Thoughts on loss to Texas A&M

[Jordan Harper]

That was not a fun game to watch, mainly in the 2nd half. The first half was an entertaining game with Alabama leading as much as 7 and hitting shots, although Texas A&M was as well. They didn't give the defensive effort they did mote 31 minutes of the South Carolina game and Texas A&M shot the ball really well and made them pay in the 2nd half. Add in 17 turnovers and that will get you beat 9/10 times in the SEC. This is what we have come to expect to from this team. No leadership. No accountability held among players. That is why there is such inconsistency in this team week in and week out.

This loss hurts because of it being at home and A&M isn't a tournament team, but it is what it is. They've won 5 of the last 6 and 6 of the last 9 with those 3 losses coming to Auburn and UK before this game. When things are going well, you knew something bad was about to happen. This team misses Herb Jones, John Petty, and Alex Reese being senior leaders and holding guys accountable. Coach Oats and his staff can only do so much. They have player meetings, long talks after games, ect but that only works if everyone is held accountable. When a coach yells at you over and over for the same mistakes, thats not being coachable and some of these players can be that way at times. It is just frustrating seeing guys not closing out hard or moving quick on defense every single game.

Alabama has a big opportunity for a big Q1 road win at LSU on Saturday to finish the season 20-11 and be the 5 seed in the SECT. If they lose, they will likely finish as the 7 seed.

 

[OatsMeal]

I am not a doom and gloom guy, but I think winning @ LSU Saturday is an incredibly tall task. We have beaten them the past 4 times - will be walking into a hornets nest. I think LSU will be a 3-4 point favorite.

Incredibly frustrating last night - would have clinched the 5 seed with a win.

 

[anon_z8qxv7qt5719f]

For those that hated on Herb Jones last year, I'll bet you wish we had him back in the line-up!

 

[StablerCountry]

This is a team of under-achievers who appear to be OK with that with themselves. My boss on the job is my leader, but it is up to me to do the things I need to do to be successful with my job.
These players do not understand that basic personal trait in life that is required for anything you do. Personal responsibility for your own actions and effort.

 

[aggietider]

This is a team of under-achievers who appear to be OK with that with themselves. My boss on the job is my leader, but it is up to me to do the things I need to do to be successful with my job.
These players do not understand that basic personal trait in life that is required for anything you do. Personal responsibility for your own actions and effort.

If you didn’t do your job, your boss would be held accountable if he kept you on the job.

 

[BHMButcher]

Looking forward to the 2022-23 season. Whether I should be or not.

 

[StablerCountry]

If you didn’t do your job, your boss would be held accountable if he kept you on the job.

You missed the whole point. Hold the coach accountable? That is fine. But the person is still not successful, and that is on the person themselves.
This is the blame world we live in I guess. Always somebody else’s fault.
We need a more take responsibility attitude to be successful.

 

[aggietider]

You missed the whole point. Hold the coach accountable? That is fine. But the person is still not successful, and that is on the person themselves.
This is the blame world we live in I guess. Always somebody else’s fault.
We need a more take responsibility attitude to be successful.

Always somebody else’s fault? Have you listened to an Oats PC after a loss? Maybe they have the same attitude their real leader has.
And it doesn’t work like that with a coach and kids. If a player isn’t successful, it isn’t always their fault. They literally have to do what they are told, play when/where they are told, etc. If a guy isn’t a good three point shooter and he spends most of his time standing in the corner to shoot 3’s, bc the coach told him so, that’s the players fault? “Hey, I know you can’t stay in front of that guy, so go pick him up at half court.” Players fault too?

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

Jackson killed us. He drove to the basket at will. I kept waiting for someone to step into the breech and take a charge on Jackson...didn't happen! As Harper stated above, the defensive intensity was left in the locker room or someplace else. If they take this same attitude (i.e. lazy passing resulting in TOs, not staying in front of the dribbler, no consistent intensity, etc.) to Tampa, it will be a short stay. No sense in taking a change of clothing.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

If you didn’t do your job, your boss would be held accountable if he kept you on the job.

Only problem here is he’s done his job better than anyone at Alabama in a very long time so far

 

[aggietider]

Only problem here is he’s done his job better than anyone at Alabama in a very long time so far

The problem is has he done as good as of job as he could have with this group?
Has he adjusted to do things that maximum the players strengths?
This is the first year where he’s had real expectations and real pressure. And his adjustments and constantly blaming the players publicly have been issues.

