Here's my take...
Trent Richardson is the best RB we'll face this year...and the best in this game. You don't have to like it, but you might as well learn to live with it. That doesn't mean he's unstoppable, because that ain't the case. He doesn't go against our RBs. He goes against our defense. Brockers is the key to stopping TR, IMO. Not Mingo. Bama probably won't try too many wide runs on our DEs.
Bama's LBs are infinitely better than ours. It is what it is. That said, again...our LBs don't have to face their LBs. Their LBs have to handle Ware (no slouch himself), Hilliard, (the wild card, IMO), and maintain discipline to make sure they're in position on short passes.
The OL vs DL battle is quite similar, no matter who has the ball. They seem to be better on the exterior OL than the interior, which is why I think Brockers plays a big role in this game more than Mingo or Montgomery. Our OL will have it's hands full with them, but I'm hoping the extra week served to get us healthy there, and if it did, we're as good as they are.
To me, there's a couple of clear advantages for LSU. One is special teams, and it isn't close. LSU has given up less yds per punt return than we have WINS. Wing has the ability to flip field position in a hurry. After watching the AU game, I'm MUCH less worried about our kickoff coverage, and Bama's kickoff coverage is an issue for them.
The other clear advantage is WR play. Randle is the best in the conference, and Shep is emerging. Add OBJ in the mix, and this is not much of a contest. Bama has a good secondary, but they don't have an LSU secondary. They THINK they do...but they do not. And their WR corp isn't nearly as deep or talented as ours. They have Maze, who isn't Randle, and a pretty quick dropoff after that. I PRAY it comes down to them having to pass to win.
I feel QB play is an advantage for LSU, but it depends greatly on the amount of pressure either team can put on the QB. With a lack of pressure, I have no doubt Lee>McCarron. With pressure, I don't know which is easier to rattle. That's because Lee hasn't faced pressure this season, and I doubt McCarron has either. Both will this weekend. JJ is the wild card, and despite his ineptitude the last couple of years, he's shown up against Bama. He may be the key to LSU being able to run the ball against Bama this weekend.
As far as coaching, they can all say what they wanna say. Fact is, Les Miles coached circles around Nick Saban in their most recent meeting. What have you done for me lately.
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