alabama pull of the win this weekend, the Tigers will be having to go through the Bulldogs while the Crimson Tide would sit at home knowing there is no way they could be knocked out. Considering that LSU has already defeated Alabama once this season, it is not really fair. However, we are talking about college football here. At least one team and its fans are calling the game unfair every season.
Speaking of outspoken fans, I cannot wait to hear what the SEC haters have to say about an Alabama and LSU rematch to crown the champion.
Vandy is without a doubt playing its most talented opponent this weekend. I honestly just hope we can get out of the Alabama Homecoming without too many injuries. Still, our defense could make a few plays and impress a few people along the way. Who knows?
I will probably not be able to cover it either way though. I am leaving tomorrow and will not be back until the sixteenth. So I may not even be able to catch our two football games (although I will try), and will certainly miss any importunity to go to Memorial Madness. Chances are I will have no internet access so I will not be talking to you guys until I am back home, other than a few tweets from my phone that is. I just want you to know that this website is by no means going quiet on you fans, we will only be away for a little bit.
Vanderbilt and Alabama share a football series that dates back over 100 years. The Commodores may trail the series 19-59-4 but there is still a strong history between the two longtime opponents. Welcome to my first attempt at teaching you some Vanderbilt football.
Early History
Alabama football got going in 1892. Vanderbilt University had already began growing deeper into the game as it started its team in 1890. They were also amongst the seven charter members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletics Association in 1895. These two early football squads would meet for the first time in 1903. Vanderbilt, a collegiate powerhouse at the time, crushed the unprepared Alabama team 30-0 in Nashville. Success would continue for a few seasons too. Dan McGugin absolutely embarrassed them the first two times he had a shot at Alabama, winning by a total score of 112-0 in the years of 1905 and 1906.
The next game was not played until 1917. Dan McGugin brought his team down to Birmingham for their first game with Alabama out of Nashville. Their opposition had changed an awful lot too. Alabama had adopted their Crimson Tide nickname and was enjoying a fair amount of success in recent years. Vanderbilt still came out the victor but the 7-2 final score presented a much closer game than the past. Alabama went without playing in 1918 amidst the Great War, but would come back strong in 1919. Alabama only lost one game that season, and that was a 16-12 match up to Vanderbilt. The series was 5-0 Commodores.
Alabama ended that streak in 1920 with a 14-7 win over Vanderbilt in Birmingham. Although the Commodores would rebound and grab a 14-0 win in 1921, the series would never really be the same. Vandy and Alabama football team both joined the Southern Athletic Conference in 1922. The two teams got back to playing each other in 1926. Vanderbilt won two out of the final three games they would play with Alabama in the 1920′s, but it would of the last successful strings the team would every have against the Crimson Tide.
Alabama won 13 of the next 15 meetings. Head coach Frank Thomas and his team were winning championships left and right, and simply were too much for the Vanderbilt Commodores. The year of 1932 would feature the final conference move either team would make, as they both became charter members of the Southeastern Conference.
The Final Vanderbilt Push
Vandy did have a nice little run in the middle years of the twentieth century. Vandy even pulled out a 14-7 victory in 1947. The two teams played their first game out of Nashville or Birmingham the following season. The game was settled in Mobile, Alabama, and the teams played to their first tie in series history with a final score of 14-14. The Commodores won 5 of the next 7 games on to the year 1956. Ironically, that was also the final year that the Crimson Tide would play in Mobile and the 32-7 win for the Commodores was the last time that Vanderbilt would defeat Alabama by a double-digit margin. However, this lack of Vanderbilt success is probably more due to the coaching of Bear Bryant than the game location change.
Alabama Dominance
Vanderbilt would not win again until 1969. Meanwhile the Crimson Tide were enjoying a surplus of success as Bear Bryant and his team became the face of college football. The Commodores would have one last moment of success though. George McIntyre lead his team down to Tuscaloosa for the 1984 Alabama Homecoming and came out the 30-21 victor. Vandy actually moved all the up to No. 17 in the nation following their win and 4-0 start, but national attention was gone quickly for the team after losing to Tulane the following week.