 

[RollTide15]

Bad passes and careless dribbling continues to kill us. Turnovers don't seem to bother these players at all. They don't seem to be embarrassed or disappointed. Watch how many times we make a turnover, and the other team hits a 3. That is possibly a 6 point swing every time. Just amazing to me.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

The problem is has he done as good as of job as he could have with this group?
Has he adjusted to do things that maximum the players strengths?
This is the first year where he’s had real expectations and real pressure. And his adjustments and constantly blaming the players publicly have been issues.

I personally think he’s maxed out this group. He doesn’t have a herb or petty. And the fact that we’re poised to be a 5 seed following last year as a 2 seed and fans are complaining given the last 30 years is just mind boggling to me

 

[Sassy12]

Yes, we will be glad to be in the tournament, but last year we saw hope in establishing a program like those from the Newton and Sanderson era. I understand completely that some kids don’t motivate easily. This group just seems so disjointed. Yet at times we see the potential and it is a complete mystery why some nights they play with maximum effort and other nights like they just fell out of bed. At this point only a new roster in 2022-23 will possibly change this attitude. But in the meantime I will be rooting for them to find themselves and give max effort.

 

[aggietider]

I personally think he’s maxed out this group. He doesn’t have a herb or petty. And the fact that we’re poised to be a 5 seed following last year as a 2 seed and fans are complaining given the last 30 years is just mind boggling to me

The talent is different on this group. He’s maxed this group out playing in this system. But could he adjust some things and make this group better, I’d say without a doubt. Standing Gary and Rojas in the corners is useless. Their defender is going to be on the block. Not much better with Miles standing in the corner. Gurley hasn’t shot it worth standing out there either. But all of those guys are athletic and/or play hard. Get them moving, screening and get them involved around the rim, rebounding and putting it back. And when their defenders are moving, JQ and JD have a better chance at being productive.

 

[100%Bama]

This tide team reminds me of my twin boys’ 5th grade church league team. But then they got better, their 7th grade team might have beat this tide team.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

The talent is different on this group. He’s maxed this group out playing in this system. But could he adjust some things and make this group better, I’d say without a doubt. Standing Gary and Rojas in the corners is useless. Their defender is going to be on the block. Not much better with Miles standing in the corner. Gurley hasn’t shot it worth standing out there either. But all of those guys are athletic and/or play hard. Get them moving, screening and get them involved around the rim, rebounding and putting it back. And when their defenders are moving, JQ and JD have a better chance at being productive.

Hypothetically sure he could make some adjustments and possibly win a couple more or lose a couple more. Ill reiterate… 2 seed last year with two conference championships. Likely 5 seed this year. Literally cannot imagine complaining one ounce about this dude given the last three decades of nothing with literally one year as an exception. Also… the Elite 8 team under Gottfried had a very pedestrian regular season.

 

[Jordan Harper]

Oats won the regular season and SEC tournament title and a sweet 16 in his second year. He will make the tournament as no lower than a 6 seed in a "down year" and bringing in the best recruiting class in program history. I think it'll be okay. Is it disappointing after starting ranked so high? Sure, but we got into the top 5 and have beaten more top 15 ranked teams than any team in Alabama history I am pretty sure in a regular season. The losses are disappointing, but that's just basketball. Winning 19 or 20 games in the regular season with one of the toughest strength of schedules of all-time is nothing to be ashamed of. I like the direction we are headed.

 

[BeastofBourbon]

I personally think he’s maxed out this group. He doesn’t have a herb or petty. And the fact that we’re poised to be a 5 seed following last year as a 2 seed and fans are complaining given the last 30 years is just mind boggling to me

My complaining centers around effort. Like I told the middle school football team I coach. You don't have to be a stud athlete to give maximum effort. I've watched virtually every game this team has played this season, and in summary they show up when they want to and they check out when they don't. Look no further than the fact that we've beaten Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, and Arkansas but lost to Georgia, Mizzou, and aTm. What's worse is we've allowed teams that struggle to score 60 points hang 80 or more on us.

But to your point perhaps we should be praising the coach rather than bashing him. Statistically we are ranked 318th in defense, 292nd in 3pt %, and 302nd in turnovers/game, but we're solidly in the tournament at probably no worse than a 7 seed.

 

[pwestbro61]

If you didn’t do your job, your boss would be held accountable if he kept you on the job.

Was in sales forever/ each individual stood on his or her own merits and efforts. Young kids today hate accountability. Just a fact.

 

[aggietider]

Was in sales forever/ each individual stood on his or her own merits and efforts. Young kids today hate accountability. Just a fact.

This isn’t sales. Salesman might do something like throw others under the bus to make themselves look better….like these kids leader.

