Welp the defensive concerns that everyone could see and hope would just go away did not go away. In fact, Ohio State exploited every bit of them. Now, that can be a good thing to get exploited like that this early in the season. Allows you to reflect and make adjustments. I just don’t think the personnel is there to be even an average defensive team.
The offense is obviously there, but the lack of perimeter defense and Charles Bediako leaving early left Alabama with no rim protector. It all starts with the guards not getting beat off the dribble. That’ll be a theme every game. Ohio State got into the lane whenever they wanted and caused the defense to collapse hard. With Bediako, they never had to collapse bc he erased a lot of defensive shortcomings on the perimeter.
If Nate Oats can get this team to become even an average defensive team, then this is his best coaching job to date. Most of these guys are who they are (Sears, Estrada, Nelson, Wrightsell) and not good defenders and never will be. However, guys like Rylan and Jarin can be and they have to become that. If not, it’ll be 90-85 games every game.
I think Alabama will be fine. My opinion on them hasn’t changed at all before or after this game. We all knew defense would be the problem and is. We knew the offense was elite and it is. Now it’s about responding to that loss and getting better. I think you’ll be able to tell a lot about this team based on how they come out against Oregon today.
The offense is obviously there, but the lack of perimeter defense and Charles Bediako leaving early left Alabama with no rim protector. It all starts with the guards not getting beat off the dribble. That’ll be a theme every game. Ohio State got into the lane whenever they wanted and caused the defense to collapse hard. With Bediako, they never had to collapse bc he erased a lot of defensive shortcomings on the perimeter.
If Nate Oats can get this team to become even an average defensive team, then this is his best coaching job to date. Most of these guys are who they are (Sears, Estrada, Nelson, Wrightsell) and not good defenders and never will be. However, guys like Rylan and Jarin can be and they have to become that. If not, it’ll be 90-85 games every game.
I think Alabama will be fine. My opinion on them hasn’t changed at all before or after this game. We all knew defense would be the problem and is. We knew the offense was elite and it is. Now it’s about responding to that loss and getting better. I think you’ll be able to tell a lot about this team based on how they come out against Oregon today.
