Game Info: September 14 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas on CBS at 2:30 p.m. Central

In a rematch of what was arguably one of the most stunning upsets of the 2012 season the Crimson Tide will head to Texas for the first time since the 2006 Cotton Bowl to take on the Aggies of Texas A&M. Both of these programs can point to Bear Bryant as one of their legends, but recent history shows that these two teams are not mirror images and that is about all they have in common.

In their first year under head coach Kevin Sumlin the Aggies went 11-2 including a dominant Cotton Bowl win over Oklahoma. The turnaround in College Station could be attributed to many things but most will say Johnny Manziel, the first freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy; there is no doubt Johnny Football was the catalyst for the success the Aggies achieved in 2012. And will be again in 2013. Alabama’s defensive coaches will say all the right things in the week leading up to this game, but in the back of their minds, they know they let Johnny Manziel off the hook by not pressuring him enough last year, and they will not make the same mistake this time around. So, on to the what to expect portions of our Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview.

Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview

When Texas A&M has the ball:

2013 Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview

However, that offensive line was anchored by a can’t miss left tackle prospect now on the roster of the Jacksonville Jaguars. In addition to Luke Joeckle the Aggies will be without a seasoned center as Patrick Lewis has moved on to the NFL as well, he is with the Tennessee Titans.

How does a team replace to NFL draft picks in one unit and remain as effective as they were in the previous season? The simple answer is most don’t and the Aggies probably aren’t the exception.

Kirby Smart and Nick Saban understand how to attack weakness in an opponent and this will be the biggest weakness in the Aggie offense early in the season. Expect the Crimson Tide defense to bring pressure early and often to get the young linemen on their heels so that they lose their leverage in the battle to control the line of scrimmage. If Texas A&M loses the line scrimmage on offense Manziel will have a tough time running an offense that needs him to use his athletic ability to create when nothing is available.

To complicate matters for Manziel when he is under pressure he is breaking in a new starting slot receiver, Malcome Kennedy. While in most offenses the slot receiver is only worth noting in short yardage situations, in Kevin Sumlin’s offense, every receiver is important and every receiver must do their job. If that does not happen then the play can break down in a hurry and against a stingy, attacking Tide defense that is never a good thing. It seems like nothing good can happen for A&M when they have the ball, but that is not true.

The first two games for the Aggies are against creampuffs this will give them the time to break in all those new players and get their timing down on offense. With Johnny Manziel leading the offense big plays are going to happen, how the Alabama defense responds will be just as important as how it is defended in the first place.

The simple fact is that under Nick Saban, Alabama has not faced a lot of adversity and when they get into tight games the players do not always respond positively either mentally or physically. Last year, it looked as if Texas A&M got Alabama on their heels and the Tide played a little too tight in the first half. If the game remains close and the A&M offense starts to get confidence from a couple of big plays it might just be the case again in College Station.

Now on to our Alabama offense portion of our Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview.

Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview

When Alabama has the ball:

This cannot be made simple enough: if Alabama protects the football and A.J. McCarron, the Aggie defense will not keep them from controlling the clock and scoring.

Texas A&M could not stop the Tide last year unless the Tide stopped themselves. Saban’s offense is based on ball control and they could not keep the ball enough last year against the Aggies to be effective.

McCarron had an unusual ratio of TD’s to INT’s (1-2) and there was also a fumble lost to the A&M defense. If you are keeping track that is 3 turnovers to Texas A&M’s zero. That is not how any team wins games, but especially not how a Saban coached team wins games.

To keep the ball in College Station the Tide will have to get the 12th Man out of the game early and keep them quiet by owning the line of scrimmage. Texas A&M is going to rely on their quarterback to move the ball, Alabama is going to pound the ball. Even in third and long situations look for Alabama to move the ball on the ground and burn clock to keep the ball out of Manziel’s hands for as long as they can. In this game and this game only a long drive that burns several minutes off the clock and doesn’t result in points will be nearly as good as a long drive that leads to points because every second Manziel doesn’t have the ball means a second that he cannot score.

A.J. McCarron must be efficient in this game, and given that he is typically extremely efficient, this will not be a difficult task. This just might even be an “easier” game for Alabama than their previous game against Virginia Tech. The crowd will definitely be more hostile than what will be in the Georgia Dome, but the defense will not be as fast and not as attacking. (Say what you will about the ACC, but Virginia Tech knows how to play tough, physical defense.)

Part of the ball control game will be short passes looking where the best result will be a completion for a few yards, and not the big gainers that McCarron and his receivers will be looking for against the inexperienced Hokie secondary to start the season. The offensive line will be in full run blocking mode as they will not need to protect for the pass for very long. Expect the Tide to kill time in a methodical effort to control the ball and wear out the A&M defense.

With Alabama’s emphasis on ball control and Texas A&M’s need to capitalize on big plays against an attacking defense we can safely assume this game will not be a rout, but instead this should be a tight game until the end when the team with the fewest amount of mistakes to be ahead when the clock reads :00.

Kyle Field is a tough place to play and the defending champs will have a target on their back. This game has all the marks of an early season upset: on the road, playing a team hungry to prove they are not a temporary success, a hostile environment, and plenty of hype.

