A pair of Heisman-hopeful quarterbacks in Matt Corral and Bryce Young will make an appearance on Saturday in Bryant-Denny Stadium, as Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels will come to Tuscaloosa hoping to take a win with them back to Oxford against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
As bad as we want to forget the mind-numbing defensive performance by the Alabama defense in 2020’s iteration of the game, it’s very important that it remains fresh on our minds like it will be on the team’s.
In that game, Alabama’s defense gave up 647 yards, the most ever given up by the Crimson Tide in the Nick Saban-era. P-E-T-E became a four-letter word in some corners of the internet after that game. Thankfully, the Alabama offense put up video game numbers, as well, pulling it off by a final score of 63-48.
It’s going to take a good strategy, sound execution and plenty of confidence to stop the explosive offense of Ole Miss. Below I’ll break down how the Crimson Tide can do just that.
Ole Miss’ offense has plenty of weapons
One of the top passer’s in college football is Matt Corral, who has gotten much better after a full year in Lane Kiffin’s dangerous offense. He has good mobility and can move around the pocket to buy time with ease. He uses that to his advantage to extend plays.
His release is quick, giving defenses little time to adjust mid-play. This makes it difficult for defenders to recognize where a route may go as it’s happening.
Overall, he is the embodiment of the type of quarterback that has hurt Alabama in the past.
At the running back position, Ole Miss has a hidden gem in Jerrion Ealy. Ealy led the team in rushing yards in the 2020 season with 745 yards and nine touchdowns. He is a speedy back with ample power, around 70% of his yardage has come after contact. He is also known as a dynamic kick returner. He can cut on a dime, and there aren’t many guys that are able to catch him when he sees an open field.
Henry Parrish and Snoop Conner are balanced backup running back options who provide valuable snaps for the Ole Miss offense. Conner is a reliable short-yardage back while Parrish is another speed-back.
When we move on to the wide receiver position, you’ll probably be glad to see that Elijah Moore has moved on to the NFL. You may not appreciate who has replaced him as the top target. While not as versatile, as of yet, as Moore was, Dontario Drummond is a big, capable receiver, at 220 pounds. His size does not severely limit his speed and lateral quickness, however.
He runs his routes very smoothly, and his stop and go ability makes him a dangerous guy to try and cover.
So, how can Alabama stop them?
Well, it will take a concerted effort between the coaches and players to limit the damage of a potent offense like the one that Lane Kiffin employs.
Coverage schemes need to be diversified so as to not give the same looks to Kiffin and Corral throughout the length of the game. At the same time, it needs to be simple enough to be understood by every player in a crimson jersey.
Kiffin has the advantage of having coached alongside this Alabama 3-4 defense for three years. He knows the holes in coverage and how to exploit them, even if he claims he doesn’t. It will take some good old-fashioned deceit for Alabama to have a good outcome defensively.
Disguises will be key. For instance, shifting the nickel’s leverage from inside to outside, and vice versa. A safety rolling down when the cadence begins. A cornerback that flirts with a press look and backs off just as the ball is snapped. All of these simple actions serve to confuse a quarterback, thereby leading to potential audibles that will better complement the defense’s assignments.
Mature defenders don’t necessarily need a coach’s instruction to perform some of these simple actions. So long as the action itself doesn’t take the defender out of his coverage responsibility, it’s encouraged.
Last year, Ole Miss killed the Tide’s defense with three-level flood routes. This is why disguising coverage is important against an offense that knows what it’s doing and what it’s looking for. With an extra week of preparation, we all know that Kiffin has simulated every look he could see on Saturday. Therefore, it will take unwavering execution to be successful.
Forcing turnovers will be monumental. Matt Corral turned the ball over 12 times in their two worst losses of last season. While he has yet to throw a pick this season, that doesn’t mean that he’s infallible. The Crimson Tide should look to force mistakes that will keep their defense off the field and rested.
Ultimately, the key to a good defense is a good offense. The defense must get ample time on the bench. DBs can become gassed quick when running down WRs on a long drive. Alabama’s offense will need to shoulder a hefty load to ensure that its defense stays rested.
Besides all of that, the best way to beat the Rebels is to simply outscore them. While we’re all hoping this isn’t a shootout like last season, it’s definitely possible.
I trust that the Alabama coaches will install the most formidable gameplan possible required to mitigate the damage that can be done by the Rebels’ offense.
You can catch the game between No. 1 Alabama and No. 12 Ole Miss on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT on CBS.
Stay tuned to Roll Tide Wire for the best up-to-the-minute coverage of Alabama sports!
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Layne Gerbig on Twitter @LayneG_29