LSU/Alabama Football Rematch: Tide's Arsenal Needs to Be Sighted in Before Hunt

With the LSU-Alabama rematch looming on the horizon, I'm not going to write another article about whether it should or shouldn't happen. There are plenty of articles on that subject, and on both sides there are articles written that I probably couldn't outwrite on the subject.

My purpose with this article is to give you the six things Saban needs to change in order to avoid getting destroyed by the Jefferson-run option offense on January 3, if 'Bama is indeed to play in a rematch against LSU.

'Bama has a potent arsenal to choose from on the field. I just think they were off by a bit on November 5. Before you go hunting, you sight-in a rifle to make it as accurate as possible.

If 'Bama wants to win in January, its entire arsenal needs a little sighting-in.

Play-Calling

Now, there is one glaring part of the Alabama-LSU November matchup that everyone remembers: the 50-yard field-goal attempt two minutes after a failed 44-yard attempt.

I know we as 'Bama fans were all scratching our heads at that one. It seemed borderline insane. Why would Alabama even kick one that far, considering Cade Foster's current season statistics?

The later 49-yard attempt by Shelley was even more questionable. That was not the game to be curiously seeing if Shelley could do it. That's for practice or games where you are already up by 24-plus points. From a development perspective, great call, but you develop players for games like this not in games like this.

'Bama has the capability on offense to shred defenses, even defenses as great as LSU. In November, we missed wide-open receivers eight yards out and threw into coverage in the end zone. LSU will eat us alive if we throw into coverage in January.

If the reins are too tight on McElwain, let them loose. Let him reconstruct the 2009 SEC Championship Game. Wasn't that Alabama's best showing against an option offense in the Saban era?

If the plays are already being called by McElwain all by himself, then take that job away from him for now. You suspend a player for breaking the rules. On game day, it's McElwain's job to coordinate the offense, hence his title.

If he's not doing it, then Saban and McCarron need to be in each others' pockets and let McElwain simply analyze the game. (McCarron will be covered in another slide, so just wait before you yell at me for not placing the blame on him yet, please.)

Eleven wins and one loss—the play-calling isn't horrible, just off by three clicks or so around November.

Quarterback Execution

A.J. McCarron is a first-year starter. I give him credit for performing as well as he has.

I grew up in music competitions in the South. I know the pressure of a national stage. (And, yes, I did win.)

I understand that it's a lot to handle, but it's not like he just came to Alabama never having played football in front of people before. Champions shut out the distractions on stage, whether it's a literal stage or a football field. (You can't completely shut out the noise, of course, but you can shut out everything but the field in your eyes.)

McCarron got to the first LSU showdown by using Trent Richardson and a balanced passing attack. It was balanced to players and balanced in distances as well. That's what got him to November.

Since November, the Auburn game is the only game that he has shown what I hope are his true colors.

He was hitting guys short and long. He was letting Richardson run the ball. He was making good decisions with little exception. (The pump fake that gave Auburn its first seven was definitely an exception; he should have guarded the ball better after contact.)

McCarron has the capability to win in January, especially with his support on the offensive line. He just needs to breathe, calm down and play his game.

Stop shooting for the end zone every time you cross midfield. We moved the ball from the shadow of our end zone to midfield extremely well. At the 50, he just stopped throwing the five- to eight-yard passes.

Get him in his own game again, and 'Bama takes LSU's defense for a ride.

McCarron isn't a bad quarterback—he just needs to be bumped back to good.

Special Teams

This photo is of Vinnie Sunseri tackling Michael Dyer. This photo should be burned in the minds of anyone that wants to play on special teams.

The "tackle" is what separates the SEC from the other conferences, such as the PAC-12 and the Big East. It's how we stop people from getting into the "end zone."

These guys need to step up, stay in their lanes, hone in on the returner and make him think twice about returning the next one.

Kicking is part of this aspect of the game, but there is little you can do about a kicker who just can't get it deep with consistency. All you can do is draw a bead on the returner and drop him as soon as possible.