This will not be an upset. Alabama does not lose to the same team in back-to-back seasons. The bottom line of this Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview: Saban and Co. will take care of business in College Station.

Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview Prediction: Alabama 24, Texas A&M 17

Thanks for reading our Alabama vs Texas A&M Preview. Share your thoughts about the season opener in the comment section below. Also, check back for more game previews
—Special to the Capstone Report by Coach DS.

The last time the Crimson Tide lined up in the Georgia Dome there is no question they faced a much stiffer test than what they will get when they match up with the Virginia Tech Hokies of the maligned ACC. However, Nick Saban and company will not sleep over the summer, and neither should be fans expecting this game to be a complete blowout. While the Hokie offense can and will turn the ball over, their lunch pail defense and extra-special special teams should be enough to keep them in the game until the fourth quarter when the talent gap between both programs should start to become apparent. Let’s look at the how the teams will match up with each other at the Chick-Fila-A College Kickoff in our Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview:

Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview

When Virginia Tech has the ball:

2013 Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview

This spring Loeffler began to install his new offense, which if you look at his previous two stops (Temple and Auburn) means that he will be using a run first, then throws the ball to keep them honest pro-style offense.

The new offense will allow Thomas to improvise when plays break down and use his speed and athleticism to make plays and keep the offense on the field. Why is it important that Thomas can run? Simply put, during spring practice the offensive coaches at Virginia Tech never finalized a starting five on the line, they are unsure the five they put up against the vaunted Bama defense will be able to protect their signal caller in a pocket .

If you look at the Hokie depth chart, you will see the size to protect against the blitzing linebackers and safeties, but there is a lack of speed and experience against such an aggressive defense as the Hokies face playing against Alabama. In their game against Florida State last year, arguably the best defense they faced all season, the only scoring the Hokies could muster was on long passes on busted plays where experienced receivers knew where to go to get open and allow Thomas to get them the ball. This year? All three of Virginia Tech’s leading receivers are gone, leaving lots of youth in charge of making Logan Thomas look good against what could be the best secondary in the country.

So with all that said what should you expect from Kirby Smart’s defense? Let’s examine that next in our Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview.

Expect the Bama defense to contain Logan Thomas. The last time the defense was faced with the task of defending a highly mobile quarterback they lost. Sure it was to Johnny Manziel, but it was still a loss. So this time the emphasis will be placed on containing the quarterback and making him win with his arm. Why should it work this time? Logan Thomas has had a problem in the past with decision-making and this should continue against Alabama since they can drop into multiple looks from the same base look.

Adrian Hubbard and C.J. Mosley will be pressed with the task of keeping Thomas in the pocket at certain points during the night. In most cases a linebacker on a speedy, shifty guy like Logan Thomas is a sure fire mismatch, but not this time. The east-west speed of both of these players will be enough to keep their man from gaining too many yards from broken plays. Brandon Ivory will need to get a big push up the middle and if he can do that he will be able to force Thomas into the waiting arms of another defender coming off of the edge. With the pressure coming from seemingly everywhere on the field Logan Thomas is going to have to find a receiver that is going to be open and this is where he will make mistakes.

Alabama does a tremendous job of disguising coverages they bring safeties up to drop corners, play zone, play man, bring the corners on a blitz and rely on the linebackers to cover the receivers until the safeties are able to help on the route. Alabama does so much on defense to confuse the quarterback that Geno Smith, Deion Belue, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, and Vinnie Sunseri will be preying on the youth of the Hokies young receivers all night. The Crimson Tide defense is going to use multiple looks with different coverage and blitz combinations to confuse Thomas and his receivers into changing plays and routes and bait them into turning the ball over.

This match-up easily goes to the defending national champions. The Virginia Tech offense is adjusting to a new system, breaking in new receivers and an essentially new line all against a tested, tough, deceptive defense that will force even the best players into making mistakes.

Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview

When Alabama has the ball:

A.J. McCarron is an efficient, intelligent quarterback that makes every other player on his team look and perform better, and when the running game is churning out yards and his line gives him time in the pocket the offense is nearly unstoppable. We start this section with the challenges facing Virginia Tech’s defense in our Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview.

The Virginia Tech defense is an aggressive, unrelenting, blue-collar unit that has speed, size, and experience on their side. Led by linebacker Jack Tyler, the Hokie defense aims first to stop the run and force offenses to pass in order to beat them.

The last time Virginia Tech faced a pro-style offense with the talent of Alabama, they held a team who finished the season averaging 205 yards rushing per game to negative yards on the ground. If the Crimson Tide are going to be successful against Virginia Tech they are going to have to rely upon the arm of McCarron. For McCarron he is going to need to trust his offensive line, which will be breaking in three new starters, to protect him against the Hokie front seven that will be looking to stay in the Crimson Tide backfield all night. If the Alabama offensive line can keep McCarron clean and T. J. Yeldon moving forward this could be a long night for the Virginia Tech faithful.

Look for Bud Foster, Tech’s defensive coordinator, to pressure the new right tackle Austin Shepherd or Brandon Greene and redshirt freshmen center Ryan Kelly and force McCarron to move to his left with the goal of forcing inaccurate passes that will stall drives. The Hokies’ ability to do this consistently will determine how much success the defenses will have against Alabama.

