Quote Originally Posted by blowoutgm:
Jimmydafreak-
Wrong- i watched about half of it. I have the NCAA package so i got to watch some of it- I'm not saying all the sudden LSU will run the triple option like Ga Southern but it is a well known fact that Alabama struggles with it. Heck that's one of the reasons LSU won the last game. Had Miles left Jarrett "deer in the headlights" Lee in, instead of putting JJ in then Bama would have won. With JJ running the option, it gave Bama some headaches and allowed LSU to gain some yards and settle down on offense. You think LSU will lose this game and that's fine. We'll agree to disagree. You have your reasons and i actually liked your writeup before the first game. At least you put thought and reasoning behind your thinking Alabama will win. Lucan and Tappy just spout senseless fanboy threads saying Roll Tide and that shit gets old. Much rather hear from a Bama fan who uses actual thoughts before they post. And Lucan, before you pop your head in here and accuse me of kissing ass just STFU- i'm not a Bama hater. I can have actual mature discussions with other mature Bama fans(unlike yourself) It's called respect. Lucan- you are an LSU hater and you have admitted it. Grow up and act like a man.
Jimmy-
I think it'll be another close game with more scoring and again i think special teams will make a big difference(field position especially). I see a win for the Tigers 23-17 but we will just have to wait and see. Good luck
I pretty much agree with everything you said.
I have said many times that Jordan Jefferson won the first game for LSU. Without him LSU had no chance. But prior to the Alabama game Jarrett Lee had been the starter up to that point, and Jefferson was only playing spot roles. That forced Alabama to have to prepare to two different style of QBs. That won't be the case the second time around because Lee will never see the field. That, of course, is a good thing for LSU as well.
The only thing LSU had success with the entire game was running wide with Michael Ford, and Jordan Jefferson scrambles. Alabama stuffed the middle, and completely shut down everything through the air 5 yards beyond the LOS. It got to the point that LSU was just scared to put the ball in the air. The only successful pass play LSU had downfield the entire game came on a broken coverage right before the end of the first half which led to a LSU FG. Had Alabama converted on any one of their 3 opportunities to score a TD, that game would have essentially been out-of-reach because LSU really had no way to catch up.
Georgia Southern is a team that Alabama spent very little time preparing for (a day and a half). They spent the remainder of their time that week on Auburn. And as you know, the triple option is very difficult to defend when you're not use to defending it.
That said, I think the Georgia Southern game provided Alabama's defense invaluable experience in defending the option - experience that I think will help them quite a bit in a re-match. So I don't view the Georgia Southern game as a negative at all. I see it as a huge positive for Alabama.
As a side note, Georgia runs the exact same defensive scheme as Alabama, and they were very successful in defending the triple option against Georgia Tech and LSU's option (at least in the 1st half until they were exposed by their lack of depth just as I said they would be). Those two games essentially give us a preview of what to expect when Alabama's faster and more athletic defense faces the LSU's option the second time around.
Now, with Alabama having essentially 6 weeks to prepare for just Jordan Jefferson and the option, you can bet that Kirby Smart and Nick Saban will look to take that away from them. If Alabama can jump out to an early lead on LSU, LSU's offense will have a very difficult time getting them back into the game.
LSU will need the same type of game as they had last time. Keep the game close going into the 4th quarter, and try to pull out a win in the end.
Prior to the first matchup I predicted that LSU would score between 10-17 points. LSU, of course, scored 9 and it took them overtime to get that. With Alabama having 6 weeks to get ready for Jordan Jefferson and the option, I will lower my LSU score expectation from 10-17 to 7-14 the second time around.
If you can get a number around 40, UNDER will be the best play in this game. Alabama ML will be the seconday play if they are getting points.