Alabama Football: How improved is Todd Grantham’s Bulldogs defense?
By Ronald Evans
Saturday night in Starkville, Alabama football will face a rebuilt Bulldogs defense. How much better has Todd Grantham made Mississippi State defensively?
A year ago Alabama football ran up 615 yards and 51 points on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. A year later the Tide is favored by two touchdowns. What has changed?
The offensive personnel units are not significantly different for either team. Alabama football defensive injuries are certainly a factor. The bigger factor is Todd Grantham. The new Bulldogs defensive coordinator has quickly built a more stalwart defensive unit that will challenge the Crimson Tide.
Grantham has an interesting background. Close to thirty years of coaching football has not mellowed him. He is still brash as he was many seasons ago on Nick Saban’s staff at Michigan State. Speaking to Edward Aschoff of ESPN, Grantham said,
"“You have to always have that edge,” Grantham told ESPN.That edge has given Grantham quite the reputation. While his everyday conversational tone rarely reaches high decibels, he has been singled out as a hothead on the sideline. He’s boisterous and animated when the bright lights go on."
Statistically, Grantham’s 3-4 Mississippi State defense is the third best in the SEC behind Alabama and Georgia. Last season the Bulldogs were No. 110 in the FBS in Total Defense. This season they are No. 7.
Alabama football dominates FBS defensive stats but Mississippi State is not far behind. The Bulldogs are No. 14 in Scoring Defense, No. 16 in Pass Efficiency Defense and No. 23 in Rushing Defense.
Head to Head Comparison
The Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs have two common opponents so far this season: LSU and Texas A&M. A comparison of those four games may give some insight into how Grantham’s defense will fare against the Tide.
The Tide and the Bulldogs defenses against LSU
LSU First Downs: Alabama 16 – Mississippi State 13
LSU Rushing Yards: Alabama 151 – Mississippi State 133
LSU Passing Yards: Alabama 157 – Mississippi State 137
LSU Total Offense: Alabama 306 – Mississippi State 270
LSU Offense Plays: Alabama 73 – Mississippi State 58
LSU 3rd Down Conversions: Alabama 9-for-19 – Mississippi State 3-for-13
There is no doubt that LSU in week 10 was a better offense than in week three against the Bulldogs. Still, it merits notice the Bulldogs defense performed better defensively against LSU than Alabama.
The Tide and the Bulldogs defenses against Texas A&M
TAMU First Downs: Alabama 16 – Mississippi State 15
TAMU Rushing Yards: Alabama 71 – Mississippi State 96
TAMU Passing Yards: Alabama 237 – Mississippi State 189
TAMU Total Offense: Alabama 308 – Mississippi State 285
TAMU Offense Plays: Alabama 69 – Mississippi State 69
TAMU 3rd Down Conversions: Alabama 3-for14 – Mississippi State 7-for-17
The numbers against the Aggies are close enough to argue based on those two games, the MSU defense is equal to the Tide.
Add to this consideration the injury situation. The Bulldogs are healthier on defense than they were in either of the two previous games. Alabama football has a defense depleted by injury.
What will happen Saturday night?
We expect both offensive lines will have problems with the defensive front-sevens. For the Bulldogs, Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat are very good players, who could start for the Tide. Given the Alabama football injury situation, the Bulldogs have the most experienced and probably the better group of linebackers.
If the offensive line gets more push than it did against LSU, the Crimson Tide can score in the four touchdown range. That should be enough offense to hold off a Bulldogs offense that will also have some success. Because of Todd Grantham, the outcome will be nothing like last season.
Next: 30 Great Tide Players who were 3-Star Recruits
Check in with Bama Hammer on Friday as our group of writers predicts the outcome of the Mississippi State game. We offer our best guesses of how a game will go and why.