Alabama’s passing game should benefit from Virginia Tech’s focus on stopping the run. Bud Foster will stack the box to make sure Doug Nussmeier cannot control the tempo of the game. A.J. McCarron will have a strong advantage on the outside with his talented receivers. Last season the Hokies could not stop the pass even when they knew it was coming, and while that secondary is coming back intact with lots of experience opening the year against an offense which does not make mistakes and has the speed to burn anyone. Nick Saban will never allow the offense to spread it out and ignore the run completely, but if there was ever a game to do it, this would be it.

Expect the deeper routes, and the stress to be put on yards after the catch during this game, especially if the run game does not get going early. Given the strength of the Virginia Tech linebackers passes into the middle would be unwise unless it was an obvious passing situation where the backers would be coming, if not the possibility exists for deflections and interceptions. The matchups on the outside, though, favor Amari Cooper and Kevin Norwood. This is where McCarron should live and where he should find the most success against the Hokie defense.

The edge here goes to Alabama. While it is completely possible that the Crimson Tide could have their lowest rushing total in years against the Hokies there is just no evidence that Virginia Tech’s secondary will be able to stop the pass.

In the end, the talent gap is too great for the Hokies to overcome and while this may stay close through halftime, the final score will be more indicative of the talent gap on the field. Expect there to be some feeling each other out early when the Alabama offense is on the field, but when you see the Hokie offense the Tide are going to bring the fire to Logan Thomas and force him into early mistakes and give their offense a short field.

Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview Prediction: Alabama 35 Virginia Tech 10
Thanks for reading our Alabama vs Virginia Tech Preview. Share your thoughts about the season opener in the comment section below. Also, check back for more previews including a look at the Alabama vs. Texas A&M game. For more information on the season, view the 2013 Alabama Football Schedule.
—Special to the Capstone Report by Coach DS.

Texas A&M’s mighty might QB is showing signs of buckling under pressure. The little hero that could, who tiptoed into the hearts of Aggie fans last year with his amazing backyard football skills looked like he was immune to such a thing.

But not now. Now the boy wonder appears to be folding like a card table with a Charlie Weis sitting on it.

Johnny Manziel’s fame and lore has taken a hit due to Twitter before, calling for a permanent boycott of the social networking vehicle this past March…a boycott that lasted all of 16 days. But recently Manziel forsook the Aggie nation that worships at his feet.

According to LarryBrownSports.com, Manziel tweeted his frustration about living in College Station on Saturday night, only to delete it soon after.

Pressure gettin’ to ya, lil Johnny?

A little over an hour later, the Aggies’ QB shnoz-meister then offered this reprieve:

This is what being a whale in a swimming pool will bring you. This time last year, Johnny Manziel lived a different life. The elusive quarterback had yet to make his first tackler miss, or throw a ridiculous, unlikely-to-be-completed touchdown pass. Now, Manziel’s life is drastically different.

They say great wealth brings as much, or more, stress than does poverty. Most would like to find this out to make their own determination, but in the college football world, Johnny Manziel has gone from Jimmy Buffet to Warren Buffet. Gone are the days of easy going anonymity among friends. Manziel is a big boy now. And from his endless string of ridiculous tweets, those growing pains seem to have taken their toll.

But it doesn’t just stop with Manziel. Texas A&M’s rise to national power has led to a lot of stupidity spewing from those Texas-sized oral cavities. The remarks by the Aggie AD and president sheds light on a group of men who love their university, but don’t yet know how this game is played. Seems those in College Station haven’t heard that word travels at the speed of light on the interwebs.

Texas A&M: The Beverly Hillbillies of college football.

So what happens when you limp out of one conference, enter the strongest league in the land, stumble across an electrifying player, and come dangerously close to significance? You do stupid things, like have your leadership making reference to “controling the Tide” after one meeting. Like Jed Clampett, Texas A&M struck gold (or Texas tea) and lucked into prominence, if you call non-championship football prominence.

Now, it seems the rise to power (again, if you call non-championship football “power”), is tugging at the very seams of this program that its proud fanbase wants to believe is on the same level with the Crimson Tides of the land. And as the Aggie leadership plays to alumni dinners, and Johnny Football unravels himself into frustrated, 20-year-old frenzy via social media, Nick Saban and his army of top recruits eats, sleeps and breathes a certain game that stands between him and a fourth National Championship in five years. If you don’t want to take the time to check his record under such situations, here’s a hint: It’s pretty good.

Alabama football and Nick Saban eats pressure like the kind that’s crippling the Aggies and their quarterback. And as Saban has covered before, there’s a rare-air that comes with being at the top. You either learn to breathe it in and let it sustain you, or it chokes you. We’ve seen the Tide’s record the last five years at that altitude. And in less than a year’s time, it’s pretty clear what it’s doing in College Station.

(Follow ITK on Twitter for Bama news, commentary and smack.)

Unfortunately for Stoops, fan involvement doesn’t directly translate to wins. And with such a young roster, the Wildcats will most likely be undermanned until Stoops gets more of his players on campus.

2013 Kentucky Football Preview

2013 Kentucky Football Preview

Not that Kentucky wants to be so one dimensional, as the Wildcats intend to use the run to setup deep passes. But the Cats ability to run, with an sub-level SEC offensive line, will call that reasoning into question.

