| 06 November 2011
When I went to bed last night, the column that you’re about to read below was already written in my head.
In it, I would credit LSU. I would credit them for getting unexpected production from unexpected places. I would credit them for finding ways to win and doing it on the road, against the No. 2 team in the country. I’d credit them as the No. 1 team in the country.
That would be the sub-text of the story, but the real context would be mostly about how badly I felt for Alabama’s fans and players. How after thinking about last night’s game and replaying it in my head before I went to bed, I couldn’t help but think that despite what the scoreboard said, Alabama was the better team on the field Saturday; that they were the best team in the country. I was also going to write about how sick I felt as a college football fan, as someone who truly loves this sport, knowing that in all likelihood I wasn’t going to see the best team in the game(in my eyes) get a chance to play for a National Championship.
That’s what I was going to write.
But then a funny thing happened. I sat down this morning, looked over some stats, thought about this game some more, and completely changed my column. I thought about all the things that make the sport of college football the beautiful, wonderful, grandiose, game that we love. I thought about how one team stepped up while the other stepped back, about one team making plays when the other didn’t, thought about one coaching staff pulling the pants down on the other, and realized this: Alabama didn’t lose Saturday night’s game. Not so much as LSU just went out and won it.
Now for those of you who’ve been waiting for this column, your initial reaction might be, “Man, that’s a dumb conclusion to draw.”
Still, let’s think about this for a second. Alabama finished the game with more total yards, more first downs, had fewer penalties, and the turnover battle was knotted at two apiece. Yes the Crimson Tide missed four field goals, but given all they had to overcome, for LSU to go into Tuscaloosa and get a win, they must’ve done something extra special.
And they did, by doing something I didn’t expect: By beating Alabama at their own game. I’m not even talking about the physical attacking brand of football that Nick Saban is known for, so much as the mental aspect of it all. In a game that was decided by the tiniest of details, it was LSU who had the mental edge across the board.
This game was won because LSU scrapped their original game-plan, found something that worked and stuck with it.
As much as I love Jarrett Lee (and believe me, I do), it was clear that his mind wasn’t mentally in-tune with what LSU needed to do to win Saturday night. Therefore, the Tigers turned to Jordan Jefferson and more importantly, turned to the speed option game. Who would’ve thought that the way to beat Alabama’s historically good defense wasn’t with a power running game or strong-armed quarterback, but instead with an offense so simplistic that most high schools won’t even run it for fear of looking stupid? Only it worked. LSU scrapped running Spencer Ware up the middle, scrapped throwing the ball to Rueben Randle deep, went to the edges, and somehow continued to pick up big chunks of yards. Alabama never seemed to adjust. Advantage, LSU.
This game was also won because LSU got unexpected contributions from the least likely of places.
Let’s start with LSU’s defensive backs, most of whom you’ve probably heard of. You know about plenty about the Honey Badger Tyrann Mathieu (whose only highlight Saturday was an inexcusably cheap and dirty penalty on Dre Kirkpatrick). You’ve probably also heard of Morris Claiborne, who is going to be a Top 10 pick whenever he decides to leave for the NFL Draft. You may have even heard of Ron Brooks, who had an interception return for a touchdown against Auburn two weeks ago, or Tharold Simon who has played a key role in nickel situations.
But how many of you have heard of Brandon Taylor, who repeatedly made huge, open field tackles on Saturday night? Or more importantly Eric Reid, who had maybe the biggest play period against Alabama, with a fourth quarter interception that may have turned the game?
And really, that was the difference in the entire game: LSU had guys stepping up all over the field. They had Brad Wing pinning the Crimson Tide in awful field position all night with his deadly punts. They had Drew Alleman nailing field goals when his Alabama counterparts couldn’t. They again had Jordan Jefferson…Jordan freakin’ Jefferson step out of the abyss of obscurity, and play the best game of his life (not to mention his second straight gem against the Crimson Tide). Could you say that about anyone on Alabama? Not just that they played the game of their lives, but that they stepped up at all?
