Nate Oats draws heat for lack of big man after Auburn loss

The No. 16 Alabama Crimson Tide dropped a big matchup against rival Auburn 99-81 Wednesday night, potentially putting the Tide's SEC title hopes in jeopardy. 

To some, though, the game was more than just a hard loss. It was a warning that Alabama's analytics-based scheme that relies on three-pointers and layups leaves a weakness that can be exposed.

First, to the game itself. While the Tide kept the game close until there were about four minutes left in the first half, the No. 12 Tigers rallied toward the break and kept a double-digit lead for the rest of the way.

Most concerning was the dominant play of Auburn's frontcourt, center Johni Broome and power forward Jaylin Williams, who together scored 50 points.

In contrast, Alabama is a team that relies on perimeter shooting, and thus went with a smaller lineup. Though the the Tide later subbed in larger players, they had no answer for Auburn's frontcourt.

 This has led some to call for changes.

Specifically, Chase Goodbread of the Tuscaloosa News wrote an open letter to Oats about adding a strong power forward to the team, "a glass-eating machine who would fit perfectly in that yesteryear style of college ball that your analytics has little appreciation for."

Such a player doesn't have to start or even score, but he'd be valuable when the Tide is getting "bullied by a team that imposed its physical will," Goodbread explained.

"I'm talking muscle. Slender forwards can't spread their feet in the paint and command space the way heavyweights can," he added.

So far, nobody on the Alabama roster has laid claim that role. Against Auburn, guard Mark Sears led the team with nine rebounds, while twice-suspended forward Nick Pringle grabbed seven boards and forward Grant Nelson grabbed six. Both Pringle and Nelson are what Goodbread would call "slender forwards," as they weigh about 230 pounds while being nearly seven feet tall. 

Even a recent player Oats called an effective rim protector, Charles Bediako, was only 220 pounds. That's far below the "260 pounds or more" Goodbread calls for.

The letter has stirred up the fanbase, with former player Bryan Passink on Thursday asserting that he'll defer to the accomplished Oats on the topic, not Goodbread.