In their first meeting with Louisiana State, the Alabama defense allowed 148 yards rushing. This time around, the team’s focus is to slow down LSU’s potent rushing attack.
“They ran the ball well on us last time,” defensive coordinator Kirby Smart said. “They rushed for 148, which is more than we want to give up.”
LSU features a stable of running backs that all bring a different style while in the game. They rotate at least three running backs in and out and even senior quarterback Jordan Jefferson is a threat to run once the play breaks down.
“They have different tendencies with different backs,” defensive lineman Josh Chapman said. “You got power back, speed back. But those guys run the ball pretty hard and downhill, so we’ve got to go out there [and] establish the new line of scrimmage.”
Chapman also said the entire culture of Alabama’s defense starts with stopping the opposing team’s running game.
“We believe in stopping the run around here,” Chapman said. “That’s about being physical up front and basically establishing a new line of scrimmage. And our guys go out and compete every day and want to stop the run. That’s our main goal here, make the team one dimensional.”
Since LSU is a physical running team, Alabama is able to use its practice players to simulate LSU running style. Smart said that is an added bonus for the team going into this game.
“I think we’re fortunate that we get to simulate what they do with our offense, where some people can’t simulate that,” Smart said.
The player that hurt the Tide the most in the first matchup was Jefferson. When plays broke down, Jefferson’s playmaking ability with his legs allowed the Tigers to get first downs and keep drives alive. The Tigers also made big plays in the option game once Jefferson took over for Jarrett Lee.
“We knew Jordan Jefferson was there before we played them the last time,” Smart said. “We knew what plays they ran when they had Jordan Jefferson last time. It wasn’t like we didn’t practice with those plays.”
Linebacker Dont’a Hightower said it will take a team effort to defend Jefferson and the LSU option attack.
“We have to keep him contained on the option,” Hightower said. “We can let him pitch the ball whenever he wants to; we have to make him pitch it when we want him to. And make him pitch it a little bit later so we have enough time to get all 11 of us over there to the ball.”