 

[coffee89]

With this team, although not possible. a 12 seed would probably be best once in the tournament. For some reason they play better against the tougher competition most games. Who knows, if the shots start falling in the tournament they could go a long way.

 

[Sweetlou2.0]

My complaining centers around effort. Like I told the middle school football team I coach. You don't have to be a stud athlete to give maximum effort. I've watched virtually every game this team has played this season, and in summary they show up when they want to and they check out when they don't. Look no further than the fact that we've beaten Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, and Arkansas but lost to Georgia, Mizzou, and aTm. What's worse is we've allowed teams that struggle to score 60 points hang 80 or more on us.

But to your point perhaps we should be praising the coach rather than bashing him. Statistically we are ranked 318th in defense, 292nd in 3pt %, and 302nd in turnovers/game, but we're solidly in the tournament at probably no worse than a 7 seed.

Sometimes the defensive intensity slacks… not disagreeing there. However, this board has a tendency to scream “no effort” when we aren’t shooting well. In the Gonzaga game, JD made 4 threes and Shack went off. Against Houston we made big shots and Gary went for 20. Wanna know how we beat top 10 teams? Those kinds of things happened. Nothing to do with effort.

One issue with this team is that we have a group of guys who simply cannot corral the basketball. Some guys are like that. They want to… diving on the floor over the place last night. Guys like Gurley and Bediako sacrificing their bodies to get the ball… but they cannot. That’s not an effort issue as much as a coordination/skill issue. I would also add… dude at the end with 17% three point percentage splashing threes from his hip, highly contested at the buzzer. Stuff like that has happened to this team consistently this year.

And the most obvious issue… turnovers. Rojas gets O board last night as we’re making our run and throws it away. Completely unprovoked. Not pressured at all… just throws it away.
And yet… despite all these issues our coach has us poised as a 5 seed. And some of y’all complain about him at every turn. Just cannot wrap my head around it.

 

[cola68]

Bad passes and careless dribbling continues to kill us. Turnovers don't seem to bother these players at all. They don't seem to be embarrassed or disappointed. Watch how many times we make a turnover, and the other team hits a 3. That is possibly a 6 point swing every time. Just amazing to me.

Incredibly careless..underhanded passes that the Oompa Loompas could defend and block..
Turnovers

 

[OatsMeal]

Sometimes the defensive intensity slacks… not disagreeing there. However, this board has a tendency to scream “no effort” when we aren’t shooting well. In the Gonzaga game, JD made 4 threes and Shack went off. Against Houston we made big shots and Gary went for 20. Wanna know how we beat top 10 teams? Those kinds of things happened. Nothing to do with effort.

One issue with this team is that we have a group of guys who simply cannot corral the basketball. Some guys are like that. They want to… diving on the floor over the place last night. Guys like Gurley and Bediako sacrificing their bodies to get the ball… but they cannot. That’s not an effort issue as much as a coordination/skill issue. I would also add… dude at the end with 17% three point percentage splashing threes from his hip, highly contested at the buzzer. Stuff like that has happened to this team consistently this year.

And the most obvious issue… turnovers. Rojas gets O board last night as we’re making our run and throws it away. Completely unprovoked. Not pressured at all… just throws it away.
And yet… despite all these issues our coach has us poised as a 5 seed. And some of y’all complain about him at every turn. Just cannot wrap my head around it.

I think you’re spot on. It’s really a lack of defensive effort/intensity at times and the turnovers as opposed to overall “effort”. We have seen this team defend well sometimes; that’s the frustrating part that tells me it’s all mental. They defend when they want to, and when they don’t, we get an incredibly embarrassing result like the second half of last night. A&M is not a good offensive team and we made them look like the 2016 Golden Stare Warriors in that second half.

I think that obviously the defensive intensity will be there in meaningful tournament games. The problem is, we have cost ourselves a solid seed and may run into a a bad draw/matchup early. You take away losses to Iona, Georgia, Mizzou, Davidson, etc, we are looking at a 3 seed at worst.

 

[jtr4dad]

My complaining centers around effort. Like I told the middle school football team I coach. You don't have to be a stud athlete to give maximum effort. I've watched virtually every game this team has played this season, and in summary they show up when they want to and they check out when they don't. Look no further than the fact that we've beaten Gonzaga, Houston, Baylor, and Arkansas but lost to Georgia, Mizzou, and aTm. What's worse is we've allowed teams that struggle to score 60 points hang 80 or more on us.

But to your point perhaps we should be praising the coach rather than bashing him. Statistically we are ranked 318th in defense, 292nd in 3pt %, and 302nd in turnovers/game, but we're solidly in the tournament at probably no worse than a 7 seed.

