Ah. The week is finally here for the LSU vs. Alabama game. #1 vs. #2. The unstoppable force meets the immovable object. Alabama and LSU have similar playing styles. There are few reasons that I think that each team can win and can lose. This is the first of this two part series highlighting strengths of each team. Since LSU is a 4 point underdog, we will start with the Tigers.
1. Depth: LSU has more depth than any other team in the country. They rotate their entire defense in and out of the game. They play 10 defensive linemen; 6-7 defensive backs; and 3-5 linebackers. This is helps LSU in the second half when offensive lines are struggling this team is still fresh. They lose absolutely no talent rotating these guys in and they are very unselfish when it comes to playing time. They know who needs to be in the game at critical situations and who the leaders of the defense are. On the offensive side of the ball they have stable of running backs. Ware, Ford, Blue, and Gore are all good backs that bring something different to the table. They have two extraordinary fullbacks in Copeland and Stampley that will both have long NFL careers because they both bring the wood when it comes to opening up holes for the running backs in critical situations. Hightower had best have his head on a swivel when Stampley is coming through that hole… because if he isn’t it will be bye-bye birdy. This is the primary problem that teams have struggled with against LSU. They bring in wave after waves of athletes and don’t lose any talent in the process. It will be interesting how Alabama will adjust to this. Most teams fall off after Alabama’s depth sets in; this won’t affect LSU, because they are a different animal. Alabama hasn’t played anyone with this much depth. As one of my followers on twitter stated. “Alabama cannot think that this team is going to falter in the second half.” This team gets stronger as the game goes on.
2. Quarterback: LSU has not one, but two experienced QBs. Jarrett Lee has been playing excellent football this season. The 63.2% completion rating, 13 tds, and the most important stat 1 int. He has managed the game very well and has been accurate with the ball. All of his throws have been on the money and has thrown the slant with efficiency all season long. They also bring in Jordan Jefferson as a dual threat to run the ball and to throw it on occasion. You can’t get too caught up on him running the ball when he enters the game. If Lee can’t get the job done, they do have another QB that can come in and take the game over and has proven that he can beat Alabama. Last year Alabama had the more talented team and the QBs were the deciding factor in that game going 14/20 for 208 yards and 1 td. These guys are both better than last year. LSU definitely has the advantage here when compared to AJ McCarron. The weakness of Alabama’s team is the secondary. They are overly aggressive and stare in the backfield. Florida exposed Lester and Kirkpatrick on the first play of the game. They saw it on tape, and I think that Greg Studrawa should pick up on it as well. Kirkpatrick and Milner are SUSPECT! Alabama fans know it as well as coaches around the country. I think LSU will exploit the matchup with Beckham on Milner or trying to get a matchup with Barron. Barron is a great defender, but is not the best coverage S. He takes bad angles on pass break ups and is looking more to jar the ball loose versus breaking it up. Yes they are Thorpe Semifinalist; but I think they are who we think they are. Look for LSU to open it up early and often to keep Alabama off balance.
3. Cornerback: If you look at this secondary with Mathieu and Claiborne, there is no question that they are the best CB tandem in the country. Hell if you look at it, they maybe better than most CB duos in the NFL. They are aggressive. They can press, they can play zone. They can come up and stop the run, and on the next play intercept a pass. They catch the balls like receivers and their ball skills are refined. They both can return punts and kickoffs and are a threat to go to the house any opportunity they get. Oregon tried to go at Mathieu 10 tackles, 1 TFL a forced fumble 2 pass break ups and a TD later, they figured out he really wasn’t the one to attack. Mississippi State tried to go at Claiborne. He had two interceptions in that game and Mathieu had 10 tackles again. Claiborne is actually the better of the two corners. He doesn’t have as many opportunities as Mathieu. But when Claiborne gets them, he capitalizes on them. Mathieu is a true playmaker and can force a fumbles as well. He is disruptive all over the field; sacks, fumbles, tackles for loss, deflections, interceptions, and QB pressures. It is no wonder they nicknamed him the Honey Badger. He has NO fear of the big stage and talks the most out of anyone on the field. Just a little biology lesson; the honey badger has been the most fearless creature on earth by the Guinness Book of World Records. This little creature challenges anything that comes to its face, including lions, zebras, leopards and anything it feels threatened by. It feeds on cobras and anything else that it comes across. Sounds familiar? But let’s not just talk about these guys. Tharold Simon and Ron Brooks get lost in the mix because they just don’t get the snaps that Mathieu and Claiborne get. When they run dime and nickel situations, they lose nothing in coverage because these guys are great cover CBs as well. Ron Brooks stepped in against Auburn and played a hell of game against Auburn; it even included a pick six. Eric Reid is a very physical safety that can do more than just have the kill shot; he can cover TEs as well as WRs and RBs out of the backfield. Craig Loston gets lost in the mix because of how good the corners play. Against Maze, Hanks, and Smelley the advantage here is with LSU. AJ McCarron has been throwing to his first read because Alabama’s WR’s have been getting open. Alabama runs a lot of crossing routes. They also like to get their TE on the corner route or throw to him on a crossing route as well. They don’t have the down the field threat to run past the LSU secondary and burn them deep. AJ McCarron can’t force the ball to fit into tight spaces against this team. They are just too good for it.
