Why did Alabama and Nick Saban lose games they could have won in 2007? The story could be found in NFL scouting analysis posted as players prepare for the NFL Combine.

Three players set for the combine are DJ Hall, Wallace Gilberry and Simeon Castille. Each of these players were important cogs on the Alabama team, but each have severe deficiencies in terms of work ethic, according to NFL analysis.

DJ Hall: Hall needs to improve his work ethic and mature off the field, as he seems to have a lackadaisical approach to training and practice…Yet, even if there is a $100 bill in the middle of the field with his name on it, he will not be found in that area. Hall needs to gain overall strength or show better aggression in beating the press. He looks like Tarzan, but plays like Jane and is not to be relied upon in the clutch. His vertical speed is what impresses scouts most.

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Simeon Castille: Has good field vision and instincts, but struggles in the classroom from a lack of effort…While he reads the backfield effectively, he likes to freelance too much and this leads to problems, as he gets reckless in his pursuit and lacks the second gear to recover when receivers get behind him…Does go through stretches of concentration lapses on the field…

Wallace Gilberry: Adequate leader who will take a teammate to task (but needs to practice what he preaches)……Gilberry is not an elite athlete and his less-than-stellar work ethic means a coach will have to monitor him in the training room.

The analysis of these players yields the clue—Alabama’s best athletes had work ethic problems, concentration issues and wouldn’t do the homework watching film or studying the playbook.

These three are some of my favorite players to watch, but the NFL’s analysis can’t be glossed over. The problems of the Mike Shula era were endemic to the football team, and could take another year to eliminate with off-season programs, strong practices and hard work. Who wants Saban’s job? Probably not as many when you see the extent of the problems he faced upon arrival in Tuscaloosa.

4 thoughts on “Why did Alabama lose games in ’07?”

  1. While the first two don’t really surprise me, I will admit to being taken aback a little by that assessment of Wallace. I always got the impression that he was a hard worker.

  2. cap,

    none of what you’ve posted really surprised me. any thinking ‘bama fan knew there were problems with specific players that had impactful repercussions as the season played out.

    what did surprise me is saban’s failure to address it early on. when that bunch was hooting and howling at all hours on the strip there was a prime opportunity to address things. it required our four million dollar coach to cut his lakeside hideaway vacation short and address it. he didn’t. and when he did come back he didn’t address it properly. you can say i don’t know what he did and i can respond by saying whatever it was, it wasn’t adequate because the disiplinary issues continued throughout the season.

    i would rather have lost to auburn 70 – zip than to have seen the textbook five brought back to play in that game. what did that say to the guys who had to play in their place?? the half-game suspension of hall v. la. monroe was a complete joke!

    the deal is saban had a mulligan last season. we the fanbase could have lived with some losses if we see and hear the program being cleaned up. and it needed cleaning terribly. it still galls me to know juwan simpson’s name is in concrete at the chimes. disgusting.

    yeah, we have a great recruiting class. foundation for a return to prominence. but if saban doesn’t change his disiplinary ways, trust me, it will take longer than it should. rtr.

  3. Please cut the crap, finebammer. You’re obviously Kevin or some other random barnie who frequently posts on our boards.

    It’s EVIDENT by your tone you’re a barnie posing as a ‘Bama fan. Don’t get me wrong, I agree 110% with what you said, but the least you could do is show your manhood in the process.

    The truth will set you free (not riding a bull nor posing as one of us)!

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