Actually, I take that back, since I don’t think it’s totally fair to Alabama’s players. Why? Because it seemed to me like the game-plan only got more vanilla as the game went on (with one notable exception), and that for the most part, the Crimson Tide’s staff was wildly out-coached by their counterparts.
And if you’re wondering, yes, I can’t believe I wrote that either. But for the second straight year, Les Miles got the better of Nick Saban. Easily.
While LSU’s confidence seemed to grow with the success of every speed option run, Alabama withered in the second half. LSU repeatedly challenged someone besides Trent Richardson to beat them and nobody did, and I’m not exactly sure why. Whether it was because of Marquis Maze’s ankle injury, a lack of faith in A.J. McCarron or the fact that LSU’s defense was that good, I can’t remember one time that Alabama really tried to do anything but run the ball with Richardson late.
Well, with two notably disastrous exceptions anyway.
The first of course was the attempted pass from the wide receiver Maze to tight end Michael Williams. To say it was “didn’t work out well,” would be an understatement. It was the Hindenburg of college football play-calling, resulting in Reid’s interception. Within field goal range (which I know was a relative term Saturday night) late, Alabama came away with zero points.
Now on the one hand, I guess I don’t really blame Alabama’s coaching staff for taking a chance. If that play works, they almost certainly win the game, and we would spend this morning lauding Saban and offensive coordinator Jim McElwain as geniuses, and building new statues to put outside Bryant-Denny Stadium for them. I get that.
The problem of course is that it didn’t work, and ended with a turnover. And even though LSU didn’t score on the ensuing possession, it did flip the field, and the Crimson Tide never came close to scoring in regulation again.
Which brings me to my point: Considering that points were at such a premium in that situation, why risk it? Why take the chance? Isn’t another field goal attempt better than the alternative of having your star wide receiver throw the ball? And if you were going to throw it downfield, why not put it in the hands of McCarron, and let him try to make a play? With so much on the line, that call is amazingly hit or miss. I guess I just don’t know why you even chance it.
The other bone-headed play came in overtime, and was less excusable. Actually, I take that back. It wasn’t excusable at all. On their first and only possession in overtime, McCarron dropped back on 3rd and 15, surveyed the field, saw nothing…and umm, was sacked. Not good.
The question of course becomes why McCarron was throwing the ball in the first place? Again, points are a premium, and in overtime, so are yards. Well, by losing another five on the sack, the Crimson Tide were basically out of field goal range. That point was proven when Cade Foster did in fact, miss a 52-yard field goal. Five plays later, Drew Alleman hit one of his own, and the ball-game was over.
But in the final analysis of this game, I want to go back to that intercepted Maze pass for a second, because I thought it summed up everything perfectly.
For years it’s been Les Miles, the Mad Hatter, who has made a living off those gimmicky, goofy, go-go-gadgety trick plays. Nine times out of 10 they work, and 12 times out of 10, we’re talking about them the next day. As for Nick Saban, well, he’s quiet, prepared and focused. He’s got no time for those silly trick plays, especially when his team is bludgeoning you to death.
Which was the most ironic thing of all Saturday night. There was Saban, out of answers, trying to find one, digging deep into his bag of tricks. It didn’t work, and may have cost Alabama points that would’ve ultimately won the game.
But old Les?? There were no tricks, no gimmicks, no foolishness. In a football game turned prize fight, he trusted his guys to go out, outlast the competition, and find a way to win. That’s exactly what they did, beating Alabama at their game, on their turf.
In the end, I’ve got to be honest, I’m still not sure if LSU is the best team in college football. Not with the statistical edge to Alabama, and given what I saw with my own two eyes.
But ultimately though, guess what? It doesn’t matter.
Whether LSU is the best team in college football is totally irrelevant.
Because right now, there’s no argument whose No. 1.
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