In 2013, what Stoops will try to do is implement the style of offense he wants at Kentucky in the future. What you’ll see in blue and white this season is a shell of what he hopes to put on the field in future seasons. That takes time and is beyond the scope of our 2013 Kentucky Football Preview, but there are signs that Stoops is on the right track.

Unlike the offensive side of the ball, the defensive oriented Stoops has been able to improve defensive talent. In Stoops first move as a recruiter, he was able to lock-up junior transfer and defensive end Za’Darius Smith. Smith, alongside fellow defensive end Bud Dupree, will be able to dictate tempo to offensive lines and close running lanes.

Kentucky has capable defensive secondary, with players like Ashley Lowery that can turn bad passes into turnovers. Whereas last year UK seemed to be on cruise control, heading toward a ditch, fans should have reason to be excited when they look at the vast improvements that Stoops has made on the defensive side of the ball.

The problem is, no matter how good UK is on defense this year, the offense must improve significantly if the team hopes to take pressure off the defensive unit.

There’s no doubt that Stoops is doing great things at Kentucky, and much like Bret Bielema in Arkansas, Stoops has changed the mentality of Kentucky in the short time he’s been on campus. It’s clear that current and potential players are excited to play for Stoops. But still, the problem remains that UK is drastically understaffed and they will have challenges getting to more than four wins this year with a schedule that includes Louisville, Florida, South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia.

Thanks for checking out our 2013 Kentucky Football Preview. We’ve gone through the entire SEC with our previews, but that does not end our series. Check back tomorrow as we recap our series and reveal our picks in the SEC East and SEC West.

—Special to the Capstone Report By Alex DeRemer.

2013 Vanderbilt Football Preview

2013 Vanderbilt Football Preview

Let’s be honest, Vandy still has a talent gap compared to most in the SEC. The offense offers some important examples at both running back and quarterback. Running backs Wes Tate, Brian Kimbrow, and Jerron Seymour will take on the running back needs by committee, at least until Vanderbilt and Coach Franklin sees which direction the three runners are taking his team this seas. This could be the redeeming feature for the Commodores because a diverse group of runners could help the understaffed offensive roster manage the clock and help the quarterback play.

At quarterback, the Commodores are looking to Wyoming transfer Austyn Carta-Samuels. Part of what Commodore fans call “the brand new Vanderbilt”, Austyn transferred to the Commodores with two years of experience as a Cowboy.

The Vandy defense will again be salty this season, relying on teamwork and communication, and will be a unit charged with carrying the weight as the offense settles in. Vandy will see several starters returning this season and they will have to step up and make plays to help their offense to stay in games. The team returns six starters from last year, including CB Andre Hal. Hal was on the AP’s second team ALL-SEC Team in 2012 and registered 48 tackles and 14 passes defended with two interceptions.

Vanderbilt’s schedule will also be an asset in 2013, with no Alabama or LSU from the West this season. In fact, the toughest team Vandy will see this season is Georgia. The Bulldogs will likely be a substantial favorite, but don’t count the ‘Dores out in the possible upset.

Because of their nine-win season last year, Commodore fans see their team and program as getting better. But Vanderbilt lost every offensive stat leader they had last season including both the quarterback and running back. At almost any other SEC school, those expectations are the kiss of death for a coach. But James Franklin’s rebuilding effort will gain some patience in Nashville as he continues to build around what Vandy has already done. Going to bowls in back-to-back years is unheard of. If they do it again this season, expect a statue.

Vandy could experience some setbacks this year due to player inexperience at some key positions, showing up most noticeably in their opener against Ole Miss. How the team responds in this game will go a long way to telling us about the season. But don’t be surprised if the Commodores make it to .500 and go bowling a third straight year.

Thanks for reading our 2013 Vanderbilt Football Preview. Tomorrow we examine Kentucky.

—Special to the Capstone Report By Alex DeRemer.

Steven O. Spurrier has always considered himself to be a goal-oriented coach. And in the past two seasons, his Gamecocks have reached some very unique milestones the program. But one elusive goal remains: win the SEC.

2013 South Carolina Football Preview

2013 South Carolina Football Preview

Despite coming off an injury-riddled season, quarterback Connor Shaw is a perfect example of this. The Gamecocks’ gritty senior is a game manager, and a tough one at that. Shaw’s focus seems to be on doing whatever he can do to help his team. Expect Spurrier to shuffle quarterbacks (because he just can’t help himself in doing so) and Dylan Thompson will see some playing time, but Shaw’s experience will be very important in SEC play.

But once again, Spurrier has every player in his pro-style offense for a reason, so it comes as no surprise that the Gamecocks heavy run attack benefits Shaw so well. What was seemingly once a pass-happy Spurrier at Florida has found balance on the ground at South Carolina (though if you go back at look at his Florida teams, they were very good on the ground as well).

Marcus Lattimore’s decision to risk no further collegiate injuries and make a go of it in the NFL opens the door for Mike Davis, but Spurrier says the result will be the same.

At only 5’9″, many wonder if Davis has the size to be an elite running back. But Davis tips the scales at 215 pounds, and again the point must be driven home that every player on this team serves a very specific purpose in Spurrier’s grand vision.

