Notebook: Young Tide making more mistakes than 2009
There's an old saying that misery loves company, but when it comes to football it's the kind of thing that can drive coaches nuts.
All this week, BamaOnline will look at statistics you won't see anywhere else, in an effort to put the first eight games of the 2010 season into a little perspective.
Advertisement
First up, the misery index.
Basically, it's a measure of mistakes, or as a football player might say all the times a team shoots itself in the foot.
When Coach Nick Saban takes about lack of maturity and discipline, this is where it shows up.
The misery index is fumbles lost + interceptions + penalties + sacks.
SEC misery index
Team .............. Fum. Inter. Pen. Sacks Total Average
Arkansas ............. 6 ... 10 .... 58 .... 13 .... 87 .... 12.4
Florida ................. 8 ..... 6 .... 52 .... 10 .... 76 .... 10.9
Tennessee .......... 4 ..... 7 .... 38 .... 25 .... 74 .... 10.6
LSU ..................... 9 ..... 9 .... 52 .... 14 .... 84 .... 10.5
South Carolina .... 5 ..... 9 .... 41 .... 18 .... 73 .... 10.4
Vanderbilt ........... 5 ..... 4 .... 41 .... 17 .... 67 ..... 9.6
Alabama .............. 5 .... 3 ... 46 .... 22 .... 76 .... 9.5
Auburn ................. 6 .... 5 .... 52 .... 10 .... 73 ..... 9.1
Mississippi State .. 2 .... 9 .... 48 .... 10 .... 69 ..... 8.6
Ole Miss ............... 6 .... 6 .... 41 ...... 7 .... 60 ..... 8.6
Georgia ................ 5 .... 3 .... 44 .... 14 .... 66 .... 8.25
Kentucky .............. 6 .... 4 .... 45 ...... 9 .... 64 ..... 8.0
Obviously mistakes don't necessarily correspond to wins and losses, LSU being the perfect example, but it does help explain Florida faltering and South Carolina's upset win over Alabama.
It was said that the Gamecocks needed almost a perfect game to win, and they almost got it. They had four penalties, a turnover and a sack, while the Crimson Tide had 13 negative things.
Alabama game-by-game
Opponent ..... Fum. Inter. Pen. Sacks Total
San Jose State ... 1 .... 0 .... 4 .... 1 .... 6
Penn State ......... 1 .... 0 .... 5 .... 2 .... 8
at Duke .............. 1 .... 1 .... 6 .... 2 .... 10
at Arkansas ........ 0 .... 2 .... 8 .... 3 .... 13
Florida ................ 0 .... 0 .... 5 .... 2 .... 7
at South Carolina 1 .... 0 .... 5 .... 7 .... 13
Ole Miss .............. 1 .... 0 .... 8 .... 4 .... 13
at Tennessee ...... 0 .... 0 .... 5 .... 1 .... 6
Total .................. 5 .... 3 ... 46 ... 22 .. 76
Alabama's rising numbers are probably not only reflective of a young team, but also facing tougher competition and enduring eight straight games.
In comparison, though, Alabama's misery index last year was 101 over 14 games, an average of 7.2. The Tide went into last week's game at Tennessee having already given up more sacks than all of 2009.
Carpenter gets SEC honor
Senior left tackle James Carpenter was named the SEC's offensive player for the week on Monday.
Despite setting the school record for receiving yards in a game with 221, junior wide receiver Julio Jones was honorable mention for the offensive player of week. It instead went to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who set the SEC record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 217 on 28 carries and two touchdowns.
Carpenter, Jones and senior quarterback Greg McElroy were named offensive players of the week by the coaching staff. Defensive selections were DeMarcus Milliner, C.J. Mosley and Marcell Dareus, with Will Lowery and Brandon Gibson on special teams.
For the first time Trent Richardson didn't receive a weekly award from the coaching staff, however he for the fifth time he had one of the most versitile performances of the week according to the Paul Hornung Award.
