Alabama's Secret to Greatness: Thriving Under "Pressure"
Jalen Hurts is the total example of Alabama football: cool, calm, and collected in big games.
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Alabama football.
You love the Tide (like I do) or hate the Tide. There isn't any other way. And since Saban has taken over and Alabama has won 4 national championships in 7 years while the other years they were a big factor, fans have really DESPISED Alabama for their consistency at the top (that and how fans think Alabama's fans are obnoxious since then-but as a Bama fan myself, I can relate though I think other fan bases are more obnoxious). But say what you will, they have been the best program in college football for the last 7 years.
Saban is the reason of Alabama's dominance
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Many factors attribute to it. Mostly the key factor is Nick Saban. Saban can recruit. He can call a game well. He can get his players motivated to play for him. He does all of that. But why has Alabama been so dominant? We've seen the likes of coaches do similar things. For example: Mark Richt can recruit. But did it get Georgia any national championships? Any SEC championships since 2005? No. Les Miles could recruit too, but calling a game was his downfall at LSU. Yes, he won a national championship, but it seemed like it was more of a national title by everybody else was dropping like flies in the weeks leading up to the bowl games. Getting players motivated? Butch Jones can do it. But that hasn't panned out either.
So what is it that makes Alabama a cut above everybody else not just the SEC, but in the entire nation? Pressure in big games.
Alabama went into Knoxville like it was any other game while Tennessee penned this as their Super Bowl
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I find it hilarious that fans who oppose Alabama (especially Georgia fans in my area and of course Colin Cowherd) say that they schedule cream-puffs hence why the Tide find themselves in December 12-1 and championship bound. Compared to other schedules, what Alabama has to endure is a gauntlet every year. Yet those fans do not even schedule a quality out-of-conference opponent and dodged playing a power 5 opponent most years (Georgia fans love to throw the "hey we play Georgia Tech every year!" bit). Alabama does it right: in the last 8 years, the season opener includes a game against a power 5 team 6 times, most of the time on prime-time where everybody is going to watch. The Tide have faced Clemson, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Virginia Tech (again), West Virginia, Wisconsin, and USC (with Florida State in the new Atlanta stadium next year). They have built their program under making sure their players get in the spotlight. And to add on top of that, we have seen Bama in bowl games and championship games at the end, giving them that extra pressure needed. So with all that experience in big games, Alabama doesn't flinch.
It is also intriguing to see how opposing programs in the week or weeks leading up to Alabama games, how programs jack themselves up for the Tide. Case in point: last year. The week Alabama played at Georgia, the state of Georgia was jacked up for the game. All you saw from the fans on Facebook and Twitter were how this was the biggest game since the 2012 SEC Championship where.........they played Alabama. The coaches and players were also geeked up for the game as well. On the flip side, Alabama took Georgia like it was another game. Of course it didn't help the Bulldogs taunting Alabama on their own sideline before the game. And the end result?
Alabama's calmness easily drubbed Georgia and their on-edge personality.
Alabama won in a laugher, which probably ended Mark Richt's tenure at Georgia.
We are now seeing the likes of LSU, same team who had the formula for a while on Alabama, are now on that same mountain as they get too amped up for the Tide and the last few times, Alabama's cool under pressure mentality got past the Tigers. Mississippi State and Texas A&M (after 2012) have that same issue now. Alabama is on the schedule and it is their big game. Alabama takes them like any other opponent. Heck, if you look at even the out-of-conference teams Bama has played and how they get up for that, it is the same way.
Michigan State: The Spartans have been a program netting strong out-of-conference games and wins (Oregon, Georgia, Baylor, TCU, etc.), won the Big Ten and made the playoff. They tried to play it cool like another game like Alabama does, but you sensed in the Cotton Bowl they knew who was on the other side and the nerves got to them (especially Connor Cook). End result: 38-0 Tide victory.
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USC: All spring and summer the Trojans talked and talked and talked about how they would beat Bama. On the other side, Bama said little, if anything. The first drive, you saw the Trojans amped up to the greatest degree while Alabama remained cool. By halftime, the game was over and it was no contest as the Tide kept cool while all that energy of USC went out the window and fast. End result, 52-6. (Conclusion about Spartans and Trojans playing Alabama in JerryWorld: DON'T! The Trojan wars were probably safer for both than playing Alabama).
Clemson: This is where probably Alabama somewhat met their match. I think part of it was Clemson played in big games themselves (Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma) and they didn't have the "oh, we play Alabama" but "we play for the national championship." While it didn't pay off for the Tigers last year, they fought tooth and nail with the Tide as they played fairly cool under the pressure (the same mentality they have this year when they took town the seemingly invincible Louisville squad). It was more of a talent thing and some smart coaching of Saban in that game that netted the Tide to title #16.
Last week you saw what came off as a HUGE game between the Tide and rival Tennessee. The Tide said nothing and went about their business during the week. Tennessee barked from the players to the fans, thinking this is "the game" to change the SEC for good as the Vols have been believing that "this was their year."
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About that......Tennessee looked like an NAIA program as they were in over their heads. Josh Dobbs continues his downward spiral in 2016 and the Vols just were dominated in every aspect. But again, it looked like the same thing happened with them as it did with Georgia, Michigan State, and USC: they were amped too much early on and then the minute Alabama got a break, they broke the Vols in half.
Bama escaped Oxford this year, but even the Tide were amped.
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The two teams that have combated the formula of playing Alabama "under pressure" are Auburn and Ole Miss. I know the Tide have won 4 of the last 5 against the Tigers, but it is a rivalry game and even Alabama gets amped up for that (they struggled the last 3 years in the Iron Bowl despite winning two) and the Tide wanted revenge for Ole Miss the last two years, which I think played a factor this year as well.
Hurts might be the symbol of Alabama football: poised, cool, calm, and collective even on the biggest stages of the college football world.
Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Even when they do play cool under the pressure, it doesn't mean Alabama is prone to mistakes. They do make them and they aren't 100% perfect every game. Even the Tennessee game they dominated in, the Tide had some mistakes and it was evident with Jalen Hurts, causing two turnovers passing. But much like the Tide, Hurts shook off the mistakes and corrected them as he was cool and calm under the pressure of a hostile Neyland crowd. And in some ways, Jalen Hurts is the face of Alabama football because of his poise and calmness when he plays.
The Aggies will have to play cool under pressure against the Tide Saturday in Tuscaloosa.
Time will tell Saturday if Texas A&M will be extremely pumped and think their big game of all big games like it was in 2013, 14, and last year. Ironically it is 3 straight losses the Aggies have and I think 2013 was one of those games were Alabama didn't take it like a regular game because of the Manziel game. So if Texas A&M plays like "well we have to win this one" instead of "well, we are playing Alabama" they have a good chance. And before we go "Texas A&M has no chance," this isn't the same "offensive-minded, spread the ball, no-huddle, defense optional" crew we saw in 2012 and 2013 when it worked; the Aggies look like an actual SEC team now, playing the run and defending the run as well. This will be Alabama's toughest test yet, even in Tuscaloosa. I am not saying they'll lose (quite the opposite actually), but Alabama will have a battle. But they are the ones who can handle the pressure.
Like they have for the last 8 years.
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