Vanderbilt has not won a legit game since that day. However, the 1993 Alabama team was forced to forfeit all of its regular season wins after former player Antonio Langham signed an agent while still playing collegiate football. So the Commodores officially got a win against the No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide despite losing 17-6 on the scoreboard.
Recent Games
Vanderbilt also gave Alabama some fits in 2006. Chris Nickson was starting his first game and actually had his team winning 10-3 after the first half. However, it was actually a more shocking player that ended up being the game changer. Crimson Tide freshman and walk-on kicker Leigh Tiffin hit a 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter that gave his team the 13-10 winning score.
Alabama claimed their latest win over the Commodores the following year in a 24-10 game. It was a lot closer than the score implies though. Vandy actually had two long touchdowns called back in the first half that would have created a whole new game.
Cool Facts
Bear Bryant actually took his final assistant coaching job at Vanderbilt. He was the offensive line coach under the great Red Sanders in 1941 and 1942. Bryant then took head coaching jobs at Maryland, Kentucky, and Texas A&M before making his dynasty with Alabama.
This series has been taken to four different major cities over the years. Nashville (1903-), Birmingham (1917), Mobile (1948), and Tuscaloosa (1968). It did return to Birmingham for the 1998 and 2000 games hosted by Alabama as well.
The Commodores’ longest run in history was against Alabama in 1996. Bill Marinangel took a fake punt 81 yards for a touchdown in an exciting 26-36 game against the No. 13 Crimson Tide. Here is the clip:
Most every ranking business out there has Alabama winning the conference. Some even have Nick Saban holding up the Coaches’ trophy. However, while they may be an interesting read, I do not really care for preseason rankings. Without actually seeing a team play, the best I can do is give you my breakdown.
Mark Ingram and Julio Jones will be missing from the squad as they are now just the hopefully first round draft picks for a couple of pro teams. Greg McElroy will be gone too after his graduation and late round drafting. His absence leaves a small question at quarterback, which has not been officially settled, but let us just say that it is going to be AJ McCarron. You may remember seeing him a few times in his freshman season, when he put together a decent reserve season with 389 yards and 3 touchdowns. At running back, there is absolutely no question that Trent Richardson will be running the show. The early Heisman candidate will also have a strong supporting cast with guys like Eddie Lacy backing him up. The wide receiving corps is pretty solid with players like Darius Hanks and Marquis Maze on the field, but who knows how they will play without Jones attracting most of the coverage? The offensive line is a little overrated if you ask me though. They are good, but not as good as some will tell you.
The defense is where the playmakers are. You may not know the name too well, but transfer defensive end Jesse Williams has all the tools to become one of the most dominant players we have seen at defensive end in quite some time. So while the line was already going to be good, he sets them over the top, look out for Williams to be an absolute beast after given some time. The linebacking group is outstanding as well. Dont’a Hightower is a beast, CJ Mosely is incredibly intelligent at his position, and Courtney Upshaw is a disruptive pass rusher. The secondary should be rather great as well, with another year of experience under their belt and what should be an improved pass rush to help them even more.
So yeah. Alabama has quite the squad in the big picture of things, despite a little question at quarterback and the loss of some great players. I may not necessarily be buying all of the hype the media is trying to sell, but they are a darn good team from a football standpoint.
We have an absolutely huge game with Alabama today. The Tide are 7-1 in conference play, while we are just pushing to get above .500 in league play. So it goes without saying that tonight is definitely a statement game.
Well, it just so happens that things are finally starting to look good for us. Alabama hasn’t beaten our Memorial Magic since 1990, meanwhile the 2011 Commodores are starting to get healthy right before their home battle with the Tide. Obviously, the outside factors are pointing our way (look at it this way, I was not even alive the last time they beat us here).
However, this is certainly no chump game where we can stop caring after the first half and think we are going to win. Alabama has wins over Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi State (twice). Also, they’re strongest points are on defense and they can force a good bit of turnovers if you get careless (something we do from time to time).
