re: We know that Jonathan Allen is as strong as an ox..

Going wide against Bama can be done, but you have to set it up. They go sideline-to-sideline as well as, maybe better, than anyone.

Two things they do that makes it even harder:
1. They will play this odd mix of zone and man2man in def backfield sometimes. So the DB is in zone and lined up over WR (looks like man2man) and S will have a early-triggered man coverage responsibility lined up wider, or a little wider, than normal (but will quickly be wider and shorter post-snap). So if the WR doesn't go long, DB is very near LoS and will not get sucked into middle of field (because he's in zone). If WR does to long or intermediate and try and decoy (RPOs), S picks them up early and DB is still available for run support (sometimes even containment). If WR blocks, S was already moving into position to pick up WR to provide outside run support. Their LBs make this feasible.

2. LBers aren't afraid to crash the vacated spot of a pulling lineman. If point of attack gets clogged or RB moves laterally they are fast enough to get in the play and in position to tackle on cutback. That's why they were hitting LF7 from the back behind LoS last year. That way they don't have to worry about getting screened out from moving down the LoS. It's unconventional, but they have such trust in their DL to occupy blockers and clog things up AND def backfield in run support combined with their LBs quick reaction time and athleticsm they know this isn't going to necessarily take the LB out of position to make a play; in fact they feel this is a way to get a backside LB to the point of attack the quickest and necessarily in the play.

ETA: combine the two and that's how Saban 'loads the box' but post-snap. LB sees a lineman pull he knows it's run play (at least most teams) and he doesn't have to diagnose, just follows him. So now he's in the box. S is already in motion that way.

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i really just don't think we have the talent on the o-line.

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LSU has the talent, I just don't agree with how they play these guys at positions that don't fit them to me. Teheuma needs to be at guard, too slow on the outside. Bama will kill him. If Weathersby is back, that's a good thing on the other side, but I would rather see Malone than Teheuma play tackle. Really Pocic should be there, but....


keep their DLine off balance and that will help with maintaining some against their strong DLine. I'm sure CEO knows by now that you do not run straight at these people like Miles stubbornly would do all the time. Saban knew Miles wanted to do that, but spread them out some and catch them off guard hopefully with a lot of quick hitting plays like they did to Ole Miss with LF hitting the scrimmage quickly and getting down field because Ole Miss was spread out. Hitting LF with some quick tosses and letting him get down field or some misdirection plays like Florida used to do under Meyers will help too. But my point is to keep them off balance. I would even do some no huddle stuff because Saban hates the no huddle. They did some no huddle a lil bit against Ole Miss.

All plays in the playbook designed for check downs to Foster Moreau or JD Moore need to be scrapped. No one on their defense is going to care to account for our FBs running routes in the flats. They will give those to us all night long.

I hope we see more of Guice/Fournette in the backfield if you want check downs to the backs.

If we don't try to go right at them with our power running we will lose - I believe Bama's main strength is it's quickness to the ball and too many negative yd plays occur with sideline to sideline plays and slow developing run and pass plays - we have two healthy and experiencedTEs and FBs that we didn't have last year to make the blocking schemes work as in previous games and we do have a QB that appears to have the smarts and moxey to check down and get the ball out quickly - eliminate negative yd plays and turnovers and we can go toe to toe with the physical aspects of the game. LF and DG need to be able to bust through with some quick bursts through the line for some 15-30 yd gainers to at least keep field position positive while adding some lobs downfield where our taller receivers can play jump ball in single coverage. Interference is as good as a reception and keeps the chains moving. This will hopefully be a defensive battle that we can match points with them. I believe our D is good enough to keep them out of the end zone on enough occasions to keep us close if not ahead. As much as I hated the Miles mundane and limited offensive approach, it really has been the reason we've been in a position to win several times - smash mouth football with some wrinkles and our WRs fighting aggressively for passes.

Uuummmm....bo Davis got fired!!