I don't get why people think we lost to a bad team last night. Their overall record is the same as ours and they're only one game behind us in the conference standings. They'll probably end up tied with us in the SEC if everything goes as expected Saturday and they win at home and we lose to LSU. Losing to them wasn't bad. It was the way we lost, giving up 87 points overall and 50 points in the second half. They shot 57% from the field, which is the highest shooting percentage for a visiting team in Coleman in 25 years. That's what was embarrassing and pathetic.

 

[OatsMeal]

I don't get why people think we lost to a bad team last night. Their overall record is the same as ours and they're only one game behind us in the conference standings. They'll probably end up tied with us in the SEC if everything goes as expected Saturday and they win at home and we lose to LSU. Losing to them wasn't bad. It was the way we lost, giving up 87 points overall and 50 points in the second half. They shot 57% from the field, which is the highest shooting percentage for a visiting team in Coleman in 25 years. That's what was embarrassing and pathetic.

yeah - they are really sound defensively. Just embarrassing that we let them pick us apart on the other end. They are a below average offensive unit as a whole.

 

[HOUNDZTOOTH1]

I guess the "if you don't play defense or sit thing was just for one game". AS much as I love Bama , I felt like I just wasted an hour and forty-five minutes of my life last night watching us throw the ball to A&M along with what ever was not happening like Playing Top Quality Basketball 39 games into the season.

 

[BAMACOASTIE]

The thing that worries me is I don't see the defense being any better next year. Unless some of the freshman coming in will be the next Herb Jones.

 

[TideFever]

I think the thing with Oats and this team is for whatever reason this is a team that Oats just can't completely figure out. Some nights they "get it" and some nights it's like they all have somewhere else to be. This team is also prone to everyone being hot and active on defense or everyone being ice cold and when they're cold they tend to zone out on defense.

It's likely the first time he's been in this situation and he's had a hard time sorting out how to handle it.

In high school most of his kids were probably ready to run themselves to death to win a game and maybe get some college to notice them. He apparently was something of a legend of a coach in HS so kids flocked to him.

At Buffalo most of his teams were in a similar position.

Last year's team was right there with his past teams and 3 guys got drafted. If they shoot their average at the free throw line they get to the elite 8 or final 4.

Now he's got an enigma that likely won't be solved with so few games remaining to play. Square pegs that don't fit the round holes of his everyone shoots system and round pegs that won't fit well enough in the square holes of a more conventional post offense. So he's had to pick his poison and hope for the best. It beat some really good teams and lost to some really bad teams. We're a matchup nightmare for some teams because of it but there are also teams we can't hope to match up with.

We can hope he learns from it and finishes growing into the job instead of learning from it and taking the lessons learned to his next stop.

 

[D Isaiah T Billings-Clyde7]

I think the thing with Oats and this team is for whatever reason this is a team that Oats just can't completely figure out. Some nights they "get it" and some nights it's like they all have somewhere else to be. This team is also prone to everyone being hot and active on defense or everyone being ice cold and when they're cold they tend to zone out on defense.

It's likely the first time he's been in this situation and he's had a hard time sorting out how to handle it.

In high school most of his kids were probably ready to run themselves to death to win a game and maybe get some college to notice them. He apparently was something of a legend of a coach in HS so kids flocked to him.

At Buffalo most of his teams were in a similar position.

Last year's team was right there with his past teams and 3 guys got drafted. If they shoot their average at the free throw line they get to the elite 8 or final 4.

Now he's got an enigma that likely won't be solved with so few games remaining to play. Square pegs that don't fit the round holes of his everyone shoots system and round pegs that won't fit well enough in the square holes of a more conventional post offense. So he's had to pick his poison and hope for the best. It beat some really good teams and lost to some really bad teams. We're a matchup nightmare for some teams because of it but there are also teams we can't hope to match up with.

We can hope he learns from it and finishes growing into the job instead of learning from it and taking the lessons learned to his next stop.

The crazy thing is We have won some games on the defensive end of the floor on piss poor shooting nights and several of our losses we actually shot well and just didn’t guard anything


but to your last point… as bad as I want us to make a tournament run, and I do want us to no matter what, I do think there are lessons to learn from this year that we may lose sight of if we make an elite 8 type run… getting bounced by Chattanooga in round 1 would kind of be the appropriate end to this thing and would leave a bitter taste in coach’s mouth for sure.

