Forcing FG's instead of TDs

I'd be more comfortable with us just going for it on 4th down or punting to be quite honest.

So what you're saying is Chavis should call soft zone defense to prevent the big plays (especially from Cooper) outside the redzone and play tight man to man inside the redzone?

Forcing a team to kick FGs is usually a good thing. When it's Bama in a big game, even more so.

This team isn't as talented as 2010 but they're a better team. I think they're similar to the 2012 team. One area we have been excellent this year and so-so in years past has been 3rd down conversions. Sims is directly responsible for that, he's picked up a few big first downs with his legs that AJ would have taken a sack on.

The defense isn't in the same ballpark as 2011. They aren't going to make your jaw drop but they're still massive up front. They have progressively gotten better since week 1, which is all you can really ask. All in all, I'd rank them '11, '09, '12, '14, '13, '10, '07. This team doesn't have the dominating oline that '11 had, but it's easily collection of skill players under Saban and Sims brings an element we've never had with his legs. It's a different team than we've really ever had under Saban offensively, so any comparison is apples to oranges.

Tiffin was money after his freshman season and Shelley was money inside 40 yards. Foster was a headcase and the jury is still out on Griffith, Saban has said the guy doesn't let anything bother him, if that's the case then he's just not an accurate kicker. I think our kicking woes have been magnified by misses in critical situations.

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When it's Bama in a big game, even more so.

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It's sort of a win-win because if you beat Bama that way, they can always fall back on the excuse that they really won, but for having to kick field goals.

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So what you're saying is Chavis should call soft zone defense to prevent the big plays (especially from Cooper) outside the redzone and play tight man to man inside the redzone?

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Honestly, the score will get out of hand if Lsu plays a soft zone all night. Sims will just pop up and throw it to cooper. He's done more damage on 1 yard passes than 50 yard passes.

Foster was a highly regarded kicker. I don't really know why though. He had bad mechanics and he was mentally weak. Griffith at least looks like he's been kicking his whole life. I question his mental toughness

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saban cannot develop his kickers much like we cannot develop our QBs.

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I seem to remember some pretty good kicking while he was at LSU, Corbello for Heisman.