Effect of Trent Richardson's absence in the Alabama Game

They are more balanced and have better recievers this year.

Different team.

I try to be as non-biased as possible but that just isn't correct. In my opinion, Lacy is even better than Richardson. Richardson was kind of overrated.

Trent Richardson in the running game was a non-factor his career at Alabama vs LSU.

He was more dangerous out of the backfield on passes then he was running.

I think he only had 1 TD on the ground against us. And it came late in the 4th quarter after our defense lived on the field.

People over-value skill positions in the college game. Their run blocking is fricking outstanding no matter who is in the backfield and Lacy is more than capable.

Bama has capable backs. Don't kid yourself.

LSU didn't put any special planning into stopping Trent Richardson. LSU is one of the few schools in college football with NFL caliber athletes to match Alabama. They stopped him in Alabama earlier and basically shut him down in the title game if not for that last run where he scored a TD by bouncing outside after they stuffed the middle. Only reason he scored was you couls see the quit in them knowing the game was over!

I wonder how some of you people can function at all when you're so focused on one game when we have 5 games before that one. A lot can happen between now and then to either team.

Biggest difference in Alabama's offense compared to last year is drastic improvement in red zone efficiency, which I HOPE pays big dividends against LSU. Chavis has been giving Bama fits when they get near the red zone. So far this season, we are 12 of 12 with 11 being touchdowns and one being a field goal.

You'll also notice Bama hasn't really been forcing the issue in the running game and has been focusing on improving down field passing. I'm not sure how it's going to look if and when they need a run heavy approach.

Eddie looked much more hard nosed in the last game. He looked a little tentative in the first two. I'm hoping he's starting to get warmed up.

I don't think Eddie can put us on his back like Richardson. But trying to have Trent do that on Nov. 5 didn't work out too great anyway. That's why he wasn't the focal point of the offense on Jan. 9. Bama Knew LSU was going to take him away, so they gave AJ a bigger role in the game plan.

Trent couldn't carry us to victory and I doubt we expect Eddie too. Expect our RB's to be good enough and utilized enough to keep the D honest. But AJ and red zone performance will be the key to offensive success or failure against LSU.

As for Yeldon, he has the potential to be the best Bama RB of all time, IMO. He's got all the talent needed. But he's got a long way to go.

As for whether Bama is overrated? The offense is awesome. But It's tough to tell how good the defense would be without all the turnovers they have been getting. I hope we keep getting them.

Richardson > Ingram > Lacy

Yeldon is a different type of back and he will be dangerous in the open field and on passes out of the backfield. He may prove to be the most dangerous all around back of the bunch. But hard to beat the shear brute strength of Richardson head to head.