Still, I think we will win. Something about us just seems poised to make a run at winning the conference title. I am not saying that tonight will be a cake walk, nor am I saying we will win the rest of our league games. I do, however, think we can put a nice run together. And that starts with tonight.
1) Stop those giveaways. The turnover bug just does not want to leave us, and that is a problem. If we want to get back in the discussion of the conference title, we have to cut this turnover stuff out.
2) How healthy are we? Not really a key to the game, so much as a just a big question. I am uncertainly of exactly how healthy we are, I only know that Stallings was going to try to get Andre back into the rotation tonight. He’s a bigger factor in our game than most fans want to believe (and he will cut down a few of those turnovers for sure).
3) Where’s the bench? Our rotation has looked pretty soft the last few games. Rod Odom has stepped-up (and I am thrilled about it) but Stevie Thunder and Kyle Fuller have seemed to fall off a bit. I hate calling these guy out, but I know that they can contribute more than they have (especially Tchiengang, we all know he has talent).
Vandy scored in bunches midway through the second half, and South Carolina never really had the firepower to come back. So the Commodores won this one by a final score of 78-60.
Overall, I loved the game. Jeffery Taylor never seemed to be phased by missed shots (which has been his biggest problem) and he went on to score 17 points and grab 8 rebounds. Meanwhile, Rod Odom was the spark off the bench as he went 3-3 from beyond the arch and he also pulled down some tough boards. It was a big game for him too, because he was the only healthy guy we had left that could play to four spot.
We were very solid on defense as well. Sam Muldrow never seemed like much of a factor outside of a few garbage buckets and boards near the end of the game. We also shut down the perimeter game as well, even though the numbers are a little skewed due to (once again) garbage buckets.
Although, I did see one thing that kind of scared me. USC made us look absolutely silly against their press in that second half, and I am a little worried that other teams may take that and use it against us in this stretch of games we will be playing. Lucky for us, Stallings expects we will have Andre Walker back this Thursday against Alabama.
It’s 3 1/2 hours till kickoff and my internet is finally working for the first time since Wednesday morning. So yeah, I kind of looked like I bailed on this week but it turns out that VSL didn’t post any pregame either so I don’t look too bad. Regardless, I’m still here and I’m ready to post this makeshift story.
Does anybody remember what Sports Illustrated predicted Vanderbilt to do before the season started? The always popular magazine called the ‘Dores a 1-11 team that could only beat Eastern Michigan. Then you throw in the fact that we’re over 20-point favorites and you see that – for once – people actually expect us to win.
That said, I don’t want our guys getting too cocky. Yeah, Eastern Michigan is a winless team from the MAC but that doesn’t mean should expect to be up by 50 in the first quarter. We still need to play at 110% and then we can get some freshman some good minutes when we get a nice lead because this is probably the only chance we’ll get to have a 3+ score lead this season (unless we just really kill Tennessee, Kentucky, or Wake Forest).
So let’s get out there and really put up some major points. I think we’ll play great and really show people that we can score when we’re supposed too. Go ‘Dores.
SEC Notes:
No. 1 Alabama is down 3-21 against South Carolina at the moment
Tennessee got crushed by Georgia today (haha, take that vomit orange!)
I know, this post in incredible late. My internet has been down since Monday and I’ve been unable to post on OD. But hey, I’m back, and ready to throw some Commie-knowledge at ya’.
By now, I’m sure we all know that Vanderbilt was able to come away with a win at Alabama last night, 65-64. Some call the one-point win a little disappointing, but I call it a victory. It’s hard to win on the road in the SEC and we did, so how could I be disappointed?
That being said, I am disappointed. Not by the margin of victory, but by the free throws. All year, we’d shot amazing from the line and then we just lay an egg against a team we’re better than. John Jenkins had only missed two free throws ALL YEAR, and he was 0-3 last night. C’mon man! As a team, we got to the line 37 times and only hit about half of them.
But you know what? I’m going to look on the bright side of things. Commodores get their 7th straight win, start 2-0 in SEC play, and their 13-3 on the season. Besides, it’s not like the Tide are a bad team.
