Alabama Football: Option Attack Could Doom Tide in LSU Rematch

The BCS has been shaken, stirred and served, and Alabama is, once again, No. 2.  The only team that sits ahead of them is division nemesis, undefeated LSU, and while a rematch seems likely, would it produce the same result?

Many critics will decry a rematch between the two, calling the first outing a "snoozer" due to the low scores of both teams.  They say defense wins championships, yet when two defensive champions go at each other, they call it boring?  

Whether the fans want it or not is not the issue.  A rematch is happening.  If Alabama and LSU win the rest of their games—and they will—the date will be set in New Orleans.  

Will 'Bama find redemption in the BCS national championship game?  The Tide faithful would give a resounding "Yes!", but a closer look might not look so promising. 

You see, the Superman that is Alabama has a Kryptonite, and it's called the option.  It has been used against the Tide twice this year, and it has been utterly devastating.  

First, Alabama matched up with LSU, and for a good portion of the game the Tigers used their standard offense, with immobile quarterback Jarrett Lee either handing off or dropping back to pass. They failed miserably.

Then, LSU quarterback Jordan Jefferson took the reigns and the Tigers adopted an option offense. With the option, the Tigers managed almost 150 yards on the ground (which might have been 300 if they used it the whole game), which was just enough for the two field goals that sent the game into overtime and an eventual win.  

Two weeks later, Alabama hosted a severe underdog FCS school, the Georgia Southern Eagles.  The Eagles ran the triple option, but many of their runs were to the outside, just like the standard option. And with this setup, they completely embarrassed the Tide's vaunted No. 1 ranked rush defense.

They rushed for 302 yards, a stark contrast to the double-digit rushing yards Alabama allowed all year. The Crimson Tide are still the No. 1 ranked rush defense, but just barely.  

The bottom line is that the Crimson Tide's defense cannot handle the option, in any form.  They give up solid yardage on almost every play against it.  True, they may have wised up by now and can better defend it, but it is still their primary weakness.

After LSU experimented with the option and found success, and Georgia Southern literally ran all over the Tide, what could you expect the Tigers offense to look like in a rematch?

The option.  All night long.  And when the defenders are lured into zoning into stopping the run, they will get burned for a big pass play.  Georgia Southern did it.  

As an Alabama fan, I would love to see a rematch with LSU in New Orleans, but from a realistic standpoint, it will be tougher to win the second match.  LSU now knows the Tide's weakness, and it is no small flaw.  

Judging by what the option has done to the Tide thus far, the situation looks grim.  But if anybody can pull it off, it would be Kirby Smart and Nick Saban.