LSU vs Alabama: Keys to Victory, Part 1

As the LSU vs. Alabama game draws closer, and with LSU entering the game a six-point underdog, Death Valley Voice will break down the keys to victory for the Tigers. In the first of two parts, we look at the LSU offense.

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Running game

Establish the running game early and control the clock. Keep the Alabama defense on the field, and the Alabama offense on the sideline. During the current three-game winning streak, the Tigers have established their identity as a run-first team. The offensive line has played its best football of the season in the process. Leonard Fournette has established himself as the featured back.

LSU needs to duplicate what it was able to do against Florida, Kentucky, and Ole Miss, where the Tigers rushed for 195 yards, 303 yards, and 264 yards respectively. Florida and Ole Miss entered these games with stout rushing defenses, and LSU was able to overcome this by consistently pounding the ball and winning the line of scrimmage. The Tigers’s offensive line is by far the best Alabama will have faced this year.

Likewise, Alabama enters this game with the best numbers in terms of its rushing defense. The Crimson Tide is allowing a mere 78.1 rushing yards per game, a mark that is first in the SEC, and second nationally. The Tigers will have their work cut out for them. Fortunately, with the success of the past three games under its belt, the Tigers offensive line and running backs are entering this game with a lot of confidence.

Fournette leads LSU in rushing with 671 yards, having eclipsed the century mark twice in the last three games. The talented freshman tallied 140 yards against Florida, and 113 yards against Ole Miss. He is displaying patience and waiting for the holes to open up.

Backing up Fournette are three other talented running backs. Terrence Magee stepped up against Kentucky with a 127-yard game, and the Tigers can also count on Kenny Hilliard and Darrel Williams. The running game is a four-headed monster that will prove to be a challenge for Alabama.

Passing game

Regarding the quarterback situation, Anthony Jennings just needs to do what the coaches ask of him. He has shown improvement since his troubles in the New Mexico State game. The main tasks – play smart, and don’t turn the ball over.

LSU’s game plan will be to lean on the running game, and the coaching staff doesn’t want to be in a position where the Tigers will be forced to win through the air. While Jennings has displayed some success in throwing the deep ball, he has struggled with the short and intermediate passing game.

LSU typically runs on first down; however, recent play calling has featured some first down throws. It behooves the coaching staff to continue with this approach. Gain decent yardage on first down, and keep second and third downs manageable by mixing in some first down throws. Use play-action, and roll Jennings out, where he is comfortable. The Tigers can’t afford multiple three-and-outs, and really need to strike early.

One of the major areas of improvement for Jennings has been his check-downs. Whereas earlier in the season he was locking in on one receiver and telegraphing his throws, he now seems more comfortable in going through his progressions. The result of this is bringing the running backs into the passing game, and the Ole Miss game featured some nice throws to Fournette and Magee for substantial yardage. Production from the fullback position adds a nice wrinkle, and Melvin Jones can also make catches out of the backfield.

On long pass plays, Jennings still appears to be locked in on Travin Dural; however, Malachi Dupre and Trey Quinn are being targeted more frequently. In fact, Quinn appears to get open quite often, and hopefully we see more balls thrown his way going forward. And who knows, maybe the tight ends are now in the mix as well – how about that game-winning pass to Logan Stokes.

Jennings also brings a zone-read element to the offense, and with improved decision-making, he can use his legs to keep the chains moving.

The Result

The bottom line is LSU can’t be totally one-dimensional. Some reliance on the passing game will be necessary to emerge victorious in this game. Just enough to keep Alabama honest.

Ideally, if the running game can be established early and successfully, we’ll see the hallmark of a Les Miles team in that the opposing defense gets totally worn down by the fourth quarter.

Coming up later, we’ll look at the LSU defense in Part 2 of keys to victory.

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