Alabama Football: Five keys to beating Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss
By Ronald Evans
Alabama Football is favored by oddsmakers to easily handle No. 12 ranked Ole Miss. Accomplishing that might not be simple, given Lane Kiffin’s fast tempo, explosive Ole Miss offense.
Last season’s game can be a blueprint for the Crimson Tide game plan. In Oxford, the Alabama Football defense had trouble making adjustments before Ole Miss triggered plays. Covering slot receivers and tight ends was another issue. As was being fundamentally unsound, resulting in taking bad tackling angles and missed tackles. Not all those problems can be eliminated by scheme adjustments. Player recognition and execution is also necessary.
Can Alabama Football count on winning another shootout? Nick Saban certainly will not choose that as the Tide’s best option. One reason is, while the 2021 offense has performed well, as yet it does have playmakers equal to the 2020 offense. Needing to run up another 723 yards on the Ole Miss defense, must be avoided.
Many Alabama Football insiders are confident this season’s defense is driven to make a statement against Ole Miss. No doubt returning players and new starters, like Henry To’o To’o, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Drew Sanders, are motivated to shut down, or at worst, significantly slow down Lane Kiffin’s offensive machine.
It is a given Kiffin will have the Ole Miss offense operating at warp speed. His goal will be 90 offensive plays. It is too obvious to include in this list a key of not allowing Ole Miss explosive plays. Controlling Ole Miss will be as much on the Alabama Football coaching staff as the Crimson Tide players. The defense cannot be ready for warp speed if the play calls have even the slightest delay.
A quick note on the five keys that follow – they are made presuming no advantage goes to either team in turnovers or injuries.