LSU defense preparing for another running quarterback threat

By Hunt Palmer

Four straight touchdown drives make an impression.

Four straight touchdown drives featuring only two completed passes etch that impression it deeper.

Marcel Reed’s dissection of the LSU defense two weeks ago flipped the game between Texas A&M and LSU and further magnified LSU’s upcoming matchup with Jalen Milroe and Alabama.

“We need to spend more time, and each and every week it’s got to be part of (the game plan) because right now, I would run the quarterback against us,” said LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly after the defeat in College Station.

Reed ran nine times for 62 yards and three scores. A&M rushed for 242 yards and five touchdowns, largely leaning on a read-option attack that left LSU without an answer.

“They kind of just switched it up on us with the quarterback, and then it just got ugly from there,” said senior linebacker Grag Penn. “That’s all you can really say.”

Alabama won’t be switching it up. Milroe will pilot the Crimson Tide offense on Saturday night just as he did last year in LSU’s matchup with Alabama.

“Stopping the quarterback is going to be paramount,” Kelly said. “Milroe is outstanding. He also can throw the football. He is a dual threat.”

One of those threats specifically hurt LSU in last year’s game. Milroe ran the ball for 155 yards and four touchdowns in the Tide’s, 42-28, win over LSU. His 15-for-23 effort through the air produced 219 yards, but it was the running game where he hurt LSU worst.

Like Reed two weeks ago, some of Milroe’s runs were by design, but more were improvisational efforts that LSU continuously opened the door for. Asked which is tougher to handle, Penn lauded Milroe’s entire attack.

“I think both,” he said. “I think he’s a great player on designed runs, and I think he’s great off script. Obviously, last year he did a great job scrambling versus us. That’s something we need to hone in on and focus on this week. It’ll be a great challenge for us.”

Milroe presents an imposing threat at 6-foot-2 and 225 lbs. Reed, a freshman is 45 lbs. lighter. Arkansas dual threat quarterback Taylen Green is four inches taller and still 15 lbs. lighter. The Tigers sacked Green three times and held him to -10 yards rushing.

“He’s a lot bigger than other QBs,” Penn said. “He’s fast, too, for a guy that size. It’s definitely different, but I think all QBs kind of have that same mentality. They don’t want to do too much to get themselves in bad situations and get hurt, but he’s definitely a hard guy to tackle.”

Teams have found that out over Milroe’s two seasons as the Crimson Tide starter. The junior has run for 1,231 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career. In Alabama’s most productive offensive games, he tends to run more.

The Tide’s top two Power Four point totals came in wins over Wisconsin and Georgia. In Madison, Milroe ran 14 times for 75 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the dramatic win over Georgia, he carried 16 times for 117 yards and two more touchdowns. In Alabama’s two losses, Milroe has been slowed. He ran for just 11 yards at Tennessee and 10 yards at Vanderbilt.

“We know what kind of legs he’s got, and we know what he can do when he gets out of the pocket,” said senior defensive end Sai’vion Jones. “It’s just important to not rush in a way that stops us rushing to our full potential because we’re scared of his legs but still being able to keep him inside that pocket.”

Therein lies the dilemma for LSU.

The Tigers rank third in the SEC in sacks per game in the season. Their six in the upset win over Ole Miss were crucial to winning that overtime battle. However, those aggressive rushes can lead to lanes for Milroe to escape through for big gains.

Last season Alabama’s offensive line allowed more sacks than any team in the Southeastern Conference. This year the Tide is firmly in the middle of the SEC pack, seventh in that category.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Rickie Collins has mimicked Milroe this week for the LSU scout team as the Tigers learn from the mistakes against Texas A&M and prepare for a similar attack Saturday night.

Last season that attack was directed by Alabama offensive coordinator and former Kelly quarterback Tommy Rees. This season first year Crimson Tide Coach Kalen DeBoer is handling much of the offense.

“Last year, (the Alabama offense) was evolving,” Kelly said. “I don’t know that they knew what they wanted to do…they kind of settled on Milroe just before they got to us. It was big chunk play. It was run the quarterback. Here’s they’ve had all spring, and they’ve settled on a system with a starting quarterback.”

That quarterback ranks second in the SEC in rushing touchdowns and third among SEC quarterbacks in rushing attempts.

Green ranks second in the latter category. LSU is hoping for a repeat of the performance versus Arkansas as opposed to the nightmare that Texas A&M presented.

Asked what made the difference in the games just seven days apart, Penn answered bluntly.

“One was the starter. One was the backup.”