Alabama Football: Lots of Crimson Tide news despite bye-week

Alabama football has a much needed and deserved bye-week. There is still plenty of Crimson Tide football news. Check out the latest.

Alabama football fans are ready to focus on LSU. Nick Saban plans to follow a different approach.

The LSU game on November 4th is a big game. All Alabama football games against the Bengal Tigers are big games. In Cajun country, it is the defining game of the season. For the Tide, it is the next game against a worthy foe standing in the path of championship goals.

A short review of last week.

Twitter has been sizzling with Vols demanding the exit of Butch Jones. We will add one more clever tweet,

Apparently, LSU and Penn State players and fans believe they “want Bama.” Here is an example of why that can be a painful mistake.

The Alabama football coaching staff recognized seven ‘Players of the Week’ from the Tennessee game. From the defense, the POTW pair was Levi Wallace and Raekwon Davis. On offense is was Hale Hentges and Ross Piersbacher. From special teams, the players were Hootie Jones, Deionte Thompson and Keith Holcombe.

Levi Wallace was also named the Co-SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Along with Minkah Fitzpatrick, Levi Wallace was announced as a Jim Thorpe Award semi-finalist last week. Wallace made six tackles, two sacks and one QB-hurry against the Vols.

Latest Injury News

Nick Saban reported Da’Shawn is expected back to practice this week. His status for the LSU game is not yet determined. Josh Jacobs will be in a boot for a few days from an ankle problem. Saban commented that Jacobs should be fine for LSU practices.

Coach O and Nick have different approaches

Aaron Suttles of the Tuscaloosa News reported LSU head coach Ed Orgeron indicated Saturday night the Tigers will begin Alabama preparation on Wednesday of the bye-week. Nick Saban said the Tide will look at other future opponents and not begin LSU prep until next week.

"“we spend time on the rest of the season this week. I know the LSU game is a big game. It always is … But we’re not going to start our focus on them today or tomorrow. The players seem to do well when they’re in a rhythm and a routine for how they get ready for the game. We don’t usually don’t usually change that relative to having a bye week.”"

For Alabama football, a ‘big game’ certainly does not mean a game requiring extra focus. Focus is required every week when the standard is competing against the best of yourself. In the Saban-era Alabama football has played many ‘big games.’ So many that they come close to being business as usual. The same cannot be said for LSU.

Coach O said, “LSU-Alabama, doesn’t get any bigger than that.” Actually, it often does get ‘bigger’ Coach – for Alabama football.

Next: 10 Tide Football Records that will never be broken

Among college football pundits there is some talk LSU (or maybe TAMU) is now the third best team in the SEC. If that is true, when the Iron Bowl game takes place the Auburn Tigers could be 7-4.  Imagine that.