Pocic and LSU players feel like this year’s team, with Ed Orgeron and Steve Ensminger’s offensive tweaks, is more suited to do just that, more capable of burning the top-ranked Crimson Tide with the long ball. I think he’s going to play with a chip on his shoulder, just like a lot of guys here are going to play with a chip on their shoulders. Alabama has won three of those five games.
Advertisement
First, the Tide must take care of the rival LSU Tigers at Death Valley on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, CBS). The weakness for Alabama, if there is such a thing, is in the back end of the secondary. The Tigers hope to use their home field advantage to propel them to an upset over the Alabama Crimson Tide this Saturday. The Tide went on to win the SEC.
“Several times in the game, Minkah will see a receiver close up and he’ll alert Reuben [Foster] in the middle so we can pass him off or whatever”, linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton said.
On one hand, it would’ve been odd to throw that much with running backs like Joseph Addai, Stevan Ridley, and Leonard Fournette on the roster, and with pedestrian quarterbacks in a lot of Miles’ years at LSU. He’ll continue to be heavily involved in the ground game – he’s their leader in rushing touchdowns and second in rushing yards. He set a single-game school record with 284 rushing yards on October 22 against Ole Miss and joined Herschel Walker (nine) and Bo Jackson (five) as the only SEC players with five or more 200-yard rushing games. Kelly, a dual-threat that is widely considered the best passer in the conference, had his worst game of the season against LSU, throwing for one touchdown and two interceptions while compiling a modest 274 total yards. Miles was given this same roster, and with talent that can matchup with any team on any field, they struggled mightily under him these last two seasons. The average for all qualified FBS running backs is 61 percent.
This weekend, ESPN College GameDay is heading to Baton Rouge for the SEC clash between LSU and Alabama.
If anyone doubts that Fournette is going to bring his best against Alabama after last year’s 19 carries for 31 yards, Orgeron said not to worry.
Jackson’s last-second crawls into the box, though, often added an extra defender.
Alabama defenders contacted Leonard Fournette before he fully crossed the line of scrimmage on 13 of his 19 carries during last year’s game in Tuscaloosa. But they’re also “football smart”, LSU players said.
Orgeron has been praising Alabama all week and on Wednesday, Alabama coach Nick Saban took his turn on the coaches teleconference. None of the Tide’s eight opponents even approached its season rushing average.
Saban has not coached against Orgeron as a head coach since Orgeron’s last season at Ole Miss in 2007 when Orgeron’s team that finished 3-9 and 0-8 in the SEC almost beat Alabama before falling, 27-24.
The Tide are blitzing on almost 29 percent of their dropbacks this season, the second-highest rate through eight games under Saban since this data became available in 2011. “All of our defensive linemen at Alabama know how to strike and play two gaps”. If Leonard Fournette struggles like he did past year against Alabama, keep an eye on big No. 94 on the inside and watch him do his work.
The Tide’s depth on the defensive line is another part of this tale.
So, says former LSU defensive tackle Marlon Favorite, a member of the 2007 BCS national champions. Most of the time over history, these two play late in the season.
Advertisement
Alabama freshman Jalen Hurts has made his share, too, both running and passing. Nobody has more sacks this season, though Air Force’s Ryan Watson, Boston College’s Harold Landry and Pittsburgh’s Ejuan Price also have nine (LSU’s Arden Key has eight sacks in seven games and leads all FBS players in sacks per game).