For Davis, that purpose will be opening passing lanes for his quarterback. The epitome of a workhorse, Davis will look to pound the ball up the middle and grind out yardage so Shaw can drop back on play-action and sling the ball downfield.

When Shaw does drop back, he will have a diversified receiving corps that creates mismatches on almost every play. Much like the Patriot’s offense did with their two tight end set, the Gamecocks have found two physically gifted tight ends in Rory Anderson and Jerell Adams.

Anderson is already a great player in his own right, and his size and catching ability make him a prototypical receiver for a run-first offense. Not only will he serve as a security blanket to Shaw, but his unique skill set will also require the attention of multiple defenders, making life easier for his fellow receivers as well as his quarterback. No one likes this more than fellow tight end Jerell Adams who will benefit from opportunity as defenses focus on Anderson. (Recruits say the Gamecocks run two tight end sets 59 percent of the time.)

With great tight ends and a great back, the two tight end set will again be a challenge to solve because the Gamecocks can run almost an entire offense out of this one set. But if South Carolina needs to air the ball out, receiver Bruce Ellington can also make plays happen.

Providing the Gamecocks with a much-needed element of speed, Ellington is an athletic receiver. He will also be used frequently in screens where the bigger tight ends will be able to block and give the speed specialist room to get into the open field. Once again, Ellington complements the big tight ends as well as everyone on the team.

Considering that South Carolina’s offense is built to chip away at defenses and run clock, it’s easy to see why the Gamecock’s defense is always able to make explosive plays; they are usually very well rested.

Like the Johnny Manziel of defense, defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been touted as the best defensive player in the land this season, and many draft analysts project him as the number one pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.

The hype is well-deserved. Clowney has also been a cornerstone to a defense averaging surrendering at or just under 350 yards per game in their last 5 seasons. Clowney will see double teams against him all season. He’s simply a once a decade kind of player that’s not only hard to prepare for, but is physically intimidating to players because of his bone-crushing hitting ability. Any parent of an opposing offensive player is lying if they say they’re not nervous that Jadeveon Clowney is on the field.

One drawback for the Gamecocks, the defense only returns five starters, but that includes both corners Victor Hampton and Jimmy Legree. The big question for the Gamecocks comes at linebacker with new starters suiting up in 2013. How will this group fare against SEC East running games? How that question is answered will make a big difference in just how good the Gamecocks season can be.

We see the Gamecocks challenging as a legitimate threat to get to Atlanta to face the Crimson Tide. Can they edge Georgia and Florida to get there for a rare SEC Championship Game appearance? We’ll see.

Thanks for reading our 2013 South Carolina Football Preview. Tomorrow we examine the Vanderbilt Commodores.
—Special to the Capstone Report By Alex DeRemer.

When your football program has fallen behind others in your state, division, league, and heck…everybody else, you start seeing signs. Indicators begin to pop up that there is cause for concern.

This weekend a recruit visiting the loveliest village on the plains shares one of those signs with us. He tweeted this picture out for all to see what is in and on the minds of the Auburn boosters, administration, coaches and players:

How freaking sad.

Two words created as permanent signage in a football meeting room. Not a poster, mind you. Permanent signage.

Has there ever been a time when the University of Alabama football program was so entrenched in the Auburn mindset? Nick Saban and company should have to pay rent for the amount of time he and his program spends between the ears of every Aubie alive.

Alabama football has always defined Auburn football for them. From the beginning of time (which is 1982 if you’re an Auburn fan), how the Tigers have fared against the Tide has been the benchmark for their program. I know a guy who won’t buy a car made in the years Bama has beaten Auburn. It’s safe to say he won’t be in the market for a new car for years.

It must be a feeling of hopelessness. Beat Bama. The team that you haven’t notched an offensive point against in two seasons of football. The team that not a single player on your active roster has ever scored a point of any kind against. Not a safety. Not a field goal. Certainly not a touchdown or point after.

Scores like 42-14 and 49-0 (which every Aubie knows could’ve been 77-0) don’t get flipped in a year. The differential on the field was much more than just points. It was personnel. It was coaching. It was coaches. And it was a mindset much bigger than “beat your rival.”

And in turn, after hiring a snake oil salesman who’s been a head coach just one year…equipped with just a dipsy-doo, trickeroo style offense to fend off the most dominant football coach the game has seen since Paul “Bear” Bryant…you do this to your players: “Beat Bama.”

It’s cruelty in motion. Why don’t you just take the guy pictured below and tell him “Marry Jessica Alba.”

A union about as likely as “Beat Bama.”

So what happens next November when Auburn limps onto their own Pat Dye Field at 5-6 (and that’s assuming they can beat one fellow SEC team this year) and they get reamed for the third straight year? Do you take it down, or leave it up so the graduating seniors after the 2014 season are reminded of what they were never able to accomplish?

Instead, shouldn’t the signage say:

Or, this would probably be more realistic:

What happened in 2010 was just as cruel to the Auburn fanbase as a “Beat Bama” sign in the back of an Auburn meeting room. Like a gambling addict winning money in a casino slot machine, the Aubie was duped into believing seasons like that one can happen. It was the perfect, once-in-a-lifetime storm.

