It's a bye week for both Alabama and LSU ahead of what will effectively be a playoff elimination game next Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge.
But just because it's not game week doesn't mean Lane Kiffin isn't already trying to play mind games with Alabama through the media.
Kiffin is a troll at heart. He just can't help himself. And on Wednesday's SEC Coaches' Teleconference, the LSU head coach did his best to provide an early dose of rat poison to Kalen DeBoer and Alabama.
"Getting ready for the most talented team we’ve played, as you really look at it," Kiffin said. "When you combine offense and defense, these guys really are loaded, look like the old Alabama teams. Really long, fast receivers. Really special, unique defensive players. So, this is gonna be a really big challenge for us to prepare really well and play really well.”
Kiffin didn't stop there, further pouring on the praise for the Crimson Tide, particularly on the defensive side of the ball:
"Remind me of old Alabama defenses and guys who can make plays on the ball and length and twitch. And to be honest, I was hoping they probably weren’t this good. So, that’s gonna be really challenging because we really have not played a defense like that this year, no disrespect to the other defenses. But these 11 guys look different than the other teams we’ve played.”
Kalen DeBoer and Alabama must ignore Lane Kiffin's pathetic attempt at rat poison
Kiffin is trying to butter Alabama up before next weekend's matchup. He wants them to feel comfortable. The truth is, there's zero chance he believes any of what he's saying. In fact, he's watched what the Crimson Tide has put on tape this year defensively and is licking his chops. That's the hard truth of it.
Kiffin, for all his faults, is one of the brightest offensive minds in college football. He's seen all the struggles in the secondary with off-coverage. He's seen other teams pick on Dijon Lee. He's seen a front seven that has been susceptible to getting gashed on the ground, especially in recent weeks.
Alabama came into the season with a defense many thought would rank among the best in the country. Instead, the Crimson Tide ranks 38th in yards per play allowed.
On the back end, Alabama ranks 72nd in yards per game allowed through the air.
These aren't stats that are foreign to Kiffin. He knows them. He's seen the vulnerabilities on tape, and he's preparing to take full advantage.
Alabama DC Kane Wommack needs to show he's capable of throwing a change-up. He needs to spend the bye week coming up with a plan foreign to Kiffin. Show that you are capable of calling the defense differently than you have all season long.
That's what it's going to take, or LSU is going to light up the scoreboard in Baton Rouge and force Keelon Russell and the offense to try to keep up in a hostile Death Valley environment.
The mind games have begun. Kiffin is a master at it. Hopefully, DeBoer, the staff, and the players are all savvy enough not to fall for it.
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