Alabama Football: When the Crimson Tide is on defense vs. Louisiana

How the University of Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns offense will attack Alabama football when the Crimson Tide is on defense.

For Louisiana to take advantage of Alabama football it will be through exploiting Alabama’s coverages in the passing game. The game plan for the Ragin’ Cajuns will be very close to the same plan they put into motion versus Mississippi State two weeks ago: Get the football to the perimeter.

Limiting the monsters of Alabama’s interior lineman (Quinnen Williams, Raekwon Davis and Isaiah Buggs) will be a top priority for former Alabama football assistant, now head coach Bill Napier. The Ragin’ Cajuns had success with wide receiver screens and hot routes against Mississippi State. Louisiana will use multiple four and five wide receiver sets to spread out Bama’s defense in order to offset the strength of Alabama’s interior and to create matchups against Alabama’s man to man coverages.

With the consistent pass rush Alabama has been able to produce without blitzing, Napier will attempt to have their quarterback Andre Nunez release the ball quickly. It will push Alabama’s corners to be physical at the line of scrimmage and create one-on-one blocking assignments on the outside.

A matchup for Alabama fans to follow is the coverage and communication between Mack Wilson and Dylan Mosses.  Both Wilson and Moses have been susceptible to wide receiver and tight end crossing routes in man to man coverage, as shown against both Louisville and Texas A&M. Their susceptibility is not due to a lack of talent but rather the lack of communication that has been noted by Coach Saban as a concern. Expect Louisiana to isolate Wilson and Moses against slot receivers to create matchups that the Ragin’ Cajuns find favorable.

For Coach Saban, Louisiana was scheduled because it provides Alabama football an excellent test for the still emerging defense. The game will require physicality from Tide corners at the line of scrimmage. It will also create critical man-to-man coverages for Alabama’s linebackers. The Cajuns will provide multiple looks and passing styles similar to Mississippi State and Auburn later in the year.

Coach Saban will emphasize his corners to attack cut blocks from the Cajun wide receivers and not give up outside containment. It will also be an excellent test for Alabama’s communication within the secondary, allowing Wilson and Moses to grow and develop in man coverage. All will be a good test for what remains down the road for Alabama football. It is yet another test in developing this defense for a championship push.

Please comment below on what you are looking for Alabama to accomplish defensively against the Ragin’ Cajuns.