Auburn’s disadvantage (one of them) is that the Gus Malzahn offense isn’t new anymore. There are now plenty of undermanned teams trying to gain an advantage with quick snap counts and flag football-esque misdirection. The last time Bama saw Gus’ brand the score was 42-14.

For Auburn right now, “BEAT BAMA” is like telling your mentally deficient 6th grader “GET ACCEPTED INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL.”

At the depths of Alabama’s woes last decade, “Beat Auburn” was never the cry. Getting back to a place of prominence in the college football world was. But again, this signage helps you peer into the mind of the Aubie. Their world begins and ends with Alabama football. And “Beating Bama?” It is the end all.

Might I suggest another goal instead for Auburn?

Do this and you’ve overachieved, and it means you’ve beaten your weak non-conference schedule and two SEC foes.

But a Beat Bama sign tells the world your goals are no higher than getting off the mat against the big brother that has you there. It tells recruits that while Bama has its eye on another national crown, their fourth in five years, we just have our eye on winning one game.

Not that it’s needed, but the Auburn staff could not have done Alabama recruiting a bigger favor. For what they’ve really told the world is:

(Follow ITK on Twitter for Bama news, commentary and smack.)

But like any Auburn fan will tell you (because they have to), it’s not about the championships. Well, yes it is. But almost as important are the moments. Those moments when you never forget where you were when they happen.

• Moments like Paul “Bear” Bryant’s 315th win coming against Auburn in 1981.
• Like Van Tiffin’s kick in 1985.
• Moments like Cornelius Bennett’s sack and Bama’s first win over Notre Dame in 1986.
• Like Thomas Rayam’s game winning block of a Penn State chip shot in 1989.
• Like Phillip Doyle’s kick to sink the Vols and extend the streak in 1990.
• Moments like Langham’s INT to down the smug Steve Spurrier and his Gators in 1992.
• Moments like total domination of the ultra cocky Miami Hurricanes for the 1992 National Championship.
• Like Bama’s improbable 31-7 blowout win in Lee County in 2001.
• Moments like the Tide’s gut wrenching end to the Vol reign in 2005.
• Moments like watching Nick Saban’s feet hit the tarmac live in January 2007.
• Like the 36-0 humiliation and processing of Tommy Tuberville.
• Like every single whipping the Tide has handed the Vols since Saban arrived.
• Moments like dominating Tim Tebow and making him cry in 2009.
• Moments like Bama’s 1st BCS National Championship over Texas in Jan. 2010.
• Like Bama’s 2nd BCS National Championship over LSU in Jan. 2012
• Like making the falsely humble Mark Richt sulk in defeat this past December.
• Moments like Bama’s 3rd BCS National Championship over Notre Dame last January.

Moments like this…

I still have LSU friends who won’t talk about that night. Their struggle with that hurtful memory is simply delicious, similar to my Auburn friends who admit they haven’t watched all or any of the last two Iron Bowls, or BCS National Championship games for that matter.

There are just too many moments to list in regard to Alabama football. And while there have been some we’d like to forget, the number of unbelievable moments of elation and triumph are grossly disproportionate to times of defeat.

It’s why rivals hate us. It’s why ratings for televised Alabama games create a financial windfall for networks and their sponsors. And it’s why we live to experience the next moments playout on the field before our very eyes.

Roll Tide everybody. Bring on 2013.

(Follow ITK on Twitter for Bama news, commentary and smack.)

Harvey Updyke, Jr…a free man.

Updyke was sentenced to 6 months in jail under a 3-year split sentence with five years of supervised probation following his release. Updyke had 104 days of jail credit at the time of his sentencing on March 22.

2013 Ole Miss Football Preview

2013 Ole Miss Football Preview

Although most of the competition the Black Bear Rebels play this year will be formidable, Ole Miss has to handle the teams they’re supposed to beat if they want to climb above .500 in the regular season.

Led by QB Bo Wallace, the Rebel Black Bear offense will rely on their quarterback to make plays. Wallace will have to limit turnovers to keep his team in games with Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU, three solid losses on the Black Bear Rebel schedule.

Receivers Vince Sanders and Cody Core will complement the Rebel Bear offense, both possessing good size to allow Wallace to deliver the ball away from smaller defensive backs.

Unlike their in-state rival, Ole Miss has a running game that will assist their passing game. The Rebels have two speedy backs in Mark Dodson and Jaylen Walton, but Dodson will see his first snap of college football when the Rebel Black Bears take the field against Vandy. The Rebels’ spread attack, the soup du jour for lower teir SEC teams it seems, will do what all spreads do…isolate linebackers and defensive backs while keeping the defensive line playing their front five without much help.

Lavon Hooks and top newcomer Robert Nkemdiche will anchor a defensive line that should provide a good foundation to the Bear defense. And though this team as a whole (offensively and defensively) is filled with an unreal crop of talent from an unprecedented (and someone puzzling) 2013 recruiting class, the real test of a coaching staff and regime is what they can do with all those stars once they don the cleats and helmets and take the field under the lights. In 84 days, we shall see.

