Alabama Football: How LSU can beat Tua Tagovailoa on Saturday
By Kevin Mudd
For the first eight games of the season, no one has been able to slow down the Alabama football offense. LSU has not only the best chance of the Tide’s remaining opponents but the best chance in all of college football.
The reason LSU has the best chance in college football of slowing down Alabama football’s star Tua Tagovailoa is the ability for the Tigers’ secondary to place its outside corners on islands. Meaning that Greedy Williams and Kristian Fulton will be left in man to man coverage with possible single safety help over the top.
Studying the film versus Mississippi State, LSU’s primary goal was to have safety Grant Delpit to sink into the shallow zone to stop any RPO route for QB Nick Fitzgerald. LSU would also run blitz both middle linebackers through the “A” gap in order to force Fitzgerald to release the ball sooner without seeing the sinking safety. This resulted in LSU picking off Fitzgerald four times.
What risks this creates for LSU is with blitzing the linebackers and bringing the safety into a sink coverage, if pressure does not get to the quarterback, the outside receivers are left in man to man coverage with no help over the top. However, LSU’s confidence resides in believing its corners are better than any other team’s wide receivers.
Against Alabama, the LSU defense will face a greater test than at any other point this season. I believe that LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda will bring pressure time and time again versus Alabama because in every game this year that Tagovailoa has not been pressured he has handily beaten every defense he has faced.
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LSU will also be without linebacker Devin White for the entire first half. Which puts LSU in a predicament of needing to bring pressure to offset the loss of White. I do not see a scenario in the first half in which LSU puts seven into coverage and only rushes four in hopes of confusing Tua Tagovailoa. Alabama football has the most offensive weapons in college football. LSU cannot hold coverage for this period of time without getting beat or without drawing a penalty.
Biggest Key for LSU Defense
The key to the game for LSU is forcing Tagovailoa to throw the ball before he is ready. The more time that Alabama football receivers have time to continue their routes, the more separation that they create. This has occurred all year against both zone and man to man coverage. If LSU gives the wide receivers of Alabama time to create space than someone will get beat. That is why I believe on Saturday LSU will try to force Tua Tagovailoa to beat them with intermediate routes between 5-15 yards.
The game in Baton Rouge will be won or lost in the secondary for LSU. I believe you will either see LSU hold Alabama under 20 points or Tua Tagovailoa will be on the bench for the fourth quarter again because the Tide has scored over 50+ points.
If I had to bet the house on the game, then my money goes with Tua Tagovailoa. But I do believe this will be the best defense that Alabama football faces the entire year including the playoffs if they get there.
Comment below on if you think LSU’s secondary is capable of slowing down the Tide. Also, comment with your score prediction for the game!