TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Greg McElroy didn’t say that Nick Saban plays favorites.
McElroy didn’t say that Saban’s heart belongs to one part of the team more than another.
The red-headed quarterback didn’t say that he and his brothers on offense sometimes feel like stepchildren.
Even if the defense is Saban’s baby.
But McElroy did smile Monday at a disconnect that should disconcert the next three head coaches on Alabama’s schedule.
Bobby Petrino, Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier are three of the best and brightest offensive minds in collegefootball, but none of those rocket scientists has the best offense in the SEC through three games.
Who does?
One of the best defensive minds in college football. Saban.
Doh!
“I think that does give us a certain amount of gratitude and happiness, the fact that Coach Saban does emphasize so much of a defensive mentality,” McElroy said. “A lot of times, when we’re going against [our] defense, he’s upset if we do well.”
The Alabama offense beating the Alabama defense may bother the Alabama head coach, but only on weekdays. Imagine what the Alabama offense acting like the better half of the best team in the nation does to opposing masterminds on Saturdays.
Their egos must bruise like grapes.
Meyer’s Spread offense has been spread thin since Tim Tebow left for the NFL. Spurrier’s gone from the Fun ’n’ Gun to the Cock ’n’ Fire to the Lock ’n’ Load with Marcus Lattimore.
Petrino’s still playing scoreboard pinball, riding the strong right arm of Ryan Mallett, but no SEC team is putting up Xbox numbers like Alabama.
The Crimson Tide lead the league in total offense and scoring offense. Trent Richardson is tied for the league lead in individual scoring. McElroy leads the nation - the nation - in passing efficiency.
“That’s pretty cool,” McElroy said Monday.
How stone-cold will it be of Saban to win a national championship with defense one year and defend it the next with offense?
All coaches want to win, but some of them give the impression that they really want to win a certain way. Tommy Tuberville, a defensive guy, didn’t seem embarrassed in the least after Auburn 3, Mississippi State 2 in 2008, which was the low point for offensive football in the modern era.
Imagine how Petrino would react to a final score of Arkansas 3, Alabama 2 this Saturday in Mallettville. No doubt he’d be happy to beat the No. 1 team by one point, but there would have to be some mixed emotions.
How much pride does Petrino take in his offense? There are three charts on his bio page in this week’s Arkansas game notes, in this order from top to bottom:
Coach Petrino in the NCAA Offensive Rankings
Year-by-Year Offensive Stats by Coach Petrino Teams
Petrino Year-by-Year Collegiate Head Coaching Records
Get the point? The man loves to get his points.
McElroy made an interesting point about his head coach. He pointed out that Saban’s emphasis on defense actually helps the Alabama offense.
“I think that’s a big reason why we’ve been successful, because we have to face such a difficult defense day in and day out,” McElroy said. “That gives us a lot of confidence going into Saturday. We won’t see the looks that we’ve seen throughout the week. It’ll be a little bit more simple.”
McElroy said his offense has “a pick-your-poison mentality.” Imagine how bitter it must be for Petrino, Meyer and Spurrier to swallow Alabama as an offensive machine.
It’s one thing for Saban to take his specialty and beat their specialty. It’ll be even worse if he beats them at their own game.
Sports, Pages 24 on 09/22/2010