War Liberal

I bet Shula gets roasted alive again for leaving his first string in after the game was essentially won, but this time he really doesn't deserve it. After all, this was FLORIDA we're talking about here and against a team like that, it ain't over 'til it's over. And Prothro could have injured his leg in practice or early in the game trying to make the same kind of catch. It's not bad coaching, it's just bad luck.

Yeah. I wish he had taken out the starters, but when that drive began most of the fourth quarter was left. And we all saw what happened on Monday in Baton Rouge. That was a weird drive, extended twice by penalties, and you don't yank your regulars during a drive. And a fluke play where Prothro doesn't get hurt if the defender doesn't interfere with him.

It's a huge loss though... I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say Alabama's not the same team without him. They are still a good team though but I'm not sure they can win the SEC without him.

That's a little overstating it. Prothro's good, but he's not that much better than everyone else. Keith Brown and DJ Hall have also been brilliant. Prothro was just the No. 1 receiver in the progression. The way it looks now, Bama won't have a chance to lose until the Auburn game.

I don't think they'll necessarily miss him in the passing game, though they need Caddell and Knight (who have been disappointing) to step up. In other words, Hall and Brown can replace Prothro, but who will replace them?

Where they'll really miss him is in the return game, and in the all-purpose stuff -- running reverses and out of the backfield, going under center. They don't really have a replacement for that. Maybe Jimmy Johns can take over the latter, maybe Hall can step up in the return game, but they're unproven.