4. Defensive Line: Kendrick Adams, Barkevious Mingo, Sam Montgomery, Lavar Edwards, Mike Brockers, Bennie Logan, Anthony Johnson, Josh Downs, Ego Ferguson, Dennis Johnson. All 10 of these guys get reps in games. They wreak havoc; any of the back-ups could be starting anywhere else in the country. No play more memorable than when Mingo ran down LaMichael James from behind. This is a defensive end that is 6”5 237lbs. And he is the SECOND STRING! What fans don’t realize is that LSU rarely blitzes. The pressure that LSU gets is purely from the front four. LSU has 42 TFL, 38 of those are assisted. This means that LSU is getting multiple guys in the backfield to disrupt plays and make stops in the backfield. Alabama’s offensive line has not seen an attack like the one that they will see in the trenches this weekend. A TEN lineman rotation doesn’t happen in football often. LSU has the talent and the depth to pull it off. Tennessee did not have the best defensive line, but they kept Richardson in check for majority of the first half. The plan to beat Alabama was put into place; you put 2-3 bodies on Richardson and make him run through everyone on that defense to beat you. Force AJ McCarron to become a passer. Force him to read a defense and beat you. I can almost guarantee you that he will NOT have the time that he had against Tennessee with that 10 man rotation that LSU is going to send their way.
5. Les Miles: Love him or hate him, Les Miles is one of the most exciting coaches in the country. He coaches the game his way. He will win his way; or lose his way. Regardless of the situation, things will go Les Miles’ way. He has said that this is the best football team he has had down in Baton Rouge; that in itself is a scary thought. Look for Les to open it up, spread them out, run it down their throat, and even pull some plays out of his bag of tricks. Last year, Miles out coached Saban with great situational play calling and seemed to be ahead of Kirby Smart and Nick Saban all game. If Miles comes out on top and wins the play calling battle, it will be very hard to overcome this problem regardless of how good Alabama plays.
6. Road Tested: LSU has gone to Morgantown and won against a dynamic West Virginia squad, they went to Jerry’s playhouse and won in Arlington against a very good Oregon offense. They went to Starkville and won in a closer game against Mississippi State. My point? This team has overcome every difficult situation that it has been presented with and dominated. I don’t think that the crowd in Tuscaloosa is going to affect LSU’s play at all. I think that they will actually try to silence this crowd and take them out of the game early. You shut up a loud and rowdy crowd with your play on the field. I think LSU has done that consistently all season long. Alabama did not set up the conference schedule that LSU set up. I think that was Les Miles’ way of preparing his team for this test against a very gritty Alabama team.
LSU is a formidable opponent. LSU has dismantled an Oregon team that has been blowing people out since they played them. Oregon is one of the fastest teams in the country, but LSU just crushed their speed with even more speed. If Alabama comes into this game with the normal slow start that they have had the past 2 weeks against Vandy and Tennessee, look for one mistake from McCarron to bust this game wide open. I don’t think that Alabama’s team is as good as it was last year. Jones, Ingram, and Dareus all went first round for a reason. It’s going to be a good game, but if LSU plays the type of game that it is capable of, they can win this game by at least 14 points.
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