LSU is back from its bye and straight into a heavyweight matchup with No. 5 Alabama, a team that has surprised plenty of people with how high it’s climbed. The Crimson Tide are talented, and the Tigers are going to have to be sharp on both sides of the ball if they want to come out of Saturday with a win.
For Lane Kiffin, the priority is simple: keep the offense clean and protect the football. On the other side, Blake Baker has the tougher assignment of trying to slow down a passing game that can take over fast. And if LSU is going to pull it off, three Alabama players stand out as the ones most likely to swing the game.
Keelon Russell is the engine. When he’s rolling, Alabama usually is too.
The Tide’s ground game sits 12th in the SEC, but their passing attack ranks third, and that tells you where the real danger lives. In Alabama’s two losses this season, Russell completed 59.3% of his passes for 332 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Against South Carolina, though, he looked like a different quarterback entirely, throwing for 365 yards and four touchdowns without a pick. Alabama survived a rough outing against Kentucky because the defense scored twice and the kicker had a huge day.
If LSU can keep Russell from getting comfortable, the Tigers’ outlook changes quickly. But that’s easier said than done. The defense had trouble at times against Trinidad Chambliss and Kenny Minchey, and those stretches were a reminder of how dangerous this unit can be when it gets stressed through the air.
The other name to watch is Lotzeir Brooks. A lot of the production in Alabama’s games against Ole Miss and Kentucky came from the slot.
Traylon Ray led the Rebels with seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Kenny Darby posted four catches for 79 yards for the Wildcats. Ryan Coleman-Williams will draw plenty of attention because of the name recognition, but Brooks has been productive and brings the kind of big-play ability that can punish a defense if it loses focus.
Then there’s Luke Metz, who might be the most complete defender on Alabama’s roster. He’s put up 57 tackles, added a pick six, and forced two fumbles.
He doesn’t blitz all the time, but when he does, he can create pressure. He’s also a real factor against the run, and his coverage has been solid too, with just a 66.4 NFL passer rating allowed when targeted this season.
Alabama has been stingy against the run and is tied for the conference lead in interceptions, so Metz could end up being a major problem for Sam Leavitt, especially in the middle of the field. Leavitt won’t get much for free there, which means he’ll need to find other ways to make plays.
Honorable mentions: DE Yhonzae Pierre, WR Ryan Coleman-Williams, LB Caleb Woodson, RB Trae'shawn Brown and CB Zabien Brown.
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LSU Fans Have A New Reason To Worry About Blake Baker
Blake Bakers rise at LSU has already made him one of the more important assistants in the SEC, and now it has put him on the radar for a bigger opening. Florida State is searching for a new head coach after Mike Norvells firing, and Baker has emerged as a potential candidate thanks to his reputation for turning defenses around and his recruiting connections across the Southeast.
For LSU, the concern is obvious. Baker is the highest-paid assistant coach in college football, and he has already shown a willingness to stay put when other jobs came calling, turning down offers from Tulane and Memphis to remain in Baton Rouge. Still, a vacancy like Florida States can change the conversation quickly, and Baker is among a crowded field that also includes Manny Diaz, Eli Drinkwitz, Jake Dickert, Kenny Dillingham, Jason Eck, Glenn Schumann, Rhett Lashlee and Jimbo Fisher. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Have A Chance To Make Tiger Stadium History Vs Bama
Tiger Stadium is about to get its own crack at a noise record that already belongs to Tennessee, and the timing could hardly be better. LSU plans to measure crowd volume during its upcoming home game against Alabama, giving fans a chance to turn one of college footballs loudest venues into the loudest one on record.
The benchmark is 130.3 decibels, set by Tennessee in a game against Alabama, and LSU will have another shot later in the season when Texas comes to Baton Rouge. Tennessee, meanwhile, gets a return engagement of its own when it hosts LSU in the home finale, leaving the door open for the Volunteers to try to take the record back. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Kelly Weighs In On A Game LSU Fans Can't Ignore
Brian Kelly has been around enough big games to know when one can ripple beyond its own matchup, and he sees that kind of weight in Ole Miss upcoming SEC showdown with Georgia. The former Notre Dame and LSU coach pointed to the Rebels recent success against Georgia and the edge of playing at home as the main reasons he expects Ole Miss to come out on top.
For LSU fans, the prediction is worth noting because this is the kind of game that can reshape the SEC race and, with it, the College Football Playoff picture. Georgias margin for error is always slim in conference play, and Ole Miss has already shown it can make life uncomfortable for the Bulldogs, which is why Kellys take adds another layer of intrigue to a matchup Tigers fans will be watching closely. [Read more 🡒]