Under no circumstances can the special teams allow a 50-yard field goal to be a lower-risk call than a punt. We can't kick that far this year. We can, however, punt that far.

Special teams isn't allowing huge returns all the time, but they do need a rougher adjustment than the rest of the weapons.

Defense

We have the best defense in college football in many aspects. We have one of the best 'Bama defenses in the long, storied history of the university. There is not much that can be done to stop them from stopping you.

LSU runs the offense that has proved to be this defense's weakness. With time to prepare for the game in January, I'd like to see Saban pull out his 2009 SEC Championship DVD (you know he has it), and show these guys how it's done.

Practice with video from Florida (2008 and 2009, specifically), Georgia Southern, LSU from November and even the Georgia Tech-Clemson game if they want. I don't care. Just get these guys up to where they can be defensively against the option.

I'd hate to see one of the greatest Tide defenses EVER be made to look like an ACC team in the BCS National Championship Game, just because the option put them on their heels. These guys are stellar, and I don't want them heading into the NFL Draft looking like a bunch of pansies, because they're not.

The defense doesn't need a new plan, it just needs to be taught how to implement the current plan against the option—minor adjustment, major difference in results.

Coaching

Coaching is a weapon in the arsenal that I think may need a different type of sighting-in. When you coach a group as good as this year's 'Bama team, you have a few things on your mind.

One is the level of talent you have on the field at any given time. At 'Bama, that's enormous. You have to be constantly thinking of what they are capable of, regardless of what they are actually accomplishing. This is where Saban's axiom that, "What's best for the individual may not be what's best for the team." (How good do you want to be?)

In the instance of the kickers in the LSU game, I believe that he was sticking to that mantra. He put the kickers out on the field repeatedly and said at halftime, "I'm gonna keep putting them out there; they're gonna start making them."

In the national championship game on January 3, I think he needs to suspend that for a game. Overall, he will have plenty of time to develop these players. One game of limiting them at the 30-yard line won't hurt.

In the championship, he needs to be focused on calling plays that lead to victory. At the end of the year, I think it would be a far greater lesson to learn. Men need to learn to do their best no matter what. They also need to learn that, when they are unable to accomplish something alone, they can rely on their teammates.

That goes for every aspect of your life. You other married guys know that your wife is a wonderful compliment to you, as you are to her.

You work together to win at life. Without trust in the teammates you surround yourself with, you will fail. Nobody can do it ALL on their own. Life doesn't work that way.

We don't need a new coach; we just need this one to clear his mind. A whole month off should give him plenty of time to quiet the noise and give LSU the "headshot" for the crystal football.

Player Responsibility

This year's Tide have an amazing level of talent, and it has shown up very often. Nick Saban is getting a lot of attention for the wins and the loss. Jim McElwain is getting a lot of attention as well.

I know that the play-calling is an issue. I also know that McElroy was allowed to call a lot of plays on the field, even outside of a "hurry-up" offense.

I believe that no team in the nation has more heart than our Tiders from Tuscaloosa. LSU wants it and Oklahoma State University wants it. I totally understand that. I'm not here to say who deserves to play LSU the most for the title.

I think that Saban should put a huge amount of responsibility on the players on the field. They are the ones seeing the holes open up on offense in real time. They are pumped for this rematch.

Player responsibility is part of Saban's system. Give them more, and let them rise or fall on their own. Many are headed into the draft—this is the last chance to push them out of the nest.

I believe that they have the talent and the intelligence to win this game. I also believe that LSU has the talent and intelligence to win this game. LSU has Les Miles. Alabama has Nick Saban.

I believe the difference maker is in the hearts of the Crimson Tide. I fully believe that Saban and company gave the 2009 Tide the tools to defeat Florida, but the Tide won that game with their hearts and determination. I don't think any team could have stopped them that day.

If we place the outcome of this game in the hearts of the players, how can 'Bama lose?