But in the meantime, we at capstonereport.com see the coming Ole Miss season playing out as it normally does in Oxford, finishing .500 in league play and returning to Birmingham for another cold January bowl game.

Thanks for checking out our 2013 Ole Miss Football Preview. On Monday we examine South Carolina.

Special to the Capstone Report by Alex DeRemer.

2013 Mississippi State Football Preview

Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen enters his fifth season in Starkville this season, and there’s no doubt Mullen has high expectations for himself, but with a less than dominant offensive roster, it’s hard to believe that the Bulldogs will be able to reach Mullen’s expectations. Although they won’t be an SEC champion this season, they will be a team that’s fun to watch due to their offensive spread.

2013 Mississippi State Football Preview

Russell’s combination of experience and pro-style ability make him a challenge defensively, but his lack of mobility leaves him vulnerable to pass rushers, something teams will no doubt seek to employ on the fifth year senior.

Russell will have to improve on his consistency this season. After throwing six interceptions in his final two games last year, Russell has to correct the poor decision-making that hurts his team and compromises their chances. Everyone makes mistakes, but at quarterback, you only get so many chances before someone else takes the reigns.

Unfortunately for Russell, the team will rely heavily on his ability to make plays due to lack of weapons on the offensive side of the ball. So much so that wide receiver Brandon Halloway had to step-up and fill in as the Bulldogs running back at the maroon and white game with senior LaDarius Perkins and sophomore Josh Robinson both sitting out due to injury.

Although it started as a joke, Holloway said that he just wanted to help his team win, and in the process might’ve turned some heads with his natural running ability. With sub-4.3 40 speed, the converted back rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on only twelve carries. At this time, it’s still unclear regarding his role with the offense this season. But his speed makes him an interesting option for a spread offense where he will have plenty blockers to give him the chance to get into the open field.

If Holloway does end up staying at running back and winning the job, it most likely helps the overall offensive attack by adding a second dimension to this pass heavy team. But the one area that will suffer is a wide receiver corps which is already thin at best. Not a single starter is returning to the team this year, and it remains to be seen if Russell is good enough to find success in the passing game by himself.

The saving grace for Russell is returning back-up Jameon Lewis, an athletic receiver that has played a total of four positions in his tenure at Mississippi State. This season the 5’9″ receiver won’t be bouncing around so much as he’ll have to step up time and time again if the Bulldogs want to have a start similar to last season. As a starter, Lewis will run a lot of short routes where he will be forced to catch the ball and then make openings to try and advance the ball downfield.

On the defensive side of the ball, however, experience and depth round out a talented run-stopping team. Anchored by linebackers Deontae Skinner and Benadrick McKinney, the Bulldogs are great at closing rushing lanes and wrapping up the tackler. Most teams will have to first find success through the air before they can muster a running attack, and even then this veteran defense will do a yeoman’s job of keeping the Bulldogs in games against teams like Auburn and Kentucky, but this should be another year of fighting tooth and nail for an elusive 7th or 8th win. We at capstonereport.com simply “Don’t Believe” the Dogs can do much else than what’s been seen in recent years.

Thanks for checking out our 2013 Mississippi State Football Preview. Come back tomorrow as we examine Ole Miss.

—Special to the Capstone Report by Alex DeRemer.

On Wednesday, the reigning national champs in the two most visible college sports made the NCAA’s honor roll for academic success. Louisville was one of 35 men’s basketball teams to score between 978 and 1,000 on the annual Academic Progress Rate. Alabama was one of 13 Bowl Subdivision schools to make the cut.

In all, 976 teams made the most recent list that covered the four-year period ending in 2011-12. Alabama won the national championship then, too, and Louisville reached the Final Four. Actual scores for each school will be released Tuesday.

Read more of The Associated Press story at: SI.com

2013 Missouri Football Preview

As one of the newest teams in the SEC, Missouri will have an advantage over SEC teams of having a play style the SEC isn’t used to. But every SEC team will also have that same advantage over Missouri, and rule of thumb says team usually need a couple years to adjust to the gritty style of play that occurs week in and week out. And while Mizzou says that they’re sticking with the spread offense, their offensive roster has such little talent that it would hardly even matter if they ran the wildcat exclusively.

2013 Missouri Football Preview

As sad as it may seem, Missouri may have a better offense in their defense which is simply loaded with talent and experience. Even though defensive coordinator Dave Steckel lost All-SEC tackle Sheldon Richardson, Steckel was able to return six starters as well as 11 of their 18 top tacklers.

Just like every team aspires to do in the SEC, Mizzou is built with an emphasis on the front four so they can stop the run game of their opponents. Kory Ealy and Michael Sam are the leaders of the defense, and their brute strength mentality means that they will look to physically intimidate opponents and focus on great tackling. Mizzou makes playing defense seem much more personal than it is, and they treat every offense like their worst enemy.

And the talent doesn’t stop there. With athletic linebackers and competent corners, Missouri should create a large amount of turnovers because of the overall teamwork they use when they play great offenses.

Much like Kentucky, Mizzou has a good atmosphere and a great following without much talent. Once Mizzou has had time to scout the talent that fits their style of play, they will be able to put up a fight against better teams. But until then Mizzou will have a lot of struggles trying to stay off the bottom of their conference.