 

[BeastofBourbon]

I don't get why people think we lost to a bad team last night. Their overall record is the same as ours and they're only one game behind us in the conference standings. They'll probably end up tied with us in the SEC if everything goes as expected Saturday and they win at home and we lose to LSU. Losing to them wasn't bad. It was the way we lost, giving up 87 points overall and 50 points in the second half. They shot 57% from the field, which is the highest shooting percentage for a visiting team in Coleman in 25 years. That's what was embarrassing and pathetic.

I don't think aTm is a bad team either. I think Buzz is one of the best coaches in the business, and I don't care who he has or doesn't have on his roster you're in for a dogfight any time you play his team. To your point, the way we got dominated on both ends of the floor is what was embarrassing and pathetic. We got out coached and out hustled in that game, and I don't care whose feelings I hurt saying that.

 

[HOUNDZTOOTH1]

I don't think aTm is a bad team either. I think Buzz is one of the best coaches in the business, and I don't care who he has or doesn't have on his roster you're in for a dogfight any time you play his team. To your point, the way we got dominated on both ends of the floor is what was embarrassing and pathetic. We got out coached and out hustled in that game, and I don't care whose feelings I hurt saying that.

Your RIGHT IN THAT WE GOT OUTPLAYED AND OUT COACHED and I think Oats is learning on the job but does not have the staff to teach ball discipline and ball protection and we simply cannot finish at the rim whereas team after team we play can go to the board strong and finish and rebound. We are physically a very weak team and our strength coach needs to meet with the football staff about beefing up and getting stronger in the off season.
This team is difficult to watch because the only consistently about this them is that we consistently do not know which team is going to show and play game to game. Frustrating!

 

[jtr4dad]

Your RIGHT IN THAT WE GOT OUTPLAYED AND OUT COACHED and I think Oats is learning on the job but does not have the staff to teach ball discipline and ball protection and we simply cannot finish at the rim whereas team after team we play can go to the board strong and finish and rebound. We are physically a very weak team and our strength coach needs to meet with the football staff about beefing up and getting stronger in the off season.
This team is difficult to watch because the only consistently about this them is that we consistently do not know which team is going to show and play game to game. Frustrating!

The strength coach just left. The South Carolina game was his final one with us. He has been replaced on an interim basis by someone who has worked with our football strength staff.

 

[HOUNDZTOOTH1]

I think the thing with Oats and this team is for whatever reason this is a team that Oats just can't completely figure out. Some nights they "get it" and some nights it's like they all have somewhere else to be. This team is also prone to everyone being hot and active on defense or everyone being ice cold and when they're cold they tend to zone out on defense.

It's likely the first time he's been in this situation and he's had a hard time sorting out how to handle it.

In high school most of his kids were probably ready to run themselves to death to win a game and maybe get some college to notice them. He apparently was something of a legend of a coach in HS so kids flocked to him.

At Buffalo most of his teams were in a similar position.

Last year's team was right there with his past teams and 3 guys got drafted. If they shoot their average at the free throw line they get to the elite 8 or final 4.

Now he's got an enigma that likely won't be solved with so few games remaining to play. Square pegs that don't fit the round holes of his everyone shoots system and round pegs that won't fit well enough in the square holes of a more conventional post offense. So he's had to pick his poison and hope for the best. It beat some really good teams and lost to some really bad teams. We're a matchup nightmare for some teams because of it but there are also teams we can't hope to match up with.

We can hope he learns from it and finishes growing into the job instead of learning from it and taking the lessons learned to his next stop.

This group of players do not have any Leaders or Alpha Dogs and it shows game after game.

 

[BamaNavyCPO]

Your RIGHT IN THAT WE GOT OUTPLAYED AND OUT COACHED and I think Oats is learning on the job but does not have the staff to teach ball discipline and ball protection and we simply cannot finish at the rim whereas team after team we play can go to the board strong and finish and rebound. We are physically a very weak team and our strength coach needs to meet with the football staff about beefing up and getting stronger in the off season.
This team is difficult to watch because the only consistently about this them is that we consistently do not know which team is going to show and play game to game. Frustrating!

I have seen on more than one occasion when one of our players would have the ball in their clasp only to have it ripped away by a seemingly stronger player. I have also seen our guys on long rebounds not attack the ball and the opponent gets there first. JD appears to be our best rebounder when he's not busy dribbling into trouble, dishing the ball to the other team, and running behind the player he is supposed to be guarding.

 

[OatsMeal]

LSU opens as a 4.5 point favorite

 

[Sheerperfection]

I believe A&M has beat us four in a row…..I would have thought our effort would have been much better….teams will not always play great but they can always play with great effort.