TV times announced
Alabama's game at LSU on Nov. 6 will be the 2:30 p.m. game on CBS. Here's the full slate:
Florida at Vanderbilt 11:21 a.m., SEC Network
Charleston Southern at Kentucky, 11:30 a.m., PPV
Idaho State at Georgia, 11:30 a.m., WSB-TV/Institutional
Chattanooga at Auburn, 12 p.m., PPV
Alabama at LSU, 2:30 p.m., CBS
Arkansas at South Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN
Louisiana-Lafayette at Ole Miss, 6 p.m., ESPNU
Tennessee at Memphis, 7 p.m., CBS College Sports
Open: Mississippi State
McElroy not selected
McElroy was not one of 16 semifinalists named Monday for the Davey O'Brien Award for quarterback of the year.
Here's the awards rundown for Alabama:
Bednarik Award (defensive player): Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus and Dont'a Hightower named to watch list. Semifinalists named Nov. 8.
Fred Biletnikoff Award (wide receiver): Julio Jones named to watch list. Semifinalists named Nov. 15
Butkus Award (linebacker): Dont'a Hightower named semifinalist. Finalists announced Nov. 23. Nico Johnson was on watch list. (Rolando McClain reigning winner).
Walter Camp Award (Player of the year): Mark Ingram named to watch list. Semifinalists announced Nov. 16.
William Campbell Trophy (scholar-athlete, formerly known as the Draddy Trophy): Greg McElroy named semifinalist. Finalists announced Oct. 28.
Heisman Trophy: Finalists announced Dec. 6 (Mark Ingram reigning winner).
Ted Hendricks Award (defensive end): Marcell Dareus was named to the watch list. Midseason list to be announced in November.
Rotary Lombardi Award (lineman): James Carpenter, Marcell Dareus and Dont'a Hightower named to the watch list. Semifinalists named Oct. 28.
Lott Trophy (defensive impact player): Mark Barron named quarterfinalist. Semifinalists named Nov. 11.
Manning Award (quarterback, includes bowls): Greg McElroy on watch list. Finalists named Nov. 29.
Maxwell Award (outstanding player): Mark Ingram, Julio Jones and Greg McElroy on watch list. Semifinalists named Nov. 8.
Bronko Nagurski Award (defensive player): Mark Barron, Marcell Dareus, Dont'a Hightower and Robert Lester on watch list. Finalists announced Nov. 18.
Outland Trophy (interior lineman): James Carpenter and Barrett Jones on watch list. Finalists announced Nov. 22.
Paul Hornung Award (most versatile): Trent Richardson on watch list. Finalists announced in early December.
Rimington Trophy (center): William Vlachos on watch list. Finalists announced Dec. 6.
Jim Thorpe Award (defensive back): Mark Barron on watch list. Semifinalists announced Nov. 1.
Unitas Golden Arm (senior quarterback): Greg McElroy named semifinalist. Finalists announced in mid-November.
Doak Walker Award (running back): Mark Ingram named to watch list. Semifinalists announced Nov. 11.
Burlsworth Trophy (walk-on): Nominees announced Nov. 17.
No one from Alabama being considered
Davey O'Brien Award (quarterback): Greg McElroy was on watch list.
John Mackey Award (tight end).
Lou Groza Award (kicker).
Ray Guy Award (punter).
Coaching awards
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award: Watch list TBA.
Broyles Award (assistant coach): Finalists announced Nov. 29 (Kirby Smart reigning winner).
Bobby Bowden Coach of the Year Award: Finalists TBA (Nick Saban reigning winner).
George Munger Award: Semifinalists announced Nov. 8.
Home Depot Coach of the Year: Finalists TBA.
Joe Paterno Award: Semifinalists announced Nov. 8.
Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year: Finalists TBA.
Eddie Robinson Award: Finalists announced Nov. 24.
Amos Alonzo Stagg Coach of the Year Award: Finalists TBA (Nick Saban reigning winner).
Walter Camp Coach of the Year: TBA.
AFCA Coach of the Year: TBA.
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year: TBA.