Alabama vs. Texas: What 2 Watch 4

This article is a combined contribution from an avid Texas fan (Don Kusenberger) and rabid Alabama fan (yours truly). We are partners in a medical practice in Little Rock, Arkansas.

We both have season tickets and have maintained them for at least the past seven years. Don is a pilot and flies to Austin as often as possible during the season to pull for his beloved Longhorns. He has a son, Chris, at SMU and daughter, Ali, at Baylor.

I travel with my wife and children to at least five home games and one away game each year. We are on the road at least twelve hours each weekend during the season. We have a great tailgate on the quad and love every minute we spend with our Alabama family.

Keys for Texas (Don Kusenberger)

On Offense

Texas must have aggressive play selection by offensive coordinator, Greg Davis. Davis is in his twelfth year as signal caller at the helm of the Longhorn offense. He game planned for Vince Young and tooled the offense in 2005 to feature the quarterback's strengths. He must do the same for McCoy.

Alabama will use a tight press coverage on the receivers in order to limit the short passing game. Texas will need to start out hitting (at least attempting) medium and long range passes to open things up, underneath.

Opening the short passing game for Texas is essentially establishing the run. The short routes, primarily screens, allow the play makers, including Shipley, to get the ball in space and make things happen.

The conventional running game, if it hits a few plays of 10 yards or more, would be a big help to the Texas offense. It has not been an effective component to the offense thus far and would be a luxury.

The offensive line must step up and protect Colt McCoy. While the Alabama defense does not have a dominant DE as talented as Suh, not many defenses have an impact lineman like the Nebraska mammoth. For the majority of the season, the linemen have protected McCoy or have given him enough time to allow plays to develop. This is essential in the season finale.

If the offensive line can perform, it will allow Colt to be Colt and Shipley to be Shipley.

On Defense

Will Muschamp has the Texas defense playing at an all-time high level, not just in 2009, but this group is probably the best in the Mack Brown era. Daryl Royal had several good classes in the 70s that were as good or better, defensively, but in the modern era, this is high cotton.

The defense must remain aggressive against Alabama and fly to the ball with an aggression and attitude to defend the Texas side of the field at all costs. Shutting down the Alabama running game will be essential to allow the defense to then press McElroy into passing more than usual.

The Alabama offense stalls more frequently with three and outs using this combination of pressure. The pressure must be maintained throughout the entire game.

Texas will need its A game from both the offense and defense to beat this Alabama squad. Nothing less will suffice.

Keys for Alabama (John Fravel)

On Offense

Alabama must establish the running game with Mark Ingram. While backups Trent Richardson and Roy Upchurch are big contributors, Ingram is the heart and soul of the run. Additionally, he has been excellent at finding the correct seam to run while leading the offense with the wildcat formation.

Ingram has only thrown from the wildcat on one occasion. It was an incomplete pass to a wide open Julio Jones in the end zone. A hand-off to the streaking split end has not been effective from the formation, more than likely, the wildcat will result in a run off tackle.

McElroy has continued to improve throughout the season but he must be as good or better than he was in the SEC championship game. Passes must be hit with precision to prevent the opportunistic Texas defense from setting up the Texas offense in good field position.

McElroy must throw to Maze, Hanks, Peek, and others in order to open up the passing lanes for Julio Jones. Jones has not been as effective in the passing game during his sophomore year but he is definitely a big play threat. Hitting the middle depth and deeper routes will open up running space for the talented backfield.

The offensive line has performed well all season, but against the better, faster defenses, McElroy has taken a few hits. They must defend the quarterback and prevent the kind of hit Bradford suffered in the Red River rivalry. If a backup quarterback is inserted for the Alabama offense, the chances for victory are diminished, to say the least.

On Defense

While Alabama has no Ndamukong Suh, they are loaded at defensive end with talented players that have pressured quarterbacks all season long into mistakes. Brandon Deaderick, Marcel Dareus, Lorenzo Washington, and Luther Davis are four peas in a pod.

Regardless of the personnel lined up on either side of Mt. Cody, the quarterback has had little time for decision making. They must do the same to McCoy but not over-pursue and open up running lanes for the quick thinking and speedy McCoy. If they get too deep in their rush, McCoy will take off running.

McClain will be keyed on McCoy. He will shadow the Texas quarterback on every play and attack as soon as he sees Colt heading for the line of scrimmage. If McCoy breaks from the pocket and moves laterally, allowing the pass routes to develop, Anders and Reamer should be in hot pursuit. They just can't sit and watch ol' bandit run.

Pass defense is traditionally bump and run. It worked well against the Florida Gators but there were missed opportunities for Florida with receivers open down field. The opportunities were missed because of the pressure on Tebow. McCoy is more mobile and more elusive than Tebow. His passing is more accurate.

If McCoy scrambles or moves the pocket and the secondary allows Shipley, Kirkendoll, or Marquis Goodwin to break free, it will mean big plays for the Longhorns and the defense will be on their heels. On medium routes, John Childs is a much bigger target and will be an outlet for a quarterback on the run.

Special Teams

Advantage to the Texas Longhorns on special teams regard kickoff coverage and returns for touchdown. While Javier Arenas is a threat to score on kickoff, it hasn't happened this year and he has one return of punt for a score in 2009.

Jordan Shipley has scored and will score if he gets an open lane. Moreover, the Texas special teams has been burned less frequently than the Alabama squad on kickoffs and punts. Shipley is a menace to the opposition whenever he gets the ball. He is one of the most dangerous offensive players in college football.

Wow, this is just a stab at what are the keys to this magnificent game. It is an honor and privilege to have these two champions dueling for the college national championship. Hope you all have wide screens with HD. It should be one to remember. 

Lets hope no team leaves anything on the field that they wish they had expended. All out effort is required to compete.

Roll Tide and Hook 'em.