Can LSU stop Jalen Milroe and other burning questions ahead of Saturday night's massive rivalry game vs. Alabama
The LSU Tigers have their biggest game of the season on Saturday night when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide. Not only is the game going to be critical for both teams' chances to make the SEC Championship Game, but also the College Football Playoff, as a loss could knock out either team. The last […]
The LSU Tigers have their biggest game of the season on Saturday night when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide. Not only is the game going to be critical for both teams' chances to make the SEC Championship Game, but also the College Football Playoff, as a loss could knock out either team.
The last two games in this rivalry have been excellent, with LSU winning in 2022 32-31 and Alabama winning last season 42-28. This game is primed to be a great one with two really good quarterback on each side in Jalen Milroe and Garrett Nussmeier.
To help understand the Crimson Tide, we asked our staff writer Ian Valentino to help us understand how Alabama matches up with the Tigers.
LSU's defense is 97th in success rate against the pass. Where are we at with Jalen Milroe and can he take advantage?
After a great start to the season, Milroe has been showing a lot of the bad habits and limitations that plagued the early part of his 2023 season before he was benched. Defenses are clogging passing lanes because they're wary of his legs, and this has also made Milroe second-guess his reads and playmakers. Last week, Alabama simplified the gameplan and ran the ball with their backs more, and Milroe's efficiency skyrocketed.
That's really the key for Alabama. Milroe can be the engine for the offense without much help but his performances become unpredictable and uneven without a run game to relieve pressure. LSU should focus first on the run and then rely on its athletes to hold up in space in coverage.
How will Alabama get pressure against the duo of Will Campbell and Emery Jones Jr.?
It won't be easy, and I think the absence of guard Garrett Dellinger spells more potential trouble than anything schematically Alabama can do against this tackle duo. LT Overton's sheer power and mass will give both tackles some headaches, but I'm not sure he has the technical prowess to threaten them more than a few times. He's more of a big, strong, ball of clay who will do his best on the interior in subpackages.
The other edge rusher to watch for is Quandarrius Robinson. Robinson is a speedier option who can jump snaps, and that will always give tackles some issues. However, this is far from South Carolina's defense. Alabama needs to utilize subpackages and unleash some stunts and simulated pressure in hopes of creating some miscommunications
Kyren Lacy has been the go-to target for Garrett Nussmeier. Can the Crimson Tide defense slow him down?
Safety Keon Sabb has been banged up and this Alabama secondary has been respectable but far from a Nick Saban-led unit. Individually, the Tide don't have anyone who can go toe-to-toe with Lacy. But they will use a ton of zone to limit his potential to break chunk plays. I'd expect Lacy to still have a high number of touches but Alabama will live with being nickel and dimed down the field.
