Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Not-so-Tiny Tim Returns

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One additional thing to worry about is how Alabama’s defensive front will look against our turnstile offensive line on Saturday. Missing from the Alabama defensive line has been nose-tackle Tim Keenan, who will return for tomorrow’s contest.

If you’re looking for intel on the enemy, this is a good piece to read here:

Tim Keenan, though, has been sorely missed. He was quietly one of the very best players on Alabama’s squad last year (the nose tackle never gets any love), but the dude just makes plays and is always way more disruptive than someone his size should be. Alabama’s been rotating a cast of freshmen in his spot through the first three games, and while true freshman London Simmons has been better than expected, Keenan is a team captain and All-SEC caliber player for a reason. He adds some pass rush, but adds even more in rush play disruption.

What does that mean for us? Likely a lot of RPO and moving the pocket, as well as a real test for Drew Bobo and the interior linemen, who haven’t quite received the criticism through some decent play but also while Earnest Greene has been wearing the majority of the criticism for the unit thus far. Speaking of:

One additionally interesting bit from the DawgSports interview:

MD: How would you stop Ryan Williams? Without committing a crime, obviously.

Brent: Just let him run slant routes. He’ll drop those every time.

Seriously, though, Williams is a savant with the ball in his hands, and he can pull off some crazy catches, too. He’s not a perfect receiver, though – he’s an adequate at best route runner that can really struggle with press coverages, and for some reason, he’s been plagued by easy drops at the tail end of last season and early this season.

MD: What’s your assessment of Ty Simpson so far? Early this week Kirby Smart called him “one of the hottest quarterbacks in college football right now”, was that aw shucks Kirby flattery, or is Simpson genuinely one of the best in the nation?

Brent: Depends. Week one Ty Simpson was not a good QB. Week 2-3 Ty Simpson looked like NFL Draft pick next year.

He’s got a lot of good things about him. He’s an impressive scrambler (and that gets ignored because he’s following Jalen Milroe). And his ability to make pro level throws over the middle on deep ins, dig routes, seams, and sideline outs is something a lot of college QBs never work into their game. He’s also really good about hanging in the pocket and making those throws with pressure coming at him.

On the other hand, I don’t think we’ve really seen a pure deep bomb from him yet, so that still remains to be seen. And some of his throws on the run have been godawful. As has, occasionally, he likes to spin backwards out of the pocket and turn a 5 yard sack into a 12 yard sack. So there’s definitely some issues and tendencies that a good defensive coordinator can likely attack... BUT, he’s also shown some superstar tools, and seems to quickly be problem solving and self correcting in real time.

Press coverages, issues and tendencies that a good defensive coordinator can likely attack…let’s hope our guys have done their extra credit homework with the bye week.

Go Dawgs!

17 thoughts on “Tiptoe Through the Tulips: Not-so-Tiny Tim Returns”

  1. We’ll need a complete game on both sides of the ball tomorrow night. Spotting them 21 (or more points) won’t cut it. We need to start fast, feed off the crowd, and keep the peddle down for all four quarters.

    In other news, water is wet and the sky is blue.

  4. The bammers might have that nose tackle on rep count, cause that ankle procedure is a thing that big/weighty individuals, do not fully recover from in 4-6 months, conditioning will be another factor, naturally, know exactly where that dude is, at all times, if UGA football “D” schemes to contain the bammer qb, with light pressure, things could get ugly, keeping the bammers in 2nd/3rd and long works for our edge rush, does UGA football “O” move the pocket, allow #14 some freedom on the outside, running the ball behind the guards will get bobo blamed, if UGA football run game materializes, we might have to stretch the field with some 6-8 minute drives…not an nfl person by any measurement, listening to a limited, small portion of the prime video announcing crew, solidified Agent Herbstreit as a master of the obvious, word salad, dick wad…GO DAWGS!!

  5. I don’t think Deboer is the coach at Alabama in three years. That doesn’t seem controversial or hot takish to me. He ain’t the guy. Alabama still has more talent than everybody but us and maybe has a slight edge on us. I say all that to say, this is not going to be easy. If you’re one of those fans that can’t wait to melt down in the game day thread go ahead and start melting down now because some stuff is going to go right for Alabama. Like I said yesterday though I believe the home field and having the best coach in college football will be enough. I dont care if we beat them by one skinny point. Doesn’t matter. Go Dawgs.

  6. Just don’t know how the game will go. I expect not to put much pressure on the QB, we’ll give up some big pass plays and our O-line will be less than stellar. On the positive side if we jump out to an early lead, I expect Bobo to rein in the offense. If Dawgs play well it will probably come down to the end again. Goes without saying that Bama will probably play well & is likely the most talented team we face all season so we better be ready for a brawl.

    • IDK if I believe Bama is a better football team than Tennessee,
      I hope they’re not.
      The Dawgs could have put Tennessee away in the third and fourth..but the O calls went to “run clock” mode and we were very lucky it didn’t cost us the game.
      I hope we come out and hit Bama in the mouth and keep it up for four quarters.

  7. I hear everbody but damn isn’t this the same team that got that dick smashed by… FSU?
    (note – did they miss the RB and NT that much?)

    • If we lose, it means we lose to a team that got smashed by a team that got beat by Virginia. That would be embarrassing. Alabama is not what they used to be.

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