Will Offense Or Defense Rule The Day?

In a game featuring two high powered offenses, it seems the defenses are being overlooked

With this years national title game featuring two of the most explosive offenses in the country, many of the analysts are expecting a high scoring affair. When you have Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence leading those offenses, it's not that difficult to understand how they come to those conclusions.

"If you watch these teams offensively, there's great-a great scheme, great quarterback play, great skill around the quarterbacks," ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said. "There's a lot to like about the potential of seeing points for both teams."

Both of these teams are led by dynamic, highly skilled quarterbacks that are surrounded by elite skill position players. Both teams average over 45 points and more than 500 yards of offense per game, and have routinely chewed up opposing defenses. 

There's also another thing both teams have in common, and that's the fact that each has one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the game on their sideline. Brent Venables and Dave Aranda are arguably the two best defensive masterminds in the country, and both have had an extra week to prep for these high flying offenses.

"I think there's a chance for points," Herbstreit said. "I don't know if it'll get all the way up to LSU-Alabama, but the only asterisk I would put up there is the 15 days. That's the one thing when you gave Dave Aranda, who's got a confident defense right now these last three weeks, and Brent Venables, who's obviously a really good defensive mind as well, you give them 15 days to try to put a plan together, it's very different from getting six days to get it ready and having three or four days of practice. I think that's the one wild card here."

The Clemson defense has been one of the nations best in recent years, and that especially holds true when Venables has extra time to prepare for an opponent. Since his arrival, the 2017 Sugar Bowl is the only time Clemson has lost a postseason game when he has had more than the normal week to prepare, and his defense played well enough to win that game too. 

In 2019 his Clemson defense has been even more stingy, allowing an opposing offense to eclipse the 300 yard mark just twice through 14 games. That is despite losing all four starters from his defensive line, three of which were first round selections in last April's NFL Draft.

Aranda's LSU defense doesn't quite measure up from a statistical standpoint, but they have been much better over their last four games. After having multiple guys banged up over the first half of the season, they are finally healthy, and have held each of their last three opponents to under 100 yards rushing.

With so much of the focus from the media on the offenses, it is safe to assume both of these defenses come into this game wanting to prove a point. If you are expecting a high scoring affair, you could come away surprised. 

"To me it's like you're going to see the ball moved," ESPN analyst Chris Fowler said. "Whether it's a bunch of points or a medium-scoring game just depends on whether it's seven, three, or zero in the red zone. To me that's the whole thing."