Firing Out of the Gates

LSU hopes to slow Alabama’s quick start, but produce one of its own.

by Matt Reynolds
Tiger Rag Assistant Editor

Alabama is the type of team that has come out the gate with guns-a-blazin’ in every single contest this season.

On the other hand, LSU has mostly been victimized in the first quarters of games this year – especially in their two losses to Georgia and Florida.

No. 1 Alabama comes into Tiger Stadium on Saturday, having been behind less than two minutes all season long – in the Kentucky game a month ago.

“They have a nice start,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “They start very quickly. I have to be real honest with you. The key is that we start well. Our offense, defense and special teams come on the field and play well and that we match their start with our own. That’s going to be our approach.”

LSU hasn’t started swiftly at all in their two losses this season – giving up a combined 31 points in the first quarter against Florida and Georgia.

The top-ranked Crimson Tide has outscored its opponents 110-3 in the first quarter this season.

“Obviously, you want to start fast,” Miles said. “We need to. I like the matchups to be honest with you. It’s going to be interesting. I think our defense will play well against their offense, and I think our offense played well against them a year ago, and minus a couple of guys that were there, our offense can play well against them this year.”

LSU’s running game has been its forte on the season thus far, as the Tigers are just shy of 1,500 rushing yards on the season up to this point. Tiger running back Charles Scott is the engine for that ground attack, as the Saline native has pilled up 889 yards on 132 carries this season with 11 touchdown runs.

The Crimson Tide defense is giving up less than 65 yards per game on the ground and is currently the top ranked rushing defense in the SEC.

Last week against Tulane, LSU was able to get a number of backs in the game besides Scott. Richard Murphy, Keiland Williams and Stevan Ridley all touched the ball and had respectable numbers.

“I think they will find that we rush the football pretty well,” Miles said. “I think we can also execute the pass with an extra guy in the box and pressure on the outside with press corners. It’s going to be a nice matchup. I feel comfortable that our guys, Demetrius Byrd, Brandon LaFell and Terrance Toliver, can get open on the perimeter against anybody.”

LSU quarterback Jarrett Lee will try to improve from his sub-centennial performance from a week ago that also consisted of his sixth interception of the season that was returned for a score.

Miles is still encouraged that the Tigers will produce a four-quarter performance on Saturday against the top-ranked Tide.

“I continue to like the effort that I see,” Miles said. “I know that some people take it for granted. I don’t. I enjoy great effort on the football team. It’s the only way the defense has played, with relentless effort. I think that’s coming. The key for us is that we play four quarters of football, from start to finish and without lapses on offense, defense and special teams. That’s what our push is, to play our best game versus arguably the best opponent that we’ll face.”

NOTE: ESPN’s College GameDay will make its seventh trip to LSU this weekend as the popular college football preview show will air live from campus prior to the Tigers’ game against top-ranked Alabama on Saturday.

Kickoff for the Tigers and the Crimson Tide is slated for 2:30 p.m. from a sold out Tiger Stadium. The game will be televised by CBS. LSU goes into the game with a 6-2 overall mark and a 3-2 league record, while Alabama is 9-0 overall and 5-0 in conference action.

The LSU campus will start buzzing early on Saturday as College GameDay will go live beginning at 9 a.m. The location of the College GameDay set on the LSU campus will be announced later in the week.

The LSU Parade Grounds, the location of ESPN College GameDay for their last three visits to Baton Rouge, are not available to ESPN College GameDay this weekend due to the LSU Salutes celebration taking place there on Saturday morning. LSU Salutes is an official university celebration honoring LSU’s military alumni and other veterans and it’s scheduled for the weekend of the home football game nearest to Veterans Day.