Why Alabama Should Be Prepared

NCAA FBS Team Turnover Margin

1. Minnesota, + 1.88 per game
2. TCU, + 1.56
3. Florida, + 1.43
4. Arkansas St., + 1.43
5. California, + 1.43
6. Duke, + 1.29
7. Virginia Tech, + 1.25
8. North Carolina, + 1.25
9. Wake Forest, + 1.14
10. Rice, + 1.13
11. Oklahoma, + 1.13
12. Texas Tech, + 1.13
13. Ohio State, + 1.11
14. (four teams tied at + 1.00)

For comparison, Alabama is tied at + 0.50 with Connecticut, Colorado St., Cent. Michigan, and... Louisiana-Monroe. ;-)

(Source: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/ateam-to.htm)

(Note that this table changes each week... Vanderbilt used to be near the top. No longer.)

This is not to say that Arkansas State is a lock to upset Alabama. The point of this article (and no doubt this very point has been reinforced ad nauseam by the Alabama coaching staff this week) is as follows:

Alabama's offense should... really, must... aim for a turnover-free game this weekend. Easier said than done, of course. More specifically, the running backs should emphasize protecting the ball over lunging for extra yardage (except when necessary to achieve a first down, and perhaps not even then.)

John Parker Wilson should take extra care not to "force" his throws into heavy coverage, and when in doubt, or at risk of being sacked, throw out-of-bounds.

The receivers need to think about "seeing the ball into their hands" before they think about what moves they're going to be making after the catch.

Any turnovers the Crimson Tide defense can force from the Arkansas State offense would be a bonus.

Finally, Alabama should not worry about scoring "style points" until the second half, and preferably not until the fourth quarter.

On a totally unrelated topic: Need I say that the Crimson Tide should not be thinking about LSU right now?

So, if the coaching staff is as savvy as I think they are, and has prepared the team for this week's opponent by drilling it into the players' heads and running secure-the-ball drills on the practice field, all of this will have been addressed, and Alabama should ease to a three-touchdown margin of victory.

Roll, Tide!