Alabama / Arkansas interviews Ken Darby, Coach Dave Rader

These post game comments came as Coach Dave Rader answered post game questions from the press pool ...

Dave Rader ... Arkansas just did a really fine job taking away some of our playmakers, and then when we had the opportunity to make plays, we didn't make plays. Any offense, you don't make plays and you're not going to score points. Last week, Arkansas played a team (USC Trojans) that scored every opportunity they had. I've been playing Arkansas since 1975, and they're not going to play two bad games in a row. Coach Nutt is not going to let that happen. They had a really nice game plan that caused us to make some adjustments. Then we finally had some guys make some plays and gave us a little breathing room and thank goodness they did that.

Which of their shakeups defensively gave you the most problems compared to what they came with last week?

Well, I felt their corners did a fine job. They played a little difference technique than they showed on videotape. I don't know if we just didn't adjust that well, or if it was just their day to win those matchups. They did an excellent job. And then it seemed like when we made some adjustments ... a couple of runnings plays that I know we had two penalties on one of them, and a blocking scheme misassignment that cost us another long run. You know, it was just such a struggle. Arkansas just did a great job, they did a really fine job. I've said it before, but any offense needs big plays, and if we don't get them, we're struggling. We did make a couple of nice drives though.

Have you ever seen a game where the punters played such a big role as they did in the middle of that game?

Hey, wasn't that classic football! It was the best day ever obviously for Jeremy (Schatz). Great for that young man. He's worked extremely hard to have an opportunity to play here. When we talked the other morning in our staff meeting about thing about the game, we talked about field position. We knew field position would be a big thing this day, and Jeremy had a lot to do with that today. The one ... I don't know how long it was (72 yards), but it went down to the 2 ... that's a "game changer" right there. It changed the whole atmosphere of the game.

It changes your offense too when you aren't pinned like you were twice before.

It sure does. We look at it as an opportunity to go 99 yards, and then we get it all in one play. One time, their corner did a nice job of pushing us out of bounds. The other time we got to mid field and just shut down. Those are disappointing. We need to go 99.

Talk about the team as a whole and how far you guys have come. A couple of the players have said it ... that a couple of years ago you might not have had the same result.

Well, you know, I'm going to leave that to Coach Shula. I know offensively, we showed some maturity today. Because today was not our best day. It had a lot to do with Arkansas, and a little to do with us. But the kids didn't quit. It was a hot, humid day and our guys did it. We didn't get to play that many plays because their offense took the air out of the ball. But our guys, right now, have the belief that they're going to win. And that's one of the reasons you love coaching Alabama because the kids think that.

On the touchdown pass to DJ Hall right there at the end (Hall was left uncovered in the endzone) ... Brodie said it was a running play ...

They misaligned. We were on the field and the play was they were going to block down. It was a safe call, and he (Hall) didn't show his bluff, didn't show his hand just acted like we're going to run the play. And then he flipped it out there.

So he (Croyle) does an audible in that situation, just takes the snap and looks at DJ basically before he throws it.

That's just being a ballplayer. Brodie's a ballplayer. We were going to run Tim Castille and everyone was so focused on Tim ... but that just shows you the maturity of Brodie. He scans the whole field every time and takes advantage of it. Huge play. Huge play right there.

Did you guys do anything from the sideline or the huddle that could have caused that

You've have to ask them that. We really thought they would change defensive personel, but they did not. I think their guys just got caught up when our guys came back in and thought we'd match up to them like we did before ... and we didn't. That the only thing I could guess.

Yeah, you didn't hear me pounding on the window? (everyone laughs) Like Brodie's gonna hear me, you know. How stupid is that? There's just some things that he does that makes you so confident in what your offense can do. The young man is a ball player, and he loves playing the game.

Reposting portions of our content is allowed on message boards and chat boards. All other reuse is prohibited.
© 2005 MuseCo Publishing