Thanks for checking out our 2013 Missouri Football Preview. Come back tomorrow as we look at Mississippi State.

—Special to the Capstone Report by Alex DeRemer.

2013 Auburn Football Preview

Only three years removed from winning a BCS championship, the Auburn Tigers are coming off one of the worst seasons in its limited history, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. The Tigers ranked 114th in points per game (18.7) as Auburn’s quarterbacks managed to throw just eight touchdowns combined. New head coach Gus Malzahn hopes to change all that as he returns to the Tigers as the head coach after serving as offensive coordinator in 2009-2011.

Auburn’s season hinges on the Iron Bowl, as do most seasons for “little brother” down on the plains. Everything is judged in how they relate to Alabama. So does Auburn stand a chance? Find out in our 2013 Auburn Football Preview.

Although there’s currently a battle for the starting quarterback position, coach Malzahn has dropped several hints that he’s slightly leaning towards Kiehl Frazier, a player he recruited extensively in 2011. In fact, Frazier is in a spot much like Chris Todd was in 2009. If Malzahn can develop Frazier even remotely similar to the job he did with Chris Todd, a virtual human statue, he’ll continue to earn the legend of being a quarterback developing genius.

Frazier, or whomever the quarterback ends up being, won’t shoulder the workload alone, and if coach Gus can optimize his offense, his quarterback shouldn’t have to do much more then manage the game based on the scheme of this offense. Furthermore, despite Auburn’s offensive line being built around the run, the athleticism of the front five will be aimed at giving the quarterback time to find the open receiver. The only question is, does Auburn have a quarterback on campus who can do this with consistency?

Running back Tre Mason (Auburn’s leader in rushing yards last season) will look to build off his 1,000 yard year as the offensive line has been tailored to accommodate his speed and ability. Even tight end C.J. Uzomah will see a lot of blocking schemes because of his large size and inconsistency in the receiving aspect of his game. There’s no doubt a majority of Auburn’s success or failure will be credited to Tre Mason and the running backs in general (including Tide transfer Corey Grant) due to the power run scheme Malzahn seemingly has implemented for this season.

The wide receivers on the roster will get their fair share of rush attempts as Gus Malzahn hopes to diversify his rush attack and keep defenses on their toes. Jaylon Reed and Quan Bray will most likely serve as primary targets for the Auburn quarterback who ultimately wins the job. Regardless of who that is, he’ll need multiple security blankets like wide receivers taking handoffs to keep the defense guessing until he can progress his talents and not be so reliant on the running game.

Luckily for the Tigers, they have a capable defense with a decent mix of experience and physicality. Up front, Auburn is good at getting to the quarterback for either a sack or a hurry. And as long as the front four do their job, the secondary is chalked with juniors and seniors that have been around the block and are savvy to the more intricate parts of how SEC offenses work.

Every offensive coordinator’s dream, Auburn middle linebacker Jake Holland.

Auburn may not be ready to make another BCS run (now or ever), but they do have a vastly improved roster from a year ago, and under the guise and group psychology that a new coach like Gus brings (though he’s been a head coach for one year at a lower tier school) maybe it will be enough to generate a good “rebound season,” leading the Auburn faithful to once again gather at Toomer’s Corner to roll some wires and concrete poles.

Thanks for reading our 2013 Auburn Football Preview. Check back tomorrow as we examine Missouri.

—Special to the Capstone Report by Alex DeRemer.

The Tide’s defeat of Illinois over the weekend in what some termed as the “Gordon Gee Cup” (Big Ten vs. SEC) saw Bama add a crown in an area it had never enjoyed…proving these things can still be done.

You listening men’s basketball? Hear this baseball? How about you women’s hoops? (Nobody cares about swimming.)

Led by the fiery head golf coach Jay Seawell, Alabama ended its season with victories in the SEC Championships, the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional and the NCAA Championships.

Said Seawell after the victory, “We’re a national power.” The coach saw his team come painfully close to the crown last season as the runner-up to Texas, losing on the last hole.

The national title was actually Bama’s first in a men’s sport other than football…which was news to Seawell.

“That’s really cool,” he said. “Coach (Nick) Saban actually called me right after the tournament and gave me my congratulations. It was really special that he did that. He’s a friend of mine. … I look forward to getting a right and showing off my bling. He’s got four, so there you go. He’s still trumping me.”

There was a time a natty in golf wasn’t on the radar in Tuscaloosa. Then along came Jay Seawell who asked “why not?” Shouldn’t competing for championships be the end goal for every program in Tuscaloosa? Here’s looking at you Mitch Gaspard and Anthony Grant. Making a showing in the postseason isn’t enough. The Tide nation would like to see you get it done like Sarah Patterson, Patrick Murphy, Mic Potter, and yes, Nicholas Saban. And now of course, Jay Seawell.

On a side note, Alabama junior Bobby Wyatt entered the NCAA Championships ranked No. 3 in the nation. Junior Cory Whitsett was ranked No. 4 and sophomore Justin Thomas was ranked 8th. Whitsett and Thomas now head to Ohio to compete in a U.S. Open qualifier. Wyatt will compete in a qualifier in Memphis.

(Follow ITK on Twitter for Bama news, commentary and smack.)